Belgrade as the Fourth Rome

If Constantinople was the second Rome (since 324), Moscow the third one (since1453), Belgrade is to be considered the fourth Rome since the Russian White Armyforced migration to the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenians in 1922-24). More than 50.000 noble Russians settled here and brought a boost to sciences, finearts, architecture, healthcare, ballet, etc. During the interbellic period, hundreds of educated noble-class architects, physicians, artists made a difference in Belgrade. State institutions building were built by Russian architects, half of the Belgrade University professors were Russians, the Ballet ensemble was founded by Russian artists…

The last Russian czarist government in exile was shaped up here, under the leadership of Baron Nikolay Vrangel, Commander of the remaining Czarist troops cast after the Civil war out of Russia. Vrangel upon his death was buried in the Russian Holy Trinity church built in one of the central Belgarde parks – Tašmajdan.

For most of the 20 th century Belgrade has been the capital of Yugoslavia, a state of about 23 million population, a 73-years-long historically failed attempt of the Southern Slavs to live together in one state, while mixing three faiths and several levels of development among their administrative units. Now being capital of a state of 7 to 9 million population, Belgrade (with its two-million population) is still a unique metropolis in the Western Balkans, destined to be the place where the blooming European West meets the remains of the once predominant Oriental East.