HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The architecture of Serbia has a long, rich and diverse history. Some of the major European style from
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
to
Postmodern Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting the wo ...
are demonstrated, including renowned examples of Raška, Serbo-Byzantine with its revival, Morava,
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
, Classical and
Modern architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...
, with prime examples in
Brutalism Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the b ...
and
Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by Aerodynamics, aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In indu ...
. Centuries of turbulent history of Serbia caused a great regional diversity and favored
vernacular architecture Vernacular architecture (also folk architecture) is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. It is not a particular architectural movement or style but rather a broad category, encompassing a wide range a ...
. This made for a heterogeneous and diverse architectural style, with architecture differing from town to town. While this diversity may still be witnessed in small towns, the devastation of architectural heritage in the larger cities during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and subsequent socialist influence on architecture resulted in specific mix of architectural styles.


Prehistoric period

Numerous civilizations and cultures resided on the territory of Serbia prior to the arrival of the Romans. Best known ones were
Starčevo Starčevo () is a town located in the Pančevo municipality, in the South Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The town has a Serb ethnic majority and its population is 6,661 people ( 2022 census). The ...
,
Iron Gates The Iron Gates (; ; ; Hungarian: ''Vaskapu-szoros'') is a gorge on the river Danube. It forms part of the boundary between Serbia (to the south) and Romania (north). In the broad sense it encompasses a route of ; in the narrow sense it only ...
and
Vinča Vinča ( sr-cyr, Винча, ) is a List of Belgrade neighborhoods, suburban settlement of Belgrade, Serbia. It is part of the municipality of Grocka. Vinča-Belo Brdo, an important archaeological site that gives its name to the Neolithic Vinča c ...
cultures Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
, dating between 7000 BCE to 4500 BCE. The oldest human remains were found in
Sićevo Sićevo ( sr-Cyrl, Сићево) is a village in the administrative area of the city of Niš in southern Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the village has a population of 772 people. It lies on a hilltop above the entrance of the Sićevo Gorge ...
believed to be up to 525,000–397,000 years old. Prehistoric structures are simple in design, using local materials such as wood, mud, straw, rocks and earth for building, with simple geometric patters such as pyramidal huts and round mounts. File:Lepenski Vir (1).JPG,
Lepenski Vir Lepenski Vir ( sr-cyr, Лепенски Вир, "Lepena Whirlpool"), located in Serbia, is an important archaeological site of the Lepenski Vir culture (also called as Lepenski Vir-Schela Cladovei culture). It includes Mesolithic Iron Gates Hunt ...
, Iron Gates culture, 9500–6000 BCE File:Lepenski Vir, muzej 32.jpg, Replica of
Lepenski Vir Lepenski Vir ( sr-cyr, Лепенски Вир, "Lepena Whirlpool"), located in Serbia, is an important archaeological site of the Lepenski Vir culture (also called as Lepenski Vir-Schela Cladovei culture). It includes Mesolithic Iron Gates Hunt ...
houses File:Плочник 01.jpg, Pločnik,
Vinča culture The Vinča culture , also known as Turdaș culture, Turdaș–Vinča culture or Vinča-Turdaș culture, is a Neolithic archaeological culture of Southeast Europe, dated to the period 5400–4500 BC. It is named for its type site, Vinča-Belo B ...
, 5500–4700 BCE File:Kurgan near Novi Knezevac, Serbia (Trivunova humka).JPG,
Kurgan A kurgan is a type of tumulus (burial mound) constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons, and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into mu ...
mount near
Novi Kneževac Novi Kneževac ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Кнежевац, ; ; ) is a town and municipality located in the North Banat District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 5,688, while the Novi Kneževac municipality h ...
, 3000 BCE


Ancient period

The northernmost Ancient Macedonian town was Kale-Krševica, which still today have the foundations of the Ancient Greek 5th-century BC town. The
Scordisci The Scordisci (; ) were an Iron Age cultural group who emerged after the Celtic settlement of Southeast Europe, and who were centered in the territory of present-day Serbia, at the confluence of the Savus (Sava), Dravus (Drava), Margus (Morav ...
built the stone fortress of
Singidunum Singidunum ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Сингидунум, Singidunum) was an ancient city which later evolved into modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. The name is of Celtic origin, going back to the time when the Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the a ...
, the
Kalemegdan The Kalemegdan Park (), or simply Kalemegdan ( sr-Cyrl, Калемегдан) is the largest park and the most important historical monument in Belgrade. It is located on a cliff, at the junction of the River Sava and the Danube. Kalemegdan Pa ...
at
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
in the 3rd century BC, It has since been built on by Romans, Serbs, Turks, Austrians and show an example of continuing 2,300-year-old architecture, serving as one of the best landmarks in Belgrade. The Romans left many traces of their six centuries of rule in the Serbian lands, including several fortifications and complexes such as the 3rd century AD Imperial palace of
Galerius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (; Greek: Γαλέριος; 258 – May 311) was Roman emperor from 305 to 311. He participated in the system of government later known as the Tetrarchy, first acting as '' caesar'' under Emperor Diocletian. In th ...
at
Gamzigrad Gamzigrad ( sr-Cyrl, Гамзиград, ) is an archaeological site, spa resort, and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Serbia, located south of the Danube, Danube river, in the city of Zaječar. It is the location of the ancient Roman complex of pala ...
('' Felix Romuliana'') that was built at his birthplace after the victory against the
Persians Persians ( ), or the Persian people (), are an Iranian ethnic group from West Asia that came from an earlier group called the Proto-Iranians, which likely split from the Indo-Iranians in 1800 BCE from either Afghanistan or Central Asia. They ...
, the
Mediana Mediana is an important archeological site from the late Ancient Rome, Roman period, located in the eastern suburb of the Serbian city of Niš. It represents a luxurious residence with a highly organised economy. Excavations have revealed a Roman ...
site in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
('' Naissus'') from the 4th century and the Dardania capital, the ruins of the
Moesia Superior Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; ) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River. As a Roman domain Moesia was administered at first by the governor of Noricum as 'Civitates of Moesia and Triballia ...
capital
Viminacium Viminacium (also ''Viminatium)'' was a major city, military camp, and the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman province of Moesia (modern-day Serbia). Following the division of Moesia in 87, following Domitian's Domitian's Dacian War, Dacian War, i ...
, former Roman capital and birthplace of several Roman Emperors
Sirmium Sirmium was a city in the Roman province of Pannonia, located on the Sava river, on the site of modern Sremska Mitrovica in the Vojvodina autonomous province of Serbia. First mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by Illyrians ...
, and Byzantine city Justiniana Prima built by
Justinian I Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...
, which was the seat of the
Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima was a Christian autonomous Archbishopric with Episcopal see, see in the city of Justiniana Prima and jurisdiction over the Late Roman Diocese of Dacia in central parts of the Southeastern Europe. History The ...
, Justiniana Secunda,
Remesiana Remesiana (Byzantine Greek: Ρεμεσιανισία) was an ancient Roman city and former bishopric, which remains an Eastern Orthodox and also a Latin Catholic titular see, located around and under the modern city of Bela Palanka in Serbia. R ...
, Gratiana etc. Roman, and later Byzantine architecture would inspire architecture of medieval Serbia, especially fortifications and religious buildings. File:Carska palata Sirmijum1.JPG,
Sirmium Sirmium was a city in the Roman province of Pannonia, located on the Sava river, on the site of modern Sremska Mitrovica in the Vojvodina autonomous province of Serbia. First mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by Illyrians ...
was proclaimed one of four capitals of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
and it was also the capital of the
Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum The praetorian prefecture of Illyricum (; , also termed simply the prefecture of Illyricum) was one of four praetorian prefectures into which the Later Roman Empire, Late Roman Empire was divided. The administrative centre of the prefecture wa ...
and of
Pannonia Secunda Pannonia Secunda was one of the provinces of the Roman Empire. It was formed in 296 AD, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The capital of the province was Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica). Pannonia Secunda comprised parts of present-day Serb ...
File:Singidunum ostaci2.jpg,
Singidunum Singidunum ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Сингидунум, Singidunum) was an ancient city which later evolved into modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. The name is of Celtic origin, going back to the time when the Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the a ...
Roman city remains at
Fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
File:Romuliana, from air.jpg, Felix Romuliana near
Zaječar Zaječar ( sr-Cyrl, Зајечар, ; or ) is a city and the administrative center of the Zaječar District in eastern Serbia. According to the 2022 census, the city administrative area had a population of 48,621 inhabitants. Zaječar is widely ...
,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
File:Medijana mozaik.jpg,
Mediana Mediana is an important archeological site from the late Ancient Rome, Roman period, located in the eastern suburb of the Serbian city of Niš. It represents a luxurious residence with a highly organised economy. Excavations have revealed a Roman ...
in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
File:Viminatium.jpg,
Viminacium Viminacium (also ''Viminatium)'' was a major city, military camp, and the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman province of Moesia (modern-day Serbia). Following the division of Moesia in 87, following Domitian's Domitian's Dacian War, Dacian War, i ...
thermae In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large Roman Empire, imperial public bath, bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed i ...
ruins near
Kostolac Kostolac ( sr-Cyrl, Костолац) is a town in Serbia and one of two city municipalities which constitute the City of Požarevac. It is situated on the Danube river. The remains of Viminacium, the capital of the Roman province of Moesia Superi ...
File:Царичин град-Caričin grad 2.jpg, Justiniana Prima near Lebane File:ULPIANA-lokaliteti arkeologjik.jpg, Justiniana Secunda near
Lipjan Lipjan ( sq-definite, Lipjani) or Lipljan ( sr-Cyrl, Липљан) is a town and municipality located in the District of Pristina in Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Lipjan has 6,870 inhabitants, while the municipality has 57,6 ...
File:Traian's Table (Tabula Traiana).jpg, Tabula Traiana near
Trajan's Bridge Trajan's Bridge (; ), also called Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube, was a Roman segmental arch bridge, the first bridge to be built over the lower Danube and considered one of the greatest achievements in Roman architecture. Though it was ...


Medieval period

Medieval period between the 8th and 15th century showcased the most turbulent and wide array of architectural styles and building constructions. The emergence of the
Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...
(and other Serb medieval states), subsequent
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
, and fall under Byzanties,
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
and
Habsburgs The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
would leave an everlasting impact in Serbian and Serb culture and the architecture build then and afterwards. From romanesque, to gothic, Ottoman, Byzantine, moorish and local styles (Raška, Vardar, Morava), this period laid the foundations for future historic revival styles, as well as Serbia's own national architectural style. The territories of medieval Serbia would often shift during this period, which would leave many Serb architectural works in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
,
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
,
North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
, and parts of
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
,
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
,
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
, and
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. The legacy of medieval Serbian architecture is evident through churches, monasteries, fortresses, and castles preserved despite the turbulent history. While very few folk and vernacular buildings survived from the medieval period, their trace influences can be seen through the many vernacular buildings constructed in the modernity period.


Medieval Christian architecture

Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is one of the few remaining building from early Middle Ages and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
Prohor Pčinjski Monastery The Monastery of Venerable Prohor of Pčinja (), commonly known as Prohor Pčinjski () is an 11th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery in the deep south in Serbia, located in the village of Klenike, south of Vranje, near the border with North Mac ...
was founded 1067–1071 by the
Byzantine emperor The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
Romanus IV in honor of Saint Prohor of Pčinja. Church architecture mostly developed under the patronage of the Serbian state, with rarely any mentions of what specific architect and engineer designed the church building (records of specific fresco artists remain). The most distinctive piece of medieval Serbian architecture was the Studenica monastery founded by
Stefan Nemanja Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...
, the founder of Nemanjić dynasty in c. 1190. This monastery also featured significant works of art including its Byzantine style
fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...
paintings. Its church also features extensive sculptures based on Psalms and the
Dormition of the Theotokos The Dormition of the Mother of God is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches (except the East Syriac churches). It celebrates the "falling asleep" (death) of Mary the '' Theotokos'' ("Mother ...
. UNESCO added this monastery to its list of World Cultural Heritage sites in 1986. It was the model for other monasteries at Mileševa,
Sopoćani The Sopoćani Monastery (, ), an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built from 1259 to 1270, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is a designated World Heritage Si ...
and the
Visoki Dečani The Visoki Dečani Monastery is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of the 14th century by Stefan Dečanski, List of Serbian monarchs, King of Serbia. Dečani is by far t ...
. The influence of Byzantine art became more influential after the capture of
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
in 1204 in the
Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
when many Greek artists fled to Serbia. Their influence can be seen at the Church of the Ascension at Mileševa as well as in the wall paintings at the Church of the Holy Apostles at
Peć Peja or Peć, ), is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova (region), Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the ...
and at the Sopoćani Monastery. Icons also formed a significant part of church art. Several ecclesiastical schools emerged during the Middle Ages. Raška and Vardar styles were heavily influenced by romanesque and
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
styles, while Morava style was influenced by Vardar style, with distinctive Serbian design elements. Western European gothic and romanesque church architecture can be seen mostly in the southern parts of Serbia. Early signs of renaissance can be seen during
Stefan Lazarević Stefan Lazarević ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Лазаревић, 1377 – 19 July 1427), also known as Stefan the Tall (), was a Serbian ruler as prince (1389–1402) and Despot (court title), despot (1402–1427). He was also a diplomat, legislat ...
reign through his Resava School and the Morava architectural style, but would quickly be snuffed out when the Ottomans took full control of Serbian lands, with no clear examples of renaissance architecture present in Serbia until historic revival movements in the modernity period.


