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General information


Population : 8.9milion people (111th in the World,20th in Europe)
Total Area : 88,361 km^2 (112th in the World,20th in Europe)
Official languages : Serbian
Official currency : Serbian dinar(RSD)
Capital : Belgrade
Population density : 101 people/km^2 (107th in the World,31st in Europe)
Top 5 biggest cities : Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac, Subotica


Serbia is a parliamentary republic, with the government divided into legislative, executive and judiciary branches.

Serbia had one of the first modern constitutions in Europe, the 1835 Constitution (known as "Sretenje Constitution"), which was at the time considered among the most progressive and liberal constitutions in the world. Since then it has adopted 10 different constitutions.The current constitution was adopted in 2006 in the aftermath of Montenegro independence referendum which by consequence renewed the independence of Serbia itself.

Serbia is a unitary state composed of municipalities/cities, districts, and two autonomous provinces. In Serbia, there are 147 municipalities (opštine) and 27 cities (gradovi), which form the basic units of local self-government. Apart from municipalities, there are 29 districts (okruzi), with the City of Belgrade constituting an additional district. Except for Belgrade, which has an elected local government, districts are regional centers of state authority, but have no powers of their own; they present purely administrative divisions.

Serbia has two autonomous provinces, Vojvodina in the north, and Kosovo and Metohija in the south, while the remaining area, "Central Serbia", never had its own regional authority.






National sport : Football

Basketball



National animals : Wolf (Canis lupus)

White eagle - fictional



Lynx(Lynx lynx)




National plant: Oak(Quercus sp.)



Serbian spruce(Picea omorika)




National instruments: Accordion

Trumpet


The significance of the 15th of February


The 15th of February,known as Statehood Day, celebrates a number of events.

Firstly, the date celebrates the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804, led by national hero Karađorđe.

Secondly, it celebrates the adoption of the first Constitution of Serbia in 1835,under the rule of Miloš Obrenović.

Finally, the day also has a religious significance, marking the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, an event known as Candlemas,and is celebrated as one of the twelve Great Feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Calendar.








Petar Blagojevich (Serbian form: Petar Blagojević/Петар Благојевић, German: Peter Plogojowitz; died 1725) was a Serbian peasant who was believed to have become a vampire after his death and to have killed nine of his fellow villagers. The case was one of the earliest, most sensational and most well documented cases of vampire hysteria. It was described in the report of Imperial Provisor Frombald, an official of the Austrian administration, who witnessed the staking of Blagojevich.

Scholars have noted the influence of Blagojevich's case upon the development of the image of the modern vampire in Western popular culture.



Petar Blagojevich lived in a village named Kisilova (possibly the modern-day town of Kisiljevo), in the part of Serbia that temporarily passed from Ottoman into Austrian hands after the Treaty of Passarowitz (171😎 and was ceded back to the Ottomans with the Treaty of Belgrade (1739) (see Arnold Paole - Background for more details on the historical context). Blagojevich died in 1725, and his death was followed by a spate of other sudden deaths (after very short maladies, reportedly of about 24 hours each). Within eight days, nine persons perished. On their death-beds, the victims allegedly claimed to have been throttled by Blagojevich at night. Furthermore, Blagojevich's wife stated that he had visited her and asked her for his opanci (shoes); she then moved to another village for safety reasons. In other legends, it is said that Blagojevich came back to his house demanding food from his son and, when the son refused, Blagojevich brutally murdered him, probably via biting and drinking his blood. The villagers decided to disinter the body and examine it for signs of vampirism, such as growing hair, beard and nails, and the absence of decomposition.

The inhabitants of Kisilova demanded that Kameralprovisor Frombald, along with the local priest, should be present at the procedure as a representative of the administration. Frombald tried to convince them that permission from the Austrian authorities in Belgrade should be sought first. The locals declined because they feared that by the time the permission came, the whole community could be exterminated by the vampire, which they claimed had already happened "in Turkish times" (i.e. when the village was still in the Ottoman-controlled part of Serbia). They demanded that Frombald himself should immediately permit the procedure or else they would abandon the village to save their lives. Frombald was forced to consent.

