Avala revisited

After a long while, I finally got to visit Avala again. If you're unfamiliar with the geography of Serbia (or at least the wider Belgrade area), Avala is a mountain some 20 km from the Serbian capital. It feels funny to refer to it as a mountain, since it isn't exactly tall. However, it stands at 511 metres above sea level, and thus apparently does meet the technical requirement to be considered a proper mountain - by just 11 metres!

During all the years I've lived in Belgrade, I'm ashamed to admit I've visited only a handful of times. Each one was memorable, though, and it made me want to go back there and explore some more. And there's definitely lots to do and see. Since this time I visited with family, we did a touristy thing and went to check out the two most visited spots there: the TV tower and the Monument to the Unknown Hero.

The original television tower, built in 1965, was completely destroyed in the NATO-led airstrikes in 1999. It was reconstructed and eventually reopened in 2009. It's 205 metres tall, and I don't think there's a better place for a panoramic view of Belgrade - provided it isn't cloudy as it unfortunately was at the time of my visit. Still, less than perfect weather didn't prove to be much of a deterrent for numerous visitors including hordes of unruly kids on their school trip.

Feeling slightly dizzy...

You may not notice it from that lookout point at the top of the TV tower, but one of the surrounding hills is where the Monument to the Unknown Hero is found. Not counting the tower itself, that hill also happens to be Avala's highest point.

Before the memorial complex was built there in 1938, it used to be the location of a medieval fortress Žrnov. And even before that, there was a Roman outpost. And even before that, there's evidence of mining conducted by some of the pre-Roman inhabitants of this part of the Balkans (in this case, the Celtic tribe of Scordisci). Sadly, none of that can be seen now: in order to make space for the Monument, Žrnov was razed to the ground by a royal decree in 1934, but the toponym lives on in academic papers due to numerous archaeological findings excavated there prior to the demolition. There are more fanciful explanations as to why King Alexander insisted on demolishing Žrnov, but as much as I love a good conspiracy theory, let's just leave those aside.

Žrnov, as seen on an old postcard (that I've stolen from the internet).

Designed by the celebrated Croatian-Yugoslav sculptor Ivan Meštrović, the black granite monument is simple, majestic and temple-like. Approaching it always seems to me like going on a pilgrimage of sorts. It was built to commemorate soldiers fallen in the First World War as well as in the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913.

A wreath laid inside on behalf of the current Serbian President Vučić, commemorating victory over fascism, seemed misplaced given that the monument has no connection with WW2, nor has Mr. Vučić any political or ideological connection with anti-fascism. I guess it's just protocol.

"To the glory of victory over fascism"

To me personally this monument also serves as a reminder of Yugoslavia, the country that no longer exists, but whose legacy can't be erased in spite of the onslaught of historical revisionism. Standing there, among the caryatids representing the peoples of Yugoslavia, I know exactly why I will always identify as a Yugoslav.

Apart from the nice walk from the tower to the Monument, I didn't do much of actual hiking. But now that I've figured out how to get to Avala by public transport, I'm sure to visit again soon. Next time, I'm going to venture off the beaten path...