History

Belgrade is one of the oldiest city in Europe. Celtics came to this area around III B.C. and later in the very beginning of the I century A.D. Romans and their legions arived and they built the stone fortress. Actually it was a military base.In the late IV century A.D. after division of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western parts Belgrade became a border of the Byzantine Empire. In the seventh century A.D. this city appeard to be Slavic. For the first time in history Belgrade was mentioned as The White City probably because of the walls built of the white stone.

During the rule period from 1404-1427 Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarevic son of the King Lazar killed in Kosovo battle, proclamied Belgrade as the capital of the state. The title Despot has the meaning of Byzantine prince actually despot was the second figure in the byzantine empire. His reign and personal literary works were early signs of the Renaissance in Serbia. He was a great patron of the arts and culture.

Echoes of the past

He has been one of the most educated people of his time. He was a poet, a writer, brave warrior and a very wise person with idea and vision of the future of Belgrade and Serbia. After that city resisted turkish attacks for a century but Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent conquered Belgrade 1521.Austrians managed to conquered Belgrade 1717 and finally under the influence of the national consciousness after many battles and wars Ottoman army retreat from Belgrade. Serbian Knez Mihailo Obrenovic took the key of Belgrade in serbian hands once and for all. During the World War I and II Belgrade was destroyed several times. Nowaday's Belgrade is a economic and cultural center of Serbia with its own autonomous city authority.