Beograd večiti grad na engleskom ( Belgrade: the Eternal City )

Još od praskozorija ljudske civilizacije, ušće dve velike evropske reke je bilo dom za svakakve skitačke narode - od Kelta što tu sagradiše tvrđavu belih zidina, preko Rimljana, Huna, Slovena, Avara i Turaka, Beograd je mnogo puta menjao države, gospodare,stanovnike i imena - nekada je bio Singidunum, Albo Greca, Lándorfejérvár, Dar al Jihad (tvrđava džihada), ali ga danas svi znaju kao Beograd - beli grad, ponosna prestonica Srbije. Mnogo puta razrušen tokom istorijskih kataklizmi i silnih osvajanja, svaki put bi se uzdigao iz šuta i pepela, potvrđujući još jednom da to jeste večiti grad koji ljudsko zlo ne može sravniti.

Kao takav, Beograd krije mnoge tajne - tamo gde su nekada bila groblja sada su parkovi, tržni centri stoje nad drevnim katakombama i beogradskim misterijama; nekadašnja kapija ove pogranične tvrđave je danas glavni trg Beograda!

I zaista, o Beogradu nekada se može pisati do iznemoglosti, ali prave bisere istorije je uvek najteže naći - prvo se mora polomiti okamenjena školjka ljudskog zaborava, pre nego što se tajne večitog grada ponovo osunčaju pred radoznalim pogledima. U tome, autor je u potpunosti uspeo - ova gradska monografija obuhvata sve tajne Beograda koje leže duboko u crnoj zemlji, skrivene među oljuštenim fasadama dorćolskih kuća, zatajene među nemim kipovima savamalskih vila i rezidencija. I ne samo to! Beograd je grad života, svetlosti, toplih letnjih dana i blistavih zimskih noći. To je grad druženja, zabave, hrane i pića i pre svega, ljudi, onih koji taj grad i čine takvim kakav jeste.

Ova knjiga je sve to obuhvatila i predstavila, pa ne treba da čudi njena velika popularnost, kako među beogradskim starosedeocima, tako i među razdraganim gostima. Upravo iz tog razloga, pred nama je novo, na engleski prevedeno izdanje, idealan poklon i suvenir za svakoga ko u Beograd dođe i koji delić tog grada želi sa sobom da ponese. Ako imate goste iz inostranstva, prijatelje koje želite upoznati sa svom bogatom istorijom Beograda, ovo je prava knjiga za njih!

***

Since the dawn of human civilization, confluence of two great European rivers was a home for many wandering tribes and nations – Celtic warriors builded a fortress made of white rocks, and since than, Romans, Huns, Slavs, Avars and Turks claimed this territory for centuries. The city changed name many times – Singidunum, Albo Greca, Lándorfejérvár, Dar al Jihad (fortress of Jihad), but today, we know it as Belgrade – white city, proud capital of Serbia. It was raised to the ground for hundred times, but every time it would rise from dust and ashes, claiming it’s title od eternal city.
Belgrade hides many secrets – places of old graveyards are now city parks, shopping malls stand above dark catacombs and Belgrade mysteries; the place where the entrance gate of this border fortress once stood, now is the main square!
Because of that, there is a lot of things you could write about Belgrade, but real pearls of history are always hardest to find – you have to crack stone shell of human oblivion, before you can bring back to light old mysteries. Writer of this book accomplished this hard task – this book is revealing secrets that are buried deep underground, hidden in the cracked front of the houses in the old city, camouflaged in the silent monuments and old mansions of the shipyard district. And not just that! Belgrade is the city of life, light, movement, city of long summer days and sparkling winter nights. it is the place for friendship, fun, drink, good food and, above all, great people, who are the soul of this place.
If you are visiting Belgrade for the first time or you are already experienced visitor, and if you want some special souvenir to bring back home, this book is for you! Since it became very popular among Serbian readers, next logical step was to translate it – since we believe that many visitor will be interested to discover hidden secrets of eternal city, and bring back home part of the atmosphere of Belgrade with them!