Famous Fountains

 

The first public drinking fountains had been constructed along the route of the Roman aqueduct in ancient times and, as of the 15th century, they became genuine sculptural works, such as the Vizier’s drinking fountain constructed on the order of Mehmed Pasha Sokolović on Kalemegdan in 1576. Drinking fountains were also constructed along the route of the Bulbulderski waterworks, which stretched from the present-day Gradska (City) Hospital to Kalemegdan and ran parallel with the namesake creek. Only along this route there were 18 drinking fountains in the 19th century, out of which the most popular are: Čukur, Saka, and Skadarska drinking fountains.

Among the oldest drinking fountains there was also the Delijska drinking fountain, which was mentioned way back in the 17th century. On its place, already at the beginning of Knez Mihailova Street at the time, another drinking fountain was constructed in 1843, but its name remained the same. It was knocked down in 1889. When Knez Mihailova Street was reconstructed in 1987, another drinking fountain was constructed, which resembles the previous one.

 

TERAZIJE FOUNTAIN

Author: FRANC LORAN, kamenorezac

At Terazije, in front of the "Moskva" Hotel, made of stone, with a metal vase on its top, total height about 800 cm. Raised in 1860.

It represents one of the most important Belgrade monuments of the XIX century. During the works on regulation of Terazije in 1911-1912 it was moved to Topčider. It has remained there until 1976, when it was brought back to its original location.

 

ČUKUR FOUNTAIN
Author: SIMEON ROKSANDIĆ

In Dobračina Street, bronze, total height 149 cm. Raised in 1931.

At this former well, on June 3, 1862, a Turkish soldier (nizam) hit a Serb boy, apprentice Sava, because he protested when the Turk put Sava's jug aside. A group of Serbs encircled the Turkish soldiers who were at the well, but the dragoman (interpreter) of the Serbian police and the terjuman (mediator between the Serbs and Turkish authorities) took the Turks away from that place. Nevertheless, in front of the police building, the Turks killed the Serbian terjuman Sima Nešić and the gendarme Đorđe Nišlija. These events led to bloody disputes between the Belgrade Serbs and the Turks, and were an excuse for the bombardment of Belgrade by the Turks made on June 5, 1862. In memory to these events, a monument with statue of a boy was raised at that place, with the resources provided by the Endowment of the merchant Toma Vanđel.