Knez Mihailova
Encyclopedia
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, and is protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks of the city. Named after Mihailo Obrenović III, Prince of Serbia
Mihailo Obrenovic III, Prince of Serbia
Mihailo Obrenović was Prince of Serbia from 1839–1842 and again from 1860–1868. His first reign ended when he was deposed in 1842 and his second when he was assassinated in 1868.-Early life and first reign:...
, it features a large number of impressive buildings and mansions built during late 1870s.
1km long Knez Mihailova Street was declared Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance
Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance (Serbia)
Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the second level of the State protection.Those are part of the Cultural Property of Great Importance protection list.- Further reading :...
in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia.
History
The street follows the central grid layout of the Roman city of SingidunumSingidunum
Singidunum is the name for the ancient city in Serbia which became Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was recorded that a Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the area in the 3rd century BC following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 75 BC and later garrisoned...
. During Ottoman occupation, there were gardens, drinking-fountains and mosques along the street. In the middle of the 19th century, the upper part of the street bordered the garden of Knez Aleksandar Karađorđević. After the implementation of the regulation plan of Belgrade (1867), by Emilijan Josimović, the street soon gained its current look and architecture. Houses were built there by the most influential and wealthiest families of Belgrade society. In 1870, city authorities officially named this street - Ulica Kneza Mihaila (Prince Michael Street).
Famous buildings
- Srpska Kruna Hotel, located at 56 Knez Mihailova Street, was built in 1869 in the style of romantism, as the most modern hotel of Belgrade then. Between 1945 and 1970 the National Library of Serbia was located in this building. Today, the City of Belgrade library is located in the building
- Marko Stojanović’s house, 53-55 Knez Mihailova Street, was built in 1889 as a private home of the lawyer Marko Stojanović, in the renaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style. The Academy of Fine Arts, established in 1937, used to be in the building but now the Gallery of the Academy is located there.
- The block of private homes, 46, 48 and 50 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1870s, represented the beginning of discontinuity of traditional "Balkan" architecture. All those buildings have been shaped in the same manner, a transitional style from romantism to renaissance. The block consists of three buildings:
- Hristina Kumanudi's house, located at 50 Knez Mihailova Street, was built in 1870 as a corner building at the intersection of Kneza Mihaila and Dubrovačka (today King Peter's) streets by the Serbian merchant and banker of Greek origin Jovan Kumanudi who was also a prominent real estate investor and developer. Before it was built, a one-story house (Jovan Kumanudi's private residence where he also had a shop) got demolished. Kumanudi named the new building after his wife Hrisanta aka Hristina. For a certain period in the late 19th century, this building housed the French-Serbian Bank, and later the consulates of BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The building was later purchased by Nikola D. Kiki (1841-1918), a Belgrade merchant of AromanianAromaniansAromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
origin. After his death, in his testament, he signed the building (along with two other city properties) over to the organization named Beogradska trgovačka omladina (Belgrade Merchant Youth) under conditions that using the funds generated by the properties they set up a hospital named The Nikola and Evgenija Kiki Endowment, which he envisioned would provide medical help and services to the poor and downtrodden merchants. Between 1937 and 1940, a hospital was built at 9 Zvečanska Street. - Kristina Mehana, located at 48 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1869 as an administrative-commercial building in which Krstić brothers opened a hotel under the same name, and where the meetings of the Belgrade City Assembly took place until the construction of the Assembly's own building. Today, the building houses the offices of Serbian Renewal MovementSerbian Renewal MovementThe Serbian Renewal Movement is a political party in Serbia.It was founded in 1990.In 1997 a dissident group abandoned the party and formed New Serbia....
(SPO), Mona clothing store, Plato bookstore, and since 2004 Via del Gusto restaurant. - Veljko Savić's house, located at 46 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1869 as a residential house with shops. It underwent many changes from its original look.
- Hristina Kumanudi's house, located at 50 Knez Mihailova Street, was built in 1870 as a corner building at the intersection of Kneza Mihaila and Dubrovačka (today King Peter's) streets by the Serbian merchant and banker of Greek origin Jovan Kumanudi who was also a prominent real estate investor and developer. Before it was built, a one-story house (Jovan Kumanudi's private residence where he also had a shop) got demolished. Kumanudi named the new building after his wife Hrisanta aka Hristina. For a certain period in the late 19th century, this building housed the French-Serbian Bank, and later the consulates of Belgium
- The building of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsSerbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsThe Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the most prominent academic institution in Serbia today...
, Knez Mihailova 35, built in 1923-1924, by the plans of 1912 made by Dragutin Đorđević and Andra Stevanović, in style of academism with elements of secession. The building houses: the Library of the Academy, one of the richest in Belgrade; The Archive of the Academy with numerous materials about the history of Serbia; the Gallery of the Academy on the ground floor, with a special lecture hall, the bookstore and the antique shop.
- Nikola Spasić Endowment, 33 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1889, by the designs of the architect Konstantin JovanovićKonstantin JovanovićKonstantin Jovanović was a prolific Serbian, Bulgarian and Austro–Hungarian architect known for providing the original designs of the National Assembly of Bulgaria and National Assembly of Serbia buildings.Jovanović was born in Vienna, the capital of the Austrian Empire, to a...
in the renaissance style, as a residential house of Belgrade merchant Nikola Spasić.
- Nikola Spasić Passage, 19 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1912 in recession style.
