The Topčider Quarter and the Belgrade Surroundings
The name Topčider derives from the Turkish word topči — meaning cannon or cannon operator, and the Persian word der — which means a valley, as it is presumed that the Ottomans used to cast cannons along a stream running through a valley. For the construction of his residence, Prince Miloš chose Topčider, which is about five kilometres away from Belgrade, as he did not want to live in the city, within reach of Turkish cannons from the Belgrade Fort. From 1831 to 1836, at the bottom of the Topčider hill and Dedinje, other buildings were also constructed — a church, church residence, additional small residence, barracks, prison, café and several production buildings — and the park landscaping started as well. Thus, gradually, the Prince’s residence was formed. For a long time the Topčider residence served as the Royal Palace of the Serbian Principality. On the upper floor of Konak, in the corner seen on the postcard, there was a room of Princes Ljubica.
Aleksandar Deroko wrote the following about Košutnjak: Košutnjak was a royal hunting ground, but opened for the public. Until 1903 it was fenced with oak boards, the way village courtyards are fenced throughout Šumadija. This fence was removed after 1903 and the boards were sold as construction material, so that many houses in Belgrade got parquet made of those oak boards. Before that, whole herds of deer and roe deer lived freely in Košutnjak, and there were also rabbits, pheasants, and even foxes. In winters, we, the children, were given a handful of hay to bring to the feeding post. At that time the roe deer weren’t afraid of us at all. However, soon after the fence was removed all the herds were destroyed.
The name Topčider derives from the Turkish word topči — meaning cannon or cannon operator, and the Persian word der — which means a valley, as it is presumed that the Ottomans used to cast cannons along a stream running through a valley. For the construction of his residence, Prince Miloš chose Topčider, which is about five kilometres away from Belgrade, as he did not want to live in the city, within reach of Turkish cannons from the Belgrade Fort. From 1831 to 1836, at the bottom of the Topčider hill and Dedinje, other buildings were also constructed — a church, church residence, additional small residence, barracks, prison, café and several production buildings — and the park landscaping started as well. Thus, gradually, the Prince’s residence was formed. For a long time the Topčider residence served as the Royal Palace of the Serbian Principality. On the upper floor of Konak, in the corner seen on the postcard, there was a room of Princes Ljubica.
Aleksandar Deroko wrote the following about Košutnjak: Košutnjak was a royal hunting ground, but opened for the public. Until 1903 it was fenced with oak boards, the way village courtyards are fenced throughout Šumadija. This fence was removed after 1903 and the boards were sold as construction material, so that many houses in Belgrade got parquet made of those oak boards. Before that, whole herds of deer and roe deer lived freely in Košutnjak, and there were also rabbits, pheasants, and even foxes. In winters, we, the children, were given a handful of hay to bring to the feeding post. At that time the roe deer weren’t afraid of us at all. However, soon after the fence was removed all the herds were destroyed.