Belgrade Fair

The Belgrade Fair or Beogradski Sajam (Serbian Cyrillic: Београдски сајам) is a large complex of three large domes and dozen of smaller halls which are the location of the major trade fair, the capital city of Serbia. It is located in the municipality of Savski Venac, on the bank of the Sava river. One of the most recognizible landmarks of Belgrade, it is colloquially referred to only as "Sajam".

Location

Sajam is located on the Sava's right bank, in the western foothills of the Topčidersko Brdo and the neighborhood of Senjak, built on it. The Topčiderka river flows into the Sava, in the Bay of Čukarica, just south of the fair complex, while Novi Beograd and the peninsula of Mala Ciganlija are just across the Sava, which is at this point the narrowest (200 meters).

History

Originally, complex was built in 1938 in the modern neighborhood of Sajmište in Novi Beograd, across the Sava. As it was turned into the Sajmište concentration camp, it wasn't reconstructed after 1945 and a new Sajam was built on its present location in 1957. It was constructed by the architects Branko Žeželj and Milorad Pantović. Sine then, Sajmište became known as Staro Sajmište ("old trade fair").

Transportation

Area in the vicinity of the Sajam is among the busiest transportation sections of Belgrade. Entire complex is surrounded by the railways and both railway bridges over the Sava which connect old and new sections of Belgrade, are crossing the river at Sajam: old bridge, right on the northern tip, and new bridge which rises above the Sajam itself. "Boulevard of Vojvoda Mišić" which runs next to the complex is a major route which connects outer neighborhoods like Banovo Brdo, Čukarica, Žarkovo, Košutnjak and Topčider, and thus one of the busiest single streets in Belgrade, well known for daily traffic jams. Just north of the Sajam is a highway and one of the largest interchanges in Belgrade, Mostarska Petlja, and a Gazela bridge over the Sava. Additionally, the tram lines are passing through the boulevard too, and the very first tram line in Belgrade passed through this are ("Gospodarska mehana") connecing Kalemegdan fortress and Senjak.

Characteristics

Belgrade Fair is the largest institution of its kind in Serbia, covering an area of 24 hectares. All together, it has 14 halls which cover an exhibition area of 100.000 square meters, dominated by the three large domes: Hall 1 (Largest hall with 109 m diameter dome with a combined area of 32,945 square meters, or one third of the total area; it was the largest dome in the world 1957-1965 and largest Euoropean dome from 1957 until 1998 when the Millennium Dome was built in London), Hall 2 and Hall 3. Belgrade Fair also has commercial space, depositories, and workhouses. Additional services include post office, bank, tourist agencies, carrier companies, custom, and ambulance. Also, within Fair there are several important hosting object of various purposes.

Every year Belgrade Fair hosts over 30 regular international fair manifestations. Over 5,000 companies exhibit on the Belgrade Fair annually, with more than 1.500,000 visitors Many of these manifestations are members of respectable international organizations: the International Fair of Technique and Technical Advancements, International Fair of Clothing - World Fashion, International Fair of Furniture, Equipment and Internal Decorations, and SEEBBE (Southeast Europe Building Belgrade Expo) are members of UFI, Paris. International fair "BG CAR SHOW – MOTOPASSION" is one of the eighteen registered centers for presentation of European automobile industry by OICA, Paris. In addition to regular manifestations, domes of Belgrade Fair host numerous other exhibitions, concerts, scientific and specialized meetings and the range of services of the Belgrade Fair is supported by bazaar of consumer goods. Since 2001, the Belgrade Fair is a member of CEFA (Central European Fair Association) and since September 2003, the International Fair of Tourism is a member of ETTFA.

City and Republic institutes for the cultural monuments protection are working jointly on a proposal to put Sajam under the state protection.

See also

* Belgrade Book Fair

Sources and references

* [http://www.sajam.co.yu/ Official website]
* [http://www.glas-javnosti.co.yu/node/13920/print Glas javnosti]
* "Beograd - plan i vodič"; Geokarta, 2007; ISBN 978-86-459-0297-2