Day 37: Princess Ljubica's Residence, "?' Restaurant, and I 💗 Belgrade
Updated: Sep 12, 2022
6/12/22
I went to have breakfast at my favorite pancake place once more, and it did not
disappoint. This one had cherries, chocolate, and plasma cookies. Yummmm!
Another woman and I shared a few laughs as the cat was very interested in her food, and then when it came within inches of snagging a pigeon!! Right before our eyes at breakfast, too.
That morning, we went to visit the residence of Princess Ljubica. It is considered a Serbian Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance.
The palace has a beautiful Balkan style with Ottoman influences. Princess Ljubica lived here during the first half of the 19th century.
This building has all characteristics of Serbian-Balkan style. The ground and upper floor both have a center hall around which all other rooms are situated, showing a traditional Oriental space concept.
Although leaning to Oriental tradition with its spacious concept, the Princess Ljubica Residence represents the breaking point in architecture of Belgrade, because it largely indicates the influence of European architecture with its exterior design and decorative elements. These European concepts are especially notable in diversity of facades, broken roof lines, chimneys and dome, in secondary details of architectonic façade treatment – pilasters, arch endings and window surroundings, profiled wreaths and some interior details.
There are divanhanas on both floors, which is a type of dining room, and a reception salon. There are three divanhanas in this palace, and this one is the most beloved by photographers and the students in our group.
In the Ottoman culture of living, divanhana was the gathering place and central part of the home. We can see the great emphasis on conversation and other social gatherings based on the number of these spaces, and presumably they were also the location for entertaining guests, nobles, and other social events a ruler holds.
During the day, this room was used for daily activities: socializing, coffee drinking, dining and conversation. This is indicated by oriental pieces of furniture peškuni – low octagonal tables that also served as backless chairs. They surrounded sinija – a low, round table with a shallow frame. Food was served on it and it was used as a dining table. Sećija – a raised wooden bank was placed against the wall. It usually ran along one wall, but it could also run along three walls. Within this bench, there is a shelved cupboard made to store bedding, which allowed this room to transform into a sleeping place at night.
Also in the exhibit of 19th Century Belgrade Home Interiors, there were also rooms filled with furniture more familiar to the European tradition (and easier to intuit what they were used for perhaps). Each was different and beautiful.
The rise of the bourgeois culture in Central Europe was also reflected in Serbia. Prominent and wealthy citizens dedicated special attention to the design and furnishing of their homes. Thus, they furnished dining and drawing rooms elegantly, which they used for public reception and social representation. Featured on the walls were grand mirrors and portraits as further symbols of their status.
The most fascinating (and my favorite) aspect of the palace was the hammam, a private built in steam bath room. This was very rare and a symbol of high prestige for the period. While most structures like this were made of stone, brick and glass, when Prince Milos Obrenovic built this for his wife, he included marble, a reflection of a desire for opulence.
The hot water was fed by pipes in the wall, creating a steam room bath experience. The acoustics in here were amazing, and I can only help but imagine someone singing a tune to themselves while bathing here. :) The roof was a dome with beautiful skylights.
I wanted to get a magnet from here to add to my collection, but sadly, the gift shop left a lot to be desired.
For lunch, we visited the famous "?" restaurant.
This is the oldest still operational restaurant/tavern in Serbia.
Now, how does a place come to be named "Question mark" you ask?
The restaurant was named "Serbian kafana"[1] and in 1878, the name was changed to Kod pastira ("Shepherd's"). It got its present unusual name in 1892, during a dispute with the Serbian Orthodox Church authorities over the new owner Ivan Pavlović's intention to change its name to Kod Saborne crkve (By the Saborna Church), which the church authorities vehemently protested, not keen on seeing the cathedral referenced as part of a kafana's name. So, as a temporary solution, the tavern's owner put a question mark on the door, and it soon became the official name of the place.[2][3]
We had a lovely traditional Serbian lunch in the gorgeous courtyard patio of "?".
They also had lots of gorgeous potted plants.
That afternoon, I visited the Belgrade Market. My friend had shown me the gorgeous pastel painting she was bringing home, and I had to see them for myself. The seller let me sift through huge piles of these works, all of them warm and vibrant. Of course, I took one home for me and one for my budding ornithologist mother.
Finally, that night some friends and I took a walk down by the Belgrade Waterfront.
Serbian flag
The city was all lit up, and the weather was a perfect 73 degrees for a stroll. There was music from bars in the air, and people wandering the riviera.
Ćao for now :)
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