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96-462: Avala is located 16 km (9.9 mi) south-east of downtown Belgrade. The entire area of the mountain belongs to the Belgrade City area, the majority of it being in the municipality of Voždovac , with the eastern slopes being in the municipality of Grocka , and the southernmost extension in the municipality of Sopot . It is possible that in the future the entire area of Avala would create

192-453: A massive reconstruction of the street began in July 2014 and lasted to July 2015. The original project, which envisioned the work in phases which would allow for the partial usage of the street, was soon abandoned as the company which done the reconstruction, "Ratko Mitrоvić", started getting late even during the preparation stage so they simply closed the entire street. Also, it turned out that it

288-461: A national ski center, and by 1936 there were ski pistes and a 20 m (66 ft) ski jumping hill . A special bus line was organized from Slavija to the ski structures on the mountain. The first local, Serbian competition after World War II was also held here, in 1946. The usual route was the one starting at the logger's cabin and ending all the way to the foothills above Ripanj. The tracks were quite crude. Despite low altitude, construction of

384-401: A new, larger church, which replaced the old one. The new church was opened on 1 December 1970. Icons were painted by Milić od Mačve , in the atypical manner, ignoring any schematism or traditional style. Clergy house was consecrated in 2011. Interior painting was done by Vojislav Luković. Vojvode Stepe street is one of the main traffic routes in this part of Belgrade. What was announced as

480-457: A quarantine. The patients were first placed in the mountaineering camp "Čarapićev Brest", which was adapted into the ad-hoc hospital. The patients were later relocated closer to the main road, in the "1000 Ruža" motel. The 1st Air Defense Missile Battalion, one of the " Neva " battalions of the 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade , is located in Zuce, on the eastern slopes of Avala. Settlements near

576-824: A rare type of greenish granite . For decades, kersantite was used for Belgrade buildings. Features built with this stone include the fountain between the Novi Dvor and Stari Dvor , the bordure of the Hotel Bristol , Small Staircase in Kalemegdan Park , pedestal of the Play of Black Horses statues in front of the House of the National Assembly of Serbia and buildings of Belgrade Cooperative , Elementary School King Petar I , Cathedral Church of St. Michael

672-514: A separate municipality of Belgrade, named Avalski Venac . Avala is a low type of the Pannonian island mountain , though it is actually the northernmost mountain in Šumadija . Until 600,000 years ago, when the surrounding low areas were flooded by the inner Pannonian Sea , Avala was an island, just as the neighboring mountains (Kosmaj, Fruška Gora , etc.), thus earning its geographical classification. However, Avala remains an "island mountain" as

768-517: Is a municipality of the city of Belgrade . According to the 2022 census results, the municipality has a population of 174,864 inhabitants. The municipality is located in the south-central part of the urban area of Belgrade and in the central section of the wider Belgrade City area. It stretches meridionally (north to south) for almost 40 kilometers (25 mi), spreading to the south more than any other municipality of Belgrade. Due to its shape, it borders more municipalities than any other: Vračar on

864-575: Is a natural route for the Belgrade- Niš railway. After it flows between the villages of Pinosava and Rušanj (western slopes of the Avala mountain), the Topčiderka enters the urban section of Belgrade ( Rakovica municipality) at the neighborhood of Resnik . It continues through the neighborhoods of Kijevo , Labudovo Brdo , Kneževac , Rakovica, Miljakovac and Kanarevo Brdo . At this point,

960-515: Is a river in north-central Serbia , a 30 km-long right tributary to the Sava river to which it flows in the urban section of Belgrade . It is one of the 40 rivers, streams and creeks that flow or used to flow through Belgrade (majority of them is conducted underground into the city sewage system). The Topčiderska reka originates in the Lipovica (Lipovica Forest) area, on the northern slopes of

1056-588: Is agricultural land) with 35 tributaries and belongs to the Black Sea drainage basin . Two sections along the river are organized as the game hunting grounds. One is Lipovička Šuma, near the spring of the river and another, Topčiderska Reka, at the Rakovica-Čukarica municipal border. Tributaries of the Topčiderka include: The Romani settlement existed on the Ada Ciganlija in the 17th century but

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1152-597: Is also abundant in medicinal herbs , like the early-purple orchid and belladonna . Almost 70% of Avala is forested, or 5.01 square kilometres (1.93 sq mi). Thus, the meadow plant communities are rare. Other protected plant species include common yew and oregano . High woods mostly consist of durmast oak , Turkey oak , hornbeam , beech , linden , black pine , black locust and other trees. Almost 100 species of birds live on Avala, including strictly protected Eurasian sparrowhawk , European honey buzzard and European green woodpecker . Total of 21 bird species

