Socialist utopia. A tour of the urban planning of New Belgrade

New Belgrade is a world-renowned masterpiece of modernist urban planning. A socialist utopian city built from scratch on swampy territories.

New Belgrade is the result of rational urban planning. Its architecture and layout reflect the mid-20th-century urban development trends influenced by the principles of modernism and functionalism. New Belgrade was conceived as a response to the need for expansion and modernization of the city after the Second World War and the construction of a new capital for the young socialist state. During the tour, we will delve into the architectural heritage of a bygone era, uncovering the history of functionalist design, public life, and idealistic aspirations. We will feel the echoes of the utopian ideal city still captured in the outlines of modern New Belgrade.

During the tour, you will see:

• Usce Tower – the first socialist skyscraper;
• The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Palace of Serbia - masterpieces of Yugoslav modernist architecture;
• Iconic residential blocks;
• Unique functionalist architecture.

During the tour, you will learn:

• The principles and phenomenon of utopian urban planning;
• How New Belgrade was planned and how the original project differs from the realized one;
• About the impact of the Yugoslav socialist regime on urban planning principles.

Duration: 2.5 hours