Belgrade's Terazije Square Sculpture Sparks Controversy Over Historical Accuracy

A recently installed sculpture in Belgrade's Terazije Square, designed in the shape of a scale, has ignited a public outcry. Critics contend that the monument demonstrates a misunderstanding of the area's historical significance.

Rade Milić from the Center for Urban Development stated that the name "Terazije" does not originate from a scale but from a Turkish water tower that once supplied the city. He believes the decision to erect a scale-shaped symbol reflects insufficient historical knowledge among those making urban planning decisions.

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The authorities boast about it, but I warned the public that Terazije did not get its name from any scale or anything else, but from a tower that was located here, which the Turks called terazije, which served as a water tower for supplying Belgrade with water.

Milić emphasized that this interpretation is not obscure, easily verifiable through public city records or Wikipedia. He pointed to the 19th-century Terazije Fountain as a reminder of the historical water towers that served Belgrade from the 17th to the 19th century, highlighting their practical function during the Ottoman period.

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This is the tragedy of our situation, that they think if it's called Terazije, it immediately associates with a scale and they immediately make such a monument. Simply, it has nothing to do with the original meaning, nothing to do with the historical place, nothing to do with the name of this part of the city.