1248-631: Is also located in the municipality. Despite having large wooded areas in the non-urban section (slopes of Avala, northern part of Lipovička šuma, Stepin Lug / Gaj ), the urban area has only one real park, Šumice . The municipality of Voždovac has both urban neighborhoods of the Belgrade City proper ( uža teritorija grada ) and separate, suburban settlements in the Belgrade City Metro area. Urban: Suburban towns: Suburban rural: Neighborhoods of Ripanj : The massive population growth

1344-426: Is built, including Torlak and Pašino Brdo . Apart from Topčiderka, numerous smaller rivers and intermittent creeks flow in the northern part of the municipality: Zavojnička reka, Vranovac, Milošev potok, Bubanj Potok , Kamena voda, Lipica, Drenjak, Kumodraški potok and parts of Rakovički potok , Bolečica and Jelezovac . The spring and the valley of the former Mokroluški Potok (now mostly conducted underground)

1440-515: Is forbidden. In 2011 the estimated amount of garbage sludge in the bay was 120,000 m (4,200,000 cu ft). The sludge cannot simply be dredged and thrown in the Sava further downstream due to the toxicity. The plan to build a treatment plant on the bank near the Belgrade Fair which would detoxicate the sludge and produce fertilizer from it was scrapped due to the high costs. For now,

1536-410: Is not the full reconstruction, as the underground installations weren't replaced. Closing of the street caused massive disturbance of the traffic in this part of the city and economic damage to the stores and craftshops along the street. "Ratko Mitrović" asked for an extension of 72 days, but was granted 20 days by the city, to which they allegedly complied. However, after the street was officially open by

1632-601: Is notoriously highly polluted, which resulted in City government's 2007 Study on cleaning the river and its drainage basin, which was officially presented in May 2008. The study is the first ever complete collection of measures for Topčiderka improvement. Concrete bed for the further 7 kilometers are projected, so as the seven small reservoirs (added to the already existing two) which will prevent floodings and make irrigation possible. City architect, Đorđe Bobić, stated that "once we protected

1728-741: Is protected. Other species include common buzzard , stock dove , common kestrel , and Eurasian scops owl . A section of the mountain is organized as a game hunting ground. In the Middle Ages , the town of Žrnov or "Avalski Grad" (Avala town) was located on top of Avala. In 1442. it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire , which built a new town in Žrnov's place as a counter-fortress to the Belgrade city fort, and renamed it "havale", which originally comes from Arabic and means "obstacle" or "shelter". Archeologist Miloje Vasić believed that

1824-552: The Government of Serbia . Despite being officially protected for almost 150 years, it was only in 2007 that preservation plans for the mountain were made. That way, Avala entered a circle of protected green areas of Belgrade , which also included the mountain of Kosmaj, the island of Veliko Ratno Ostrvo and the woods of Stepin Lug, with the forests of Košutnjak and Topčider to be added next. Protected areas of Avala spread over 48,913 hectares (120,870 acres) Some areas within

1920-453: The Mayor of Belgrade Siniša Mali , the works continued for weeks. Also, the completed job was of a low quality: badly projected pathways for the visually impaired, parts of the sidewalks, drains, etc. Since the first rains, a pond would form at the bottom end of the street. Mali accused the previous city administration for the "bad contract", but he was already heading the city for 9 months when

2016-742: The Monument to the Unknown Hero . The destruction of Žrnov, which was demolished with dynamite, caused massive discontent among the citizens of Belgrade. In the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia , the mountain was declared a national park , in 1936. In 1946, by the ukaz of the Presidium of the National Assembly of Serbia , Avala was reduced to the status of the "public property of general benefit" and placed under direct management of

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2112-474: The NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. Its total reconstruction began in 2006 and was officially opened at a ceremony on 21 April 2010. The new tower is almost the exact replica of the destroyed one, including the unique three-feet base. Belgrade's General Urbanistic Plan (GUP) for the 2001–2021 period defines the mountain as a sports and recreation area. During the 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak , Avala functioned as

2208-536: The Parcanski vis , the northern section of the Kosmaj mountain, at an altitude of 192 meters. Originally, it flows to the north-east, until it reaches the Belgrade's suburb of Ripanj, in the municipality of Voždovac . From there, the river flows generally into the north-west direction, along the Šumadija 's geological bar into which the river carved its epigenetic valley and formed a watershed. The valley of Topčiderka

2304-464: The Russian invasion of Ukraine for further delays. In September 2017, the project for the reconstruction of Careva Ćuprija was announced. A work of Marija Krsmanović Stringeta, Anđelka Badnjar and Milena Kordić, the projected new complex will include the hotel and the sports center on the bank of the river, instead of the present "Jugopetrol" oil depots. The project will include the new pathways along

