Bureau Savamala Belgrade

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Projects of urban Incubator Belgrade
Old Kafanas in Savamala
Nina Todorović / Predrag Terzić
The term kafana denotes a public house where coffee is prepared and served, literally
a coffee house. The word is a corruption of the Turkish kahvehane, itself a compound
of the Arabic qahve (coffee) and the Persian khane (house). Unlike other inns and
taverns, which were located outside the walls of cities and offered room and board,
kafanas were located exclusively within the cities themselves and, along with coffee,
also served food and other beverages. The concept of the kafana was a gathering place
where men could go for a coffee or a drink and, spread by the Ottoman Empire,
it was widely adopted throughout the Balkans. In this region the kafana became a
by-word for a certain kind of lifestyle; often full of stereotypes, it was a refuge for
unfortunate lovers to drown their sorrows, for disgruntled husbands looking to get
away from their wives, and it was an office for politicians and businessmen to make,
sometimes shady, deals. Kafana culture represented a hedonistic spirit, a slower pace
to life, a penchant for vice, but it also played a very important part in the cultural
life of Balkan cities. The first kafana opened in Belgrade in 1552, and they were written
about again in 1738 as segregated hospitality establishments, with Muslims and
Christians each having their own kafanas. Following a decree by Miloš Obrenović in
1826, allowing the sale of alcohol and introducing a property tax, kafanas blossomed
and began to leave their mark on the character of the city. This was especially true in
Savamala which, located on the banks of the Sava, was a quintessential borderland