FROM SERBIAN SIBERIA TO UNMATCHED LUXURY: The rise and fall of the famous Villa Džervin in Knjaževac! (VIDEO)

During the time of Prince Miloš, the town of Grgusovac was widely known for its Turkish tower, which, under his rule, was converted into a harsh prison for the most dangerous convicts.

The tower stood on a hill above the town, at the site where today lies an abandoned summer stage with collapsed buildings. All that remains of the former tower are soaked linden trees, the cawing of black birds, and the roughly hewn stone walls.

Murderers, bandits, and thieves were imprisoned there, but so were many of the Prince’s political opponents, who left behind accounts of the horrors they endured in this place.

Many state officials wrote about Grgusovac, as they were often sent there as punishment, and it was from them that the entire region earned the notorious name—Serbian Siberia.

Over time, the tower and the entire town became so infamous that Miloš himself ordered the tower to be demolished, the prison to be relocated, and the town to be renamed Knjaževac.

Since then, much water has flowed through the Timok River. The town was expertly urbanized, oriented towards the river with a promenade, featuring various bridges, two main intersecting commercial streets, beautiful small bourgeois houses, parks, and greenery, giving it a peaceful and comfortable appearance.

To make things even more interesting, at the beginning of the last century, a magnificent villa resembling a castle with a watchtower was built on one of the town’s hills. The man behind it was a local from Knjaževac who had made his fortune as a café owner in Belgrade.

Thus, Knjaževac gained a new landmark.

According to Srbobran Ristić, as recounted by Miodrag Zupanc in his book “Kojekude Serbia”, the villa-castle was built by a certain gentleman who had amassed his wealth as the owner of the Kolarac tavern and inn, located near the National Theatre in Belgrade. This was one of the most famous pre-war taverns, which was destroyed in the Allied bombing.

Where the café owner was during the bombing remains unknown, but after the liberation, partisans moved into his empty villa, turning the building into their headquarters.

However, shortly after, the Belgrade café owner reappeared in Knjaževac, standing at the doorstep of his old home! It is said that he firmly demanded that the partisans return his property.

Emboldened, the partisans threw him out headfirst. Reportedly, much of Knjaževac silently approved and understood their actions.

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But what followed shocked many!

The persistent café owner made a phone call to someone in Belgrade, and a few days later, a telegram arrived ordering the villa to be vacated and returned to its rightful owner. The signature on the document was so authoritative that the partisans hastily gathered their belongings and moved out immediately.

Whose signature was on the order remains a mystery, but locals suspect it came from Moša Pijade, Đilas, or even the highest authorities.

The true owner returned to his villa, where he peacefully lived until his death in the 1960s. His modest funeral was organized by the woman who later inherited the villa.

However, in the following decades, the widow of the wealthy café owner could not maintain the villa alone, so she converted it into a luxury hotel named Villa Džervin.

Today, unfortunately, Villa Džervin stands abandoned and dilapidated, with only martens and weasels inhabiting its interior.