WHERE IS IT?
The Hammam of Prince Miloš is located in Gavrilo Princip Park, behind the photogrammetry building at 14 Admiral Geprat Street
THE HISTORY
The Hammam was constructed in 1838 adjacent to the former residence of Prince Miloš, which was demolished during the bombing of Belgrade in 1941. It is situated in the area of the former Financial Park, where Prince Miloš's residence, also known as the Prince's Palace in Savamala, once stood. The palace was built between 1829 and 1837.
The palace covered a significant area of the Financial Park and was a collaborative effort of builders involved in different periods of its construction, including Austro-Hungarian architect Franc Dobi and Slovak civil engineer Franc Jankeo. Built in the Neoclassical style, the structure was completed in 1838, featuring additional auxiliary facilities such as a kitchen, servant's quarters, and a hammam. The palace had a rectangular longitudinal layout with 24 rooms, furnished in accordance with the European fashion of that time.
Due to various historical circumstances, Prince Miloš never resided in the palace, and in 1841, Prince Mihailo ceded it to the Ministry of Finance.
Unlike the palace, the Hammam has been preserved, undergoing several reconstructions, with the latest one taking place in 1996.
THE HAMMAM
The Hammam belongs to the category of private hammams, where there were no pools but rather basins, known as 'halvati,' for bathing. Each basin had its own fountain. It was built in 1837/1838, presumably according to the plans of the builder Hadži Nikola Živković, who also constructed other endowments for Prince Miloš. The structure has a rectangular base, covered with a shallow dome featuring glass domes that allow the entry of natural light.
Key rooms in the hammam include the following:
Šedrvan - changing room; Kapaluk - central resting area; Halvat - bathing area; Hazna - water reservoir; Ćulan - heating room
Today, the hammam, protected by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments since 1954, is a part of a private restaurant.
Written by Ana Sarić