Evening star., 1927-04-22
BELGRADE HOLDS
/ PLACE IN HISTORY
Hands of Many Races
Until Made Center of
Islam Drive.

Belgrade capital Of Jugoslavia, has
shared with Rome the interest of dip
lomatic circles during the recent
threatened friction between Jugo-
slavia and Italy over Albania. This
Balkan capital is the subject of the
follawing bulletin from the National
Geographic Society:
sit was inevitable that there should
he an important city on the site OF
Belgrade" saws the bulletin. 1T IS
situated ON the angle of land between
tie Save and Danube at the meeting
,Dint of those two important rivers.
AT the very apex of the triangle Is q
chalk cliff. some goo feet high. This
became q fortress and citadel as early
az the third century BE. WneE
Celtic tribes established Belgrade
predecessor. the town of Singidunum,
Long Turkish Stronghold.
sTbrough the centuries that have
ra sSed since. this rock has played an
important part in European affairs.
Tr was held successfully by Celts, Ro-
mans. Huns. Goths. Bulgarians, BY
zantines. HungarianS, SerblanS ana
Austrians One of its most important
holders was the Turks. From loZl
untu little more than half century
ago if was i'm Turkish hands except
for short periods. and was Islam
northernmoSt arrow aimed At Inc heatt
III Christendom The Turkish garfl'
son finally withdrew in 1866, when
Serbia became practically independent.
.'Relgrade is sometimes known ny
The Older form Beograd The name
means White City, an appropriate
name the observer feels, when ne
saes the white cliff Of the citadel ana
sundrv white towers and walls Even
iii the 7avs when Belgrade's streets
yyere narrow, dirty. Oriental ways, the
view from across the Danube or from
fts waters was a charming one
h"The aspect of the city has changed
greatly in recent years. and II mas
little now to distinguish it from other
F,uropean capitals. Since the World
War there has been marked bulld~
ing boom. stimulated in part by laws
holding new dwellings tax free Tor
25 wears. and other new structures
for shorter terms The population of
the capital. drawn from a much
greater area than that Of pre-waf
Serbia has practically doubled, being
now about 100000.
Street Paved by Gar.
"Old Russia at times sought in
whose people is also Slavic. For one
Of the principal thoroughfares Car
Nicholas gave the paving, having it
laid by Russian laborers. The street
was renamed Czaritza, and bears that
name today At o'clock each after
noon police clear the street of car
riages and automobiles and the prom
efading populace fills the space from
cln'b to curb, many dropping into the
chairs of the sidewalk cafes for coffee
and conversation. 1t is an interest
ing. colorfu1 spectacle, this afternoon
parade on CZaritza street, with the
prDmenaders running the gamut from
peasant to man and woman of the
world.
SIN addition to it's wars and sieges. |
Belgrade has had its stark tragedies. |
In 1868 Prince Michael, who had |
brought about the evacuation Of the
Tarks, and had given Serbia its first
taste of independence for centuries, i
was assassinated in his garden. In
1893 King Alexander and Queen
Draga of Serbia were murdered in
their palace. This structure of i'll
omen was demolished and a new
palace built for the king Of a different
dyhasty who succeeded"