Savski venac | Belgrade Neighborhoods Names
- Nikola Igračev
- 6 min
- 8 February 2021.
- Entertainment
The municipality of Savski Venac is one of the central and oldest districts of Belgrade.
Although relatively small in size (around 14 square kilometers) and population (less than 40,000), it represents the most frequented part of the city due to the presence of the largest number of public city and state institutions, the main railway and bus stations, as well as some of the busiest traffic arteries in Belgrade.
Situated between Branko's Bridge and the Topčider River, this municipality was once shaped like a wreath following the course of the Sava River, which is how it got its name. With the growth of Belgrade, Savski Venac expanded inland, so apart from Čukarica and Stari Grad, it now also borders Rakovica in Topčider Park, Voždovac in Banjica, and Vračar at Autokomanda and Slavija.
The settlements and neighborhoods of Savski Venac are among the most attractive and elite in the city, and their names have very interesting origins.
Savamala
The area that once encompassed a much larger part of the city, extending along the Sava slope all the way to Terazije, Savamala today represents a relatively narrow urban strip that informally stretches between the right bank of the Sava River and the streets of Kosančićev Venac and Gavrilo Princip, with Karađorđeva Street as its central axis. Although it partly belongs to Stari Grad, Savamala is predominantly within the territory of Savski Venac. This neighborhood, which used to be the center of city events and the business hub, is one of the oldest in Belgrade. Its name dates back to the time when Belgrade was under Turkish rule, derived from the shortened compound word Sava mahala (ma'la).
Zeleni Venac
A relatively small but well-known part of Savski Venac in the city center is called Zeleni Venac or more popularly known as "Zelenjak." Apart from the street of the same name, which connects Terazije with Branko's Bridge, Zeleni Venac, in a broader sense, encompasses the area between Brankova and Jug Bogdanova Street, as well as the "upper" part of Kraljevića Marka Street. This neighborhood owes its interesting name to a tavern that existed from the mid-19th century until the 1960s, where the popular McDonald's is located today. Instead of a conventional sign with the name of the establishment, the tavern, allegedly owned by a German immigrant family, had a tin plate with a wreath made of colored green leaves hanging from it. Considering that this tavern survived under different owners for over a century, it is clear that it is a symbol by which this part of the city (and also the street, market, etc.) got its name.
"Belgrade Waterfront" (Bara Venecija)
The area unofficially bordered by Stari Sava and Gazela Bridge, i.e., the right bank of the Sava River and Savska Street, used to be a large and empty floodplain known as Bara Venecija or Ciganska bara. In the future, it is expected to become the centerpiece of a major urban project called "Belgrade Waterfront." The area, which has always been a marshy land and seasonally flooded during high water levels of the Sava River, has been continuously filled since the late 19th century. With modern technologies, it is planned to be completely drained and transformed into a new residential and business center of Belgrade, which will completely change the skyline of the capital city.
Prokop
In relation to the marshy land of Bara Venecija, which has been filled since the late 19th century for the construction of the former railway and the Main Railway Station, there is a neighboring area that stretches between the E70 highway and Bulevar Kneza Aleksandra Karađorđevića. In fact, the soil used to fill Ciganska bara was extracted from this area, which led to this part of Savski Venac being named Prokop. Today, in this part of the city that was a major construction site hidden from the public eye for decades, you can find the central Belgrade railway station.
Autokomanda
Another widely known part of Belgrade, located at the intersection of three city municipalities (Savski Venac, Vračar, and Voždovac), but mostly belonging to Savski Venac, is called Autokomanda. Informally, it refers to the area along and around Bulevar oslobođenja between the restaurant Franš and the Autokomanda roundabout. This part of the city is more famous as one of the key traffic junctions or "bottlenecks" than as a residential quarter, but it is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable parts of Belgrade. The name Autokomanda originates from the former hangars that housed the motorized brigade of the Yugoslav People's Army. These hangars have been gone for decades, but the name continues to live on today.
Topčider
Topčider is the name of the oldest Belgrade park and one of the most popular city outings located in the valley of the Topčiderska River, between Košutnjak, Dedinje, and Topčidersko Brdo. The toponym itself is of Turkish origin and denotes a cannon valley, which can be easily understood considering that the Turks used to cast their cannons here in the 15th century, preparing for the attack on Belgrade. In the 19th century, Topčider, along with Košutnjak, was a closed hunting ground of the Obrenović dynasty, and it wasn't until the beginning of the 20th century that it was transformed into a park and opened to the public. This part of the city is also not a residential area, but it is well-known for its magnificent park, Miloš's fountain and residence, the Guard House of the Serbian Army, and the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
Senjak
Within the territory of Savski Venac lies the most elite part of the capital, which starts from the city center with the settlement of Senjak, occupying a section of the Sava slope informally framed by Živojin Mišić and Vojvoda Putnik Boulevards. The origin of the name of this highly attractive part of the city dates back to the 19th century when meadows and agricultural land prevailed in this area. Hay stacks were scattered throughout the then Belgrade, and fires were relatively common. After a major fire, the city authorities decided to store all the hay in one place on the outskirts of the city. That place was Senjak, a neighborhood that was once a hay storage area and now predominated by luxurious houses and villas of wealthy Belgraders.
Dedinje
With the construction of the Royal Complex of the Karađorđević dynasty on a hill called Dedinje in the 1920s, many prominent and wealthy residents of Belgrade, high-ranking officers, ministers, and traders, began to settle in this area by building luxurious villas, residences, and gardens. This made Dedinje the most elegant part of the capital, a status it still holds today. There are several theories about the origin of the toponym. In Turkish sources from the 16th century, Dedinje (in various linguistic variants) is mentioned as a place where a tekke (Islamic place of worship) is located, so the name of the settlement may have Turkish origins. The leaders of the tekke, dervishes, were called dedas, so it is possible that Dedinje got its name from them. However, there is also a more contemporary (and realistic) variant according to which Dedinje was divided into several private estates, cultivated with fields and vineyards, in the early 20th century. At that time, it was known as Dedino Brdo, and it is possible that today's name is derived from this original one.
Diplomatic Colony
The part of Dedinje that extends towards the stadium of FK Crvena Zvezda, unofficially bordered by the streets of Ljutice Bogdan, Rajko Mitić, Heroja Milana Tepića, and Generala Save Grujića, is called the Diplomatic Colony. It is a peaceful and green, luxurious neighborhood that houses a large number of embassies and consulates, as well as residences of foreign diplomats. Hence its logical name.
Lisičiji Potok
The southern part of the Dedinje hill, located between Topčider and Banjica and also the southernmost part of Savski Venac, is called Lisičiji Potok. It is a wooded part of the city that was once part of the magnificent Royal Complex and where the famous Kraljeva Česma (King's Fountain) was located. After World War II, as a hidden area on the outskirts of the city, it became an execution site for enemies of the regime controlled by the OZNA. In recent years, the neglected Kraljeva Česma has been restored, and Lisičiji Potok has grown into an elegant residential quarter bordered by the streets of Pivljanina Baje and Mihaila Avramovića. The name of the toponym indicates that foxes were likely frequent guests in this wooded and once abundantly flowing stream area.
The Origins of Belgrade Neighborhood Names | Zemun