2400-769: The Ustanička street. It encompasses the building of the Municipal assembly, the police and fire station, the local clinical-ambulance center, the Fifth Municipal Court of Belgrade and the Special section of the Supreme court of Serbia for organized crime and war crimes (formerly the Supreme Military Court of Yugoslavia). The Belgrade- Niš highway passes through the northern and eastern parts of

2496-672: The Vojvode Stepe street, developed almost rural look, while the southern extension into the Kumodraž II is turned into one of the most heavily industrialized areas in the "Old Belgrade". The western area, along the Boulevard of Liberation became somewhat of an elite neighborhood. Three faculties of the University of Belgrade are located in the neighborhood: Management (FON), Political sciences (FPN) and Transportation. Population of

2592-504: The dowager queen Maria of Yugoslavia . Later, inhabitants colloquially began to use name Voždovac which spread and was adopted as the official name. From June 1945 to December 1946, Voždovac was one of 5 administrative neighborhoods within Belgrade’s Raion VI. Originally a residential area, as the neighborhood was growing and stretching to the south, it developed different features. The south-western extension to Torlak, along

2688-465: The last Ice Age are also discovered in the cave. It is still debated whether Šuplja Stena is a natural cave or was completely dug for the mining purposes. Remains of the Neanderthal culture were discovered in it. In his 1943 Prehistoric mine Šuplja Stena on Avala hill near Belgrade (Serbia) , Vladimir Milojčić said that the "cave is old as Avala", formed by the volcanic activity and elevation of

2784-431: The ski resort , with sports and recreational venues and a cable car have been proposed in 1994 and 2005. In October 2018, city government announced plans to set a 550 m (1,800 ft) long piste . The construction of the complex, which is planned to be operational over the entire year thanks to the artificial snowing system (skiing specifically from November to February), should start in 2019. The piste will start in

2880-603: The April 2022 campaign for the local elections in Belgrade, favored formation of the municipality, but also of several others. Avala is well connected with Belgrade and other parts of Serbia via roads, highway and railroads. Avalski drum ("Avala road") is an extension of the Boulevard of the Liberation, which directly connects the mountain to downtown Belgrade (via neighborhoods of Selo Rakovica , Jajinci , Banjica , Voždovac, Autokomanda , Karađorđev Park and Slavija ). On

2976-537: The Archangel and Main Post Office Building . As the buildings began to deteriorate over time, city authorities showed interest in the quarry, not only for the repairs but also for future construction. For now, when some deteriorated kersantite feature has to be replaced, the artificial stone is used (as in the case of the pedestal of the Play of Black Horses). Geologists suggested to the city to obtain

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3072-554: The Avala to get fenced and protected that way. He also banned construction of houses on the mountain itself. In the early 20th century, plans were made for further forestation of the mountain. In his last visit to Serbia in 1903, Austro-Hungarian naturalist Felix Philipp Kanitz noted that the mountain would become "another exceptional excursion area", after the Topčider park. Remains of the medieval Žrnov were removed in 1934 to make way for

3168-523: The Belgrade Rowing Club were later built at the mouth of the Topčiderka. Despite its river bed has been arranged and concreted in majority of its urban course, the Topčiderka still floods the surrounding areas of Belgrade during heavy rains. Over 160,000 inhabitants lives in the urban section of Topčiderka. As a result of high density of population and sewage systems, industrial zones the river passes through and advanced erosion , Topčiderka

3264-594: The Law on mines was issued by the Despot Stefan Lazarević in 1412. In this period, the cinnabarite was used for fresco paintings and was exported to Greece. Mining activities ceased by the 1960s, when the last two mines, Šuplja Stena and Crveni Breg, were closed. Šuplja Stena ("Hollow Boulder") was a mercury mine while in Crveni Breg ("Red Hill"), lead, zinc, silver and gold were extracted. Crveni Breg

3360-404: The Topčiderka river which flows into the bay. The garbage and highly polluted silt fills the bay and creates shoals . During low-tide, the bay is unusable for the boats in the marina, located in the middle of the bay or for the kayakers of Partizan and Crvena Zvezda who use the bay for practice. The silt is up to 5 m (16 ft) thick, smells bad and is poisonous so the swimming in the bay

3456-559: The Vranovac, a tributary to the Bolečica. A small artificial lake near the village of Pinosava was created on the western slope of the mountain. The settlements in the area are notorious for problems with shortages of drinking water during summer. The mountain has been protected since 1859 as a natural monument , or, by the modern standards, "sight of the exquisite values". That year, Serbian ruling prince Miloš Obrenović issued an order for

