Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. The population of the Belgrade metropolitan area is 1,685,563 according to the 2022 census. It is one of the major cities of Southeast Europe and the third most populous city on the Danube river.
Some of the key events about Belgrade
- 1521The city fell to Ottoman forces, beginning centuries of Turkish rule
- 1688The city was devastated during the Habsburg-Ottoman war
- 1789Belgrade was besieged and heavily damaged during another Austrian-Ottoman conflict
- 1806The city suffered significant destruction during the First Serbian Uprising
- 1867The Ottoman Empire officially handed over Belgrade Fortress to the Serbian Principality
- 1882Belgrade became the capital of the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Serbia
- 1905The University of Belgrade was founded as the highest-level educational institution in Serbia
- 1915Belgrade was occupied by Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian forces during World War I
- 1929The first radio station in the Balkans began broadcasting in Belgrade
- 1941The city was heavily bombed by Nazi Germany, causing widespread destruction
- 1944Belgrade endured another round of bombing, this time by Allied forces
- 1958The Belgrade Fair complex was opened, becoming a major exhibition center in Southeast Europe
- 1961The first conference of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Belgrade
- 1977The construction of New Belgrade, a planned modern city, was largely completed
- 1989The Gazela Bridge, a significant infrastructure project, was opened to traffic
- 1999NATO forces bombed several targets in Belgrade during the Kosovo War
- 2004The Temple of Saint Sava, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, was largely completed
- 2006Montenegro's independence referendum led to the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro, reducing Belgrade's status
- 2010A severe storm caused significant damage to the city, including the destruction of many trees in public areas
- 2018Belgrade Waterfront project began transforming the Sava riverfront with modern buildings and amenities
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.