Raška Style

Raška architectural school Raška architectural school (), also known as the Raška style (Рашки стил, ''Raški stil''), or simply as the Raška school, is an ecclesiastical architectural style that flourished in the Serbian Middle Ages (ca. 1170–1300), during t ...
in Serbian architecture during the Middle Ages, covers the period from the seventh decade of the 12th to the end of the 13th century, with Stefan Nemanja's
Đurđevi stupovi The Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery (, literal translation, lit. "Pillars of St. George") is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the vicinity of medieval Stari Ras and today's city of Novi Pazar, in the Raška (region), Raška region of Serbia. ...
(around 1170) being taken as the starting points of the style, and Stefan Dragutin's Church of St. Achillius (around 1296) as the end point. However, this border is only indicative because there are later ecclesiastical objects that belong to another style, but are architecturally constructed in Raška style, such as the monastery churches of
Visoki Dečani The Visoki Dečani Monastery is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of the 14th century by Stefan Dečanski, List of Serbian monarchs, King of Serbia. Dečani is by far t ...
and Banjska, which were erected in the first half of the 14th century and at a time when the Vardar style dominated. The style itself was named after the Raška river, where the then
Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...
gravitated around.Lectures of Professor and Architect Đurđe Bošković at the Faculty of Architecture, ''History of Architecture'' class,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1966
A large example of these Raška style churches and monasteries are also located in
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
and
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. The basic characteristic of this style is a single-
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
, single-
drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a ...
dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
structure. On the west side, there is usually a
narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of Early Christian art and architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Byzantine basilicas and Church architecture, churches consisting of the entrance or Vestibule (architecture), ve ...
, while on the south and north, there are lower wards, usually
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
s and parecclesions (or
apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
). The external designs of the church buildings were done in romanesque style, indicating direct links with the seaside, Adriatic coastal towns (
Kotor Kotor (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian language, Italian: ), is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has ...
,
Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...
and others), which were under Nemanjić's control at the time. The so-called golden age of Serbian painting, which began with the
fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...
painting of
Đurđevi stupovi The Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery (, literal translation, lit. "Pillars of St. George") is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the vicinity of medieval Stari Ras and today's city of Novi Pazar, in the Raška (region), Raška region of Serbia. ...
around 1175 and ended with Gradac around 1275, culminates with
Sopoćani The Sopoćani Monastery (, ), an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built from 1259 to 1270, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is a designated World Heritage Si ...
. After this period, the so-called Vardar style with its frescoes, developed under the influence of the
Palaiologos The House of Palaiologos ( Palaiologoi; , ; female version Palaiologina; ), also found in English-language literature as Palaeologus or Palaeologue, was a Byzantine Greeks, Byzantine Greek Nobility, noble family that rose to power and produced th ...
Renaissance. Many Raška styled churches and monasteries would have elements of their design altered over time. Studenica,
Žiča The Žiča Monastery (, or ) is an early 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first monarch, King of Serbia, Stefan Prvovenčani, Stefan t ...
, Gradac for example had their designs noticeably altered, ether due to natural disasters or pillages, requiring extensive repairs and restorations to the structures, or general alterations to the original designs through the building's expansion. Most noticeable alterations to the designs are visible with the drum dome structures, commonly altered into ether the original or revival Serbo-Byzantine styles.
Hilandar Monastery The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbs, Serbian Serbian Orthodox Church, Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Ser ...
at
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
originally had a church built by Stefan Nemanja in the Raška style, which would later by replaced by King Uroš II Milutin with the Vardar styled Church of Entrance of the Theotokos. File:Manastir Đurđevi Stupovi.jpg,
Đurđevi stupovi The Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery (, literal translation, lit. "Pillars of St. George") is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the vicinity of medieval Stari Ras and today's city of Novi Pazar, in the Raška (region), Raška region of Serbia. ...
monastery by Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja I Vukanović near
Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар) is a List of cities in Serbia, city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2022 census, the urban area has 71,462 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 106,720 inha ...
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 1166 File:Студеница.jpg, Studenica monastery by Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja I Vukanović near
Kraljevo Kraljevo ( sr-Cyrl, Краљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar River, Ibar, in the geographical region of ...
, an example of unique medieval Serbian architecture,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 1196 File:Manastir Žiča.jpg,
Žiča Monastery The Žiča Monastery (, or ) is an early 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first monarch, King of Serbia, Stefan Prvovenčani, Stefan t ...
by King Stefan Nemanja II Nemanjić near
Kraljevo Kraljevo ( sr-Cyrl, Краљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar River, Ibar, in the geographical region of ...
, the coronational site of the Serbian kings, 1207-1217 File:Manastir Moraca.jpg, Morača Monastery by Prince Stefan Vukanović Nemanjić in
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
, 1252 File:СК 156 - Манастир Сопоћани.jpg, Sopoćani monastery by King Stefan Uroš I Nemanjić at
Stari Ras Ras ( sr-Cyrl, Рас; ), known in modern Serbian historiography as Stari Ras ( sr-Cyrl, Стари Рас, "Old Ras"), is a medieval fortress and area located in the vicinity of former market-place of ''Staro Trgovište'', some west of modern ...
,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 1265 File:Mileseva Monastery 2.JPG, Mileševa monastery by King Stefan Vladislav Nemanjić at
Prijepolje Prijepolje ( sr-Cyrl, Пријепоље, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of southwestern Serbia. As of 2022, the town has 11,928 inhabitants, while the municipality has 32,214 inhabitants. Etymology One possible mean ...
, 1236 File:Crkva svetog Ahilija, Arilje 18.JPG, Church of St. Achillius by King Stefan Dragutin Nemanjić in
Arilje Arilje ( sr-cyr, Ариље, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of southwestern Serbia. The population of the town is 6,639, while the municipality has 17,063 inhabitants (2022 census). Geography The municipality of Aril ...
, 1296 File:Manastir Visoki Dečani (Манастир Високи Дечани) - by Pudelek..jpg,
Visoki Dečani monastery The Old town of Visoki ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Stari grad Visoki, Стари град Високи, ) was a medieval royal castle town built during the 14th century on the top of the hill overlooking town of Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first men ...
by King Stefan Uroš III Dečanski Nemanjić in Dečani, built in the Raška style,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 1327


Vardar Style

Vardar architectural school The Serbo-Byzantine architectural style or Vardar architectural school (or "style"), is an ecclesiastical architectural style that flourished in the Serbian Late Middle Ages (ca. 1300–1389), during the reign of the Nemanjić dynasty. It was dev ...
, also known as Serbo-Byzantine Style is an ecclesiastical
architectural style An architectural style is a classification of buildings (and nonbuilding structures) based on a set of characteristics and features, including overall appearance, arrangement of the components, method of construction, building materials used, for ...
that flourished in the Serbian Late Middle Ages, which was developed through fusing contemporary
Byzantine architecture Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire, or Eastern Roman Empire, usually dated from 330 AD, when Constantine the Great established a new Roman capital in Byzantium, which became Constantinople, until the Fall of Cons ...
(under the influence of the
Palaiologos The House of Palaiologos ( Palaiologoi; , ; female version Palaiologina; ), also found in English-language literature as Palaeologus or Palaeologue, was a Byzantine Greeks, Byzantine Greek Nobility, noble family that rose to power and produced th ...
Renaissance) with Raskan influences to form a new style. By the end of 13th and in the first half of 14th century the Serbian state enlarged over
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
,
Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...
and
Thessaly Thessaly ( ; ; ancient Aeolic Greek#Thessalian, Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient Thessaly, a ...
up to the
Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some . In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea, which in turn con ...
. On these new territories Serbian art was even more influenced by the
Byzantine art Byzantine art comprises the body of artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome, decline of western Rome and ...
tradition. Most notable Vardar styled churches and monasteries are due to King Stefan Uroš II Milutin, and his wide contribution in ecclesiastic constructions during his reign. The basic characteristic of this style is the basis in the form of an inscribed cross with one or five domes, while on the west side there is usually a
narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of Early Christian art and architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Byzantine basilicas and Church architecture, churches consisting of the entrance or Vestibule (architecture), ve ...
. The external design of church buildings is done in a Byzantine style, which is manifested by the use of grey or yellowish stones and red bricks which are usually arranged so that they create decorative patterns on the façade. Unlike the Raška style and the original fresco painting that accompanied it, the buildings of the Vardar style were decorated with frescoes that were modeled after the Byzantine ones of the period. Gračanica, which was entirely rebuilt by King
Milutin Milutin () is a Serbian masculine given name of Slavic origin. The name may refer to: *Stephen Uroš II Milutin of Serbia (1253–1321), king of Serbia * Milutin Bojić (1892–1917), poet * Milutin Ivković (1906–1943), footballer *Milutin Milan ...
in 1321, is the most beautiful monument of Serbian architecture from the 14th century. The church of this monastery is an example of a construction that achieved the highest degree of architecture not only in the Byzantine form but in the creation of an original and freestyle exceeding its models. The wall creation in steps is one of the basic characteristics of this temple. ''The Kings's Church'' in Studenica, characterized as an ideal church, was built in the first decades of the 14th century. By the end of the third decade of the 14th century the Patriarchate of Peć had finally been shaped. The exterior of the Patriarchate is a vision of shapes characteristic of contemporary Serbian architecture. On the major part of the outer walls paint decoration was used instead of stone relief and brick and stone decoration. A typical Serbo-Byzantine church has a rectangular foundation, with a major
dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
in the center with smaller domes around the center one. The inside of the church is covered with frescos that illustrate various biblical stories and portrays Serbian saints. The
Monastery of the Holy Archangels The Monastery of the Holy Archangels (; ) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in Prizren, Kosovo. The monastery was founded by the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia, Stefan Dušan (reigned 1331–1355) between 1343 and 1352 on ...
in
Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
was founded by the Serbian Emperor
Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...
between 1343 and 1352 on the site of an earlier church, part of the Višegrad fortress complex. It was the burial church for Emperor Dušan, and represented the culmination of the Serbian ecclesiastical architectural style, that led to the birth of the Morava school style. File:Patrikana e Pejës.jpg, Patriarchate of Peć, the historical residence of Serbian Archbishops,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 13th century File:Црква „Св. Никита“ 4.jpg, Monastery of St. Nikita in
North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
, built before 1307 File:Monastir Studenica II.JPG, King's Church in Studenica Monastery by King Stefan Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić, 1314 File:Gracanica_1.jpg,
Gračanica monastery Gračanica () may refer to: Places Bosnia and Herzegovina * Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town and municipality in Tuzla * Gračanica (Bugojno), a village in Central Bosnia * Gračanica, Gacko, a village in Republika Srpska * Gračanica, ...
by King Stefan Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić in Gračanica,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 1321 File:Bogorodica Ljeviska1.jpg,
Our Lady of Ljeviš Our Lady of Ljeviš ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Богородица Љевишка, Bogorodica Ljeviška; ) is a 14th-century Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox church in the town of Prizren, in southern Kosovo. Since 2006, the church is part of the ...
church by King Stefan Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić in
Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 1306–1307 File:Св.Архангел Михаил.JPG,
Lesnovo Monastery Lesnovo monastery, officially called ''Monastery of St Archangel Michael and St Hermit Gabriel of Lesnovo'' (Macedonian Cyrillic: ''Свети Архангел Михаил и пустиножителот Гаврил Лесновски''), is a ...
by Despot Jovan Oliver Grčinić in
North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
, 1341 File:St Andrew Monastery Macedonia.jpg, Monastery of St. Andrew by King Vukašin Mrnjavčević in
North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
, 1389


Morava Style

Morava architectural school Morava architectural school (, sr-Cyrl, Моравска школа архитeктуре), also known as the Morava style (, sr-Cyrl, Моравски стил), or simply as the Morava school (, sr-Cyrl, Моравска школа, link=no), ...
, is an ecclesiastical
architectural style An architectural style is a classification of buildings (and nonbuilding structures) based on a set of characteristics and features, including overall appearance, arrangement of the components, method of construction, building materials used, for ...
during the Middle Ages covering the period from the seventh decade of the 14th century (
Battle of Maritsa The Battle of Maritsa or Battle of Chernomen (; in tr. ''Second Battle of Maritsa'') took place at the Maritsa River near the village of Chernomen (present-day Ormenio, Greece) on 26 September 1371 between Ottoman forces commanded by Lala S ...
in 1371 is often used as the turning point) to 1459, when Serbia fell under Ottoman rule, while the symbolic beginning of the epoch was marked by Lazar's construction of Ravanica (1375–1377) and Lazarica (1375–1378). The very style is named after the
Great Morava The Great Morava (, ) is the final section of the Morava ( sr-Cyrl, Морава), a major river system in Serbia. Etymology According to Predrag Komatina from the Institute for Byzantine Studies in Belgrade, the Great Morava is named after ...
river, near to which most of these churches were built. The basic characteristic of this style is the foundation of the church in the form of trolistas and trikonhos, which is in fact a church with a cross-like foundation (normal and concise), like in the Serbo-Byzantine style, to which, in addition to the altar, are added two
apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
for church singing from the south and north, modeled after the
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
monasteries. With the normal foundation of the church, the interior is the same as with the Serbo-Byzantine style, while with the concise foundation there are some differences. According to their external design, Morava style structures are very similar to those in the Serbo-Byzantine style, because they use grey or yellowish stones and red bricks, although there are also those with mortar façades (Ravanica). However, unlike the Serbo-Byzantine style, in which stones and bricks are not always built to form ornamental patterns, the Moravian style is usually decorated by replacing bricks and sieges, especially the higher areas of the church. In addition, the use of stone
rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' wa ...
s is very common, as is the relief that covers all portals,
window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent ma ...
s, and
arch An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...
es. Decorative reliefs contain coils, displays of plants, animals and people. The style, in itself, represents a more authentic Serbian style, as opposed to the Raška and Vardar styles, which originated under the direct influence of romanesque and
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
architecture. The same goes for the frescos, which has developed a new Serbian style which is more intimate, sensitive and effeminate in appearance. During this period, the fortifications architecture developed as part of the two largest fortresses on Serbian soil, including extensive fortified churches. During the first quarter of the 15th century, Prince
Stefan Lazarević Stefan Lazarević ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Лазаревић, 1377 – 19 July 1427), also known as Stefan the Tall (), was a Serbian ruler as prince (1389–1402) and Despot (court title), despot (1402–1427). He was also a diplomat, legislat ...
built the
Belgrade Fortress The Belgrade Fortress ( sr-Cyrl, Београдска тврђава, Beogradska tvrđava, Hungarian: Nándorfehérvár), consists of the old citadel (Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park (Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of th ...
, and in the second quarter Prince
Đurađ Branković Đurađ Vuković Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Вуковић Бранковић, ; 1377 – 24 December 1456) served as the Serbian Despot from 1427 to 1456, making him one of the final rulers of medieval Serbia. In 1429, Branković was form ...
built
Smederevo Fortress The Smederevo Fortress () is a medieval fortified city in Smederevo, Serbia, which was the temporary capital of Serbia in the Middle Ages. It was built between 1427 and 1430 on the order of Despot Đurađ Branković, the ruler of the Serbian De ...
. File:Monastery Ravanica.JPG, Ravanica Monastery by Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović at Kučaj, 1375–1377 File:Krusevac-lazarica.JPG, Royal
Lazarica Church Church of the Holy First Martyr Stephen (), better known as the Lazarica Church (Serbian: Црква Лазарица/Crkva Lazarica), is a Serbian Orthodox church in Kruševac, Serbia. It was built in 1375-1378 as an Financial endowment, endowmen ...
by Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović in
Kruševac Kruševac ( sr-Cyrl, Крушевац, ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Rasina District in central Serbia. It is located in the valley of West Morava, on Rasina (river), Rasina river. According to the 202 ...
, 1375–1378 File:Манастир Љубостиња, Трстеник.jpg, Ljubostinja Monastery by Princess Milica Nemanjić Hrebeljanović near Trstenik, 1388 File:Manastir Naupara.jpg, Naupara Monastery near
Kruševac Kruševac ( sr-Cyrl, Крушевац, ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Rasina District in central Serbia. It is located in the valley of West Morava, on Rasina (river), Rasina river. According to the 202 ...
, 1391 File:Monastery Manasija - Serbia.JPG,
Manasija Monastery The Manasija Monastery ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, манастир Манасија, manastir Manasija, separator=" / ", ) also known as Resava ( sr-Cyrl, Ресава, ), is a Serbian Orthodox monastery near Despotovac, Serbia founded by '' Despot'' Stefan ...
by Despot Stefan Lazarević near
Despotovac Despotovac ( sr-cyr, Деспотовац) is a town and municipality located in the Pomoravlje District of central Serbia. It is 130 kilometers southeast of Belgrade. Its name stems from Despot, a title of Serbian medieval prince Stefan Lazar ...
, 1406–1418 File:Monastère de Kalenić.jpg,
Kalenić Monastery The Kalenić Monastery () is an important Serbian Orthodox monastery near Rekovac in central Serbia. It was built by protovestiarios Bogdan in the early 15th century (1407-1413). Village of Kalenićki Prnjavor lies nearby. Painter Radoslav came ...
by Despot Stefan Lazarević near
Rekovac Rekovac () is a small town and municipality located in the Pomoravlje District of central Serbia. According to 2022 census, the population of the town is 1,283, while population of the municipality is 8,116. Rekovac is the center of small geograph ...
, 1407–1413


