Monument to the Unknown Hero, Avala

The Monument to the Unknown Hero stands on the summit of Avala mountain, south of the city, in the Voždovac area of Belgrade, Serbia. It was designed by the Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic and built between 1934 and 1938 on the site of the old Žrnov fortress, which the Ottomans had destroyed. The site was chosen because Avala was already a place of memory for fighting in the First World War, and the bones of an unidentified soldier were placed in the tomb, giving the memorial its name. Mestrovic built it as a monumental granite mausoleum in a severe style, approached by a wide stairway, with a large rectangular base and eight female figures, caryatids, in black granite, representing the nations of Yugoslavia, around the entrance. The material is dark polished granite and sandstone, and the whole composition stands on a hill above the surrounding forest, at a height that makes it visible from some distance. The monument is on the site of a larger memorial complex, and the Avala TV Tower, rebuilt in 2010 after its destruction in 1999, is close by. The memorial has been maintained by the city authorities, and some restoration of the stonework and stairs has taken place. It is free to visit at any hour. The approach is by road from the centre of Belgrade, about 16 kilometres, and the area around the monument has forest paths and viewpoints over the Šumadija landscape. The visit is short, about 30 minutes, though it is often combined with the TV tower and a walk in the Avala woods. The setting is quiet and the monument is a good place to reflect on the First World War in Serbia.