3552-555: The area around it, Pinosava plateau of the northern Low Šumadija, is low and mostly flat. In the north it extends into the woods of Stepin Lug . The mountain is built of serpentinite , limestone and magmatic rocks , which are injected in the shape of cone ( laccolith ). Other peaks include Ladne vode (340 m (1,120 ft)), Zvečara (347 m (1,138 ft)), Sakinac (315 m (1,033 ft)). The Avala had deposits of ores , most notably lead and mercury 's ore of cinnabarite and mining activities which can be traced to

3648-464: The area of Ripanj, the closed Tešićev Majdan ("Tešić Quarry") is located. The stone pit was privately owned, but was confiscated by the state after World War II and stopped operating before 1960. In the process of restitution after 2000, the quarry was returned to the surviving owners, but they live abroad so the quarry is still not operational. It is the only known location of kersantite in Serbia,

3744-421: The border to the municipality of Savski Venac , eastern by Kumodraška Street, while Vojvode Stepe Street stretches in between. Due to its shape, Voždovac borders many other neighborhoods: Autokomanda to the north, Diplomatska Kolonija on the north-west, Banjica (and Banjica Forest ) on the west, Trošarina and Banjica II on the south-west, Kumodraž (its sub-neighborhoods of Kumodraž II and Torlak ) on

3840-414: The building of the bobsled on rails track, zip-line , mini golf course, artificial climbing rock, children playground and an adventure park . Projected price is €5 million. As the project includes cutting of the mountain forest, the opposition to the project amounted and no works began before 2020. Vo%C5%BEdovac Voždovac ( Serbian Cyrillic : Вождовац , pronounced [ʋǒːʒdoʋats] )

3936-463: The church, is also made of wood. The church contains epitrachelion of Saint Nectarios of Aegina and pillow of Saint Petka . Annually, from July 1 until July 10, a traditional camp of Serbian mountaineers is held on the Avala. Among other mountaineering activities, there are competitions in: The first skiing competition in Yugoslavia was held on Avala in 1929. In 1934, Belgrade was declared

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4032-412: The city from the river, now the time has come to protect the river from the city". When Ada Ciganlija was connected to the mainland via the embankments in 1967, arm of the Sava river which separated the island was transformed into the Čukarica Bay in its northern part. Since the early 1980s there is a constant ecological problem due to the massive pollution of the bay as a result of the polluted waters of

4128-600: The complex of houses, without any permits, began in January 2021. Inspections closed it, but the construction continued before it was halted. Demolition of the complex began in August 2022. Avala is known for its diverse plant life, despite not being a tall mountain. There are over 600 plant species living on the mountain. Some of them are protected by the law as natural rarities, like certain types of laburnum , box tree , black broom , common holly and martagon lily . The area

4224-584: The design of the neighborhoods came from the 1912 complex built along the Daviel Street  [ fr ] in Paris . It consisted of 40 one-floor houses with gardens, indented from the main street. Settlement that subsequently developed was known as Činovnička Kolonija (Clerk's colony). Still operational elementary school "Branislav Nušić" was built in 1935 and the neighborhood was officially named "Predgrađe Kraljice Marije" or Queen Maria's Suburb, after

4320-426: The early 1930s, state rowing championships, and Danube States Rowing Championship have been held at Ada Ciganlija. The 1932 European Rowing Championships was held 2–4 September 1932 at the island. For this occasion, a straight, 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) long track was arranged between the island and the Topčiderka, hangars and stands ("water stadium") were built on the island, while the administrative headquarters of

4416-476: The factories of Vatrosprem , Tunelogradnja , Soko Štark , Napred , Montaža , Ratko Mitrović , etc. Some facilities of the Belgrade's Communal Company and of Electricity company (EDB) are located in the neighborhood of Marinkova Bara, along the highway. A small center of the building companies and cement plants is growing along Bubanj Potok. Administrative center of the municipality is located in Dušanovac, along

4512-513: The first being the most explored. Vasić also claimed that Vinča hosted a Ionian trade colony from the Aegean around 6000 BC, and that Ionian seamen discovered primitive mine in Šuplja Stena. The Ionians continued to mine cinnabarite and with their final departure from Vinča, the mine stoppe working until being partially revived by the Celts. Pots with mercury were discovered in Šuplja Stena, but not

4608-444: The immediate vicinity of the tower and end at the logger's cabin. Due to the altitude and the climate, the north-western slope, in the direction of Pinosava, is chosen. The track has been labeled as the "blue", which means it is of and intermediate level of difficulty. Phase I includes the construction of the piste, ski lift , training trail, snowmaking cannons, decorative lights, parking lots and special machinery. Phase II comprises