Romanesque and Gothic

Besides the three common ecclesiastical schools, in the northern part of what is today
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province, there are examples of Hungarian romanesque and early gothic architecture as seen at Arača and Bač Fortress. Most of this type of architecture was ether demolished during the many wars between Hungary and the Ottomans, or torn down to make way for structures with more period appropriate styles. Because of these historic outcomes, there are very few preserved examples of non-fortification western European romanesque and gothic architecture in Serbia. These types of styles would reappear in the form of historic revival styles in the modernity period. Orthodox romanesque church design that did not follow Raška school style can be seen with Ružica Church in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
and Church of the Holy Mother of God at Donja Kamenica. File:Franciscan church in Bac (3).jpg, Franciscan Monastery in Bač, 1169 File:Arača 3.jpg, Catholic Arača Church near
Novi Bečej Novi Bečej (, ) is a town and municipality located in the Central Banat District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 10,967, while Novi Bečej municipality has 19,886 inhabitants (2022 census). Name ...
, 1230 File:Rimokatolička crkva Sv. Marije u Moroviću 184.jpg, Catholic Church of St. Mary,
Morović Morović () is a village located in the municipality of Šid, Srem District, Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2011 census, it has a population of 1,744 inhabitants. History In the Middle Ages, Morović was a notable town, today known as the Morović For ...
, 1239 File:Dsc-5405, Доња и Горња Каменица.jpg, Orthodox Church of the Holy Mother of God at Donja Kamenica, 14th century File:Ružica church, Belgrade, Serbia.jpg, Orthodox Ružica Church by Despot Stefan Lazarević at
Belgrade Fortress The Belgrade Fortress ( sr-Cyrl, Београдска тврђава, Beogradska tvrđava, Hungarian: Nándorfehérvár), consists of the old citadel (Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park (Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of th ...
,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1403


Medieval Christian fortifications

Most medieval fortification architecture in Serbia followed ether Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine, or Morava style influences. They were ether constructed on top of existing Roman or Byzantine fortifications, or on newly planned terrain (ether flat or on top of a hill). Surviving examples had all the common castle features depending on the terrain requirements, such as a bailey,
keep A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...
(including donjon towers),
battlements A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals t ...
( crenelations, hordings and
machicolation In architecture, a machicolation () is an opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement through which defenders could target attackers who had reached the base of the defensive wall. A smaller related structure that only protects key ...
s),
gatehouse A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the most ...
s,
moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...
s, arrowslits, great halls, etc. Most impressive example of medieval fortifications can be seen with
Smederevo Fortress The Smederevo Fortress () is a medieval fortified city in Smederevo, Serbia, which was the temporary capital of Serbia in the Middle Ages. It was built between 1427 and 1430 on the order of Despot Đurađ Branković, the ruler of the Serbian De ...
, built by
Đurađ Branković Đurađ Vuković Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Вуковић Бранковић, ; 1377 – 24 December 1456) served as the Serbian Despot from 1427 to 1456, making him one of the final rulers of medieval Serbia. In 1429, Branković was form ...
between 1428 and 1480. It is considered one of the largest fortifications in Europe in terms of covered terrain. The monumental complex was built in the Byzantine tradition and modeled after Constantinople Fortress. There are examples of fortified monasteries, such as Manasija (preserved fortified walls) and Ravanica (walls are partially in ruins). With the introduction of
Bastion fort A bastion fort or ''trace italienne'' (a phrase derived from non-standard French, meaning 'Italian outline') is a fortification in a style developed during the early modern period in response to the ascendancy of gunpowder weapons such as c ...
designs in the modernity period, medieval fortresses along the banks of the
Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
river would be partially or completely demolished to make way for the geometric star shaped designs. Such fate occurred with
Belgrade Fortress The Belgrade Fortress ( sr-Cyrl, Београдска тврђава, Beogradska tvrđava, Hungarian: Nándorfehérvár), consists of the old citadel (Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park (Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of th ...
, which retained medieval, Ottoman, Habsburg, and bastion fort design elements, contributing towards a more unique eclectic design to the entire complex.
Petrovaradin Fortress Petrovaradin Fortress ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Петроварадинска тврђава, Petrovaradinska tvrđava, ; ), nicknamed "Gibraltar on/of the Danube", is a Bastion fort, bastion fortress in the town of Petrovaradin, itself part of the City of ...
was built by completely demolishing the fortified monastery of Bélakút, which itself was built around the remains of a Roman fort. In contemporary Serbia, many of these medieval fortresses and castles are partially or in complete ruins, with efforts made to restore or preserve them through extensive conservation and restoration efforts. There are scant remains of surviving fortress and castle interiors and how they were decorated, with only medieval monasteries (particularly
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
at
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
) preserving some interior designs from that period. File:Stari Ras.jpg,
Stari Ras Ras ( sr-Cyrl, Рас; ), known in modern Serbian historiography as Stari Ras ( sr-Cyrl, Стари Рас, "Old Ras"), is a medieval fortress and area located in the vicinity of former market-place of ''Staro Trgovište'', some west of modern ...
,
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, 8th century File:Maglič, HPIM6982.jpg, Maglič by King Stefan Nemanjić and King Stefan Uroš I Nemanjić near
Kraljevo Kraljevo ( sr-Cyrl, Краљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar River, Ibar, in the geographical region of ...
, 13th century File:Wiki.Vojvodina V Bač Fortress 340.jpg, Bač Fortress by King Charles Robert I Anjou, 1342 File:Свјетлопис тврђаве Ужички град.jpg, Stari Grad by Prince Nikola Altomanović in
Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a popu ...
, 14th century File:Golubac Fortress (град Голубац).jpg, Golubac Fortress, 14th century File:Despotova kula6.jpg, Despot Stefan Tower by Despot Stefan Lazarević at
Belgrade Fortress The Belgrade Fortress ( sr-Cyrl, Београдска тврђава, Beogradska tvrđava, Hungarian: Nándorfehérvár), consists of the old citadel (Upper and Lower Town) and Kalemegdan Park (Large and Little Kalemegdan) on the confluence of th ...
, 1405 File:Vršačka kula posle obnove2.jpg, Vršac Castle by Despot Đurađ Branković, 1439 File:Smederevska tvrdjava kanal.jpg,
Smederevo Fortress The Smederevo Fortress () is a medieval fortified city in Smederevo, Serbia, which was the temporary capital of Serbia in the Middle Ages. It was built between 1427 and 1430 on the order of Despot Đurađ Branković, the ruler of the Serbian De ...
by Despot Đurađ Branković, 1480


Modernity period

Modernity period between the 15th to early 18th century is characterized by vernacular local styles, as well as Ottoman and Islamic architecture. The late 18th and the early 20th century showcased the most rapid shift in architectural styles in
Revolutionary Serbia Revolutionary Serbia (), or Karađorđe's Serbia (), refers to the state established by the Serbian revolutionaries in Ottoman Serbia ( Sanjak of Smederevo) after the start of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804. The Sub ...
, as well as areas controlled by the
Habsburg Empire The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...
. Trying to cut ties from Ottoman influence, both politically, culturally and architectural, Serbia would shift towards more western European styled architecture and city planning that were common in Serb populated areas of the Habsburg Empire. Skilled architects from what would later be known as
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province, as well as educated architects from the
Principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchy, monarchical state or feudalism, feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "prin ...
and later
Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...
, would contribute in reshaping the visual appearances of most liberated Serbian cities south of the Danube. Ottoman inspired architectural styles persisted in the southern most areas, particularly in
Sandžak Sandžak (Serbian Cyrillic: ; ) is a historical and geo-political region in the Balkans, located in the southwestern part of Serbia and the eastern part of Montenegro. The Bosnian/ Serbian term ''Sandžak'' derives from the Sanjak of Novi Paza ...
and Kosovo and Metohija, mostly areas with larger
muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
populations.


Ottoman and Islamic architecture

The territory of what is now the
Republic of Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
was part of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
throughout the
Early Modern period The early modern period is a Periodization, historical period that is defined either as part of or as immediately preceding the modern period, with divisions based primarily on the history of Europe and the broader concept of modernity. There i ...
, especially
Central Serbia Central Serbia (), also referred to as Serbia proper (), is the region of Serbia lying outside the autonomous province of Vojvodina to the north and the disputed Kosovo region to the south. Central Serbia is a term of convenience, not an administ ...
, unlike
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
which has passed to Habsburg rule starting from the end of the 17th century (with several takeovers of Central Serbia as well).
Ottoman culture The culture of the Ottoman Empire evolved over several centuries as the ruling administration of the Turkish peoples, Turks absorbed, adapted and modified the various native cultures of conquered lands and their peoples. There was influence from t ...
significantly influenced the region, in
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
,
cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...
,
language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...
, and
dress A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a one-piece outer garment that is worn on the torso, hangs down over the legs, and is primarily worn by women or girls. Dresses often consist of a bodice attached to a skirt. Dress shapes, silh ...
, especially in arts, and
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
. Most Ottoman period mosques in Serbia are not as elaborate as in neighboring
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
and
North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
, with shorter
minarets A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...
and mosque sizes. However, contemporary mosques such as the one in Delimeđe has one of the tallest minarets in Europe outside of
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. File:2020 Ram tvrdjava - cela.jpg,
Ram Fortress The Ram Fortress () is a 15th century fort situated on a steep slope on the right bank of the Danube, in the village of Ram, Serbia, Ram, municipality of Veliko Gradište, eastern Serbia. The fortress is located on a rock, which is from the north ...
by Sultan Bayezid bin Mehmed Ottoman, 1483 File:Wiki.Đerdap IV Kladovski Grad 143.jpg, Fetislam Fortress near
Kladovo Kladovo ( sr-Cyrl, Кладово, ; or ) is a town and municipality located in the Bor District of Southern and Eastern Serbia, eastern Serbia. It is situated on the right bank of the Danube river. Name In Serbian language, Serbian, the town i ...
, 1524 File:Bajraklidzamija.jpg, Bajrakli Mosque in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1575 File:Novi Pazar at the Pester Plateau in Serbia 8244.NEF 18.jpg, Altun-Alem Mosque in
Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар) is a List of cities in Serbia, city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2022 census, the urban area has 71,462 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 106,720 inha ...
, 1516/28 File:Česma_Mehmed_Paše_Sokolovića_(1).jpg, Mehmed Paša Sokolović's Fountain in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1576/77 File:Islam-agina_džamija,_Niš,_Srbija,_14.JPG, Islam-aga's Mosque in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
, 1720 File:Beli most.JPG, White Bridge in
Vranje Vranje ( sr-Cyrl, Врање, ) is a city in Southern Serbia and the administrative center of the Pčinja District. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population of 55,214 while the city administrative area has 74,381 inhabitan ...
, 1844 File:Belgrade Planetarium closeup.jpg, Belgrade Planetarium, 1867


