Slavija Square

Slavija Square is a major commercial junction between the intersections of Kralja Milana, Beogradska, Makenzijeva, Svetosavska, Bulevar oslobođenja, Deligradska and Nemanjina streets in Belgrade. The square was previously named Dimitrije Tucović Square after the prominent Serbian socialist.

Slavija is located less than south of Terazije (downtown Belgrade), at an altitude of The square itself belongs entirely to the municipality of Vračar, though the municipality of Savski Venac begins immediately to the west. The Slavija neighborhood which surrounds the square borders the neighborhoods of Cvetni Trg in the north, Grantovac and Krunski Venac in the north and north east, and Englezovac and Savinac in the south east, all in Vračar. The Manjež park is to the north, while West Vračar is to the west, both in Savski Venac.

Until the 1880s, the area around Slavija was a large pool on the eastern outskirts of the city. The pond was naturally drained by the Vračarski potok, down the modern Nemanjina street, into the Gypsy Pond in the neighborhood of Savamala. The remnant of the pond is the large underground water spring under the modern Hotel Slavija. The earth from the top of the Vračar hill above the Slavija was used to cover and drain the pond, in turn flattening the hill and creating the modern Vračar plateau. The formation of the square started when a well known Scottish businessman and Nazarene Francis Mackenzie, bought a large piece of land above the present square and parcelled it for sale (the area became subsequently known as Englezovac). Soon after that, Mackenzie built a house for himself at Slavija (at the place where the old "Slavija" cinema used to be), which in 1910 was turned into the Socialist People's Center, a gathering place of the worker's movement. The other, smaller buildings at the corner of Kralja Milana and the square, where the famous cafés "Tri seljaka" and "Rudničanin" used to be, were destroyed before and during World War II. Today demolished, the original inn, later hotel "Slavija" was built from 1882 to 1888. The hotel's kafana became one of the best known in Belgrade. The venue had a big hall for the parties and balls, and a spacious summer, open air garden. The hotel hosted recitals, theatrical shows and choirs performances. Word "Slavija" itself is a generic term for land inhabited by the Slavs.

Until World War II Slavija remained an unregulated crossroad of eight streets, which crossed at different angles. Surrounding was an entangled web of small streets which, though cobblestoned in the early 20th century, were remains of the old, dirt paths dating from the Ottoman period. However, the plans in the late Interbellum included almost complete makeover of Slavija, with construction of numerous important buildings, including the Belgrade Opera House and the "Mitić Tower", the largest department store and the tallest building in the Southeast Europe. 1982 – Design competition for the building of the communal business center in the Slavija Svetozara Markovića Nemanjina Kralja Milana section. It resulted in the construction of the National Bank of Serbia's building, designed by Grujo Golijanin and finished only in 2006. Based on it, city developed a detailed regulatory plan in 2015, but without pedestrian underground passages. Criticism from the architects was directed to the fact that transportation solutions will not speed up the traffic flow, the needlessness of the fountain on such a place, and that, in general, new city government removed from the project the best parts and kept the worst. Architect Dragoljub Bakić said that both the project, and the execution which followed, are of the "horribly low quality". Actually, the area of the already busy roundabout is reduced by one lane during the reconstruction.

