Avala Tower and the Monument to the Unknown Hero

Avala is a wooded hill in the Voždovac district, about 16 km south of central Belgrade, Serbia, and its summit holds two of the city's best-known landmarks. The Avala Tower is a 205-metre telecommunications tower rebuilt in 2010 after the original was destroyed during the 1999 bombing. An observation deck near the top gives wide views over the Šumadija forest, the Sava and Danube valleys and, on clear days, the Belgrade skyline and the Vojvodina plain. A short walk away stands the Monument to the Unknown Hero, designed by Ivan Meštrović and unveiled in 1938 to honour Serbian soldiers who fell in the First World War. Its granite caryatids and the stone tomb below are set in a quiet, landscaped enclosure with a long flight of steps. Surrounding Avala Park offers shaded paths, picnic spots and cafes, and the hill is popular for weekend walks. The tower and monument are open daily from about 9:00 to 20:00 in summer, with shorter winter hours that visitors should confirm locally. The tower ticket costs roughly 400 to 500 RSD, and the monument is free. Visitors should allow two to three hours including the walk, and a taxi or ride-hailing from the centre costs around 1,500 RSD; a city bus runs from Banjica. The best photo angles are from the tower deck at sunset, and from the monument steps looking up at the figures against the sky. Crowds are largest on sunny weekend afternoons, while clear weekday mornings are calm and give the best visibility.