Od spomenika na ivici grebena do modernih staklenih opservatorija, ovo je priča o tome kako je rastao Beograd
From a monument occupying a cliff edge to modern glass observatories, this is the story of Belgrade’s growth
PALATA ALBANIJA Prvi balkanski oblakoder (1939)
Između dva svetska rata Beograd doživljava arhitekton- ski bum koji je krunisan 1939. godine izgradnjom Pala- te Albanija. Sa svojih 13 nadzemnih spratova i visinom od 53 metra, ovo je u tom trenutku bila najviša zgra- da u jugoistočnoj Evropi. Obložena skupocenim mer- merom, zgrada je predstavljala inženjersko čudo svog vremena i prvi pravi njujorški momenat u vizuri Beogra- da. Njena podzemna konstrukcija krila je i pravo proti- vavionsko sklonište. Zgrada je do danas ostala nezaobilazni orijentir na sa- mom početku Knez Mihailove ulice, tačno na mestu gde se seku Terazije i pešačka zona. Danas, iako su spratovi rezervisani za komercijalne i bankarske kan- celarije i nisu otvoreni za turističke obilaske, njen plato je nulta tačka beogradskog društvenog života. Odav- de počinje Knez Mihailova, pešačka arterija prepuna butika, uličnih svirača i starih knjižara, koja vas vodi pravo ka Trgu republike i Narodnom muzeju. Kontrast hladnog mermera Palate Albanija i dinamike ulice is- pod nje savršena je slika predratnog beogradskog gla- mura koji još uvek živi.
PALACE ALBANIA The Balkan’s first skyscraper (1939)
Belgrade experienced an architectural boom in the in- terwar period that was crowned with the construction of Palace Albania in 1939. This 13-storey edifice, which reaches a height of 53 metres, was the tallest building in Southeast Europe when it was built. Clad in expen- sive marble, the building represented an engineering marvel of the time and was the first real New York-style moment of the Belgrade skyline. Its subterranean wing structure is also a real anti-aircraft shelter. The building remains an unavoidable landmark at the very beginning of Knez Mihailova Street, occupying the precise spot where Terazije intersects with the pedes- trian zone. Although its floors are today reserved for commercial and banking offices and aren’t open for tours, its plateau is ground zero for Belgrade’s social life. That’s because it marks the start of the pedestrian artery that is Knez Mihailova Street, which is filled with boutiques, street musicians and old bookstores, and which leads directly to Republic Square and the Na- tional Museum. The contrast between the cold mar- ble of Palace Albania and the dynamics of the street below provide a perfect picture of the glamour of pre- war Belgrade, which lives on today.
Belgrade » Beograd | 67
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