When did taverns become popular in Serbia?

From the time the very first tavern was opened in Dorcol in 1521. until today, Serbia has experienced the real bohemian epidemic. At the beginning of the twentieth century Belgrade had a lot of taverns. According to the census from 1861. Terazijski quartet had even 64 taverns, while Savski quartet had 43. At one point only around Republic Square there were 16 taverns

Rafts are also nothing new

It is recorded that there were many clubs on ships on the river Sava. In that time the most popular music that you could hear playing on those rafts was jazz. Nowadays everything is pretty much the same, only music is different.

In 1930. Belgrade had stunning 3.622 taverns and innkeeper guild was the most numerous. Since there was a huge number of pubs in that time, each tavern had to make a plan how to attract customers. Some of many places people visited when they were looking for party were "Pivni izvor", "Bosfor", "Dardaneli", "English queen" and "Russian emperor", "Earthquake" or "Black cat".

Kafana , Foto: www.politikin-zabavnik.co.rs

A few former tavern owners were probably in love with astronomy so they gave names such as "Hake star", "Halley's comet" or "Astronomical tower" to their pubs.

Foto: www.staribeograd.com

The power of spite

During the time when Serbia was under the influence of the Ottoman Empire, taverns had an obligation to light lanterns in front of locals. Serbs respected that rule but Turks were still not satisfied. That is how the Belgrade town manager wrote a testament, kissed his wife and went to tavern to try to solve the problem. The battle happened that day but nothing was solved. Eventually, Turks have given up trying to sustain order in the taverns.

Tavern was everyone's destiny

Kafana , Foto: www.staribeograd.com
In pubs were also held theater plays and concerts, while many of the taverns were also redactions and newsroom. Nowadays everything is a little bit changed. There are many differences between former taverns and those we have today. Many of the old Serbian taverns no longer exist, but those which have sustained are completely confusing for modern flows. That is how one tavern in the Krunska Street holds the craziest secret of Belgrade.