Together with the Veliko Gradište priest, he viewed the already exhumed body and was astonished to find that the characteristics associated with vampires in local belief were indeed present. The body was undecomposed, the hair and beard were grown, there were "new skin and nails" (while the old ones had peeled away), and blood could be seen in the mouth.After that, the people, who "grew more outraged than distressed", proceeded to stake the body through the heart, which caused a great amount of "completely fresh" blood to flow through the ears and mouth of the corpse. Finally, the body was burned. Frombald concludes his report on the case with the request that, in case these actions were found to be wrong, he should not be blamed for them, as the villagers were "beside themselves with fear". The authorities apparently did not consider it necessary to take any measures regarding the incident.




The report on this event was among the first documented testimonies about vampire beliefs in Eastern Europe. It was published by Wienerisches Diarium, a Viennese newspaper, today known as Die Wiener Zeitung. Along with the report of the very similar Arnold Paole case of 1726-1732, it was widely translated West and North, contributing to the vampire craze of the eighteenth century in Germany, France and England. The strange phenomena or appearances that the Austrian officials witnessed are now known to accompany the natural process of the decomposition of the body.

In De masticatione mortuorum in tumulis (1725), Michaël Ranft attempted to explain folk beliefs in vampires. He writes that, in the event of the death of every villager, some other person or people—most likely a person related to the first dead—who saw or touched the corpse, would eventually die either of some disease related to exposure to the corpse or of a frenetic delirium caused by the panic of merely seeing the corpse. These dying people would say that the dead man had appeared to them and tortured them in many ways. The other people in the village would exhume the corpse to see what it had been doing. He gives the following explanation when talking about the case of Petar Blagojevich:

“This brave man perished by a sudden or violent death. This death, whatever it is, can provoke in the survivors the visions they had after his death. Sudden death gives rise to inquietude in the familiar circle. Inquietude has sorrow as a companion. Sorrow brings melancholy. Melancholy engenders restless nights and tormenting dreams. These dreams enfeeble body and spirit until illness overcomes and, eventually, death.”



Despite the fact that us Romanians are famous for vampires, we have to give credit to Serbians for well and truly establishing the modern version of the myth.









Top 5 visited places by tourists


Belgrade







Belgrade, Serbia’s capital and largest city, wasn’t always the pretty city it is today. Located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, Belgrade has a destructive past: It was fought over in 115 wars and burned 44 times. Today, the city is more peaceful, hosting numerous events ranging from book fairs to music, film and beer festivals. The Belgrade Fortress (4th and 5th images) is the city‘s most famous historic site with museums and churches. It’s also a good place to view the rivers and the city itself. Top museums include the National Museum (6th image), with more than 400,000 exhibits, and the Nikola Tesla Museum, with thousands of the inventors’ personal items and documents.


Zlatibor







Zlatibor is a popular tourist destination in the mountains of western Serbia. It’s filled with facilities to keep you happy and healthy, from skiing in the winter to hiking in the summer. A ski resort is located at Tornik, the highest mountain at Zlatibor; runs are capable of handling 5,400 skiers an hour. The region is very scenic, with large meadows and quaint historic villages. Old Wooden churches and an open air museum filled withhold houses are top attractions. After a day spent exploring the region, savor the flavors here of Zlatiborian prsuta, a dried meat, and slivovica, a plum brandy.





Subotica






Subotica, the country’s fifth largest city, is one of the best places to visit in Serbia for at least a couple of reasons: It has the highest Catholic population and the most art nouveau buildings of anywhere else in the country. Of particular note are the city hall and the synagogue (1st image), both built in the early 1900s. But this city, which predates the Middle Ages, also is known for its older buildings, including the Cathedral of St. Theresa of Avila (4th image), built in 1797. Cafes around the main square, home to city hall and its blue fountain, are a good place to relax, perhaps admiring purchases from Buvljak, one of the largest flea markets in Europe.


Kopaonik Nataional Park


Kopaonik is the highest mountain in Serbia, becoming a national park in 1981. Rugged and scenic, the park is home to Serbia’s main ski resort, with 25 lifts that can handle 32,000 skiers an hour; the snow lasts from November to May. It’s a great place to hike in the summer, with an extensive array of flora and fauna. The mountain also is known for its mineral wealth, with gold, silver, iron and zinc mined here in the past. The park also sports unique rock formations, many of which have names; hot springs; geysers and waterfalls.


