Topčider Park and Prince Miloš's Residence

Topčider Park and Prince Miloš's Residence lie along Topčiderski put in the Savski Venac municipality of Belgrade, Serbia, in a wooded valley south of the city centre. The name comes from the Turkish word for cannon-maker, topçu, referring to an Ottoman gun foundry that once stood here. After the Second Serbian Uprising of 1815, Prince Miloš Obrenović chose the valley as his base and had a residence built between 1831 and 1834 as the court of the Principality of Serbia. The house is a good example of Balkan architecture of that period, with an upper floor reached from an external porch, a central hall and rooms arranged around it, and it blends Ottoman and Central European elements. Today it is a branch of the Museum of the City of Belgrade and shows furniture, portraits and household objects of the period. Nearby stands the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, built in 1834 by Prince Miloš, which was used for the court and where the Obrenović family held ceremonies. The surrounding park was laid out in the 19th century and has old trees, lawns and walking paths along the Topčider stream, and in the 20th century it also included the Royal residence of the Karađorđević dynasty and a royal pavilion. Parts of the original Obrenović estate and the Topčider Hill form a protected cultural landscape. The Topčider railway station and the horse racecourse are close. Visitors often combine the residence with a walk through the park and a visit to the neighbouring hilltop of Rakovica. The park is free, and the residence has set opening hours. A full visit takes around one to two hours.