Architecture of New Belgrade - Brutalism Decoded
Description
You'll have a close up on 5 exemplary buildings of Yugoslav socialist architecture: Museum of Contemporary Art, Palace of Federation, Genex Tower, Block 23 and Sava Center. You’ll discover the buildings for the socialist elites, buildings for socialist business, buildings to impress the Non Aligned comrades and public housing blocks for the classless society. You'll see how and why the architecture changed from the Soviet-like to modernism to brutalism. In 2 hours you'll understand 50 years of Yugoslavian utopia. This architecture, gaining international recognition in recent years from institutions such as MoMA and Venice Biennale, will tell you the story of Yugoslavia: its values of equality, unity and fraternity and its ambition to produce and build everything the Western society could. The buildings will come to life as your art historian guide will tell you of personally lived experiences in the housing blocks during the 1980ies and 1990ies.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You'll meet the guide in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art at Ušće. You'll explore its modernist 1960-ies volumes and find out why its precious marble facades contradict the stereotypical expectations from socialist architecture.
This is our spot do touch upon the Non-Aligned Movement of 120 countries. It was founded in 1961 in Belgrade, when the heads of states planted the trees in the Park as the symbol of peace.
Next, we'll drive by the huge Government Building, a telling monument of an earlier phase of YU politics, a building that experienced the switch away from Stalin while under construction.
You’ll have a close up of Genex Tower, aka Western City Gate of Belgrade, a 30 floor structure that has won instagrams and hearts of many Belgrade visitors. Built 40 years ago, it was the first smart building in the Balkans and entered the international architecture reviews as a fine example of brutalism.
Your final stop is a gigantic congress center, built at the end of 1970s in record times. It was the first building of that sort in this part of Europe. It’s still in function and includes some surprisingly well designed interior solutions that seem fresh even after 40 years.
Inside the Block no. 23, the most representative public housing project, again in style of concrete expressionism, you'll discover the concept that provided everything for the inhabitants. The apartment buildings, school, the kindergarten, the sport courts, the mini shopping mall. You’ll hear the guide's personal stories of life in the blocks in their golden decades of 60s, 70s and 80s. And the stories of living not so great in 90s.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(25)
So i visited Belgrade this January and coming from a post-soviet country myself i was really igor to find out more about brutalist architecture they have there. Ksenja is the best guide u could ever find. she’s charming, very interesting and easygoing! the excursion was amazing! we got to find out a lot of interesting facts about all the buildings and monuments, moreover Ksenja doesn’t bore you with all the stuff like “this was built in the year…” - so you have to memorize all those dates, she tells you stories of those buildings and of the people who lived in them! Nonetheless if you get tired - you can do a snack-stop in some wonderful places Ksenja is going to recommend! So overall this was a 10/10 wonderful experience! Ksenja, thank you so much!
I am so glad the tour proved interesting to you! Many heartfelt thanks for you compliments on my style of guiding. Plus, thank you for sharing the interesting stories of Soviet architecture. That was a treat indeed! We hope to see you in Belgrade again!
This was an incredible experience! Ksenia explained everything while we discovered the New Belgrade. she told me all about brutalism and life in the Socialist times of Yugoslavia, it was super informative and she also made it incredibly fun. Definitely a must do while in Belgrade. 10 out of 10!
Thank you so much for your kind words and enthusiasm! We hope to see you again.
The tour gave us an excellent overview of the socialist architecture and the city's landmarks of the era. The guide Ksenija was excellent in putting the architecture in a wider context. I loved her personal stories of growing up in New Belgrade during the last decade of the communist Yugoslavia. Something quite unique!
Thank you for being such a curious guest. We enjoyed the conversation!
It really was a true discovery! We imagined the communist architecture differently. We were surprised to see a primary school with modernistic shapes in red brick, with a swimming pool! Genex Tower is absolutely worth seeing, like a spaceship, such a remarkable structure. Ksenija was super friendly and engaging, adding an interesting personal commentary on the architecture and life in Yugoslavia.
It was a pleasure having you on the tour! Keep that discovery mode on. Thank you for being a great guest.
I booked this tour for my friends from the US and joined myself. For them it was genuine discovery, for me it was a reminder how things once were. Ksenija is an excellent guide, capable of pointing to the interesting angles beyond architecture
Thank you very much for trusting us and joining the tour! It is always a pleasure and honor to be trusted by the locals hosting friends from abroad.
Ksenija was amazing, the tour was very informative even for native Belgrade citizens. We went on the tour because we love brutalisam and had a blast. One of my friends was visiting from abroad, and she enjoyed the tour as well because Ksenija explained everything in fluent English. Super thankful and a big recommendation for anyone who is interested in storytelling from someone with a lot of experience!
Dear Maja, Thank you very much for your trust, time and energy! I enjoyed having the three of you on the tour.
The architecture tour was brilliant, I highly recommend. I booked this private tour to do on my own with Kesenija who took good care of me, a very knowledgable guide who will answer any questions in depth and guide you through Belgrades brutalist landmarks. A valuable experience!
Thank you very much, Finty! I'm so glad we did the tour together and had a good conversation. Hope to see you in Belgrade again!
Myself being a Belgrade native, I thought I knew this city all too well. Realising I did not in fact know these parts of New Belgrade, I felt curious and so I decided to book this tour. The tour exceeded my expectations and made me want to walk around New Belgrade more often. This is great both for tourist and us, fellow Belgradians. Time well spent.
Hi Mili, thank you for being a curios local. Whether a traveler or a local, we believe a good conversation over architecture is a winner. Looking forward to seeing you again,
I chose this tour to show a little bit of Belgrade to my foreign friends another side of this large city, apart from the city centre. I am from Serbia but I am not from Belgrade so this was a new experience for me as well. I was thrilled to be a part of this fun group and my Slovenian friend complemented me on what a great choice it was to try this tour. Try it out when you get the chance!
Thank you, Isidora! We're glad your guests loved the architectural tour and you were able to discover more of Belgrade with them.
Typically I am not a fan of the more recent approaches in architecture - however, I have always been drawn towards New Belgrade block and I just wanted to know more. The tour guides came up with a great concept here and were very interesting to listen to. Walk aside Danube is simply perfect. My personal favourite is the Genex tower - hope it will be reconstructed and kept well. Please take your time to visit New Belgrade and I hope my take will inspire you.
Dear Filip, thank you for complimenting us after being skeptical at first. This is what makes our work gratifying - the joy of discovery!