Novi Sad


Novi Sad is a pretty city on the banks of the Danube River, home to one of the river’s best beaches. A young city by European standards (it was founded in the late 17th century), Serbia’s second largest city sports a laid-back atmosphere, with people relaxing in the many parks. It’s most famous, perhaps, for its annual Exit music festival held in July at Petrovaradin, an old fortress that’s never been conquered. Notable buildings include the old town hall, located on the main square; Dvorac Dundjerski, a well-preserved old castle, and Church of the Great Martyr St. George, a Serbian orthodox church.






Top 3 locations suggested by the locals



Rafting on Serbia’s rivers





Serbia’s geography gives rise to many rafting opportunities, with plenty of rivers being situated in canyons. These offer both a gorgeous view and a good challenge for those looking for it. Many people raft on rivers such as Lim,Ibar and Drina, with some even rafting on the Danube.



Ruins of Viminacium






Viminacium was a major Roman city dating back to the 1st century AD, believed to have reached a peak population of 40,000.It was devastated by the Huns, rebuilt by Emperor Justinian and then almost eradicated by the arrival of the Slavs.Today, the archaeological site occupies a total of 450 hectares (1,100 acres), and contains remains of temples, streets, squares, amphitheatres, palaces, hippodromes and Roman baths.

Drvengrad

Drvengrad is a traditional village built be Serbian film director Emir Kusturica for his film Life is a Miracle.The streets in the village bear the names of various individuals that Kusturica holds in high esteem or finds to be personally significant: Nikola Tesla, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Diego Maradona, Miodrag Petrović Čkalja, Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, Joe Strummer, Novak Đoković and of course, Ivo Andrić, after whom the main street is named.






Inventions Serbia gave to the world!

*Hair clipper!
*Nikola Bizumić,late 19th century.



*Loading coil!
*Mihajlo Pupin,1899.



*WebGL!
*Vladimir Vukićević,2011.



*Alternating current!
*Nikola Tesla,1888.



*Tesla coil!
*Nikola Tesla,1891.











Famous people from Serbia

Nikola Tesla - Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist who is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.This renowned genius of the 20th century is responsible for many discoveries and inventions. Some of the most famous ones are the first hydroelectric power plant, alternating current, the induction motor, the system for the production and distribution of electricity and over 700 other patents.

(1856-1943)

Novak Djokovic - Serbian professional tennis player.Djokovic is the first Serbian player to be ranked No. 1 by the ATP and the first male player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title. Djokovic has won numerous awards, including the 2012, 2015, and 2016 Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year, 2011 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, five-time ITF World Champion, and four-time ATP year-end number 1.

(born 1987)

Emir Kusturica - Serbian filmmaker, actor and musician. He has been recognized for several internationally acclaimed feature films, as well as his projects in town-building. He has competed at the Cannes Film Festival on five occasions and won the Palme d'Or twice (for When Father Was Away on Business and Underground), as well as the Best Director prize for Time of the Gypsies.

(born 1954)

Nemanja Vidić - Serbian retired professional footballer. He was part of the Serbia national team from 2002 to 2011.After establishing himself at Red Star Belgrade during the early 2000s, Vidić moved to Spartak Moscow in the summer of 2004. He further garnered breakout attention when he was part of the "Famous Four" Serbian national team defense that conceded just one goal during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, prompting a £7 million transfer to Manchester United in January 2006. Vidić then established a prominent defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand the following season, earning a reputation as one of the world's best centre-backs, due to his defensive consistency and awareness, as well as his strength, leadership, and ability in the air.

(born 1981)

Vlade Divac - Serbian professional basketball executive and former player.Divac spent most of his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). At 2.16m, he played center and was known for his passing skills. He was among the first group of European basketball players to transfer to the NBA in the late 1980s and was named one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors. He is one of seven players in NBA history to record 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots.

(born 1968)








Traditional food


Leskovački roštilj






The thing for which Leskovac is famous for is Leskovac barbecue, made from a special beef and spice mixture. The original recipe is kept secret, and still hasn’t left the city.
Leskovac barbecue has been prepared the same way for the last half of the century and it is made of pure beef. It is very important to let the meat stand for 48 hours, after which it should be seasoned with salt and left for another 24 hours before it’s ready for the grill.
Even if the secret has not left the city, Serbs across the country know how to make excellent BBQ. Usually on the grill, you can see chickens, lots and lots of pork neck, at least a kilo of cevapi (finger-sized sausage), and the traditional Serbian BBQ sausage.

