Hotel Jugoslavija

Hotel Jugoslavija
Хотел Југославија
Former logo of the hotel
Future look of renovated hotel
Location within Belgrade
Hotel chain Kempinski
General information
Address Bulevar Nikole Tesle 3
Town or city Belgrade
Country Serbia
Opened 1969
Owner Greek real estate fund
Design and construction
Architect Lavoslav Horvat
Other information
Number of rooms 258

Hotel Jugoslavija (Serbian Cyrillic: Хотел Југославија) in Belgrade is one of the oldest luxurious Serbian hotels. It is located in the Novi Beograd municipality.

History

Project Riverside (ex Hotel Jugoslavija) West birds-eye view
Project Riverside (ex Hotel Jugoslavija) East birds-eye view
Project Riverside (ex Hotel Jugoslavija) East facade

Zemun railway station

The Zemun railway station was located next to were the modern hotel is. It was built in 1883 during the rule of Austria-Hungary, when the railway, which connected Zemun to Novi Sad, was finished. In 1884 the railway was extended across the Sava into the Kingdom of Serbia as the first railway in the country.[1] The very first train from Serbia, with the passengers including King Milan, Queen Natalija and Crown Prince Alexander, stopped at this station on its way to Vienna.[2]

The station was operational until 1970. To commemorate it, architect Milun Stambolić designed a memorial complex which consists of 5 pillars, which used to hold the station's overhang, and several meters of railroad tracks. The complex is placed on the plateau next to the hotel, on the small elevation above the promenade along the Danube.[1]

Hotel

According to the original concept, the hotel was to be named "Belgrade". Famous architects Mladen Kauzlarić, Lavoslav Horvat and Kazimir Ostrogović, followers of the Zagreb school of modernism won the first prize at the original tender in 1947. The hotel was built according to the modified project of the architect Lavoslav Horvat. Distinguished creators and builders, architects Milorad Pantović, Vladeta Maksimović and academic Ivan Antić took part in designing of the hotel and the interior.

Hotel had the biggest chandelier in the world until 2010, designed and made by Swarovski in 1969. It has 40.000 crystals, 5.000 bulbs and weight of 14 tonnes.[3], [4] Size is 30 x 9 meters (90 x 28 ft) in rectangle shape.

It was opened in 1969 as one of the biggest hotels in the region. It was used as an accommodation for celebrities and high officials visiting Belgrade. Some of the famous people who stayed in the Hotel Jugoslavija include Queen Elizabeth II, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, U Thant, Willy Brandt, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Tina Turner, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin.

During the 1999 NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, the hotel was hit by two missiles, damaging the west wing. Part of the hotel was owned by Arkan, and had been used as a barracks for his paramilitary forces. One wing reopened on 9 February 2008 as the Grand Casino Beograd.

Future plans

In January 2010, the 4.5 hectare hotel site was wholly purchased by Kempinski and will be re-developed into a 157,000 square meter hotel, shopping mall, and twin 33-story residential tower.

The Hotel Yugoslavia reconstruction and redevelopment got all permissions from Belgrade and Serbian authorities.

References

  1. 1 2 Zoran Nikolić (2 November 2017), "Beogradske priče: Čudne gradske "granične linije"" [Belgrade stories: Strange city "border lines"], Večernje Novosti (in Serbian)
  2. ↑ "Na mestu železničke stanice pre dva veka bila je bara“, 24 Sata, 5 March 2012.
  3. ↑ http://www.designed.rs/news/otvoren_renovirani_deo_hotela_jugoslavija
  4. ↑ http://www.telegraf.rs/vesti/beograd/1245312-najveci-luster-na-svetu-nalazi-se-u-beogradu-necete-verovati-kako-izgleda-foto

Coordinates: 44°49′47″N 20°25′12″E / 44.8297°N 20.4200°E / 44.8297; 20.4200

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