Hotel chain Kempinski Address Bulevar Nikole Tesle 3 Owner Greek real estate fund | Location Belgrade, Serbia Opening 1969 | |
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Closed Night of 7/8 May 1999, after direct hit during NATO bombing of Yugoslavia | ||
Hotel Jugoslavija (Serbian Cyrillic: Хотел Југославија) in Belgrade is one of the oldest luxurious Serbian hotels. It is located in the Novi Beograd municipality.
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History
According to the original concept, the hotel was to be named "Belgrade". Famous architects Mladen Kauzlarić, Lavoslav Horvat and Kazimir Ostrogović, followers of the Zagreb school of modernism won the first prize at the original tender in 1947. The hotel was built according to the modified project of the architect Lavoslav Horvat. Distinguished creators and builders, architects Milorad Pantović, Vladeta Maksimović and academic Ivan Antić took part in designing of the hotel and the interior.
It was opened in 1969 as one of the biggest hotels in the region. It was used as an accommodation for celebrities and high officials visiting Belgrade. Some of the famous people who stayed in the Hotel Jugoslavija include Queen Elizabeth II, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, U Thant, Willy Brandt, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Tina Turner, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin.
During the 1999 NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, the hotel was hit by two missiles, damaging the west wing. Part of the hotel was owned by Arkan, and had been used as a barracks for his paramilitary forces. One wing reopened on 9 February 2008 as the Grand Casino Beograd.
Future plans
In January 2010, the 4.5 hectare hotel site was wholly purchased by Kempinski and will be re-developed into a 157,000 square meter hotel, shopping mall, and twin 33-story residential tower.
The Hotel Yugoslavia reconstruction and redevelopment got all permissions from Belgrade and Serbian authorities.