Construction of the fountain began on 3 December 2016. As a response to the constant criticism about the fountain, including that it will be completely surrounded by some of the busiest traffic in the city, thus inaccessible to the pedestrians, and a price which is, for the Serbian economic conditions deemed way to high for such a construction (214 million dinars or some 1.75 million euros), Belgrade's city manager Goran Vesić stated that those who do not like the musical fountain don't have to listen to it. and on 15 December 2016 his remains were reinterred into the Alley of the Greats in Belgrade's New Cemetery. Surviving members of Tucović family weren't present, while their wishes to bury Tucović in his home village of Gostilje and to relocate the bust to the town of Užice were ignored. A smaller version of Tucović bust was placed at his tomb. Lit with 400 spotlights, the fountain was opened on 6 June 2017, after a month of delay, and at the final cost of 254 million dinars (2,06 million euros), with taxes. The traffic policemen who manage the traffic on Slavija now wear the traditional white uniforms. As the fountain is unreachable, Vesić stated that the new park, across the fountain, will be a place where the "citizens will gather, watch at the fountain and take photos of it". During the trials in the days before it was officially opened, music was played all day (after the opening it is several hours before noon and several in the evening) and was indeed too loud it was heard several blocks away. Local residents called both the communal inspection and the communal police, but they both declared themselves incompetent. Milan Vujanić, professor at the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, asserted that the fountain is still a safety risk. Architect Borislav Stojkov, who devised the 1979 urbanistic plan for Slavija, called it a "kitsch parade", waste of money and "Potemkin village in the center of Belgrade". Architectural theorist and member of the Serbian Academy of Architecture Slobodan "Giša" Bogunović described it as the "rosemary on the lapel of the ragged suit", "illiterate pleasing to the taste of politicians and ignorant councilors" and "water well that swallowed lot of money". Author and critic Milan Vlajčić called it an "insult for Belgrade", a "Chinese rattle" and a "nonsense". Bakić called it an "eyesore" and "watering trough". Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlović, stated that to her, Slavija is more beautiful with the fountain. President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, who in terms of administration or jurisdiction has nothing to do with the fountain, defended the project saying that he can't give an answer to "those who complain that they have no access to the fountain what did they expect, that they will be able to wash their feet in it" and to "people who hate the entire world". Vučić added that those who criticize the fountain actually can't forgive him "because he participated in three strongest, most compelling victories in the modern Serbian history", referring to the last three electoral rounds. He asserted that the fountain is among the ten most beautiful ones in Europe. The fountain was damaged in December 2017 when a van, which participated in the three car collision, hit its outer granite plates, forcing it out of service for a week. In September 2018, the commission was formed to choose which songs will be played. It was officially named "The Commission for the realization of the artistic work of the fountain on the Slavija Square". With everything that happened during the construction, and things which followed (malfunctioning, wetting the carriageways, shutting down because of the repairs, several car accidents including cars crashing into the fountain damaging it), it has been described as the controversial, "creature" and "jinxed attraction", with dubious effect on traffic safety in the square. Occasional crashes into the fountain continued in 2019 and 2021. Controversies continued around the COVID 19 pandemic, mostly because of deputy mayor Vesić. He announced the fountain would play "patriotic" songs for the Statehood Day on 15 February. Part of the cultural establishment called it unacceptable, opposed to the meaning of the holiday and political campaigning. Though the idea wasn't publicly dropped, the fountain remained silent on holiday. Vesić ordered for the fountain and several other city landmarks to be lit in the lights of the German flag, supporting Germany in fighting the outbreak, on the eve of 6 April, anniversary of the vicious 1941 German bombing of Belgrade, which killed several thousand people and destroyed up to 25% of the city. This action met with almost unanimous public odium. In order to support Serbian health workers, on 11 April he organized gathering of city communal workers, who parked various vehicles around the fountain during the total pandemic curfew. At the time when citizens already began to support health workers with applause in the evening, early 1 minute long applause, with Vesić's TV statement was labeled magnificent by the government media, while the opposition called it a political campaign.

After the fountain was opened, on 10 June 2017 the first phase of the reconstruction began. The summer of 2017 has been named as an example of a good idea with a bad plan, it was nicknamed the "hell summer", while the commuting through the city was described as a "nightmare". was further aggravated by the temporary strikes of the workers of "Ratko Mitrović" because their salaries were months late and the company didn't pay their social and health insurance. They organized strikes on 13 July and 11 September. It was announced that the company didn't pay the insurance and pension fees for the workers since 2014, which raised question how the city could choose such a company because one of the conditions was that they have no debts to the state. On 13 October 2017, while the excavator was digging a channel on Slavija, a lump of hard material fell from its bucket onto the main water pipe in this part of the city causing it to burst. As a result of the pipe burst, described as a "deluge", the water was ejected in the air and the pond was created in the center of the square, up to deep. The water then spilled over into the ending section of the Kralja Milana street, further complicating the traffic. Though the problem was fixed later that day, the communities on social networks had a field day with the comments and photomontages. They especially made fun of mayor Siniša Mali's comment on a previous incident with the Slavija fountain ("it isn't cracked, it overspills") and his and president Alexander Vučić's pet project Belgrade Waterfront (in Serbian, Beograd na vodi, "Belgrade on the water"). The three most problematic spots were open for traffic simultaneously on 16 November 2017 (Slavija, adjoining Bulevar Oslobođenja, Ruzveltova) even though none of them were fully completed. Citizens noted that not much appears to be changed after such a long reconstructions, while mayor Mali admitted that on Slavija only the pavement was changed. Soon, the problems appeared, apparently as a result of hasty and low quality work. By January 2018 the granite slabs on the sidewalks and concrete bedding for the tram tracks were cracking, the asphalt concrete with which the streets were paved was denting, while the painted marks and signs were peeling off.