- Grčka kraljica (Greek Queen) coffee shop, 51 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1835 in style of academism. One of the oldest preserved buildings in Belgrade's old core, it originally housed an innINNInterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
named Despotov Han until Jovan Kumanudi purchased it and changed its name to Kod Grčke kraljice (Greek Queen's).
- Ruski car (Russian Tzar) caffe & restaurant, built in 1926 in style of academism.
- Hotel Russia, 38 Knez Mihailova Street, built in 1870 and annexed in 1920. Today it houses business offices of the "Rudnap" company.
Today
Knez Mihailova is a common meeting point for Belgraders. The street has been named one of the most beautiful pedestrian zones in Eastern EuropeEastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
and is a constant buzz of people and tourists. Thousands of people stroll along the street every day as it is the shortest path from Terazije
Terazije
Terazije is the central square and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :...
to Kalemegdan
Kalemegdan
Belgrade Fortress , represent old citadel and Kalemegdan Park on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube, in an urban area of modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad...
park and fortress.
The street is home to Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the most prominent academic institution in Serbia today...
(SANU), Instituto Cervantes
Instituto Cervantes
The Cervantes Institute is a worldwide non-profit organization created by the Spanish government in 1991. It is named after Miguel de Cervantes , the author of Don Quixote and perhaps the most important figure in the history of Spanish literature...
, Goethe-Institut
Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German...
, Centre Culturel Français, British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
(moved to Terazije
Terazije
Terazije is the central square and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :...
) as well as many other leading shops and several cafes.
In December 2006, BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
magazine included the street as one of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
's notable Christmas shopping sites. One can find international clothing brands such as Mango
Mango (clothing)
Mango, stylized MANGO, is a clothing design and manufacturing company. Isak Andic is the president.Its goal is "to be present in every city" in the world...
, Zara
Zara (clothing)
Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera. It is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group; the fashion group also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and...
and Zara men
Zara (clothing)
Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera. It is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group; the fashion group also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and...
, Springfield clothing, Nike men and women
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Replay, Azzaro
Loris Azzaro
Loris Azzaro was a French fashion designer. He was born in Tunisia from Sicilian parents and came to Paris to set up his cloth and perfume lines in 1962. By 1968 his business was a huge success. He was well known for making glamorous party dresses for the elite of French society. Often his...
, Cortefiel, Morgan de Toi, Office Shoes, Swarovski
Swarovski
Swarovski is the brand name for a range of precisely-cut crystal and related luxury products produced by Swarovski AG of Wattens, Austria...
, Cesare Paciotti
Cesare Paciotti
Cesare Paciotti is a shoe designer from Italy. His eponymous company makes luxury shoes and other leather goods, and is famous for its dagger logo.-Biography:...
, Tally Weijl
Tally Weijl
Tally Weijl is a leading international fashion label which designs, produces and sells sexy fashion for young women and girls in retail stores. TALLY WEiJL was founded in 1984 by Tally Elfassi-Weijl and Beat Grüring in Switzerland. Today the company is represented in 33 countries worldwide with...
, Miss Sixty, Bata
Bata Shoes
Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company based in Bermuda but currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, operating 3 business units worldwide – Bata Metro Markets, Bata Emerging Markets and Bata Branded Business. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production...
, Champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
, Aldo
Aldo Groupe
The ALDO Group is a Canadian corporation that owns and operates a worldwide chain of shoe and accessory stores. The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal, Quebec, in 1972 where its corporate headquarters remain today...
, Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
and local clothing brand Todor
Todor
Todor is a Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian given name, a local rendering of the name Theodore. The Hungarian form of the name is rendered similarly as Tódor....
and many more shops. There are also shopping centres Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, Robna Kuca Beograd
Robna kuca Beograd
Robne kuće Beograd is a chain of department stores across Serbia. The department stores were successfully auctioned off on October 29, 2007, to Verano Motors.-External links:*...
and City Passage located nearby which have multiple world wide clothing brands. The closest hotel is the five star Aleksandar Palas Hotel
Aleksandar Palas Hotel
-History:The Aleksandar Palas Hotel opened its doors in 2002. The hotel in Belgrade is named after the Serbian King, Aleksandar Obrenović. The location of the hotel is between two historical Belgrade streets: Kralja Petra I Street , and Cara Lazara Street , imposed the idea that a third dynasty,...
which is a few seconds walking distance to the street.
Furthermore, the representative offices of various airlines such as Aeroflot
Aeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
, Malev, Emirates Airline
Emirates Airline
Emirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
, Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
are located in Knez Mihailova.
In terms of real estate value, the property in and around Knez Mihailova Street is among the most expensive in Belgrade. The latest confirmation of this occurred in late November 2007 when the 485m2 parcel belonging to state owned company Jugoexport was sold for €15 million, which works out to some €32,000 per square meter.
See also
- BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
- Mihailo Obrenović III, Prince of SerbiaMihailo Obrenovic III, Prince of SerbiaMihailo Obrenović was Prince of Serbia from 1839–1842 and again from 1860–1868. His first reign ended when he was deposed in 1842 and his second when he was assassinated in 1868.-Early life and first reign:...
- SingidunumSingidunumSingidunum is the name for the ancient city in Serbia which became Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was recorded that a Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the area in the 3rd century BC following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 75 BC and later garrisoned...
- Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great ImportanceSpatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance (Serbia)Spatial Cultural-Historical Units of Great Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the second level of the State protection.Those are part of the Cultural Property of Great Importance protection list.- Further reading :...