Prehistory

The soil of Serbia hides numerous secrets. It is an inexhaustible treasure trove for curious minds looking for answers to eternal questions about the history of humankind. The wealth of the Serbian heritage testifies to the rise of the oldest civilizations, the emergence of art, the origins of literacy, and the ways that ancient peoples mastered nature and interpreted the world around them.

Antiquity

In the following pages, we will go back to the time when the territory of present-day Serbia was one of the key parts of the Roman Empire. One-fifth of all Roman Emperors were born here - the largest proportion of Roman rulers born outside present-day Italy. They left an impressive legacy representing the highest achievements of Roman architecture.

Middle Ages

Medieval Serbia had a very turbulent history; however, in the political, economic, and cultural sense, it held a prominent place in the Europe of that time. The state reached the pinnacle of its development during the reign of the Nemanjić dynasty, when numerous monasteries and developed cities arose, representing an essential feature of the Serbian national identity.

New Century

Serbia has always stood at the meeting point of two worlds, East and West. Throughout the centuries, these worlds were often in conflict, and each has left a deep mark. Traveling through the country often referred to as “the Gate of Europe,” we will observe the extensive influence of both the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Modern and Contemporary Age

The entirety of the 20th century was marked by rapid development that has changed the face of the world, as well as Serbia. Selecting works from this period, ones which will mark future epochs, is a difficult task, if not impossible. Yet there are achievements worthy of being mentioned here due to their significance and grandeur.

About the project

Dear clients, colleagues, and friends,

This is a special year for us due to the fact that Deloitte is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its presence in Serbia. Back in 1991, our office was established, and today we are proud to be recognized as the oldest and one of the leading professional services companies in the country.

These 25 years were marked by many positive initiatives and challenging projects, but our success would not have been possible without our employees, Deloitte’s most valuable asset.

The results we have achieved also reflect our clients’ success. It is their success that drives our motivation to continue providing them with comprehensive support and help to effectively achieve their business goals.

To celebrate this significant anniversary, and in appreciation of your trust and support throughout the years, it is my pleasure to present to you an internet presentation, "Serbia’s Journey Through Centuries." From the outset, we have been guided by the principle that successful business operations and social responsibility are inseparable processes for any company, and this project is yet another result of our active support to national cultural identity and the community in which we operate.

In creating this website, we aimed to provide a comprehensive illustration of Serbia’s rich cultural and historical heritage in one website, from earliest times to the modern era.

I hope you enjoy the following content and return to it over and over again.

Sincerely,
Miloš Macura
Country Leader for Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Republic of Srpska
Deloitte

Introduction

Due to its geographical location, the territory of present-day Serbia has always represented a crossroads of East and West, North and South. At this junction, different cultures succeeded one another, and numerous states and societies emerged and disappeared. To preserve the memory of their traces and contribute to a raising public awareness about the cultural assets of our nation, we have prepared a series of interesting photographs and articles depicting the wealth of the cultural and historical heritage found in the territory of today’s Serbia.

The following pages will take you on a journey through different epochs of known human history. We have selected some of the most notable monuments, sites, and objects, hoping that our selection and its presentation will spark readers’ curiosity and contribute to raising awareness about all the valuable messages conveyed by traces of the past.We also hope that this project will at least slightly contribute to the preservation of the immense wealth that our country possesses; and perhaps, too, some of the stories will motivate you to embark upon a journey, personally witnessing the magnificence of these masterpieces.

This internet presentation is divided into five chapters, arranged chronologically from prehistory to the contemporary age. We have created a selection of the culturally and historically most significant sites and objects from each era suitable for a preentation such as this. During its creation, we received generous expert assistance from the Archaeological Institute in Belgrade, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia, the National Museum in Belgrade, the Museum of Vojvodina, the Museum Unit in Odžaci, and Dragan Jovanović, MSc. In addition, we wish to express special gratitude to Dr Miomir Korać, Dr Vujadin Ivanišević, Dr Marko Popović, Dr Slaviša Perić, Dr Snežana Golubović, Dr Sofija Petković, Dr Nadežda Gavrilović Vitas, Dr Ivan Bugarski, Dr Stefan Pop Lazić, Dr Nemanja Mrđić, Dr Ivan Vranić, Dr Jelena Anđelković Grašar and Dr Svetlana Pejić.

Aleksandra Gregović
Manager, Clients & Markets

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. Please see www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/about-deloitte.html for a more detailed description of DTTL and its member firms.

In Serbia, the services are provided by Deloitte d.o.o. Beograd (jointly referred to as “Deloitte Serbia”) which is an affiliate of Deloitte Central Europe Holdings Limited. Deloitte Serbia is one of the leading professional services organizations in the country providing services in five professional areas - audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management and tax services through over 200 national and specialized expatriate professionals.

Also thanks to:

City Museum Vršac, Museum Unit in Odžaci, National Library Ćićevac, Museum Old Village, as well as tourist organizations: Bajina Bašta, Bečej, Brus, Vojvodina, Vršac, Dragačevo, Ivanjica, Kladovo, Kruševac, Niš, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje, Rekovac, Sremski Karlovci, Subotica and Užice.