Residence of Princess Ljubica

The Residence of Princess Ljubica is one of few surviving memorials of the Obrenović dynasty. It is located at Kosančićev Venac, in the city quarter once known as Varoš-Kapija. The Residence of Princess Ljubica is one of the most significant and the most representative heritage buildings in Belgrade.It was built between 1829 and 1831 to serve as the princely palace of Miloš Obrenović and it was named Novi Konak – the New Residence. When its construction was completed, the Residence became the home of the Prince’s family, Princess Ljubica and her sons Milan and Mihailo. As it was located in the immediate vicinity of the Kalemegdan Fortress, which was still occupied by Ottoman masters and their military troops, Prince Miloš stayed there only occasionally. At about the same time, he had another residence built for himself, far away from the city, in Topčider. Over time, the residence in Topčider became the main residence of Prince Miloš, whereas the New Residence remained the home of the Prince’s family. It was only much later that it came to be called the Residence of Princess Ljubica. Due to a changed political situation, only a decade later, in 1842, the entire family of Prince Miloš was compelled to leave Serbia. After that, the Residence of Princess Ljubica forever lost its original purpose. During the following 130 years the building was repeatedly adapted to house various institutions. In the 1970s, the city authorities decided to repurpose it as a museum, in accordance with its historical, artistic and heritage value. After a restoration and reconstruction, in 1980 the Residence of Princess Ljubica became a satellite museum of the Belgrade City Museum.