4704-586: The mine was opened in 1886. Lead, zinc and silver were mined. It was intermittently operational till 1901 when it was purchased by the Belgian company from the previous Serbian owners. Operational again from 1902, it was sold to the French owners in 1906. It worked until 1941, and in this period 18,800 tons of ore was extracted. It was reopened in 1948 and closed in 1953. 55,000 tons of ore was extracted in this period, containing lead, zinc, silver, gold and copper. Along

4800-453: The mineral avalite , named after the mountain, was found. A greenish mineral, chromian , magnesian or potassic alumosilicate (variety of the mineral illite ), it was discovered by Serbian chemist Sima Lozanić who established its formula. Optically examined by the Israeli mineralogist Tamir Grodek who classified it as a member of the mica mineral group. On the southern slopes, in

4896-550: The most important road in the southern outskirts of Belgrade, which connects all the southern sections of the city. It is also a projected route of the future Belgrade beltway which would continue through the Bolečica river valley and the projected Vinča - Omoljica bridge over the Danube into Vojvodina. Railroads also run on both sides of the mountain. Eastern branch is a section of the Belgrade-Niš railroad. It runs through

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4992-399: The motion was dropped. On the mountain itself, there are several springs, of which Sakinac is best known. Despite being the only mountain in the area, Avala is not a source of many rivers. The Topčiderka river, originating in the woods of Lipovička šuma on the south-west, flows on the western slopes of Avala, while the river Bolečica flows on the eastern slopes. Other minor flows include

5088-492: The mountain are additionally protected., including the "Complex of mountain beech, oak, maple and elm", which is in the first level of protection. It is located in the valley of the Vranovica stream, close to the "Čarapićev Brest" visitors' complex. In early September 2020, unknown persons began clearing the field in the protected downhill of Avala. The field was a recorded habitat of Caspian whipsnake . Illegal construction of

5184-474: The mountain are not much populous. They include Ripanj (on the south, the largest one, with a population of 10,084 by the 2022 census of population), Pinosava (on the west, 3,239), Zuce (on the north-east, 1,915), Beli Potok (on the north, 3,717), all in the municipality of Voždovac, and Vrčin (on the east, 8,601), in the municipality of Grocka. A movement for creation of the new Belgrade's municipality called Avalski Venac originated in 1996. A motion for

5280-768: The mountain include: Special attractions of the Avala are several monuments. They include: Small church dedicated to the Saint Despot Stefan Lazarević was built in the immediate vicinity of the Avala Tower and Monument to the Unknown Hero. The foundations were consecrated by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church , Irinej , in 2015. Made of white pine and designed by deacon Miroslav Nikolić, it covers only 50 m (540 sq ft). The bell tower , built next to

5376-402: The mountain, Avalski drum divides in three: Sub-Avalan settlements are directly connected to Belgrade by the bus lines of the city's public transportation, with terminus in the Belgrade's neighborhood of Trošarina . The Belgrade–Niš highway , a section of one of the major European roads, European route E75 , runs east of the mountain, through Vrčin. North of the mountain runs Kružni put ,

5472-458: The mountain, but after the joint attack of Yugoslav Partisans and Red Army, Belgrade was liberated on 20 October 1944. In 1965, a 202-metre-high (663 ft) Avala TV Tower was constructed, one of the tallest structures in the Balkans , by the architects Uglješa Bogunović , Slobodan Janjić and M. Krstić. It had a restaurant look-out on 120 m (390 ft). The tower was destroyed during

5568-413: The municipal assembly. There is an idea of separating suburban settlements (Beli Potok, Pinosava, Zuce, Ripanj) and creating new sub-Avalan municipality ( Avalski Venac ), with the village of Vrčin in the municipality of Grocka but no official move has been done so far in that direction. The municipality is located in the northern section of the Šumadija region ("Low Šumadija"). The southern part covers

5664-528: The municipality while the road of Kružni put (and the projected Belgrade beltway ) goes through the central parts, including the junction of two roads and tollbooth on Bubanj Potok, which marks the entrance into the Belgrade City proper. A railway also goes through the municipality, parallel to the Kružni put . The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018): FK Voždovac are

5760-430: The municipality: Presidents of the municipality: The neighborhood of Voždovac is located 4 to 5 kilometres (2 to 3 miles) south of downtown Belgrade, on a hill in the northern part of the municipality. Three long, more or less parallel streets shape the neighborhood into an elongated form in the north-west to south-east direction: western border is marked by Bulevar Oslobođenja (Boulevard of Liberation), which also makes

