New Belgrade now has Terazije too - Replica of capital's square as bait for tourists

Belgrade now has two Terazije squares. No, it is not a 1st of April joke. When Mexicans can build a copy of the Eiffel Tower, when you can see the Leaning Tower of Pisa in America, why wouldn't we have a replica of Terazije.

Situated between the railway station Novi Beograd (New Belgrade) and the trade center Super Vero in New Belgrade, this replica of the 1930s Terazije has ceremoniously opened its gates to visitors.

This unusual opening ceremony featuring music and artistic performances is a part of the May event Beogradizacija Beograda (Belgradization of Belgrade).

The 1930s Terazije represents a unique tourist and cultural park comprising 4,500 square meters of office space and space for artists, who will be creating their works of art here, in an authentic ambience of the previous century. The central part of the square is covered with cobble stones and features a replica of the fountain that stood in Terazije at the time. The entire complex is decorated by rondels with a fence and candelabras from that time.

The visitors can enjoy watching authentic costumes, have a refreshment at the tavern Kod Zlatnog Krsta, eat a sesame-covered bread ring or take a ride in an old tram and the first Serbian bus from 1939.

Maybe the gentlemen visitors of the park won't wear cylinder hats and ladies won't walk the square dressed in day and evening dresses, carrying a fan, hat or parasol in their hands, but the waiters working at the replicas of the famous taverns of Belgrade will be walking on cobblestones dressed in uniforms from that time. Aside from being able to visit old craft shops and shop for souvenirs, visitors will need to exchange dinars at the entrance to the theme park for the money that was in circulation in the 1930s, which will be the only currency accepted within the park.

From idea to construction

Construction of the theme park "Replica of the 1930s Terazije" was financed by the public company Poslovni Prostor of the city borough of New Belgrade. The idea is to show how people once lived and stayed in facilities that still exist in the center of the Serbian capital, and this complex will be used for entertainment purposes. New Belgrade will feature replicas of hotels Moskva, Balkan, Kasina and Pariz, restaurants, shops and cultural facilities.

The author of a preliminary design of the park is Belgrade-based CIP, while Yu Build provided consulting services.

All these facilities, except for those situated in the locations of hotels Moskva, Pariz, Bristol and Kasina, should serve as shops, bars or restaurants, while replicas of certain hotels will be used as an exhibition and concert space, as requested by Beogradizacija Beograda.

Buildings "to taste"

The expansion of this park will depend on the interest expressed. All buildings will only have a facade, that is, the front side facing the square, whose height is limited to between 5 and 10 meters.

Each facility will grow behind the facade, but its further construction will be done as requested by future users - on the basis of a project for each building individually and under the condition that it is carried out in line with the esthetic principle, safety and functionality of the building as a whole.

As the city administration told eKapija, the City of Belgrade has provided all conditions for the park to function normally, whereas people at Poslovni Prostor announced an investment of RSD 50 million in the park at the time when the idea about the construction of New Belgrade's Terazije was still in its infancy.

The officials of New Belgrade point out that there is no similar theme park anywhere in the region, adding that Terazije Square will also be a good destination for tourists and student excursions. In addition, this park can be used to shoot movies as well.

Bait for tourists

Even Dejan Veselinov, the director of the Tourism Organization of Belgrade, says that the replica of the 1930s Terazije represents a new tourist attraction that will be equally enjoyed by the citizens of Belgrade and guests from Serbia and abroad, Beoinfo reports.

- The potential of this park is immeasurable, given that numerous activities and cultural and artistic events could be organized here. It is good that the park is situated in New Belgrade, in a location close to all city transport lines and a Beovoz train stop.

Let us remind that Beogradizacija Beograda is an action aimed at reviving the cultural life of the city and preserving traditional values. It is organized on last Saturday of every month by the City of Belgrade in association with Dadov Theater. This project is being implemented thanks to a strategic agreement in the field of culture, signed between the City of Belgrade and NIS under the corporate program Culture Without Limits.

J.Dj.