OLD NATIONAL LIBRARY
The National Library of Serbia was founded during the reign of Prince Miloš in 1832, in the bookstore of Gligorije Vozarović. He ordered that one copy of each printed book be provided to the library.
In 1925, the National Library of Serbia moved to a building on Kosančićev Venac, utilizing the space in the former paper and cardboard manufacturing factory of Milan Vapa, an industrialist and philanthropist. When Vapa sold the building to the Kingdom of SHS (Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes) in 1921, it was adapted for the needs of the library. The architect Branko Tanazević designed the building in the academic architectural style.
The building of the National Library on Kosančićevo venc (demolished) Source: Collection of photographs of the Museum of the City of Belgrade
The library building was hit on April 6, 1941, during the German bombing of Belgrade, and a large part of its book collection was destroyed at that time. In the third wave of bombing that day, an incendiary bomb struck the library building, and by early evening, the fire had engulfed the structure and a significant portion of its holdings. The inventories and catalogues were destroyed, along with a collection of over 1,000 manuscripts and charters dating from the 12th to the 17th centuries, the cartographic and graphic collections, newspaper collections, a collection of Ottoman documents concerning Serbia, early printed books, the personal libraries of Vuk Karadžić and Đura Daničić, as well as the complete correspondence of prominent figures in Serbia’s and Yugoslavia’s cultural and political history. It has not been thoroughly investigated why the library’s inventories were not evacuated, although there are indications that part of the material had been packed in boxes for that purpose.
The first female librarian in the National Library was Ljudmila Mihajlović.
Today, this area is marked, but completely neglected and unsafe for visitors.
The site of the old National library
NEW NATIONAL LIBRARY
The existing building of the National Library on Vračar was constructed in 1973. The architect behind the design of the building was Ivo Kurtović.
Arhitekta Ivo Kurtović
The existing building of the National Library on Vračar was constructed in 1973. The architect behind the design of the building was Ivo Kurtović. The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the National Library was symbolically scheduled for October 20 (the Liberation Day of Belgrade in WWII) in 1966. The library commenced its operations in 1972, and the official opening ceremony was organized on the day when the original building of the National Library was destroyed during World War II, on April 6, 1973.
National Library
The architectural project included a focus on functionality, so the library consists of three main sections: storage, reading area, and working space.
Sculpture "Flame Flower" by Lidija Mišić, 1972.
The modernization and digitization of the Library began in 2004. Part of the building was designed in 2007 by architect Zoran Radojčić. He also designed the furniture in the reading rooms, which is made of wood, in simple cubic forms.
The legacy of Miloš Crnjanski
The fund of the National Library consists of about 5 million books, and one part consists of legacies of famous writers and artists: Milan Rakić, Miloš Crnjanski, Desanka Maksimović and others.
The exterior of the National Library building combines a modern international style with the traditional model of a house featuring a hipped roof. Due to its significance, the National Library of Serbia building has been declared a cultural monument and is under the protection of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.
Exhibition area