5856-536: The neighborhood was 22,516 in 2002 and 23,153 in 2011. The Church of the Saint Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena  [ sr ] , colloquially called the Voždovac Church, is one of the neighborhood's landmarks. It was damaged during World War I, but was reconstructed by 1926. Reconstruction design was drafted by architect Dragomir Tadić  [ sr ] , who also designed

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5952-919: The neighbourhood team with significant local support. They play at the Voždovac Stadium . Rad are biggest club from Voždovac municipality of Belgrade , with biggest tradition off all local clubs, and played in European UEFA Competitions . Rad played in Yugoslav top league in the 1980s. Voždovac is twinned with following cities and municipalities: And has signed friendship charters with following cities and municipalities: Top%C4%8Diderka Topčiderska River ( Serbian : Топчидерска река / Topčiderska reka , "Topčider River"), or colloquially Topčiderka ( Serbian Cyrillic : Топчидерка ), or Topčiderski Creek ( Serbian : Топчидерски поток / Topčiderski potok , "Topčider Creek"),

6048-442: The north, Zvezdara on the north-east, Grocka on the east, Sopot on the south, Barajevo on the south-west, Čukarica and Rakovica on the west and Savski Venac on the north-west. The municipality of Voždovac originates from 1904. In 1945 Belgrade was divided into districts ( rejon ) and Voždovac became part of District VI. In 1952 the districts were abolished and the municipalities re-established. Municipality of Pašino Brdo

6144-514: The northern section of the woods of Lipovička šuma and roughly corresponds to the valley of the Topčiderka river which flows between the Pinosava and Ripanj plateaux. The central area is occupied by one of two "Belgrade" mountains, the 511 meters (1,677 ft) -high Avala (the other one being Kosmaj ). In the northern, urban section, Voždovac covers several of the 32 hills on which Belgrade

6240-403: The ownership over the land on which the pit is located and to reopen it. The Belgrade City government announced in 2012 that it will unilaterally explore the pit until it gets reopened and inspected it in 2013. Large amounts of already cut kersantite were found. Locals have been illegally extracting the stone and crushing it to use as road cover. After the political change in Belgrade in late 2013,

6336-399: The pre- Antiquity times. Other metals mined on the mountain include silver, gold and zinc. At the Šuplja Stena localities, seven quartz - carbonate veins with minerals and cinnabarite ore were discovered (Šuplja Stena, Dževerov Kamen, Dževerov Potok, Rupine, Kamenik-Spomenik, Kamenik and Prečica), with 13 additional between Šuplja Stena and Topčiderka river. Avala is also a location where

6432-496: The quantity and quality of the goods imported to the city. Part of the project was introduction of the excise on the goods (in Serbian called trošarina ) and setting of a series of excise check points on the roads leading to the city. One of those check points, which all gradually also became known as trošarina , was located next to the river's mouth into the Sava in the 1830s and 1840s, and became known as Gospodarska Mehana . It

6528-517: The recreation of the municipality of Ripanj appeared in 2002. The idea was to split municipality of Voždovac of its distant, suburban settlements in the area of the Avala: Ripanj, Beli Potok, Pinosava and Zuce. Later, a motion for Vrčin to split from the municipality of Grocka and creation of a joint sub-Avalan municipality also appeared. If created, the new municipality would have a population of 27,556 in 2022. In September 2007 an official motion

6624-454: The relocation of the river began on 1 March 2018, and were finished by August 2019. The bridge became operational on 22 March 2019. Further widening of the boulevard along the river began in the late summer of 2019, and was set to finish in the spring of 2021, but the deadline was moved to September 2021, then to May 2022, and to October 2022, before the deadline was moved for the summer of 2024. In October 2023 mayor Aleksandar Šapić blamed

6720-568: The river enters the territory of the municipality of Savski Venac where the vast woods of Topčider are formed. After the Topčiderka passes next to the Konak of Prince Miloš and the Belgrade hippodrome , it empties into the Čukarica Bay of the Sava river, across the northern tip of the Ada Ciganlija island, at an altitude of 69 meters. It drains an area of 147 km² (out of which 70%

6816-403: The river is jokingly also called Kolektorka. The water is constantly in the fifth, lowest category, and the river turns black occasionally, smelling bad. An experiment was held when the water from the river and bay was pumped into the special pools in the nursery gardens of the "Srbijašume", state company for the forest management. The water was treated by various selected plants, and the quality of

6912-474: The river, it is envisioned as the main transit corridor which would connect the European route E75 (Belgrade- Niš highway), New Belgrade , Ada Bridge, Patrijarha Dimitrija Street, Ibar Highway , Kružni put and the Belgrade bypass . As of January 2018, the timeline of the entire project is unknown, as only a partial request for tendering was announced. Due to the road, bridge and interchange construction,

