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Serbia and Montenegro

Belgrade Caves


One wintery Saturday in the spring of 2005, Breck, mom, and dad took a PTA-sponsored trip to the caves that exist under Belgrade. These natural formations have been used for centuries by the people who have lived in the city. We saw remnants from and heard stories about the prehistoric tribes, Romans, Turks, Serbs, and Nazis who had all passed through these caverns.

 

The entrance to the caves is located behind St. Mark's cathedral, right smack in the middle of downtown.
As we were walking past the church, we saw people coming out from a wedding inside.
  
Going down the steps to the underground, we saw some modern graffiti alluding to the historical area we were entering.
  

As it was pitch black in many of the caverns, Susan had quite a time keeping up with Breck as he dashed about in the dark with his flashlight. These pictures, with a flash helping out, don't quite give justice to her sense of panic as she worried about him tripping over a rock or falling down the many open pitholes that dotted the caves!!

Evidence seems to hint that neolithic tribes used these caves, but the extant proof of that was pretty sketchy - but it was fun to explore!!
The caves were immense, and one of the areas that we had a chance to explore were the Roman-era tombs. While the bodies have long since been removed and the catacombs themselves have mostly collapsed or been destroyed, it was still pretty awe inspiring to realize that these things had housed people more than a thousand years ago.
  

The Nazis built long access tunnels into the caverns and used them as storage depots and command centers during the second world war. These are, of course, the best preserved of the numerous developments that have been constructed under Belgrade. 
While not the most visually overstimulating experience we've ever had, it was a fun way to spend a few hours looking into the history of this city that we call home (for now).


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