The park, promised by the authorities, turned out to be a large concrete granite plateau. Even though still being under construction, the cracks and deterioration were quite visible by February 2018. Still, by April 2018 the damages and cracks were widespread and the granite plating of the plateau began to crumble. The city secretariats, contractors and planners all accused each other, blaming the bad project, dumping prices, bad sub contractors, etc. The same contractor, "MBA MIljković" has been previously hired by the city several times and each time there were problems (Vojvode Stepe Street, Ruzveltova Street), but city continued to hire them "because they always had the lowest price". City ordered them to fix the problems by May or the penalties will be collected. The repair of the still unfinished plateau began on 18 April 2018, with deadline set to mid May. As works barely progressed, city extended the deadline until early August. The construction on Slavija has been jokingly named "The Building of Slavija", after epic poem The Building of Skadar in which the construction of a fortress was hampered by a vengeful fairy who destroyed by night everything the workers would build by day. The deadline was then prolonged again, to 31 August. On 1 September, works officially ended and the drinking fountain has been placed, with journalists noting that no one will probably ever be blamed or punished for such a sloppy work. while the arrangement of the plateau extended further. By November 2018 it was evident that the plateau was cracking all over again and was still being occasionally repaired. Allegedly, it was because of the trams passing by, even though city administration plans to conduct new tram tracks around the plateau. Over the cracked concrete, the decking began, but the deck started deteriorating and cracking right away, even before the placing of it was finished. The bust of Tucović was returned to the square on 16 October 2018, but placed on the new pedestal built on the plateau, close to the building of the National Bank. In July 2019, ten months after the official completion of the works, city administration admitted there are damages, though it was obvious before (cracks, including some quite long ad deep, especially on the cascade part of the plateau, sitting areas cracked and crumbled, broken slabs all over, neglected and out of order drinking fountain). City summoned the contractors who defended themselves claiming that city added additional jobs to then so they couldn't do the previously accepted jobs properly, but also blamed a weather. City, on the other hand, also accused occasional skaters of breaking the slabs. City ordered the contractors to fix the plateau until December 2019, when the warranty expires, or the city will activate the collateral. The elevated part of the plateau, in one of the corners, was envisioned as the location of the Belgrade Tourist Organization office, public restroom and a kiosk. As of July 2019, nothing has been built. Lack of residents and social component for architect Bojan Kovačević is a confirmation that Slavija is actuallz not a proper square. When the developer, Maison Royal company, asked for of total floor area above the ground (plus below), instead of the projected envisioned by the competition, the Sudžums withdrew deeming it inappropriate for this location. The developer itself is controversial. Partially owned by the former footballer Dejan Stanković, it is known for the corruptive deals with city officials, and illegal, or after the fact permitted constructions. Demolition of the block began on 17 August 2023. The area was partially placed under preliminary protection as potential cultural monument. but the preliminary protection expired on 25 December 2020, the protection was not confirmed, and the demolition was allowed. Demolished buildings include the Old Citizens Savings Bank from the 19th century (at the corner of Svetozara Markovića and Kralja Milana streets), Citizens Savings Bank (1929, by Stevan Tobolar; 43 Svetozara Markovića), and 1927 building by Milan Zloković at No. 47. All buildings have individual architectural values but are not protected.

Slavija is today divided between the municipalities of Vračar and Savski Venac. Savski Venac's section was within the local community of West Vračar, while Vračar's section was organized as the local community of Slavija with the population of 4,608 in 1981 and 4,281 in 1991. That local community was later annexed to Cvetni Trg (total population of 25,759 in 2002), but municipality of Vračar later abolished local communities altogether.