Konak Style

The Konak (word from Turkish – palace) was represented for most of the 18th century and early 19th century, most notably the end of the Ottoman presence and autonomy of the
Principality of Serbia The Principality of Serbia () was an autonomous, later sovereign state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the Serbian Revolution, which lasted between 1804 and 1817. Its creation was negotiated first through an unwritten agre ...
. Homes and manor houses of wealthier individuals in Serbia during Ottoman rule have distinct Turkish-style in their design. These ''konaks'' would fall from style in the later half of the 19th century, due to Serbia's independence from the Ottoman Empire and the shift to more western European trends in culture and architecture. Very few examples of Ottoman architecture survived after the 19th century due to this shift in culture and architectural appeal, mostly preserved in southern
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
. Cities like
Vranje Vranje ( sr-Cyrl, Врање, ) is a city in Southern Serbia and the administrative center of the Pčinja District. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population of 55,214 while the city administrative area has 74,381 inhabitan ...
,
Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
,
Priština Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district. In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdom. The heritage of th ...
,
Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар) is a List of cities in Serbia, city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2022 census, the urban area has 71,462 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 106,720 inha ...
,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, and
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the List of cities in Serbia, fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Se ...
showcase preserved Konak architecture. In general, buildings of this period include a basement and two floors, with some examples of buildings with one floor such as Stari Han in
Kosjerić Kosjeríć ( sr-cyr, Косјерић, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of western Serbia. The municipality has a population of 10,175 inhabitants and the town itself has 3,723 (2022 census). The municipality's area i ...
built in 1854. The walls are pierced by many windows arranged symmetrically. The façade is decorated with one or two bay windows, overlooking the street and expanded interior space, while the courtyard façade is decorated with a balcony. The court, located at the rear of the manor, is fenced by high walls. File:Museum of Vuk and Dositej, Belgrade, Serbia.jpg, Building of the
Museum of Vuk and Dositej A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private collections that are used by researchers ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1739 File:Pašin konak, salemluk 10.jpg,
Pasha Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitary, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of ...
's Residence in
Vranje Vranje ( sr-Cyrl, Врање, ) is a city in Southern Serbia and the administrative center of the Pčinja District. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population of 55,214 while the city administrative area has 74,381 inhabitan ...
, 1765 File:Wiki Šumadija XI Amidžin konak 671.jpg, Amidža Residence in
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the List of cities in Serbia, fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Se ...
, 1824 File:Konak kneginje Ljubice, Bgd.JPG, Princess Ljubica's Residence in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1830 File:Kraljevo Gospodar Vasin konak.JPG, Master Vasin's Residence in
Kraljevo Kraljevo ( sr-Cyrl, Краљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar River, Ibar, in the geographical region of ...
, 1830 File:Prince Miloš's Residence, Topčider, Belgrade, Serbia.jpg, Prince Miloš' Residence in Topčider,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1833 File:Kuća Bore Stanković - panoramio.jpg, House of
Borisav Stanković ) , honorific_prefix = , honorific_suffix = , image = Bora Stanković.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Stanković's statue in Vranje , native_name = , native_name_lang = sr , pseudon ...
in
Vranje Vranje ( sr-Cyrl, Врање, ) is a city in Southern Serbia and the administrative center of the Pčinja District. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population of 55,214 while the city administrative area has 74,381 inhabitan ...
, 1855


Folk and Vernacular Styles

Folk and vernacular architecture from Serb villages remains relatively preserved and recreated in several instances. The southern architectural styles typically features wooden structures, sometimes plastered, typically secluded villages where Ottoman influence was less prevalent. These types of villages date from between 14th to 19th centuries. In contemporary Serbia, most of these types of villages are
open-air museum An open-air museum is a museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts outdoors. It is also frequently known as a museum of buildings or a folk museum. Definition Open air is "the unconfined atmosphere ... outside buildings" ...
s ("ethno villages"), showcasing what life was like prior to westernization and industrialization. The method of construction in Serbian rural architecture were based on the experience of Serbian farmers, self-taught builders, who choose the best solutions and adjusted their houses to their life and work. This was not only expressed by the disposition of basic layout, format and organization of residential homes and commercial buildings, but also in the construction and the details. It was not based on fashionable developments in architecture and urbanism. According of needs and lifestyle of the farmer, there were various types of houses: *The unicellular houses in which the farmer shared the space with its cattle and the fireplace was located in the middle of the room with no chimney *The two-room houses (this was the most popular type) were the living space was divided from a backroom and the animals were located in stalls *More-room houses, where more rooms and a porch were added to the two room form (typical for the Vojvodina region)


Brvnara and Bondruka Styles

The log cabin ''Brvnara'' with straw- or shingles-roof is found mostly in forested and mountainous areas like
Zlatibor Zlatibor ( sr-cyr, Златибoр ) is a List of mountains of Serbia, mountainous region in western Serbia. Among the most popular places in Serbia for tourism, Zlatibor's main attractions include health tourism, skiing, and hiking and the lo ...
and Tara region in Western Serbia (and in general in the dinaric alps – Western part of Serbian Kraijna, Bosnia, Eastern Montenegro). The luscious pine forests supply with good building material. Usually it has an elongated form, stands on a stone cellar and is placed orthogonally to the steep terrain and shows the cellar (''izba'') on the downhill side. Also typical is the huge pyramidal high-hipped roof placed on a relative low cubus of the cottage. Usually different cottages are placed together and build a harmonious looking homestead. The Log cabin ''Bondruka'' is the most popular rural house in the Balkan region, typical for Serbia south of the Danube, and is a further evolution of the log-cabin design seen with Brvnara style. The construction is of wooden skeleton walls filled with mud and reef and plastered with mud on the outside and with plaster on the interior walls. The roof is a hiproof (4-sided roof), covered with slightly curved roof tiles. On steep terrains the cellar is made of stones to level out the differences in height. File:Ves Kostunici pod Ravnou Gorou - stary mlyn.jpg,
Koštunići Koštunići is a village in the Municipalities of Serbia, municipality of Gornji Milanovac, Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the village has a population of 544 people.Popis stanovništva, domaćinstava i Stanova 2002. Knjiga 1: Nacionalna ili ...
, between 14th and 19th century File:Staro Selo - Sirogojno5.JPG, Sirogojno, between 18th and 19th century File:Sopotnica3.jpg, Sopotnica village and old watermill File:Spomen-kompleks Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, Tršić 037.jpg,
Tršić Tršić ( Serbian Cyrillic: Тршић, ) is a village in the municipality of Loznica, located in the Mačva region of Serbia. It is the birthplace of Serbian linguist and language reformer, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić. Most houses in the area ar ...
village, 19th century File:Spomen kuća Vuka Karadžića, Tršić005.jpg, House of
Vuk Stefanović Karadžić VUK or Vuk may refer to: *Vuk (name), South Slavic given name ** Vuk, Ban of Bosnia (), a member of the Kotromanić dynasty ** Vuk Karadžić (1787–1864), Serbian language reformer and folklorist, often referred to simply as Vuk * ''Vuk'' (film) ...
in
Tršić Tršić ( Serbian Cyrillic: Тршић, ) is a village in the municipality of Loznica, located in the Mačva region of Serbia. It is the birthplace of Serbian linguist and language reformer, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić. Most houses in the area ar ...
village File:Planina Tara (1).jpg, Cottages in Tara National Park, 19th century File:Drvengrad.jpg,
Küstendorf Küstendorf (), also known as Drvengrad ( sr-Cyrl, Дрвенград, lit=Timber Town, ) and Mećavnik ( sr-Cyrl, Мећавник, ), is a traditional village that the Serbian film director Emir Kusturica built for his film ''Life Is a Miracle'' ...
ethno village recreation by
Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица, ; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, film producer and musician. Kusturica has been an active filmmaker since the 1980s. He has competed at the Cannes ...
near
Mokra Gora Mokra Gora ( sr-Cyrl, Мокра Гора, lit=Wet Mountain, ) is a village located in the city of Užice, southwestern Serbia. It is situated on the northern slopes of the Zlatibor Mountains. Emphasis on historical reconstruction has made it int ...
, 2004


Wooden and Tree Churches

Southern Serbia also has a wide array of wooden churches built during the 18th and 19th centuries. Built similarly to ''Brvnara'' log cabins, they use local wood materials in construction, with a simple rectangular shape, with the exception of the oval entrance area, curving the threshold and roof, and topped with a simple wooden cross. The shingles are made of large wooden plates. The church bell is usually place outside next to the church on a wooden built tower. These are also areas where
Zapis A ''zapis'' ( sr-Cyrl, запис, , literally "inscription"; plural: ''zapisi'' (записи)) is a sacred tree in Serbian Orthodox tradition, protecting the village within whose bounds it is situated. A cross is inscribed into the bark of each ...
,
sacred tree A sacred tree or holy tree is a tree which is considered to be sacred, or worthy of spiritual respect or reverence. Such trees appear throughout world history in various cultures including the ancient Hindu mythology, Greek, Celtic and Germanic m ...
s in Serbian traditions, originated and are widely practiced, due to most churches and places of Christian worship being demolished by the Ottomans. Today it is a common tradition among the Serbian Orthodox representatives in local communities to pick sacred trees, conserving and protecting them in the process. There are also examples of living sacred trees being carved for decades to create makeshift churches, such as the Zapis in Jovac village near
Vladičin Han Vladičin Han ( sr-cyrl, Владичин Хан, ) is a town and municipality located in the Pčinja District in southern Serbia. The town is located along the road from the Serbian capital Belgrade to the Greek city of Thessalonica. It is locate ...
by Dragoljub Krstić in 1991. Dedicated to St Pantelejmon, the small church was intentionally built in an
oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...
tree, which holds great significance in both Christian and Pagan Serbian culture and mythology. There are also examples of wooden mosques designed in a similar fashion located in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. File:Манастир Покајница 2.jpg, Wooden Orthodox Church of Pokajnica Monastery in Staro Selo File:2014-08-04 13-32-34 Dub.jpg, Wooden Orthodox Church in Dub, 1792 File:Dub, crkva brvnara 016.jpg, Bell tower of the Wooden Church in Dub File:Crkva brvnara u Takovu 12.jpg, Wooden Orthodox Church of Saint George in Takovo, 1795 File:Takovo, crkva brvnara (9).jpg, Interior of the Wooden Church in Takovo File:Црква брвнара Арханђела Михаила.jpg, Wooden Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael in Rača, 1826 File:Vranic - Crkva brvnara 01.jpg, Orthodox Wooden Church of Forty martyrs in the churchyard of the Elijah the Prophet church in Vranić


Pannonian and Salaš Styles

(or Pannonian houses) are the typical village and town residential buildings in the flat Vojvodina region. The layout of villages is orthogonally structured and houses are laid perpendicular to the street. They are organized with a front room (living-space) a backroom (sleeping place) and a kitchen (with fireplace) just after the front porch. Between the houses lays the garden and the yard. Influenced by Austro-Hungarian Empire these houses were often decorated in Art-Nouveau and Baroque-Style, distanced from typical vernacular architecture. Most of these types of houses would evolve into the many manor houses of wealthy individuals scattered across Vojvodina. Salaš are traditional type of farms in
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province (particularly
Bačka Bačka ( sr-Cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska (), is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hungary. ...
and
Srem Syrmia ( Ekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srem, Срем, separator=" / " or Ijekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srijem, Сријем, label=none, separator=" / ") is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is ...
) prior to mid-19th century, with some farms and villages recreating and preserving salaš aesthetic for village tourism. They use local materials such as mud, bricks, wood, and reed, with finer details crafted and built by traditional artists often utilizing motifs of the many different ethnic groups of Vojvodina. Some Vojvodina cities and towns still showcase salaš architecture, ether through preserved houses or museum models such as those in the Museum of Vojvodina in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
. In contemporary Serbia, most of these types of farms are
open-air museum An open-air museum is a museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts outdoors. It is also frequently known as a museum of buildings or a folk museum. Definition Open air is "the unconfined atmosphere ... outside buildings" ...
s, restaurants, and/or hotels, showcasing what life was like in this region prior to mass industrialization. File:Oldest house in Bački Petrovac (3).jpg, Salaš in Bački Petrovac, 1799 File:Oldest house in Bački Petrovac - inside.jpg, Salaš interior in Bački Petrovac File:Dida Hornjakov salaš 06.jpg, Dida Hornjakov salaš near
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
, 1901 File:Dida Hornjakov salaš 12.jpg, Interior of Dida Hornjakov salaš File:Zemunica Putri 1909.jpg, Ground level shack around
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
, 1909 File:Salaš Isailovi 28.07.2018 163.jpg, Isailovi salaš between
Ruma Ruma (; ) is a town and municipality in the Srem District of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the town has a population of 27,747, while the municipality has a population of 48,621. History Traces of organized human life ...
and
Sremska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (; sr-Cyrl, Сремска Митровица, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Serbia. It is situated on the left bank of the Sava, Sava river. , the city has a total population of 36,764 inhabitants, while its adminis ...
, 1965 File:Куће тршчаре, Нови Сад.JPG, Trščare in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, prior to 2016 demolition File:Idvor - Rodna kuća Mihaila Pupina.jpg, Family House of
Mihajlo Pupin Mihajlo Idvorski Pupin (, ; October 4, 1858Although Pupin's birth year is sometimes given as 1854 (and Serbia and Montenegro issued a postage stamp in 2004 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his birth), peer-reviewed sources list his birth ...
in Idvor, typical example of Pannonian styled house


