The Belgrade Fortress, also called Kalemegdan, is the most important cultural and historical monument of Serbia’s capital town. Kalemegdan is protected as immovable cultural property of exceptional importance for the Republic of Serbia. It represents the key point for understanding Belgrade’s development as well as to comprehend its history of diverse civilizations that were involved in Belgrade’s life. The fortress needs to be preserved entirely in its originality without implementation of awkwardly abundant structures such as lift gondola.
The Belgrade Fortress is situated at the conjunction of two rivers, Danube and Sava. Kalemegdan’s walls are offering fantastic views to this attractive scene. Moreover, this sight is easily accessible and anyone can reach it without difficulties. However, the gondola lift is planned to be erected in the length of 1km among the fortress and opposite side of the conjunction. Any intervention of this type would mean irreversible and irrecoverable loss for present and future citizens of Belgrade, Serbia, Europe and World.
Not only that this project would endanger the position of Serbia as a full member of international and European organizations and professional associations in the field of cultural heritage, but would permanently endanger strategic international projects that Serbia is implementing in the field of protection of cultural and natural heritage. Among these projects are Belgrade’s candidacies for the Green Capital of Europe, as well as the transnational nomination "Border of the Roman Empire-Serbia" on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which is under creation since 2015. Within this project it is planned that the Belgrade fortress with Roman castrum should be one of the key sites for the World Heritage List nomination. The successful outcome of these nominations would increase Serbia’s capital visibility in the international framework. It would place it on the map of cultural tourism, preserving the specificity and historical layers of Belgrade.
The plan for constructing a gondola, as well as numerous demolitions of protected cultural monuments and inadequate changes in the historical urban landscape of Belgrade, do exactly the opposite. Belgrade, which was demolished so many times in wars, does not deserve to be destroyed at the present time because of the incompetent and inadequate interventions and investments in the southernmost urban core of the city, which undermine the right to inheritance as a general good for all citizens.
Secretary
