Blokovi

When construction of New Belgrade began in 1948, the area designed for the future urban expansion was divided in 72 blocks (with several sub-blocks, like 8-a, 9-a, 9-b, 70-a, etc., and some numbers are missing).

Not having any specific name like most other parts of the newly built New Belgrade, over time, this area became colloquially known simply as Blokovi ('Blocks').

The neighborhood is known for its two rows of over one hundred residential buildings, especially blocks 45 and 70 with original setup of two sets of 21 (totalling 42) identical four and two-story buildings close to the river, with large playgrounds in between, and two sets of over 40 (totalling 80) similar red brick skyscrapers close to the Jurija Gagarina street.

As streams in the upper watershed flow through the numerous settlements, farms, industrial and artisan complexes and warehouses, wastewater pollutes Galovica.

In addition, various smaller drainage canals also pollute the Galovica, which then empties large amounts of untreated sanitary and technological wastewater into the Sava.

[9] The complete urban arrangement of the block continued in the next several years: green areas (trees, lawns), promenades, school, kindergarten, etc.

As the continuation of the Omladinskih Brigada Street in Block 70, it will connect New Belgrade with the island of Ada Ciganlija across the Sava.

[25] City organized the design competition only in November 2023, giving a deadline of 765 days just for the completion of all permits and paperwork.

[27] New mayor Aleksandar Šapić, however, stated in July 2022 that the riverine public transportation project will not be pursued further, calling it too expensive and "pointless".

[28][29] The neighborhood is known for numerous splavovi (singular splav), barges adapted into cafés, clubs and restaurants along the Sava Quay.

Also, in phase two, the surrounding area of 2 hectares (4.9 acres) was to be arranged with covered pools, bowling alleys, ice rink and other sport facilities.

Despite quite strong public campaign for several years how Belgrade will get aqua park, which was supposed to be an investment of €15 million, “due to the financial problems”, the project was scrapped in 2010.

[6] Gondola lift In 1922 company "Čavlina and Sladoljev" from Zagreb drafted the project of connecting two banks of the Sava river by the cable car.

In 1928, building company "Šumadija" again proposed the construction of the cable car, which they called "air tram" but this project was planned to connect Zemun to Kalemegdan on Belgrade Fortress, via Great War Island.

Engineer and CEO of the Yugoslav institute for urbanism and dwelling "Juginus", Mirko Radovanac, revived the idea in the 1990s.

After conducting extensive surveys (traffic analysis, interviews with the commuters, climatic, geological, urban and other researches), "Juginus" presented the project in 1993.

Stops in between would include the major public transportation roundabout in Banovo Brdo, Makiš and Ada Ciganlija, five in total.

The plan also included construction of commercial areas around the terminuses, which would cover 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft) and help with the profitability of the project.

The cabins were projected to receive not just the commuters, but also the bicycles, skateboards, sledges and skis, as the cableway was planned to work year-round.

The project was then included in the Belgrade's General Regulatory Plan in December 2021, composed of two phases: New Belgrade-Ada Ciganlija-Makiš, and Makiš-Banovo Brdo-Košutnjak.

It has a proper rectangular shape and is bounded by the streets of Dušana Vukasovića on the west, Japanska on the north and Evropska on the south.

[38] It was named in honor of the park in the Belgrade street in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires,[39] Plazoleta Andrés Chazarreta.

[41] At the roundabout on the corner of Vojvođanska, Surčinska, Vinogradska and Dr Ivana Ribara streets, an obelisk was erected in 2012 to celebrate the 500 years of the first mention of Bežanija.

[38] Construction of the 7.9 km (4.9 mi) long, New Belgrade's direct connection to the Obrenovac-Surčin Bridge and Miloš the Great Motorway began on 31 March 2021, starting from the roundabout.

[44] In October 2019, city announced that the complex, with the surrounding area (total of 72.7 ha (180 acres)), is planned for the residential-commercial neighborhood with buildings up to 12 floors and the possibility of settling 18,000 new residents.

[45] The problem makes the land directly occupied by the former factory as the soil is contaminated after the decades long engine and tractors production.

[48] Due to the major changes in the boundaries of the local communities in parts of New Belgrade, at the census of 2011, combined population was 79,310 (Bežanija 39,418, Sava 39,892).

It is also considered as a healthy and a quiet place to live in as it has a lot of green areas, sports terrains and also a bicycle trail alongside the river.

On the other hand, the officer blocks, and their grayness and drabness have earned Blokovi the reputation of some sort of urban ghetto during the 90s.

The well-known Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba has made a song with the title Neću da živim u Bloku 65 ("I don't want to live in Block 65"), which can be found on the CD Buvlja pijaca released in 1982.

Aerial view of Block 45, c. 1975
Blok 38 - around Ratko Mitrović primary school
Gandhi street between Blok 44 and Blok 70
Map of Local communities in New Belgrade
Bežanijski blokovi