Baroque and Rococo

During the short-lived Austrian rule over Belgrade, a
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
quarter was built, with a square and several monumental buildings. After the reconquest of city by Ottoman Turks, all Baroque buildings were demolished. Most Serbian Orthodox churches were built with all the characteristics of Baroque churches built in the Austrian and Hungarian administered regions. The churches usually had a bell tower (some with two or three bell towers), and a single nave building with the iconostasis inside the church covered with
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
-style paintings. Most baroque churches would include elements of neo-classical architecture, contributing to a more eclectic design. These churches can mostly be found in
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province. Monasteries of
Fruška Gora Fruška gora ( sr-Cyrl, Фрушка гора) is a mountain in Syrmia, with most of the mountain being part of Serbia and its westernmost edge extending into eastern Croatia. The Serbian part of the mountain forms the country's oldest National p ...
are exceptional, with Krušedol, Grgeteg, Jazak, Velika Remeta and others being the best examples of Orthodox church architecture in the baroque style. Modern Orthodox religious architecture in Vojvodina would rarely recreate baroque styles, often opting for Serbo-Byzantine Revival style instead. There are also examples of Catholic and Protestant churches in this style, though communities from these Christian denominations would often opt in designing churches in different revival styles, such as neo-gothic and neo-romanesque. Non-religious baroque architecture is prevalent in areas around or north the
Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
, mostly in areas of modern
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province that were under the
Habsburg Empire The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...
.
Bastion fort A bastion fort or ''trace italienne'' (a phrase derived from non-standard French, meaning 'Italian outline') is a fortification in a style developed during the early modern period in response to the ascendancy of gunpowder weapons such as c ...
s of
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
,
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
,
Petrovaradin Petrovaradin ( sr-Cyrl, Петроварадин, ) is a historic town in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, now a part of the city of Novi Sad. As of 2011, the urban area has 14,810 inhabitants. Lying on the right bank of the Danube, across the m ...
,
Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
and
Sremska Rača Sremska Rača () is a village located in the city of Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia. As of 2011 census, the village has a population of 624 inhabitants. A border crossing between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the village. Name In Se ...
were built during these periods, often with baroque styled buildings.
Petrovaradin Fortress Petrovaradin Fortress ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Петроварадинска тврђава, Petrovaradinska tvrđava, ; ), nicknamed "Gibraltar on/of the Danube", is a Bastion fort, bastion fortress in the town of Petrovaradin, itself part of the City of ...
and it's
Old town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...
is the best preserved settlement and fortification in Serbia with baroque styled architecture.
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
had a wider mix of architecture before the
Hungarian Revolution of 1848 The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, also known in Hungary as Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848–1849 () was one of many Revolutions of 1848, European Revolutions of 1848 and was closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in ...
. Most of the city was razed to the ground (2004 buildings out of 2812 were destroyed) by Hungarian revolutionaries bombarding it from Petrovaradin Fortress. After that period, the architectural legacy of Novi Sad would mostly be preserved in baroque styled architecture and subsequent historic revival styles. However, most of the baroque styled buildings, besides those in the city center, would have less richer architectural significance compared to the ones preserved in Petrovaradin.
Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-Cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka Districtautonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danube, from Novi Sad. According to the 202 ...
, besides Petrovaradin, is one of the best preserved settlements with baroque styled architecture in Serbia, which was a religious and political center of all Serbs in the Habsburg Empire. The settlement also has one of the rare examples of Rococo in Serbia, with Sabov-Dejanović's House (one of the oldest preserved buildings in Sremski Karlovci). File:Reconstructed facades in Petrovaradin.jpg, Most buildings in the old part of
Petrovaradin Petrovaradin ( sr-Cyrl, Петроварадин, ) is a historic town in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, now a part of the city of Novi Sad. As of 2011, the urban area has 14,810 inhabitants. Lying on the right bank of the Danube, across the m ...
in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
are in the baroque style File:Wiki.Vojvodina VI Vršac 215.jpg, Bishop's Palace in
Vršac Vršac ( sr-Cyrl, Вршац, ) is a city in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the city urban area had a population of 31,946, while the city administrative area had 45,462 inhabitants. It is located in the geographical ...
, 1757 File:Crkva Rođenja presvete Bogorodice Sremska Kamenica.jpg, Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in
Sremska Kamenica Sremska Kamenica (Serbian Cyrillic: Сремска Каменица, ) is a town and urban neighborhood of Novi Sad, in Serbia. Name In Serbian, the town is known as ''Sremska Kamenica'' (Сремска Каменица), in Croatian as ' ...
, Novi Sad, 1758 File:Saborna i Rimokatolička crkva - panoramio.jpg, Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas (1758) and Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity (1768) in
Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-Cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka Districtautonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danube, from Novi Sad. According to the 202 ...
File:Unutrašnjost Bogorodične crkve u Zemunu.JPG, Interior of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Virgin in
Zemun Zemun ( sr-cyrl, Земун, ; ) is a Subdivisions of Belgrade, municipality in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Zemun was a separate town that was absorbed into Belgrade in 1934. It lies on the right bank of the Danube river, upstream from downtown ...
, 1774 File:Petrovaradin Fortress (Péterváradi vár, Peterwardein).JPG,
Petrovaradin Fortress Petrovaradin Fortress ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Петроварадинска тврђава, Petrovaradinska tvrđava, ; ), nicknamed "Gibraltar on/of the Danube", is a Bastion fort, bastion fortress in the town of Petrovaradin, itself part of the City of ...
by Mathias Keyserfeld, Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli, Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban and Michael Wambergin in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1780 File:Kuća Sabov Dejanović u Sremskim Karlovcima.jpg, Sabov-Dejanović's Rococo House in
Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-Cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka Districtautonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danube, from Novi Sad. According to the 202 ...
, 1790 File:Subotica (Szabadka, Суботица) - catholic cathedral.JPG, St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Cathedral in
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
, 1797


Historic Styles


Gothic Revival

Neo-gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...
architecture is mostly relegated to
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province, usually used for Catholic, Protestant, and Franciscan churches such as the Monastery of St. Michael (1729), the Church of St. Roch (1896) in
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
, and the Church of the Heart of Jesus (1908) in Futog,
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
. Due to their height, neo-gothic churches are still among the tallest structures in Serbia. There are some examples of manor and town houses incorporating the style such as the Spirta House (1855) in
Zemun Zemun ( sr-cyrl, Земун, ; ) is a Subdivisions of Belgrade, municipality in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Zemun was a separate town that was absorbed into Belgrade in 1934. It lies on the right bank of the Danube river, upstream from downtown ...
,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, built by
Heinrich von Ferstel Freiherr Heinrich von Ferstel (7 July 1828 14 July 1883) was an Austrian architect and professor, who played a vital role in building late 19th-century Vienna. Life The son of Ignaz Ferstel (17961866), a bank clerk and later director of the ...
and Kapetanovo castle (1906) in
Stari Lec Stari Lec () is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Plandište municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. One of Stari Lec's best known landmarks is Kapetanovo Castle. Name In Serbian language, Serbian, the village is ...
. File:Wiki.Vojvodina VI Vršac 444.jpg, Catholic Church of St. Gerard the Bishop and Martyr by Franz Brandeissin in
Vršac Vršac ( sr-Cyrl, Вршац, ) is a city in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the city urban area had a population of 31,946, while the city administrative area had 45,462 inhabitants. It is located in the geographical ...
, 1863 File:Tekije snezna marija.JPG, The Our Lady of Snow Ecumenic Church by Hermann Bollé in
Petrovaradin Petrovaradin ( sr-Cyrl, Петроварадин, ) is a historic town in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, now a part of the city of Novi Sad. As of 2011, the urban area has 14,810 inhabitants. Lying on the right bank of the Danube, across the m ...
,
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1881 File:Reformatska crkva u Zrenjaninu, severna fasada sa tornjem.jpg, Reformation Church by Ferenca Zaboreckog in
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
, 1891 File:Crkva imena Marijinog.jpg, Catholic Name of Mary Church by György Molnár in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1894 File:Pinova vila u Zrenjaninu, 1939.god.jpg, Pin's Villa in
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
by Laslo Đaluš, 1894 File:Sarlós Boldogasszony-templom.jpg, Catholic Church of St. Virgin Mary in
Bačka Topola Bačka Topola ( sr-Cyrl, Бачка Топола, ; , ) is a town and municipality located in the North Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The municipality is composed of 23 local communities and, according to the 202 ...
, 1906 File:Dvorac Fantast 13.jpg, Fantast Castle in
Bečej Bečej (, ; , ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 19,492, while the municipality has 30,681 inhabitants. History Bečej was mentioned f ...
, 1925


Romanesque Revival

Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended t ...
Style mostly relegated to
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province, specifically Catholic and Protestant areas. The neo-romanesque buildings in Vojvodina differ in design of romanesque churches in southern Serbia, due to taking more visual architectural motifs of Central European romanesque, with sharper spires and round front windows. Hungarian Student Dorm "Europe" by Bela Migoi is an example of contemporary Romanesque Revival architecture. Inspired by the Catholic Church of St. Elizabeth by Mihajl Plavec right next to the dorm, the two structures complement each other in visual design despite nearly a century apart from each buildings construction. File:Catholic church in Ecka.jpg, Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist in Ečka, 1864 File:Zrenjanin Cathedral.jpg, Catholic Cathedral of St. John of Nepomuk by László Német in
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
, 1867 File:Zgrada suda u Zrenjaninu.jpg,
Court House A courthouse or court house is a structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...
by Sándor Eigner in
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
, 1908 File:Salašarska crkva posvećena Uznesenju Bogorodice u Bikovu.jpg, Catholic Church of the Assumption in Bikovo, 1912 File:Novisad8.jpg, Catholic Church of St. Elizabeth by Mihajl Plavec in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1931 File:Európa kollégium.jpg, Hungarian Student Dorm "Europe" by Bela Migoi in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 2015


Eclecticism and Academic Style

Eclecticism Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories i ...
was a common architectural movement throughout Serbia in the later half of the 19th and early 20th century. It was a mixture of several historic revival styles common in Western Europe at the time, such as neo-classical,
neo-renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival architecture, Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival ar ...
,
neo-romanticism The term neo-romanticism is used to cover a variety of movements in philosophy, literature, music, painting, and architecture, as well as social movements, that exist after and incorporate elements from the era of Romanticism. It has been used ...
, neo-baroque styles, even Serbo-Byzantine Revival. Most revival styles tended to incorporate eclecticism in exterior and interior designs. File:National Museum of Serbia (DSC04612).jpg,
National Museum of Serbia The National Museum of Serbia () is the largest and oldest museum in Belgrade, Serbia. It is located in the central zone of Belgrade on a square plot between the Republic Square (Belgrade), Republic Square, formerly Theatre Square, and three stree ...
by Andra Stevanović and Nikola Nestorović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1844 File:Wiki.Vojvodina III Dvorac Eđšeg 297.jpg, Eđšeg Castle by György Molnár and Karl Lehrer in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1890 File:Karlovačka gimnazija 15.7.2018 014.jpg, Karlovci Gymnasium by
Gyula Pártos Gyula Pártos (born Julius Puntzmann, 17 August 1845 – 22 December 1916) was a Hungarian architect.Pártos ...
and Ödön Lechner in
Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-Cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka Districtautonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danube, from Novi Sad. According to the 202 ...
, 1891 File:Vladičanski dvor1.jpg, Bishop's Palace by Vladimir Nikolić in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1901 File:Kuća kod gvozdenog čoveka - panoramio.jpg, Iron Man Palace by Bеlа Pаklо and Károly Kovács in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1909 File:Matica Srpska - panoramio (1).jpg,
Matica Srpska The Matica srpska ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Матица српска, Matica srpska, ) is the oldest Serbian language independent, non-profit, non-governmental and cultural-scientific Serbian national institution. It was founded on June 1, 1826, in Pest, ...
by Momčilo Tapavica in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1912


Classical Revival

Neoclassicism Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative arts, decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiq ...
movement was concentrated in large city centers such as
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, used for important institutions and religious buildings between the 18th and early 20th centuries. It would often be used as a basis design element for other historic revival styles at the time (most notable Neo-baroque), contributing to eclecticism. Pure classical revival architecture of Western Rome and ancient Greece as seen in other European countries is rare in Serbia, due to the more common movement towards Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, architectural designs reminiscent of medieval Serbian architecture. File:Stara Gradska kuca.jpg, Old City Hall in
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
, 1749 File:Kikinda main square nr 21.jpg, People's Museum in
Kikinda Kikinda ( sr-Cyrl, Кикинда, ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Banat District in Serbia. The city's urban area has 32,084 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 49,326 inhabit ...
, 1839 File:Саборна црква у Београду DSC 0017 Saborna crkva.jpg, Orthodox Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel by Adam Friedrich Kwerfeld in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1840 File:Univerzitetska biblioteka, Beograd 10.jpg, University Library Svetozar Marković by Dragutin Đordjević and Nikola Nestorović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1844 File:Wiki.Vojvodina VII Subotica 4899 02.jpg, National Theatre in
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
, 1854 File:Sombor-Theater-20160404.jpg, National Theater by Adolf Vajte in
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
, 1882 File:Belgrade Main railway station (železnička stanica Beograd glavna).jpg, Old Main railway station by Dragutin Milutinović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1884


Renaissance Revival

Renaissance Revival architecture Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival architecture, Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival ar ...
was a short lived movement at the end of the 19th century, mostly relegated to few buildings in
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
province, with fewer examples in southern cities, such as
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
and
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
. File:Wiki.Vojvodina X Gradska kuća Bečej 337.jpg, City Hall in
Bečej Bečej (, ; , ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 19,492, while the municipality has 30,681 inhabitants. History Bečej was mentioned f ...
, 1880 File:Nis University.JPG, Morava Banovina Palace in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
, 1886 File:Palata zgrade Narodne banke (Kralja Petra 12 Beograd).jpg, National Bank Building by Konstantin and Anastas Jovanović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1890 File:Beograd Narodna banka Srbije Kralja Petra 12 01.jpg, Interior of the National Bank Building in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1890 File:Gradsko jezgro Kikinde 08.jpg, City Hall in
Kikinda Kikinda ( sr-Cyrl, Кикинда, ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Banat District in Serbia. The city's urban area has 32,084 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 49,326 inhabit ...
, 1893 File:Gradska kuca u Novom Sadu.jpg,
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
by György Molnár in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1895 File:Wiki.Vojvodina IX Preparandija 167.jpg, Preparandija by Georgije Branković in
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
, 1895 File:Palata „Atina“ 1.JPG, Palace Atina by Dimitrije T. Leko in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1902


Baroque Revival

Neo-baroque movement occurred at in the late 19th century, often mixing classic baroque architecture elements with existing architecture movements at the time, especially neo-classical and secession styles. File:Serbia, Belgrade - National Theatre, 01.04.2011.jpg, National Theatre in Belgrade, 1869 File:Belgrade_Cooperative,_front_view.jpg, Belgrade Cooperative by Andra Stevanović and Nikola Nestorović, 1882 File:Beogradska zadruga-03.jpg, Interior of Belgrade Cooperative, 1882 File:Sombor (Zombor) - town hall.JPG, City Hall by Jozef Bauer and
Gyula Pártos Gyula Pártos (born Julius Puntzmann, 17 August 1845 – 22 December 1916) was a Hungarian architect.Pártos ...
in
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
, 1882 File:Patriarchate Court in Sremski Karlovci 04.jpg, Patriarchate Court by Vladimir Nikolić in
Sremski Karlovci Sremski Karlovci ( sr-Cyrl, Сремски Карловци, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka Districtautonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the banks of the Danube, from Novi Sad. According to the 202 ...
, 1895 File:Грчкошколска 2.JPG, Central Credit Institute by Frantz Voruda and Đorđe Jovanović in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1896 File:Градско језгро Суботице 2022 29.jpg, City Library by Feren J. Raichle in
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
, 1896 File:Ugao Grčkoškolske i Svetozara Miletića - panoramio.jpg, Town House of Jaša Dunđerski in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
File:Serbia-0290 - Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George.jpg, Orthodox Cathedral of St. George by Milan Michal Harminc in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1905


