Slavija Square and Grand Musical Fountain

Why is it significant?

You stand at the edge of Slavija Square — Trg Slavija, the colossal, vibrant circular intersection where seven major avenues converge in the heart of Belgrade. Until the late nineteenth century, this depression was a marshy hunting ground where Belgraders shot wild ducks.

Key Facts

Open the walk

You stand at the edge of Slavija Square — Trg Slavija, the colossal, vibrant circular intersection where seven major avenues converge in the heart of Belgrade. Until the late nineteenth century, this depression was a marshy hunting ground where Belgraders shot wild ducks. The transformation of the area began in the 1880s thanks to Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist Francis Mackenzie, who bought the land, drained the marshes, and laid out the modern grid of western Vračar.

At the center of the massive roundabout stands a monumental musical fountain inaugurated in 2017. Equipped with hundreds of computer-controlled nozzles shooting jets of water up to sixteen meters high, accompanied by thousands of multicolored LED lights, the fountain performs coordinated aquatic choreographies set to classical symphonies and Serbian folk melodies every evening.

Named Slavija in the late nineteenth century to symbolize the cultural solidarity and political emancipation of all Slavic peoples in the Balkans, the square has witnessed the tumultuous political milestones of modern Serbian history. For decades, the central plaza held the tomb and monument of pioneering Serbian socialist intellectual Dimitrije Tucović before his reinterment in the Alley of the Greats.

The continuous circular dance of vintage red trams, trolleybuses, and automobiles swirling around the roaring geysers of the fountain creates a thrilling urban spectacle. Looking south from the square, the gentle slope of Vračar Hill rises upward, crowned by the majestic white marble silhouette of the Temple of Saint Sava dominating the horizon like an apparition. The synchronized aquatic display of the musical fountain brings joyful energy to Slavija Square, celebrating Belgrade's position as a dynamic European crossroads. This historic landmark stands as an enduring testament to the rich cultural heritage and resilience of the Serbian capital. This historic landmark stands as an enduring testament to the rich cultural heritage and resilience of the Serbian capital.

Begin your ascent up Vračar Hill along the pedestrian boulevard of Saint Sava Street.