7008-478: The river, which would directly connect the Belgrade Hippodrome with the main road along the Sava river. In July 2021, city announced that project for flash flood warnings is being applied on several rivers and streams on the territory of Belgrade, with the Topčiderka being the first on the list. Some 20 hydrological stations and 40 rain gauges will be placed in the river's watershed. Also announced

7104-587: The road connection of the bridge with Rakovica includes the relocation of the Topčiderka riverbed for 1 km (0.62 mi), construction of a new bridge across the Pere Velimirovića Steeet in Rakovica's neighborhood of Kanarevo Brdo and reconstruction and widening of the Bulevar patrijarha Pavla which is designated to be the most important traffic route in this part of Belgrade. Stretching along the valley of

7200-489: The road to Mladenovac there is the Ciganlija mine, with numerous smaller horizontal pits covered with overgrowth. Next to the mine is Zavljak stream, where remains of the slag dated to Antiquity were discovered. The slag contains lead, zinc, copper and silver. The ore in Šuplja Stena was rediscovered in 1882, and in 1883 survey began with digging of the "Jerina" horizontal pit. By 1886, horizontal pit "Prečica" with smelters,

7296-409: The section of the river was moved 20 m (66 ft) to the east. As this is the location where the stream of Kaljavi Potok flows into the Topčiderka, its mouth was also moved while the final 100 m (330 ft) of its flow were conducted underground, through the pipes. The new bridge is 19 m (62 ft) long and 26 m (85 ft) wide, with three lanes in each direction. The works on

7392-488: The silt is being dredged and vegetation cut just enough to make it navigable for the small boats in the marina. As a result of collection waste from farming households in its upper course, illegal housing and untreated industrial wastewater from the Rakovica industrial region, the mouth of the Topčiderka into the Sava was described by the environmentalists in March 2019 as the "open concrete (waste) collector". Because of this,

7488-509: The smelting artefacts or slag . A vast number of potteries discovered in Vinča was internally glazed with cinnabarite, with some quartz and phyllosilicates . Examination showed that it matches materials from Avala. Vinča developed c.5700 BC, Vladimir Milojević claim the production for certain from 2000 BC to 750 BC without being able to say when the mining began. Remains from both the Neolithic and

7584-599: The south, Braće Jerković II and Mitrovo Brdo on the south-east, Braće Jerković on the east and Dušanovac on the north-east. Name Voždovac is derived from the word vožd meaning leader (literally, a "duke", "supreme vojvoda "), one of the titles used by the Karađorđe Petrović , the leader of the First Serbian Uprising . He also commanded the liberation of Belgrade from the Turks in 1806, and on

7680-403: The terrain. The cave was first used by the wild animals and later by the prehistoric peoples, with animal and human remains, and prehistoric mining artefacts have been discovered. However, geographer Dragan Petrović in his work on the caves of Šumadija, lists caves on the present Belgrade's territory, but makes no mention of Šuplja Stena. In Medieval Serbia mining on Avala began in c.1420, after

7776-598: The tunnel under the Avala at Beli Potok and then through Včrin. Western branch runs through Ripanj and the long "Ripanj tunnel" (though not under the Avala), and continues into western Serbia and further into Montenegro , as part of the Belgrade–Bar railway . Avala is a traditional picnic resort for Belgraders, but its capacities are not being used much. In 1984 number of tourists was only 15,700 despite over 1.5 million of inhabitants in Belgrade. Some attractions and capacities on

7872-735: The vast mines of cinnabarite (mercury-sulfide) on Avala were crucial for the development of the Vinča culture , on the banks of the Danube circa 5700 BC. Settlers of Vinča apparently melted cinnabarite and used it in metallurgy. Mining was active on the mountain at 3000 BC. However, it is still contested when people began mining on Avala, from the Neolithic , to the earnest mining by the Celtic Scordisci , prior to Roman conquest. There are three major mines, Šuplja Stena, Crveni Breg and Ciganlija,

7968-560: The very spot from where he started that operation today stands a Church of the Saint Emperor Constantine and Helena , popularly called the Voždovac Church ( Voždovačka crkva ). The spot he has chosen was outside of the "Laudan's trench", too distant for the Turks inside the trench to notice the Serbian fighters gathering but close enough to take the chargeon the trench. Unofficial name, Voždovo predgrađe , Vožd's Suburb,