Romanticism and Byzantine Revival

Neo-romanticism The term neo-romanticism is used to cover a variety of movements in philosophy, literature, music, painting, and architecture, as well as social movements, that exist after and incorporate elements from the era of Romanticism. It has been used ...
was mostly inspired by French and Hungarian architecture of the time. It would develop in parallel with Serbia's own national romanticism revival movement, often blending the two revival movements. File:Uzice 23.avgust 2009 004.jpg, Orthodox Church of St. George by Jan Nevole in
Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a popu ...
, 1844 File:Pancevo oldchurch.jpg, Orthodox Church of Holy Transfiguration by
Svetozar Ivačković Svetozar Ivačković (Serbian language, Serbian Cyrillic: Светозар Ивачковић) (December 10, 1844 – January 30, 1924) was a distinguished post-Romanticism, Romantic Serbs, Serbian architect; the most famous representative of the f ...
in
Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
, 1878 File:Crkva Svetog Dimitrija, Zemun 04.jpg, Church of St. Demetrius by
Svetozar Ivačković Svetozar Ivačković (Serbian language, Serbian Cyrillic: Светозар Ивачковић) (December 10, 1844 – January 30, 1924) was a distinguished post-Romanticism, Romantic Serbs, Serbian architect; the most famous representative of the f ...
in
Zemun Zemun ( sr-cyrl, Земун, ; ) is a Subdivisions of Belgrade, municipality in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Zemun was a separate town that was absorbed into Belgrade in 1934. It lies on the right bank of the Danube river, upstream from downtown ...
,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1878 File:Wiki Šumadija XIV Crkva Svete Trojice (Grocka) 101.jpg, Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1883 File:Belgrade - Centre for Climate Change.jpg,
Astronomical Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest include ...
and Meteorological Observatory of Belgrade University by Dimitrije T. Leko in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1891 File:Crkva na Novom Groblju.JPG, Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas by
Svetozar Ivačković Svetozar Ivačković (Serbian language, Serbian Cyrillic: Светозар Ивачковић) (December 10, 1844 – January 30, 1924) was a distinguished post-Romanticism, Romantic Serbs, Serbian architect; the most famous representative of the f ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1893 File:Sombor-Catholic-Church.jpg, Catholic Church of St. Stephan (1904) and Carmelite Convent (1905) by
Gyula Pártos Gyula Pártos (born Julius Puntzmann, 17 August 1845 – 22 December 1916) was a Hungarian architect.Pártos ...
in
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
File:Kalemegdan - panoramio (10).jpg, Big Staircase in Kalemegdan Park in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1928


Serbo-Byzantine Revival

The 19th century was a time of development of
Serbian nationalism Serbian nationalism asserts that Serbs are a nation and promotes the cultural and political unity of Serbs. It is an ethnic nationalism, originally arising in the context of the general rise of nationalism in the Balkans under Ottoman rule, ...
, which sought to develop a "national style" in architecture too, in line with
national romanticism Romantic nationalism (also national romanticism, organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of nationalism in which the state claims its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs. This includes ...
ideas. Within the broader movement of
historicism Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...
, in parallel to
neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, France and Germany. It became one of t ...
, Serbia saw the development in particular of a
Byzantine Revival architecture Neo-Byzantine architecture (also referred to as Byzantine Revival) was a revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It incorporates elements of the Byzantine style associated with Eastern and Or ...
style. Prior to the Exposition Universelle of 1889 and especially the Exposition Universelle of 1900, the Byzantine Revival movement in Serbia did not have a solidified national style, often taking Byzantine design elements interpreted through neo-romanticism styled façades and spires, with few examples of truly national revival architecture ( St. Mark's Church, Belgrade and House of Vuk's Foundation). The Exposition in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
was one of the key moments in developing and solidifying the Serbo-Byzantine Revival style (both internally and internationally), as the newly formed Serbian Paris Exhibition Committee brought together distinguished professors and experts from various fields that would contribute in summarizing the rich history of Serbia through the items and architecture presented at the Expo. With a prominent location at the bank of the
Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plat ...
River near the Pont de l'Alma at the end of the Rue des Nations, Serbia introduced itself through a pavilion that looked like a church (almost looking like the Church of St. Mark in Belgrade) or a medieval Serbian Orthodox monastery (similar to
Gračanica Monastery Gračanica () may refer to: Places Bosnia and Herzegovina * Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town and municipality in Tuzla * Gračanica (Bugojno), a village in Central Bosnia * Gračanica, Gacko, a village in Republika Srpska * Gračanica, ...
). The project's chief architect was Milan Kapetanović of Belgrade, in co-operation with architect Milorad Ruvidić. It was an ideological collection of national myths, depictions of pre-Christian supremacy, a journey into the past, and the celebration of pre-Ottoman roots. Serbia would come out of the Expo with international praises and accolades, reinvigorating its national consciousness, which was evident through the vibrant unique architecture built in Serbia after the Expo. The Serbo-Byzantine Revival style would be showcased at several Expos prior to the creation of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its colloq ...
, such as the Liège International of 1905 and Turin International of 1911. There were plans to showcase Byzantine Revival architecture by a sibling architect duo of Petar and Branko Krstić at the Sesquicentennial Exposition of 1926, but due to disagreements between Belgrade and Zagreb cultural scenes, the Expo pavilion was never built. Serbia's modern sacral architecture got its main impetus from the dynastic burial church in Oplenac which was commissioned by member of the Karađorđević dynasty in 1909. With the arrival of Russian émigré artist after the
October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...
, Belgrade's main governmental edifices were planned by eminent Russian architects trained in
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. It was King Aleksandar I. who was the patron of the neobyzantine movement. Its main proponents were Aleksandar Deroko, Momir Korunović,
Branko Krstić Branko (Cyrillic script: Бранко; ) is a South Slavic male given name found in all of the former Yugoslavia. It is related to the names Branimir and Branislav, and the female equivalent is Branka. People named Branko include: * Branko (DJ), ...
,
Petar Krstić Petar Krstić (February 18, 1877 – January 21, 1957) was a Serbian composer and conductor known throughout Yugoslavia. Born in Belgrade, Krstić studied under the Austrian composer Robert Fuchs and the Bohemian-Austrian musicologist Guido Ad ...
, Grigorijji Samojlov and Nikolay Krasnov. Their main contribution were Beli dvor, the
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
, St. Mark's Church, Belgrade. After the communist era ended Mihailo Mitrović and Nebojša Popović were proponents of new tendencies in sacral architecture which used classic examples in the Byzantine tradition. The style would even incorporate elements of Art Nouveau and Secession with national motifs. Serbo-Byzantine Revival is still prevalent in contemporary Serbia, especially with religious buildings such as churches and monasteries. The
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
is the best example of contemporary Serbo-Byzantine Revival architecture, being inspired by
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. File:Saint Mark church (DSC04685).jpg, St. Mark's Church, Belgrade in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1835 File:Dom Vukove zadužbine 2.jpg, House of Vuk's Foundation by Branko Tanazević in Belgrade, 1879 File:Palais des nations étrangères, la Serbie.jpg, Pavilion of Serbia at the Exposition Universelle by Milan Kapetanović and Milorad Ruvidić in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, 1900 File:Kirche des Hl. Georg in Topola (Oplenac) Serbien.jpg, Orthodox Church of St. George by Konstantin Jovanović in Topola, 1910 File:Church_of_St._George_in_Topola_(by_Pudelek)_1.JPG, Crypt of Oplenac mausoleum by Nikolay Krasnov, 1910 File:Zgrada stare Telefonske centrale u Kosovskoj ulici, Beograd 01.jpg, Old telephone exchange by Branko Tanazević in Belgrade, 1923 File:Old Post Office in Belgrade during winter.jpg, Old Post Office by Momir Korunović in Belgrade, 1929 File:Зграда Соколског дома „Матица“ 1.JPG, Falconry building ''Matica'' by Momir Korunović in Belgrade, 1935


Art Nouveau and Secession Style

The Art Nouveau and Vienna Secession style flourished in Serbia, especially in the north of the country at the turn of the 20th century, when the
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
region was still part of the Hungarian kingdom under the Habsburgs.
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
hosts particularly remarkable buildings from the period, inspired by Hungarian Szecesszió. Other settlements such as
Apatin Apatin ( sr-Cyrl, Апатин, , ) is a town and municipality located in the West Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022 census, the population of the town is 14,613, while the municipality has 23,155 inhabita ...
,
Aranđelovac Aranđelovac ( sr-cyr, Аранђеловац, ) is a town and a municipality located in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. , the municipality has a population of 41,297 inhabitants, while the town has 22,881 inhabitants. It is situated ben ...
,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, Horgoš,
Kikinda Kikinda ( sr-Cyrl, Кикинда, ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Banat District in Serbia. The city's urban area has 32,084 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 49,326 inhabit ...
,
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
,
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
,
Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
,
Senta Senta ( sr-cyrl, Сента, ; Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zenta'', ; Romanian language, Romanian: ''Zenta'') is a town and municipality located in Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the bank of the Tisza, Tisa river in the geographical ...
, Vrbas,
Vrnjačka Banja Vrnjačka Banja ( sr-cyr, Врњачка Бања) is a town and municipality located in the Raška District of central Serbia. The population of the town is 9,252 inhabitants, while the population of the municipality is 25,065 inhabitants (2022 ce ...
, and
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
were not immune from the architectural novelty either. During the first decade of the 20th century, more monumental, but also smaller, objects were built in Novi Sad, which we now classify as secessionist. The residential palaces of the Menrath, Winkler and Adamović families, then the new premises of Synagog, City Hospital, Iodine Spa, Hungarian Gymnasium (demolished to make way for the Mihajlo Pupin Boulevard) and a whole range of other buildings were created under the influence of the new style. These buildings fitted into the city's historic core, spread to still unbuilt plots of new streets, and were built in the years after the First World War, heralding the modern architecture of the 20th century. Thanks to the principles of secession, new materials have been introduced into the architecture (concrete, glass, forged iron, ceramics), functional residential and public spaces have been created, façades have been revived with imaginative constructive solutions and new decorative repertoire, and the urban matrix has acquired its present-day appearance. Most notable examples of secession architecture in Novi Sad are from the Vienna secession style done by
Lipót Baumhorn Lipót Baumhorn (, , 28 December 1860, Kisbér – 8 July 1932, Kisbér) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian architect of Jewish heritage, the most influential Hungarian synagogue architect in the first half of the 20th century. He drew blueprints ...
, Károly Kovács and Bеlа Pаklо. During Socialist Yugoslavia, secession buildings would have their façades altered with the inclusion of socialist and communist imagery. The City Hospital built in 1909 (known also as the Clinical Center of Vojvodina) had the coat of arms of Socialist Yugoslavia added to the main upper façades, which remained there until the 2022 restoration. Mihajlo Pupin secondary school of electrical engineering built in 1921 still showcases the coat of arms of Socialist Serbia on top of the front entrance, one of the rare remaining examples of socialist imagery on pre-existing architecture in Novi Sad. *
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
: Savings Bank Palace (1907), Novi Sad Synagogue (1909), Tomin's Palace (1909), File:Jodna banja u Novom Sadu 2022.jpg, Iodine Spa, 1897 File:Wiki.Vojvodina II Ulica Kralja Aleksandra 235.jpg, Winkler Family Palace by Károly Kovács, 1906/07 File:Vojvodanskabanka (Novi Sad EX version).jpg, Savings Bank Palace by
Lipót Baumhorn Lipót Baumhorn (, , 28 December 1860, Kisbér – 8 July 1932, Kisbér) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian architect of Jewish heritage, the most influential Hungarian synagogue architect in the first half of the 20th century. He drew blueprints ...
, 1907 File:Novisad7.jpg, Menrath Family Palace by Lipót Baumhorn, 1908 File:Wiki.Vojvodina II Trg Marije Trandafil 275.jpg, Tomin's Palace by Lipót Baumhorn, 1909 File:Sinagoga u Novom Sadu 2022.jpg, Novi Sad Synagogue by Lipót Baumhorn, 1909 File:Adamovićeva palata - panoramio (1).jpg, Adamović Family Palace by Geza Markuš i Friđeš Špigel, 1911 File:ETŠ Mihajlo Pupin Novi Sad 1.jpg, Mihajlo Pupin secondary school of electrical engineering by Bеlа Pаklо i Štrоb Мikšа, 1921
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
has about 100 buildings built in the style of secession. The movement arrived in Subotica via
Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
and that there are two styles. One from European flows such as in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
,
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, while the other is more committed, national, often called the Hungarian version of secession (Szecesszió). Among them are the most famous in the protected core of the city of Subotica, such as the City Hall, Synagogue, Former Savings Bank, and more, which were designed by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab.
Subotica Synagogue The Subotica Synagogue, officially the Jakab and Komor Square Synagogue in Subotica (; ), is a former Neolog Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Subotica, Serbia. Completed in 1903 in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style, the synagogue ...
is exceptional even among other Synagogues of Europe, being the second largest preserved Synagogue in Europe (after the
Dohány Street Synagogue The Dohány Street Synagogue ( ; ; ), also known as the Great Synagogue () or Tabakgasse Synagogue (), is a Neolog Judaism, Neolog Judaism, Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Dohány utca, Dohány Street in Erzsébetváros (VIIth dis ...
in
Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
) and the only one in the distinct Hungarian Szecesszió style. Most visual motifs on Subotica secession buildings convey a specific meaning and purpose. Example of this can be seen on the Former Savings Bank indicating its original purpose as a bank through the visuals on its outer façade. The hive and the stylized little owls are symbols of wisdom. The sun, the peacock feather, and the squirrels as faithful gatherers in the upper part of the Palace – all symbols that point to diligence and frugality. While Szecesszió is most prominent in Subotica, other Vojvodina cities, villages, and settlements showcase the style, such as the Arena Movie Theater in
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
. *
Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...
:
Synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
(1901), Raichle Palace (1904), City Hall (1910), *
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
: Arena (Sombor) Movie Theater (1912), File:Wiki.Vojvodina VII Subotica 4599 03.jpg,
Subotica Synagogue The Subotica Synagogue, officially the Jakab and Komor Square Synagogue in Subotica (; ), is a former Neolog Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Subotica, Serbia. Completed in 1903 in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style, the synagogue ...
by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, 1901 File:Subotica Synagogue, interior.jpg, Subotica Synagogue interior by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, 1901 File:Centar I, Subotica, Serbia - panoramio (3).jpg, Raichle Palace, 1904 File:Wiki.Vojvodina VII Subotica 4593 01.jpg, Municipal Museum by Vágó Brothers, 1906 File:Centar I, Subotica, Serbia - panoramio (1).jpg, Former Savings Bank by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, 1907 File:Centar I, Subotica, Serbia - panoramio (4).jpg, Subotica City Hall by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, 1910 File:Serbia - Palić - tower.JPG,
Palić Palić ( sr-Cyrl, Палић; ; ) is a town located in the city of Subotica, North Bačka District, autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is also located from the border between Serbia and Hungary. The town has a Hungarian ethnic majority ...
water tower by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, 1910 File:Wiki.Vojvodina VII Ženski paviljon 4291 05.jpg, Women's Pavilion by Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, 1910
Most of the Zrenjanin secession buildings were built at the end of the 19th century, at a time of intense economic growth and very vibrant construction activity, which is particularly accelerated before the start of the First World War. Both Vienna and Hungarian Szecesszió styles were prevalent in the city for both residential homes, villas, and important institutional buildings such as the City Hall. Karlo Helmbold's House, also known as Šeherezada, is a rare example of
Moorish Revival Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of Romanticism, Romanticist Orientalism. It reached the height of its popularity after the mi ...
style in Serbia, with both secession and oriental elements blended together. *
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; ; ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city urban area has a population of 67,129 inh ...
: Lipot Goldšmit's House (1870s),
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
(1887), Karađorđević Bridge (1904), Dunđerski Family Palace (1906), Bence House (1909), File:Zgrada Lipota Goldšmita.jpg, Lipot Goldšmit's House, 1870s File:Županijska palata u Zrenjaninu.jpg,
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
by
Gyula Pártos Gyula Pártos (born Julius Puntzmann, 17 August 1845 – 22 December 1916) was a Hungarian architect.Pártos ...
and Ödön Lechner, 1887 File:Šeherezada.jpg, Karlo Helmbold's House (Šeherezada) by Ištvan Bart, 1900 File:Wiki.Vojvodina IV Staro jezgro Zrenjanina 078.jpg, Dunđerski Family Palace, 1906 File:Small Bridge in Zrenjanin, Serbia..jpg, Karadžić Bridge (previously named Franz Joseph Bridge), 1904 File:Benceova_robna_kuća.jpg, Bence House, 1909 File:Kuća profesora Borjanovića šezdesetih godina.jpg, Professor Borjanović's House by János Pányi, 1913
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
at the turn of the 20th century would showcase a wide array of secessionist architecture, both international and local styles. Most common international style was from Vienna, with buildings of Merchant Stamenković, Uroš Predić and Leona Panajot showcasing this style's common visual patterns. The local style evolved from Serbo-Byzantine Revival, adding Serbian national motifs with secessionist sensibilities. Buildings such as the House of Vuk's Foundation and Old telephone exchange by Branko Tanazević, and Old Post Office by Momir Korunović, showcase the blend of medieval church motifs with modern art nouveau. Most non-religious Serbo-Byzantine Revival architecture had secessionist motifs in its design, such as the Courthouse in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
. *
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
: Hotel Moskva (1908), Vučo’s House on the Sava River (1908), Uros Predic's Studio (1908), Mika Alas's House (1910), *
Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
: Pučka Bank (1868), *
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
: Courthouse (1910). File:Pančevo Banka2.JPG, Pučka Bank in
Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
by Albert Kálmán Kőrössy and Ullmann Gyula, 1868 File:Beograd Kuca trgovca Stamenkovica Kralja Petra 41.jpg, Building of Merchant Stamenković in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
by Andra Stevanović and Nikola Nestorović, 1907 File:Hotel Moskva (Belgrade).jpg, Hotel Moskva in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
by Jovan Ilkić, 1908 File:Атеље Уроша Предића.jpg, Uros Predic's Studio built in
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
style in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1908 File:Vuco's house (61-61a Karadjordjeva street, Belgrade) 02.jpg, Vučo’s House on the Sava River, 1908 File:Кућа Леоне Панајот 2012-09-29 10-33-29.jpg, House of Leona Panajot by
Đura Bajalović Đura Bajalović also spelled Djura Bajalović (Šabac, Serbia, 13 February 1879 – Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia, 5 May 1949) was one of the leading Belgrade architects of Art Nouveau in Serbian architecture at the turn of the 19th century. He was ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1908 File:House of Mika Alas in 2020 (2).jpg, Mika Alas's House in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
by
Petar Bajalović Petar Bajalović (in Cyrillic Serbian: Петар Бајаловић; Šabac, Serbia, 27 May 1876 - Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia, 14 April 1947) was a Serbian architect who lived and worked during the latter part of Belle Epoque and the Interwar p ...
, 1910 File:Palace of Justice, Niš - 2005.jpg, Courthouse by
Jovan Novaković Jovan may refer to: *Jovan (given name), a list of people with this given name *Jovan, Mawal, a village on the western coastal region of Maharashtra, India *Jōvan Musk, a cologne *Deli Jovan, a mountain in eastern Serbia *Róbert Jován (born 196 ...
in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
, 1910