The best dishes of Serbian BBQ are: Pljeskavica(a patty of meat, like a burger), Ćevapčići(similar to Romanian mici), Vešalica(pork loin), Ražnjići(skewers),and Kobasice(sausages).

Karađorđeva šnicla



Karađorđe's schnitzel is a Serbian breaded cutlet dish named after the Serbian Prince Karađorđe. It is a rolled veal or pork steak, stuffed with kajmak, and then breaded and fried. It is served with roasted potatoes and tartar sauce

Sarma



The tried and true power food of Southeastern Europe.Cabbage leaves rolled around a stuffing made of meat,rice and other spices.There are so many individual variations to this recipe that you can adapt it to anyone’s taste.

Punjene paprike



A close relative to sarma, these are stuffed bell peppers.Same idea, different coating.

Đuveč



This dish, similar to French ratatouille, is common to Romania,Turkey and all the Balkan countries.It is essentially an oven baked meat and vegetable stew.



Traditional desserts

Vasa’s cake



A cake whose recipe supposedly dates back from 1908. It is characterised by one crust layer and 2 different cream layers above it.

Reforma cake



Rich, many-layered walnut sponge cake with creamy chocolate filling.

Plazma cake



Despite the name, this cake doesn’t use actual plasma. I know, I am disappointed as well.Instead, it uses crushed up Plazma biscuits which were common throughout Yugoslavia, and thus, throughout Serbia as well.



Traditional drinks

Rakija



Another drink characteristic of much of Southeastern Europe,rakija is fruit brandy, made from whatever fruit you desire, though plums are by far the most common in many countries, and it thus gets its own name.For instance, plum rakija is called Šljivovica in Serbia.

Klekovača



While rakija is brandy, this one is similar to gin, and is made with juniper berries.

Wine



Serbia also has a good selection of wines, one of the most famous ones being Bermet.






Interesting facts about Serbia


1.Did you know that Serbia is the place of the highest number of Roman emperors born in one country? Yes, 18 Roman rulers were born in this country and it accounts for a fifth of all Roman emperors.
2.Did you know the first vampire was not Dracula? Yes, Dracula was not the first. The first vampire in the world who was also extensively written about in the Austrian press in 1725 was Petar Blagojević. In fact, the word vampire was derived from the Serbian word, Vampir.
3.Do you love raspberries? Serbia is the largest exporter of raspberries in the world. It contributes 30% of all raspberries to the international market.
4.Serbian people are very brave, which they proved back in 1918. At that time, their army broke the Thessaloniki front in a mere 18 days. Other armies, including the British, Italian, Greek and French, also attempted the task, but were not able to do it, even in months.
5. Europe’s largest gorge is the Đerdap Gorge and it is situated in Eastern Serbia. In Western Serbia, however, stands the second deepest canyon in Europe – the Drina river canyon.
6.The very first video transmission between North America and Europe that took place in 1963 featured “the White Angel” fresco from the Mileševa monastery in Serbia.
7.13 Serbs worked on the NASA’s Apolo project. Also, one of the founders of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration agency was a Serb named Mihajlo Pupin.
8.The Church of Saint Sava is the not only the largest Serbian Orthodox church, it is the largest Orthodox place of worship in the Balkans and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world.
9.Belgrade is one of the oldest cities in Europe, with excavations confirming that the settlements continuously existed here for at least 7000 years. Not far from Belgrade center, at the outskirts of the city, one can find remnants of two of the most prominent cultures in Bronze Age – Vinča and Starčevo cultures. These cities were pioneers in trade throughout Europe and Middle East, and their potential was in trade with vulcanic glass – obsidian.
10.It is not only a proverb – according to the international polls, Serbs are statistically the most hospitable nation in the world. This custom is highly implemented in their legacy, and can be traced to the ancient Slavic belief that the host wouldn’t gain any favor of gods if he didn’t show hospitality to a guest.






My 5 words when I hear about Serbia:
#Belgrade,#Yugoslavia,#Pljeskavica,#Djokovic,#RemoveKebab

What are your 5?





Special thanks to Slijivo and Marcus Nerva Traianus!
And I leave with you some Serbian memes:







Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!

We have reached the halfway point of this series!



Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 37/74!







P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !