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PRINCE MILOS RESIDENCE

WHERE IS IT?

It is located in Bulevard Patrijarha Pavla 2 in Topcider garden.The residence of Prince Miloš is part of the Museum of History of Serbia.

HISTORY

The residence of Prince Miloš was built by the order of Prince Miloš Obrenović, as the central building in Topcider garden. The palace complex in Topcider was built as the prince’s private estate.The residence was constructed according to the project of Hadži Nikola Živković, the chief architect in the time of the reign of Prince Miloš. The construction of the complex began in 1831. It included the area of the whole of Senjak, Dedinje, but also parts of Ada Ciganlija. As part of the complex, numerous auxiliary buildings were erected: kitchens, stables, bakeries, warehouses and inns. Prince Miloš Obrenović spent his last days of life there during his second reign in 1859-1860.

konak-kneza-milosa
konak-kneza-milosa

EXTERIOR AND ENTERIOR

Its style belongs to the Balkan's oriental architectural tradition with elements of Central European architecture.
European influences can be seen in the classically conceived portal, certain architectural details and the placement of the building - in a free park space. The building consists of a ground floor and a first floor, with seven rooms arranged around it and four auxiliary rooms between them. The rooms were furnished in accordance with the Ottoman tradition, with low benches, there were oriental carpets on the floors. Chandeliers were hung on the ceilings as well as paintings and clocks from Vienna on the walls. The first collection of paintings in Serbia was located in this building. The ground floor housed the Prince's office, the guard’s rooms and a dining room, while the first floor had a residential function, housing Miloš’s private apartment.
After the change of dynasty on the Serbian throne, this residence fell into oblivion. After the First World War, it housed the Museum of Hunting and Forestry for a short time, and after the Second World War, the Museum of the First Serbian revolution. In 1966, the residence became part of the then newly established Museum of History of Serbia, in which it still is today.

CULTURAL HERITAGE SITE

The Prince Milos residence was declared an immovable cultural heritage of graet importance. In the same year, the platanus in front of the museum which is is believed to be more than 185 years old, was declared a natural heritage.

Translated by: Mila Antonović and Ana Sarić