THE ROLE, SHAPING AND METAMORPHOSIS OF SPORTS FACILITIES IN BELGRADE IN THE 19TH AND THE 20TH CENTURY, IN RELATION TO THE CITY NEEDS
Text topic: Critical History of Transforming Belgrade Public Spaces - from the End of the 18th Century to the Beginning of the 21st Century
- stadiums
Text author: Марија Павловић
Every city is a mirror of society and societal activities throughout its history. In its past, Belgrade has witnessed great changes. Over a few decades in the 19th century, it has been transformed from an unarranged town into the capital city of Serbia. Together with the development of the state, inspirations grew to step up with the global developments which involved nurturing of sports disciplines. The sports architecture of Belgrade started in mid-19th century and developed from the first public bathing sites at the Sava river bank, the shooting range at Topčider and the football fields at the Horse Racing Track, changing the shapes and purposes to suit the needs of the city. In the first few decades of the 20th century, tennis court and ice-skating ranks, swimming pools and big stadiums were built, later to be followed by modern sports halls. Through development of sports facilities architecture we can follow a whole series of changes and transformations where some architectural shapes were lost and some new appeared, all while history unravelled in its own inevitable pace.