The oldest parts of the historic centre of the town nestle directly against Kalemegdan. From the 19th century on, the administrative and political centre of Serbia in the time of Prince Miloš gradually developed here. The Cathedral (Saborna crkva) was built on the site of the old Church of the Archangel Michael (crkva Arhangela Mihaila), and nearby were the important institutions of the Serbia of that time. You can read more about the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarchate and the Cathedral on the "Religion" page.

Kosančićev venac
One of the few preserved old parts of the town is Kosančićev venac which is located in the southwest of Old Belgrade on a mound facing the Sava River. Back in the middle ages, a Serbian settlement began to develop here with its own church and graveyard. At the beginning of the 19th century this part became the heart of the town from and around which the wider area of Belgrade grew. Today only a few buildings and other features remain which preserve the spirit of old Belgrade. Kosančićev venac, with its cobblestone street, courtyards and buildings snuggling amongst the concrete edifices of a newer age, has preserved a part of the long-gone atmosphere. For this reason it is often used as a location for historical films. In it are the Rectorate of the University of Arts in Belgrade, the Commercial Gallery of Belgrade ("Prodajna galerija "Beograd"), as well as the remains of what was once the National Library, which was demolished in the air-raids of 6th April 1941.

Princess Ljubica's Residence (Konak knjeginje Ljubice)
(Kneza Sime Markovića 8)
The residence was built by Prince Miloš Obrenović in 1831 in the Serbian-Balkan style from plans produced by the master builder Nikola Živković. It was the home of Miloš's wife Ljubica and their children, Milan and Mihailo. Today it is a museum and has been restored to its original 19th century appearance.

The Question Mark Inn (Kafana "?")
(Kralja Petra I 6)
This building near the Cathedral, in the typical Serbian-Balkan style, was built by the merchant Naum Ičko from the materials that were then in most common use - wood and clay. The building was bought by Prince Miloš Obrenović who presented it to his personal physician who then opened it as an inn. The building has changed hands on a number of occasions and its name has variously been: "Tomina kafana" ("Toma's Inn"), "Kod pastira" ("At the Shepherd's"), "Kod Saborne crkve" ("At the Cathedral"), until eventually the church authorities requested that the inn sign be removed as "a sacrilege against the Church of God." The owner then put up a temporary sign with a question mark which has remained its name to this day.

National Bank of Serbia
(Kralja Petra I 12)
This was built in 1890 from plans drawn up by the architect Konstantin Jovanović with a lavish interior in the Italian Renaissance style. It still serves its original purpose today.

Kralj Petar I Elementary School (Osnovna škola "Kralj Petar I")
(Kralja Petra I 7)
This was built during 1905 and 1906 from the plans of Jelisaveta Načić, the first female architect in Serbia, in the Neo-Renaissance style, on the site of an older building dating from 1846 which housed a school and a reading room.

Manak's House (Manakova kuća)
(Gavrila Principa 5)
This was built in 1830 and has been preserved as the last surviving example of an old Belgrade town house. It got its name from its owner Manak Mihailović, a merchant from Macedonia. The first floor was used as living accommodation while the ground floor housed an inn and a bakery, and later on a post office and various tradesmen's workshops. Today it is a museum housing an ethnographic collection.