Royalist Yugoslav period

Yugoslav architecture emerged in the first decades of the 20th century before the establishment of the state; during this period a number of South Slavic creatives, enthused by the possibility of statehood, organized a series of art exhibitions in
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
in the name of a shared Slavic identity. Following governmental centralization after the 1918 creation of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
, this initial bottom-up enthusiasm began to fade. Yugoslav architecture became more dictated by an increasingly concentrated state authority which sought to establish a unified state identity. Beginning the 1920s, Yugoslav architects began to advocate for architectural modernism, viewing the style as the logical extension of progressive national narratives. The Group of Architects of the Modern Movement, an organization founded in 1928 by architects Branislav Kojić,
Milan Zloković Milan Zloković ( Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Злоковић) (Trieste, April 6, 1898 - Belgrade, May 29, 1965) was a Serbian architect. His works epitomised two epochs of architecture in Belgrade. Biography Zloković studied in Graz (191 ...
, Jan Dubovy, and Dušan Babić pushed for the widespread adoption of modern architecture as the "national" style of Yugoslavia to transcended regional differences. Despite these shifts, differing relationships to the west made the adoption of modernism inconsistent in Yugoslavia WWII. Of all Yugoslavian cities,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
and
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
have the highest concentration of modernist structures. Air Force Command by Dragiša Brašovan is one of the biggest interwar modernist buildings in Belgrade, and Danube Banovina in Novi Sad of the same architect being the best example of stripped classicism in Serbia.


Interwar Eclecticism and Academic Style

A continuation of the pre-war Eclectic Styles, the interwar Academic Style was spearheaded by architects from the
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (; , SANU) is a national academy and the most prominent academic institution in Serbia, founded in 1841 as Society of Serbian Letters (, DSS). The Academy's membership has included Nobel Prize, Nobel la ...
as well as
white émigré White Russian émigrés were Russians who emigrated from the territory of the former Russian Empire in the wake of the Russian Revolution (1917) and Russian Civil War (1917–1923), and who were in opposition to the revolutionary Bolshevik com ...
from the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, fleeing the
Soviets The Soviet people () were the citizens and nationals of the Soviet Union. This demonym was presented in the ideology of the country as the "new historical unity of peoples of different nationalities" (). Nationality policy in the Soviet Union ...
. It uses all historic revival styles from the past century in its visual design. File:KnezMihailova_ped.jpg,
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (; , SANU) is a national academy and the most prominent academic institution in Serbia, founded in 1841 as Society of Serbian Letters (, DSS). The Academy's membership has included Nobel Prize, Nobel la ...
building in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1922 File:Novi Dvor (1).JPG, Karađorđević Palace by Stojan Titelbah and Momir Korunović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1922 File:Bâtiment_officiel.jpg, Ministries of Forestry and Agriculture, façade by Nikolay Krasnov in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1923 File:Zgrada vlade - panoramio.jpg, Ministry of Finance of Serbia Building by Nikolay Krasnov in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1926–28 File:Museum of Nikola Tesla, Belgrade, Serbia-cropped.JPG, Nikola Tesla Museum by Dragiša Brašovan in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1927 File:Zgrada Ministarstva saobraćaja u Beogradu 2012.jpg, Railway Museum by Svetozar Jovanović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1931 File:ParlamentBelgrad.jpg, The Parliament of Serbia, and the headquarters of the Serbian Post in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1938


Art Nouveau and Art Deco

There was a short continuation of Art Nouveau in the interwar period, mostly replaced by other modernism movements. Art Deco in Serbia was not as popular of an architectural style as Art Nouveau was. Only few buildings took design elements from the movement, with an emphasis on statues, figure and word reliefs as part of the building's design. The Embassy of France in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
by
Roger-Henri Expert Roger-Henri Expert (18 April 1882 – 13 April 1955) was a French architect. Life The son of a merchant, Expert first studied painting at the École des beaux-arts in Bordeaux, then from 1906 attended the École nationale supérieure des Bea ...
and Josif Najman is the best example of Art Deco present in Serbia. Other examples took elements of existing modernism designs, such as
Czech Cubism Czech Cubism (referred to more generally as Cubo-Expressionism) was an avant-garde art movement of Czech proponents of Cubism, active mostly in Prague from 1912 to 1914. Prague was perhaps the most important center for Cubism outside Paris before ...
and
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
with the Building of the First Danube Steamboat Society (1926) in Belgrade, contributing to a more eclectic approach to Art Deco in Serbia. File:Street_Knez_Mihailova.png,
Ruski car Tavern Ruski Car or Russian Tsar () is a commercial-residential building and a restaurant in downtown Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Knez Mihailova Street, a pedestrian zone and a commercial hub of the city. One of the most luxurio ...
by Petar Popović and Dragiša Brašovan in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1926 File:Zgrada Prvog dunavskog parobrodarskog društva u Beogradu - 01.jpg, Building of the First Danube Steamboat Society by Aleksandar Pop and Stevan Tolbar in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1926 File:Pavilion of Large Refractor.JPG, Pavilion of Large Refractor of
Belgrade Observatory The Belgrade Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the Zvezdara Forest in the eastern part of Belgrade, Serbia. History Origin (1887–1891) In 1879, Milan Nedeljković (1857–1950) received a scholarship to continue his ...
by Jan Dubovy, 1932 File:Embassy of France, Belgrade, Serbia.jpg, Embassy of France by
Roger-Henri Expert Roger-Henri Expert (18 April 1882 – 13 April 1955) was a French architect. Life The son of a merchant, Expert first studied painting at the École des beaux-arts in Bordeaux, then from 1906 attended the École nationale supérieure des Bea ...
and Josif Najman in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1933 File:Zgrada_Pravnog_fakulteta_u_Beogradu_(DSC04691).jpg,
University of Belgrade Faculty of Law The Faculty of Law of the University in Belgrade (/''Pravni fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu''), also known as the Belgrade Law School, is one of the first-tier educational institutions of the University of Belgrade, Serbia. The building is locate ...
by
Petar Bajalović Petar Bajalović (in Cyrillic Serbian: Петар Бајаловић; Šabac, Serbia, 27 May 1876 - Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia, 14 April 1947) was a Serbian architect who lived and worked during the latter part of Belle Epoque and the Interwar p ...
, 1937 File:Spomenik neznanom junaku, Avala, Beograd.JPG,
Monument to the Unknown Hero The Monument to the Unknown Hero ( sr-Cyrl, Споменик Незнаном јунаку, Spomenik Neznanom junaku) is a World War I memorial located atop Mount Avala, south-east of Belgrade, Serbia, and designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrovi ...
by
Ivan Meštrović Ivan Meštrović (; 15 August 1883 – 16 January 1962) was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor, architect, and writer. He was the most prominent modern Croatian sculptor and a leading artistic personality in contemporary Zagreb. He studied at Pa ...
and Stevan Živanović in
Avala Avala ( sr-cyr, Авала, ) is a List of mountains in Serbia, mountain in Serbia, overlooking Belgrade. It is situated in the south-eastern corner of the city and provides a great panoramic view of Belgrade, Vojvodina and Šumadija, as the sur ...
, 1938 File:Игуманова палата у Биограду 2021. са обновљеном скулптуром, коју су "ослободиоци" скојевци разбили чекићима.jpg, Igumanov's Palace by Lojze Dolinar, Petar and Branko Krstić in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1938 File:D.Brašovan Zgrada BIGZ-a 2.JPG, BIGZ building by Dragiša Brašovan in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1940


Interwar Modernism

Interwar Modernism in Serbia consists of buildings stripped from almost all decorative elements. Some were reminiscent of
classicism Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. In its purest form, classicism is an aesthe ...
, while others incorporated a few elements from Serbo-Byzantine Revival. File:Kuća Milana Zlokovića 5.JPG, Zloković House in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1927 File:Hotel na Avali, V. Lukomski.tif, ''Hotel Avala'' by Viktor Lukomski, modernism combined with traditional architectural elements, 1928 File:Staro sajmište 3.jpg, Old Fair Complex in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1937 File:Ратнички дом (Дом ЈНА) 2012-09-17 17-38-08.jpg, Veterans' Club Building in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1939 File:Palace_Albania.jpg,
Palace Albanija Palace Albanija (, , literally "Palace Albania") is a high-rise building in Belgrade, Serbia. Important construction and architectural innovations were incorporated into the project, which made Albanija an exceptional building endeavor in the B ...
, 1939, the first skyscraper in Southeast Europe File:Свјетлопис зграде владе Војводине Србије, Нови Сад.jpg, Danube
Banovina Palace The Banovina Palace ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Бановинска палата, Banovinska palata, , , , ) in Novi Sad, capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina in Serbia, is a representative complex consisting of two buildings. The larger Banovina ...
stripped classicism Stripped Classicism (also referred to as Starved Classicism or Grecian Moderne) Jstor is primarily a 20th-century classicist architectural style stripped of most or all ornamentation, frequently employed by governments while designing officia ...
by Dragiša Brašovan in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1939 File:Tanjug Beograd 3.JPG, PRIZAD building, PRIZAD Building
stripped classicism Stripped Classicism (also referred to as Starved Classicism or Grecian Moderne) Jstor is primarily a 20th-century classicist architectural style stripped of most or all ornamentation, frequently employed by governments while designing officia ...
by Bogdan Nestorović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1939


Socialist Yugoslav period

The architecture of Yugoslavia was characterized by emerging, unique, and often differing national and regional narratives. As a socialist state remaining free from the Iron Curtain, Yugoslavia adopted a hybrid identity that combined the architectural, cultural, and political leanings of both Western liberal democracy and Soviet communism.


