On Monday, 24 April, an interdisciplinary history and geography lesson was held in a very unusual location – in the hidden underground parts of Belgrade. Walking below the streets of the Serbian capital, Savremena’s students discovered its past and listened to stories about important historical events that took place at the very location.
When capital city reveals its secrets
Belgrade’s rich history is hidden in the caves, pathways, walled rivers, tunnels, bunkers and numerous buildings demolished and created by the peoples inhabiting the area throughout centuries. The underground recounts the legend of Belgrade from Roman, Austrian, Turkish, and Serbian period, each of which carries an authentic charm.
Savremena’s students started the exciting tour by visiting the Roman Hall, which contains the foundation of the main gate of the Roman fortress from the 2nd century. There, they discussed the reasons why the Romans and numerous subsequent conquerors came to this region.
The bunker from the Cominform period revealed the spy secrets and political games between president Tito and the great forces after World War II. The route then led Savremena’s students to the big gunpowder warehouse, whose walls, built by the Austrians as the last line of defence, tell the stories about defending Christian Europe from the Turks. The students were particularly intrigued by the rooms that were built for storing the most important goods, and which today represent the Roman lapidarium containing sarcophagi, gravestones, and sacrificial altars found in Serbia.
At the end of this journey through time, Savremena’s students got to the wine cellar evoking the time of the Serbian liberation from Turkish rule and the development of Savamala.
Roman Well – highlight of school trip
Savremena’s students’ biggest impression was the visit to the Roman Well, since there they heard the story about one of the most brutal murders in our history.
In 1494, when Kalemegdan was the most important Hungarian and Christian stronghold, some 37 Hungarian plotters were planning to hand over the city of Belgrade without fighting the Turks.
The pasha from Smederevo made a deal with the wealthy Croatian nobleman, Lovro Iločki, whom he bribed with an enormous amount of money. The handover of the city would probably have gone well if the Hungarian duke Paul hadn’t heard about the scheme. He was in Timisoara at the time, and immediately headed to Belgrade with his troops. He chased the Turks away from the rampart, after which the clash with the plotters ensued.
The legend describes this event as one of the most brutal executions in history. With ropes, the plotters were taken down to the bottom of a big silo, which was located where the today’s well is. When their minds dimmed due to hunger, they were thrown knives and they literally ate one another.
Mastering the lay of the land and the teacher of life
The unforgettable lesson, which left Savremena’s students breathless, discovered the unusual history of Belgrade, numerous legends and incredible fates of people. An interesting and different approach to lessons allows Savremena’s students to be active participants in their learning process on a daily basis, and to broaden their knowledge and connect it to specific, practical experience, which is an educational goal shared by Savremena.