RITAM GRADA / RHYTHM OF THE CITY
U muzeju vas očekuju interaktivna predavanja, vođene ture i priče o tome kako je Tesla promenio svet Interactive lectures, guided tours, and stories about how Tesla changed the world await you at the museum
Scientific refreshment: Nikola Tesla Museum When the midday sun bakes the streets in August, sal-
Subterranean world: Tašmajdan Caves For the most extreme and fascinating escape from the
vation can be found in the elegant Krun- ska Street, one of the Vračar neighbour- hood’s most beautiful streets, with its splendid summer treelines. There stands a residential villa that was erected in 1927, according to the design of famous archi- tect Dragiša Brašovan, and which houses the Nikola Tesla Museum. Inside this his- toric building, powerful cooling systems and thick salon walls ensure a constant temperature of 21 to 25°C is maintained, which is necessary to preserve the more than 160,000 original documents, plans and personal items of the world‘s most fa- mous inventor that are held there. August holds special symbolism for
summer heat, it is necessary to head be- neath the surface of the earth to a place that’s never penetrated by the sun’s rays. Hidden underneath Tašmajdan Park and St. Mark’s Church is a complex of cav- erns that maintain a constant tempera- ture of between 12 and 15°C year-round, which is why a sweater is mandatory even in mid-August. This subterranean world has an in- credible history. The first serious under- takings there were made by the Romans, who established a quarry in this place some 2,000 years ago, using the stone to build the Roman city of Singidunum. Centuries later, the caves served as a
this museum, as it was on 19 th August 1891 that Nikola Tes- la officially became a U.S. citizen. That legal step provided him with complete freedom and patent protection on U.S. soil, di- rectly enabling him to launch a technological revolution from his lab in New York and to usher the world into the modern age of alternating current. Entering this museum provides perfect respite from the bustle of summer. Apart from offer- ing insight into the personal life of this genius, presenting everything from his elegant suits and canes to the golden urn shaped like a perfect sphere that holds his earthly remains, visitors have a unique opportunity to become part of living scientific experiments. Here, under a guide’s supervision, you can hold neon tubes that will light up in your hand under the influence of the electromagnetic field of a high-frequency Te- sla transformer, bringing to life the vision of a world powered by wireless energy transfer.
shelter for the people during the siege of Belgrade in the First Serbian Uprising, while the occupying Germans of World War II turned the caverns into one of the most modern under- ground shelters in Europe, with its own generators and wa- ter supplies, and it was from there that Nazi Colonel-General Löhr directed military operations. Sprawling above this underground labyrinth is the beauti- ful Tašmajdan Park, which is ideal for a summer break thanks to its benches in the shade, and immediately beside it rises the monumental Church of St. Mark. Built during the inter- war period in the Serbian-Byzantine style (based on the ex- ample of Gračanica Monastery), the interior of this church, which is one of the largest in the country, preserves a sar- cophagus containing the relics of Emperor Dušan. It offers a peaceful and fresh space for contemplation after emerging from the depths.
84 | Beograd » Belgrade
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