Serbia history
Serbia has been in existence since before the time of Alexander the Great. In fact, it was originally founded in 1170 AD, but from the 1400s onwards, the country was ruled by the Ottoman Empire. The Turks ruled Serbia for more than 400 years, until the 19th Century, when the Serbs began to fight for independence.
19th century
The first National Uprising broke out in 1804 and by 1807 the rebels had succeeded in gaining independence with assistance from Russia. But when the Russians made peace with the Turks in 1812, the Serbian rebellion collapsed. Three years later a second rebellion broke out, called the Second National Uprising and this time the Turks gave Serbia a certain amount of autonomy. Serbia eventually became independent in 1878.
Quick fact!
In 274 AD, Constantine the Great, the Roman Emperor was born in the Serbian city of Nis.
1914 – 1945
During the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian army took over Serbia and after the war, Serbia along with the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo province, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia and Vojvodina, formed the Serb Kingdom of the Serbs. This became the country of Yugoslavia in 1929 under King Aleksander – it was a federation of six republics. However, there were clashes between the Serbs and the Croats and the king was assassinated in 1934. Also, Communism was growing in the country.
In 1941 Yugoslavia joined the fascist Tripartite Alliance but this did not last long, and the country withdrew from the alliance after a military coup. As a result, Germany bombed the city of Belgrade and invaded Yugoslavia. Germany controlled most of the country, while Hungary took over the northern part of Serbia. However, in 1944, the Russians helped the guerillas liberate Belgrade. A year later, the country’s monarchy was abolished and a federal Communist republic was formed which included Serbia and the provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina.
Quick fact!
The Serbian clock-making industry is even older than the world-famous Swiss one. The Serbs had their own clock 600 years before the Swiss did.
1948 – present
Yugoslavia only became completely independent in 1948 when Tito and Stalin split. However, Yugoslavia’s independence was short-lived. During the 1970s and 1980s, the various national groups in the country started clashing and between 1991 and 1992 the country collapsed. Parts of Yugoslavia broke away from Serbia and became independent and eventually all that was left were Serbia and Montenegro. Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina then experienced civil wars. The Serbs, who opposed independence, fought the Croatians and the Bosnians, who were in favour of independence.
In 1992 the United Nations imposed sanctions on Serbia for assisting Serb fighters during those civil wars. This resulted in a cease-fire in Croatia in 1992 and in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995. As a result, all the remaining sanctions against Serbia were lifted.
By 2000 the fighting was over and two years later, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro began talks to loosen their ties. In 2003 they formed a federation called Serbia and Montenegro and three years later a referendum was held, where the citizens of both Serbia and Montenegro voted to separate from each other. Shortly after, both Montenegro and Serbia declared independence. Serbia suffered terribly during the recession of 2009, but has managed to recover.
Serbian language and culture
Culture of Serbia
Serbian culture was strongly influenced by the Slavic people who lived in the Balkans following the Middle Ages. Apart from the Slavic influence, the Byzantine Empire is known to have had an important contribution to the Serbian culture, as Serbs themselves used to rule over its borders in the name of the emperor.
Festivals and traditions
The Serbs believe every family has a patron saint that watches over their welfare and daily activities. Patron saints are celebrated on the saint’s feast day in the Julian calendar (Slava), the most common of which are Saint Nicholas (December 19th) and Saint John the Baptist (January 20th).
The Guča Trumpet festival is probably the most iconic Serbian custom that celebrates the beauty of trumpet music. Although the festival itself is a relatively modern custom originating in the small town of Guča more than 150 years ago, trumpet music is representative to the Serbian culture, and Guča is also known as “the modern capital of trumpeting”.
Cuisine
The national dish Ćevapčići, consists of mixed mince meat patties, generously seasoned with a variety of spices and condiments. Almost all traditional restaurants in Serbia offer plenty of other goods on the menu, such as stuffed cabbage leaves (Sarma) and roast meat with sauerkraut (podvarak). The Serbs even have a traditional bread recipe for Christmas – be sure to ask for Česnica if you wish to try it out!
According to an old tradition, guests are to be offered a cup of fresh water and a spoonful of Slatko (rose petal or fruit preserve) when entering a Serbian household.
Sport
With three main football clubs and some of the world’s toughest basketball players, Serbia won’t disappoint sports enthusiasts. There are quite a number of stadiums to visit and sports clubs to join if you have the time; alternatively, the capital is great for jogging or cycling, especially during spring and summer.
Languages of Serbia
Serbian is the national language and is spoken by 90% of the population. Hungarian, Romanian and Slovak are also spoken in Serbia, but you will mostly find these languages in the province of Vojvodina located in the north of Serbia.
Basic Serbian words and phrases
Hello – Zdravo
Goodbye – Doviđenja
Please – Molim
Thank you – Hvala
Yes - Da
No – Ne
My name is… – Zovem se…
I don’t speak Serbian – Ne govorim srpski
Serbia weather
Serbia’s location in South Eastern Europe and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea determines its ‘Continental Climate’. This landlocked region doesn’t experience extreme fluctuations in temperature between seasons – although parts of Serbia can be quite precipitous during the hot, humid summers. Winters are reasonably cold but extremely good for skiing as the mountains are blanketed with heavy snow.
Spring in Serbia
Spring is a pleasant time to visit Serbia for its warm weather, wildlife and nature. Expect some local weather variations depending on where you visit, but average highs range from 15°C to 21°C in April and May. Spring showers are likely in May because the air is more humid. Take an umbrella or rain jacket if visiting in the latter part of the season.
Summer in Serbia
Peak tourist season in Serbia is during the summer months. July and August are warm and have less rain than June which is the wettest month of the year. Average lows in summer can hover around the mid-teens but with average highs topping the mid-20s°C lightweight clothing should make up the majority of your wardrobe.
Autumn in Serbia
A nice time to visit Serbia is in the autumn for the harvests and festivals but expect shorter days and longer nights. The season starts with average highs of 22°C; by November average lows drop to 2°C. It’s wise to be prepared with warm clothes and a coat when visiting in late autumn.
Winter in Serbia
January is the best month for skiing in Serbia as it has the most days of snow. Mountain resorts do experience temperatures below freezing; as low as -6°C in some places. Average highs off the mountains are a slightly more comfortable 3°C – 5°C. You’ll need to pack medium weight clothing and a thick overcoat for chilly weather.
Average temperatures in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis
Average rainfall in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis
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