Due to numerous and constant changes in the architectural structure of the urban tissue surrounding the square, Slavija became a synonym for an architecturally ugly and devastated area and the source of one of the most popular urban legends in Belgrade: the curse of the Mitićeva rupa ("Mitić's hole").

In the 19th century, the "Rudničanin" kafana was located at the modern corner of Beogradska and Kralja Milana streets. In decades before the opening of the Belgrade Main railway station in 1884, the venue was one of the major transloading and packaging spots in Belgrade. It had a vast yard, which also included stables and quarters for merchants and bullockies, where the goods and food arriving from the interior were stored and repackaged for the city markets. The complex survived until the 1920s. In 1935, one of the richest people in Belgrade before World War II, Vlada Mitić, bought the lot to build the largest department store in the Balkans, but the outbreak of the war halted the realization, though the foundations were dug. The project was to be the third twin of the Palace Albanija, the tallest building and the first skyscraper in Belgrade and in the Balkans at the time. The future store was tentatively named "Mitić Warehouse" or "Mitić Tower", and was planned to be even taller than Albanija itself, with the height of
After the war, Communist government imprisoned Vlada Mitić and confiscated his entire property, including the lot on Slavija, on the corner of the Kralja Milana and Beogradska streets, and money prepared for the construction of the department store. From 1946 to 1980 26 different project were completed for the lot, but none was realized. Then mayor of Belgrade, Bogdan Bogdanović decided to put a large sundial in the place in the first half of the 1980s. In the early 1990s, Dafiment banka, one of the major Ponzi schemes of the Milošević's regime, bought the lot and announced a monumental shopping mall, but after the scheme failed completely, the lot was fenced and turned into the dump After the regime change in 2000, the area was cleaned and a temporary park with children playground was built instead. The failed projects continued, including the ultra modern, gigantic shopping mall by the Israeli investors which turned out to be a complete hoax. All of this was more than enough for people to consider the "hole" a cursed place. The park was renovated from April to July 2017. The entire lot covers and by 2021, one third was returned to the pre World War II owners in the restitution process. In March 2021 it was announced that the private owners sold their parcels to the Czech developer "Sebre", which already purchased properties of Marina Dorćol and Avala Grad. According to the 2005 project of the square, which served as the basis for the development of the area, a massive commercial and residential building is planned. Citizens reacted by organizing a petition for the park to remain instead. In 2021, the Do not let Belgrade drown organized a petition "For park in Slavija", to turn the area into the permanent, proper park. In October 2022, it was proposed that the park should be named the Dušan Jovanović Park, after a 13 year Romani boy beaten to death in 1997 by the skinheads in the vicinity of the Mitićeva Rupa. The motion was officially filed to the city government in October 2023.

Built in 1888, the residence of Francis Mackenzie became known as the "Peace Salon" after it was ceremonially opened in 1889. Next to it, a pharmacist Kosta Nikolić built a one storey house which became a well known pharmacy, so as the several smaller buildings around it with shops, including the tinsmith Anton Šuster. The Serbian Social Democratic Party purchased the edifice in 1910, turning it into the center of the burgeoning worker's movement. In the early 1930s the venue was transformed into the inn. After World War II, new authorities nationalized everything and turned former Mackenzie's residence into the "Slavija" cinema, occupying area between the Beogradska and Prote Mateje streets. For decades one of the symbols of Belgrade, the cinema was demolished in 1991, but like the Mitić's hole, none of the projects for construction on this site have been realized, though the official reason for the demolition of the entire quarter, including the former Nikolić's complex, was the construction of the new Beobanka building. Not knowing what to do with the empty lot, city government turned it into the temporary parking lot. As of 2020, the area is still a parking and the land is in the process of restitution to the descendants of its pre nationalization owners. One of the nationalized parcels, owned by the medical doctor and radiologist Aleksandar Marković (1878 1961), which covers , was returned to his descendants in October 2020. Majority of the modern parking lot is located on it.

Construction of the new building of the National Bank of Serbia also began in the early 1990s. It is located a little bit further from the square itself, but due to its size it is visible from many parts of Belgrade. Money problems caused a decade and a half of delays. A massive construction was deemed ugly and inappropriate for the location by many Belgraders and in 1994 the then governor of the bank, Dragoslav Avramović, stated that he would not move into the new building even if it were completed on time. The massive glass building was finished in 2006.