Socialist Realism (1945–1948)

Immediately following the Second World War, Yugoslavia's brief association with the Eastern Bloc ushered in a short period of socialist realism, specifically in building architecture. Centralization within the communist model led to the abolishment of private architectural practices and the state control of the profession. During this period, the governing League of Communists of Yugoslavia, Communist Party condemned modernism as "bourgeois formalism," a move that caused friction among the nation's pre-war modernist architectural elite. Dom Sindikata built in 1947 is one of very few examples of socialist realism in building architecture. The movement would however persist in a large amount of World War II memorials and monuments, known as Yugoslav World War II monuments and memorials, ''spomenik'', despite the Yugoslav-Soviet split in 1948. File:Nikola Pašić (Marks i Engels) tér, szemben a Jugoszláv Szakszervezeti Székház (Dom sindikata Jugoslavije). Fortepan 31525.jpg, Dom Sindikata by Branko Petričić in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1947 File:BajinaBastaWWIIMonument.jpg, Monument to fallen fighters by Stevan Bodnarov in Bajina Bašta, 1952 File:Свјетлопис спомен комплеса, од комуниста називаног, ослободилаца Београда.jpg, Memorial cemetery of the Liberators of Belgrade in 1944 by Branko Bon and Radeta Stanković, 1954 File:Авијатичарски трг1.JPG, Monument to the fallen from the People's Revolution 1941–1945 by Jovan Kratohvil in
Zemun Zemun ( sr-cyrl, Земун, ; ) is a Subdivisions of Belgrade, municipality in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Zemun was a separate town that was absorbed into Belgrade in 1934. It lies on the right bank of the Danube river, upstream from downtown ...
,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1954 File:Део градског центра Ивањице, Споменик-мозаик „Револуцији“, 1957. година, Ђорђе Андрејевић Кун, 1.JPG, Monument to the Revolution by Đorđe Andrejević-Kun in Ivanjica, 1957 File:Spomenik u gradskom parku, Kraljevo 02.jpg, Monument of Resistance and the Fallen by Lojze Dolinar in
Kraljevo Kraljevo ( sr-Cyrl, Краљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Raška District in central Serbia. It is situated on the confluence of West Morava and Ibar River, Ibar, in the geographical region of ...
, 1959 File:Venac, partyzánský památník.jpg, “Freedom” Monument by Sreten Stojanović in Iriški Venac,
Fruška Gora Fruška gora ( sr-Cyrl, Фрушка гора) is a mountain in Syrmia, with most of the mountain being part of Serbia and its westernmost edge extending into eastern Croatia. The Serbian part of the mountain forms the country's oldest National p ...
, 1961


Modernism (1948–1992)

socialist realism, Socialist realist architecture in Yugoslavia came to an abrupt end with Josip Broz Tito's 1948 Tito–Stalin Split, split with Stalin. In the following years the nation turned increasingly to the West, returning to the modernism that had characterized pre-war Yugoslav architecture. During this era, modernist architecture came to symbolize the nation's break from the USSR (a notion that later diminished with growing acceptability of modernism in the Eastern Bloc). The nation's postwar return to modernism is perhaps best exemplified in Vjenceslav Richter's widely acclaimed 1958 Yugoslavia Pavilion at Expo 58, the open and light nature of which contrasted the much heavier architecture of the Soviet Union. A number of architects from Serbia made important modernistic buildings across Africa and Middle East. Architect Mihajllo Mitrović was one of the several notable authors from the period. He is best known for modernistic buildings inspired by Art-Nouveau and Western City Gate. This period is marked with breakthrough modernistic designs, some of which still hold international records to this day for their construction and architectural achievements. File:SIV Building, 20120506 2.jpg, Palace of Serbia by Potočnjak and Mihailo Janković, Janković in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1950 File:BeogradskiSajam1.jpg, Belgrade Fair by Milorad Pantović and Branko Žeželj, 1957 File:Ušće.JPG, Ušće Towers, 1964 and Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Museum of Contemporary Art (bottom left), 1958 File:Železnička stanica Novi Sad.jpg, Novi Sad railway station by Imre Farkas and Milan Matović, 1964 File:Beogradjanka, Belgrade, Serbia.jpg, Beograđanka Tower by Branko Pešić, 1974 File:Spens.jpg, SPC Vojvodina by Živorad Janković, Branko Bulić and Duško Bogunović in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1981 File:Zgrada VMA (1).jpg, Military Medical Academy (Serbia), Military Medical Academy by Josip Osojnik and Slobodan Nikolić in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1981


Monuments in Serbia

During this period, the Yugoslav break from Soviet socialist realism combined with efforts to commemorate World War II, which together led to the creation of an immense quantity of abstract sculptural war memorials, known today as Yugoslav World War II monuments and memorials, ''spomenik'' File:Da.se.ne.zaboravi.jpg, Šumarice Memorial Park by Miodrag Živković (sculptor), Miodrag Živković in
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the List of cities in Serbia, fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Se ...
, 1953 File:Spomen park Bubanj.JPG, Bubanj Memorial Park, "Three fists" Monument by Ivan Sabolić in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
, 1963 File:Kosmaj spomenik2.jpg, Monument to Kosmaj Partisan Detachment by Vojin Stojić and Gradimir Stojaković in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1971 File:Leskovacpanoramic.jpg, Leskovac Memorial Park by Bogdan Bogdanović (architect), Bogdan Bogdanović, 1971 File:Kosovska Mitrovica monument.jpg, Monuments in Mitrovica#The miners monument, Miners' monument by Bogdan Bogdanović (architect), Bogdan Bogdanović in Kosovska Mitrovica, 1973 File:Vlasotince war monument.jpg, Shrine to the fallen freedom fighters by Bogdan Bogdanović (architect), Bogdan Bogdanović in Vlasotince, 1975 File:Kadinjača 028.jpg, Kadinjača Memorial by Miodrag Živković (sculptor), Miodrag Živković and Aleksandar Đokić, 1979


Brutalism

In the late 1950s and early 1960s Brutalist architecture, Brutalism began to garner a following within Yugoslavia, particularly among younger architects, a trend possibly influenced by the 1959 disbandment of the Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne. Besides numerous brutalist buildings in the capital, other notable examples can be found in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
,
Priština Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district. In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdom. The heritage of th ...
, Požarevac,
Arilje Arilje ( sr-cyr, Ариље, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of southwestern Serbia. The population of the town is 6,639, while the municipality has 17,063 inhabitants (2022 census). Geography The municipality of Aril ...
,
Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a popu ...
,
Sremska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (; sr-Cyrl, Сремска Митровица, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Serbia. It is situated on the left bank of the Sava, Sava river. , the city has a total population of 36,764 inhabitants, while its adminis ...
and other parts of the country. Brutalism would be a prevalent architectural style in Serbia, changing the design, scale and use of concrete elements in building construction, up until the end of the 20th century with the breakup of Socialist Yugoslavia. Yugoslav Brutalism in Serbia incorporates elements of modernism, Structuralism (architecture), structuralism, Metabolism (architecture), metabolism, and Constructivism (art), constructivism, with later prefabricated buildings moving away from pure exposed concrete brutalist designs. * Belgrade's Museum of Yugoslavia (1962) by Mihajlo Janković * New Belgrade's town hall (1967) by Stojan Maksimovic and Branislav Jovin * Belgrade's Toblerone building (1963) by Rista Šekerinski * Kruševac's Hotel Rubin (1974) * Belgrade's 25 May Sportcenter (1975) by Ivan Antić * Belgrade's Eastern City Gate (1976) by Vera Ćirković * Belgrade's Western City Gate (1977) by Mihajlo Mitrović * Novi Sad's Elektrovojvodina (1977/78) by Milan Matović * Belgrade's Sava Centar (1979) by Stojan Maksimović * New Belgrade's Blocks 22, 23, 28, 30, 61, 62, 63 * Užice's Hotel Zlatibor (1981) by Svetlana Kana Radević * Paraćin's Hotel Petrus (1981) by Mališa Milenković * Novi Sad's Liman, Novi Sad, Liman 1, 2, 3, 4 (1960–1990) ** Novi Sad's University of Novi Sad, University campus (1960–1990) * Novi Sad's Bistrica, Novi Sad, Bistrica and Satelit by Natalija Nataša Reba and Blagoje Reba (1950–1990) * Novi Sad's Detelinara, New Detelinara (1980–1989) File:Bežanijski Blokovi crop.jpg, Blokovi, Bežanijski Blokovi in New Belgrade,
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1948/90 File:Avala_Tower.jpg, Avala Tower by Uglješa Bogunović and Slobodan Janjić, 1965 File:Свјетлопис Источне капије Биогрда, грађене у масонском пирамидалном стилу.jpg, Eastern City Gate by Vera Ćirković in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1976 File:Jugotours Beograd Dec 2003.jpg, Western City Gate by Mihajlo Mitrović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1977 File:Novi Sad, Bulevar Oslobođenja, budova Elektrovojvodiny.jpg, Elektrovojvodina Building by Milan Matović in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1977/78 File:Beograd, 2013-07-23 - panoramio (4).jpg, Sava Centar Stojan Maksimović in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 1979 File:Užice, June 2013 (1).JPG, Hotel Zlatibor by Svetlana Kana Radević in
Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a popu ...
, 1981 File:Wiki.Biseri III Paraćin 244.jpg, Hotel Petrus by Mališa Milenković in Paraćin, 1981


Decentralization

With 1950s decentralization and liberalization policies in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia, architecture became increasingly fractured along ethnic lines. Architects increasingly focused on building with reference to the architectural heritage of their individual socialist republics in the form of critical regionalism. Growing distinction of individual ethnic architectural identities within Yugoslavia was exacerbated with the 1972 decentralization of the formerly centralized historical preservation authority, providing individual regions further opportunity to critically analyze their own cultural narratives.


International Style

International Style in Serbia in the later half of the 20th century mostly consists of buildings stripped from most decorative elements, having an emphasis on glass skyscraper styled designs. This trend would continue in the early decades of the 21st century, with some design variations starting to appear in the early 2010s. File:Hotel Sloboda Šabac 002.jpg, Hotel Sloboda by Slobodan Janjić in Šabac, 1977 File:Continental_Hotel,_Belgrade,_Serbia._Looking_up.jpg, Crowne Plaza Belgrade by Stojan Maksimović, 1979 File:Belgrade-avio-museum.jpg, Aeronautical Museum Belgrade by Ivan Štraus, 1989 File:Novi_Beograd_-_Hotel_Hyatt_02.jpg, Hyatt Regency Belgrade, 1990 File:NIS HQ Novi Sad 2006.jpg, NIS building by Aleksandar Keković in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 1998


Contemporary period

The International style (architecture), international style, which had arrived in Yugoslavia already in the 1980s, took over the scene in Belgrade after the wars and isolation of the 1990s. Big real estate projects, including Sava City and the redevelopment of the Ušće Towers, led the ground, with little respect for the local architecturale heritage. Before and also after the Yugoslav wars numerous architects left Serbia and continued their work in a number of European, American and African countries, creating several hundreds of building. In 2015, an agreement was reached with Eagle Hills (a United Arab Emirates, UAE company) on the Belgrade Waterfront (''Beograd na vodi'') deal, for the construction of a new part of the city on currently undeveloped wasteland by the riverside. This project, officially started in 2015 and is one of the largest urban development projects in Europe, will cost at least 3.5 billion euros. File:Belgrade Arena, south entrance 1, Feb 2011.jpg, Štark Arena, Belgrade Arena by Vlada Slavica in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 2004 File:Master Centar - panoramio.jpg, Novi Sad Fair Master Centar by Đorđe Grbić, 2007 File:Савоград.JPG, Sava City (''Savograd'') by Mario Jobst and Miodrag Trpković in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 2010 File:Aleksandar Bulevar Centar - panoramio.jpg, Aleksandar Bulevar Centar by Radonja Dabetić, Andraš Lukač and Milivoj Dajićin in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 2010 File:Novi_most.jpg, Ada Bridge by Viktor Markelj and Peter Gabrijelčić in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 2011 File:Univerzitet u Novom Sadu.jpg, Rektorat of the University of Novi Sad by Darko Reba and Igor Maraš, 2013 File:Belgrade Waterfront 9.jpg, Belgrade Waterfront, 2014-ongoing File:Erport siti Beograd1.jpg, Airport City Belgrade, 2016 File:Žeželj - novi.jpg, Žeželj Bridge, New Žeželj Bridge by Aleksandar Bojović in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
, 2018 File:Свјетлопис жељезничке станице Биоград центар7.jpg, Belgrade Centre railway station by Gojko Radić, 2018-ongoing File:Nordeus headquarters building, New Belgrade2.jpg, Nordeus HQ in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 2019 File:Tower West 65 in Belgrade.jpg, West 65 by Fletcher-Priest Company and PSP-Farman Holding in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, 2021 File:Свјетлопис 2 Скајлајн куле у Биограду2.jpg, Skyline Belgrade, 2024 File:Belgrade Waterfront 2.jpg, Belgrade Tower by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 2024


See also

*Architecture of Belgrade *List of tallest structures in Serbia, Tallest structures in Serbia * Serbo-Byzantine architecture


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Slobodan Curcic: ''Some Uses (and Reuses) of Griffins in Late Byzantine Art''. In: Byzantine East, Latin West: Art-Historical Studies in Honor of Kurt Weitzmann, edited by Christopher Moss and Katherine Kiefer, pp. 597–604. Princeton, 1995. *Slobodan Curcic: ''Religious Settings of the Late Byzantine Sphere''. In
Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261–1557)
edited by Helen C. Evans (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004). *Helen C. Evans, ed., Byzantium: ''Faith and Power'' (1261–1557), exh. cat. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004. p. 658, 721 color ills., 146 b/w. *Nadežda Katanić: ''Dekorativna kamena plastika Moravske škole. Prosveta, Republički zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture, Beograd, 1988. *Svetlana V. Mal’tseva:
Historiography of the Morava Architecture: Controversial Points of the Study
'. In: Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art: Collection of articles. Vol. 8. Edited by S. V. Mal’tseva, E. Iu. Staniukovich-Denisova, A. V. Zakharova. St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg Univ. Press, 2018, pp. 742–756.


External links




Morava School
''srpskikod.or''


A map of brutalist architecture in Belgrade
{{DEFAULTSORT:Architecture Of Serbia Architecture in Serbia, Cultural history of Serbia