8064-533: The water improved from the fifth into the second category. The authorities didn't pursue this technology on the location, known as phytoremediation , further. Instead, in 2019 and 2020 it was applied at the Lake Trešnja , in the suburb of Ripanj , and proved to be highly successful in reducing pollutants in the water. After the Ada Bridge across the Sava was finished in 2012, a major Radnička interchange

8160-459: The works began. He also threatened the "Ratko Mitrović" that they will be fined for the delays, but instead granted them the extension of the deadline and the city hired the same company for further projects. Suburban parts of the municipality are mostly agricultural, but the urban section has a large industrial zone, one of the largest in the city, mostly along the Kumodraška street. It comprises

8256-657: Was a key point during the Belgrade Offensive in October 1944, a fighting for the liberation of Belgrade in World War II. Germans halted their mechanized units along the Smederevo road, at Mali Mokri Lug , continued equipped with the light weapons and spread over Avala. German units were commanded by lieutenant general Walter Stettner , who was killed during the battle. Germans also had a 7th SS division at

8352-480: Was also a location of the ferry which transported pigs across the Sava into the Austria . This trošarina also functioned as a customs house. On 25 January 1859, when prince Miloš Obrenović and his son Mihailo Obrenović returned to Serbia, they disembarked here. The customs house was dismantled first. Later, the large storehouse was demolished, too, while the kafana Gospodarska Mehana survived until 2013. By

8448-437: Was also finished. During this period, numerous pits and shafts were dug, with 7 km (4.3 mi) being dug only in 1891. From 1884 to 1889 it was majority owned by Đorđe Vajfert , when he sold it to an English firm, but continued to manage works. The ore was exported to Vienna , London and China . Though officially closed in 1893, the mine was extracting ore only from 1887 to 1891. From 1889 to 1890 some 30 tons of mercury

8544-464: Was annexed to Voždovac on September 1, 1955 and today makes its northernmost part. The municipality was territorially shaped in the early 1960s when the municipality of Ripanj was added to Voždovac (the village of Veliki Mokri Lug was later detached and annexed to the municipality of Zvezdara). However, shaped this way, the elongated municipality causes problem to the inhabitants of its southern part as they have to travel over 30 kilometers (19 mi) to

8640-427: Was built above the river's mouth into the Čukarica Bay. Within the projects of the optimizing the bridge's function since then, there are some changes concerning the river itself. Within the scope of the construction of the new tram routes across the bridge, the already existing tram bridge across the Topčiderka will be removed but the pillars will be preserved and used for the new track bridge. The planned construction of

8736-453: Was closed in 1953 and has traces of the usage from the Roman period. It has seven levels, out of which four are flooded, and the stalactites are being formed inside. By 2009 the upper level was prepared for visitors, having been cleaned and lighted for some 300 m (980 ft), but the project of turning it into a tourist attraction failed. The survey of the Crveni Breg began in 1870, and

8832-570: Was displaced from the island to the Sava's right bank, at the mouth of the Topčiderka, before the Austrian occupation of Belgrade from 1717 to 1739. Whether it happened some time before or during the fighting from 1716 to 1718, is not known. One map from the Austrian period shows a Romani settlement with 24 houses at the mouth of Topčiderka. Maps also show that the settlement existed during the next Austrian occupation from 1788 to 1791. State government decided in 1821 to organize food trade and to check

8928-399: Was halted in the late 1980s, despite still growing settlements on the southern and south-eastern outskirts of Belgrade. Still, with 1,061.8/km (2,750/sq mi), Voždovac is still densely populated, especially concerning large unurbanized areas in the south. Population of Voždovac according to the official census of population (since 1991 a new methodology is used): The ethnic composition of

9024-580: Was recorded after 1903, after the Karađorđević dynasty was restored on Serbian throne. After the liberation in World War I in 1918, Voždovac was placed under the Belgrade's administrative rule. A string of new neighborhoods encircled eastern outskirts of Belgrade, with names usually containing "suburb" and some member of the royal family . These original names either never became popular or were suppressed after World War II and replaced. The inspiration for

9120-434: Was sold. The survey of Šuplja Stena was continued in 1910 and, with interruptions, lasted until 1959, while the preparatory works for the reopening began in 1967. Smelters was built, the production continued in 1968 and until spring 1972 when it was finally closed, the mine produced 80 tons of mercury. Mine in Šuplja Stena is considered one of the best explored one, in geological, chemical, mineralogical and mining sense. Avala

9216-477: Was started by the municipality of Voždovac to create this new municipality, which would also include Resnik from the municipality of Rakovica Supported by the local administration headed by the Democratic Party at the time, it was blocked by the members of the same party on the city level. It was also proposed by the political party G17 Plus in 2010 and Nova Stranka in 2015. Coalition Moramo , during

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