Albert Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Richard Nixon, Luciano Pavarotti, as well as Ivo Andrić, Stevan Sremac, Dučić, Nušić, and Crnjanski are some of the great figures who visited and fell in love with one of Belgrade’s most beautiful landmarks – Hotel Moskva.
In the very center of Belgrade, at the intersection of three streets and on Terazije Square, stands Hotel Moskva, one of the oldest and most beloved symbols of the capital.
Moskva is not an ordinary hotel; since 1968 it has been under state protection as a cultural monument of the capital.
Initially just an empty plot on Terazije Square, Moskva changed owners, names (first it was the tavern Velika Srbija, then Palata Rosija, and finally Hotel Moskva), as well as its appearance.
Over the past 100 years, Hotel Moskva has had more than 36 million visitors.
However, what Moskva is most famous for, besides its fascinating history, is the fact that from the moment it opened its doors it attracted and delighted hundreds of famous personalities.
Immediately upon opening in 1908, the inventor of the theory of relativity Albert Einstein and his wife, a scientist of Serbian origin, Mileva Marić, walked through the doors of Hotel Moskva. Precisely because of their visit to this hotel, the presidential suite bears Einstein’s name.
Some of the most famous world vocalists such as Luciano Pavarotti and Ray Charles chose Moskva among all hotels.
Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Kirk and Michael Douglas joined the entire array of acting legends who enjoyed the splendor of this hotel.
And famous producers and directors did not want to miss the charms of Moskva either. Even Alfred Hitchcock stayed at this beautiful Serbian hotel.
The 37th President of the United States, Richard Nixon, also stayed at Hotel Moskva. Some of the well-known politicians who did the same were Yasser Arafat, Muammar Gaddafi, Nikola Pašić, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and many others.
Still, perhaps the most significant of all these famous figures are the writers who, decade after decade, made Hotel Moskva a cultural and literary center. Some of the great literary names adorning this long list are Jean-Paul Sartre, Orson Welles, and Maxim Gorky.
Speaking of writers, there is a long list of Serbian greats who literally lived in Hotel Moskva.
One of the first guests of Hotel Moskva, that is, the then tavern Velika Srbija, was Branislav Nušić, the famous Serbian writer and a regular guest of Belgrade taverns.
Stevan Sremac was also a regular guest of this establishment. This renowned Serbian academic and realist writer reportedly adjusted his lecture schedule at one of Belgrade’s high schools so that he could sleep longer, as he stayed late at Velika Srbija.
Hotel Moskva is the only hotel in Belgrade that does not have a room or suite numbered 13.
In 1908, the tavern Velika Srbija was transformed into the luxurious Palata Rosija, which was so important for this state that King Peter I Karađorđević personally attended its opening.
This new grand institution also continued to attract famous personalities. One of them was the Serbian poet, writer, and diplomat Jovan Dučić, who spent a great deal of time here.
Then there was Miloš Crnjanski. This poet and expressionist short-story writer, journalist, and diplomat founded a Group of Artists that met at Hotel Moskva in order to create a new beginning for art and culture in this postwar state.
During World War II, Hotel Moskva was the main headquarters of the Gestapo.
Of course, everyone knows which famous writer had his own table in the restaurant of Hotel Moskva. It was, of course, Ivo Andrić, the Yugoslav Nobel laureate, who came to Moskva every day to drink mild Turkish coffee with a cube of rahat lokum.
Similar to Andrić’s, the daily ritual of Serbian poet Vasko Popa consisted of arriving at the hotel at half past three in the afternoon and drinking coffee until six.
The restaurant of Hotel Moskva in 1974 “launched” the famous “Moskva šnit” – the first “sweet” Belgrade brand.
The magical Hotel Moskva continues to this day to attract, enchant, and delight not only its guests but also every accidental and not-so-accidental passerby.
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Source: Serbia.com Foto: Facebook / Hotel Moskva