Belgrade (bel ′grad), meaning “white town,” is the capital of Servia and lies at the junction of the Save and the Danube, with a population of 90,890. From a Turkish city it is year by year becoming a modern and European one. The royal palace and the national theater are the chief buildings. Opposite the theater is a bronze statue of the murdered Prince Michael III. It is important from the trade of Turkey and Austria which passes through it. Belgrade has been the scene of many hard fights, and has been successively in the hands of Romans, Greeks, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Servians, Turks, Austrians and French. It was made the capital of Servia in 1862, but the citadel was not given up by the Turks until 1867. Elementary education in the city and state is compulsory, and in all the schools under the ministry of education, including the university, education is free. Hence there is little pauperism in the kingdom. Belgrade also forms a department of Servia, area 782 square miles; population, 155,815.
