History

Belgrade, a city of very tumultuous history, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Its history lasts full 7,000 years. The area around two great rivers, the Sava and the Danube has been inhabited as early as palaeolithic period. Remains of human bones and skulls of Neanderthals, found in the stone-pit near Leštane, in a cave in Čukarica and near the Bajloni market, date back to the early Stone Age.

Remains of the late Stone Age culture have been found in Vinča, Žarkovo and in Upper Town, above the Sava and Dunav confluence. It indicates that the area of Belgrade has been continually inhabited and that the intensity of the settling has been getting higher and higher. Many of today's settlements in Belgrade surroundings lie on cultural layers of earlier prehistoric settlements.

Vinča near Belgrade comes among the most important settlements and cultural sites of the prehistoric period. The presence of Illyrians is characteristic for the Bronze Age. The archaeological excavations at Rospi Ćuprija, Upper Town, Karaburma, Zemun and Vinča confirm hypotheses that the Belgrade area has been intensively inhabited and that its population has been engaged in plough agriculture and other supporting economic activities. Necropolises of the Bronze and Metal Ages as well as the evidence of different cultural influences have been discovered at these locations.