Abstract
The Great War Island (Veliko ratno ostrvo) located in the Sava-Danube
confluence, at the foot of the Belgrade Fortress, has been both a witness
of and a participant in the city’s long history. From this island, Belgrade
was both defended and attacked for centuries. At least since its first
appearance on a map, the island’s potential as a base for infrastructure
has been realised and imagined. Examples range from the Ottoman-era
mosque, settlements and allotments; to modern plans for a cable car
station, a bridge and a sport centre.
However, the silt and the rich verdant flora of the island has, at times,
been a disruptor of the increasingly outlandish infrastructural ideas. The
island is also a multifaceted entity on its own terms, and a thriving more-
than-human ecotope. As a fluvial island, it grew in size over time to more
than 200 hectars. Despite its position at the centre of the ever-turbulent
city, it is one of the biggest urban bird habitats in Europe, with over sixty
nesting species, and more than one-hundred species present during the
migration season. It is home to rare orchids and other plants, alongside
rich fauna—from rare pigmy bats to wild boars. The island is officially
protected as an area of special natural features. Despite this, in early
2021, Belgrade’s city management initiated research for new water
sources on the island. Plans to build a network of Ranney collector wells
were met by appeals from both water resource engineers and ecologists
alike.
Applying a place-based approach, this essay examines The Great War
Island in its precarious dual position: of an urban oasis and of a target of
the post-socialist, wild capitalist sweep of infrastructural development.
This approach draws on ethnographic research, local press, urban
anecdotes, and work of local historians and activists.
confluence, at the foot of the Belgrade Fortress, has been both a witness
of and a participant in the city’s long history. From this island, Belgrade
was both defended and attacked for centuries. At least since its first
appearance on a map, the island’s potential as a base for infrastructure
has been realised and imagined. Examples range from the Ottoman-era
mosque, settlements and allotments; to modern plans for a cable car
station, a bridge and a sport centre.
However, the silt and the rich verdant flora of the island has, at times,
been a disruptor of the increasingly outlandish infrastructural ideas. The
island is also a multifaceted entity on its own terms, and a thriving more-
than-human ecotope. As a fluvial island, it grew in size over time to more
than 200 hectars. Despite its position at the centre of the ever-turbulent
city, it is one of the biggest urban bird habitats in Europe, with over sixty
nesting species, and more than one-hundred species present during the
migration season. It is home to rare orchids and other plants, alongside
rich fauna—from rare pigmy bats to wild boars. The island is officially
protected as an area of special natural features. Despite this, in early
2021, Belgrade’s city management initiated research for new water
sources on the island. Plans to build a network of Ranney collector wells
were met by appeals from both water resource engineers and ecologists
alike.
Applying a place-based approach, this essay examines The Great War
Island in its precarious dual position: of an urban oasis and of a target of
the post-socialist, wild capitalist sweep of infrastructural development.
This approach draws on ethnographic research, local press, urban
anecdotes, and work of local historians and activists.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Flowing Progress |
| Subtitle of host publication | Transforming the Danube Through Infrastructure |
| Editors | Stefan Dorondel, Luminita Gatejel |
| Pages | 243-266 |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Aug 2025 |
Keywords
- Danube River history
- infrastructure
- Central European Studies
