Republic Square (Trg republike) is Belgrade's main meeting place, an open square between the National Theatre, the National Museum and the start of Knez Mihailova Street. In the middle rides Prince Mihailo Obrenović in bronze, and Belgraders have a shortcut for meeting here: they simply say kod konja, at the horse.
Republic Square at a glance
- Where: in the Stari Grad district of central Belgrade, where Knez Mihailova, Vasina and Kolarčeva streets meet, close to Terazije.
- Created: the square took shape after the Stambol Gate was pulled down in 1866 and the National Theatre opened in 1869.
- What it is today: a pedestrian-friendly square with the National Museum of Serbia, the National Theatre and the Prince Mihailo monument.
- The monument: by the Florentine sculptor Enrico Pazzi, unveiled in 1882.
- Time needed: 15 to 20 minutes for the square, several hours if you visit the National Museum.
From city gate to city stage
Long before the square existed, this ground lay outside the Roman town of Singidunum and was part of its cemetery: in 1882, when workers dug the foundations for the monument, they found Roman graves, some of them deep shaft tombs. Much later, in the 18th century, the Stambol Gate stood here, the largest gate in the ramparts around Belgrade and the start of the road to Constantinople. The Ottomans carried out executions in front of it, and in 1806, during the First Serbian Uprising, the rebel commander Vasa Čarapić was mortally wounded at the gate; the nearby Vasina Street is named after him.
Once Serbian rule was established, the gate was demolished in 1866, and in 1869 the National Theatre opened on the edge of the empty ground, which was long known as Theatre Square. In December 1882 the monument to Prince Mihailo was unveiled, and the square slowly filled in around it: in 1903 a grand building for the state fund administration went up opposite the theatre, and since 1952 it has housed the National Museum. In the late 20th century the square became the city's stage for politics, with the large opposition demonstration of 9 March 1991. A thorough renovation in 2018–2019 turned it into a wide, open paved space.
What to look for
- Prince Mihailo on horseback, his right arm stretched out and his finger pointing south, towards the lands that were still under Ottoman rule.
- The names of six towns on the bronze garlands of the pedestal, among them Belgrade, Smederevo and Užice, whose fortresses the Ottomans handed over in 1867 during Mihailo's reign.
- The reliefs around the base, including the Serbs taking an oath at the prince's grave and a gusle player singing to children.
- The National Museum of Serbia, the large building with a dome behind the statue, reopened in 2018 after a long renovation.
- The National Theatre on the east side, and the statue of the playwright Branislav Nušić on the green space nearby.
Kod konja: Belgrade's favourite meeting point
Ask a Belgrader where to meet and there is a good chance the answer will be kod konja, at the horse. The phrase has been used for generations and simply means the foot of the Prince Mihailo monument. On any evening you will see people waiting there, checking their phones and waving to friends coming up from Knez Mihailova. It is also where many demonstrations, concerts and New Year gatherings take place.
Tips for your visit
- Arrange to meet someone kod konja: it is the easiest landmark in the city to find.
- Come in the evening, when the square is at its liveliest and the National Museum and theatre façades are lit up.
- Walk around the monument to read the reliefs and town names on all four sides.
- Combine the square with a stroll down Knez Mihailova to Kalemegdan fortress, or a short walk to Skadarlija for dinner.
Nearby
- Knez Mihailova Street: Belgrade's main pedestrian street, lined with 19th-century buildings, starting at the square.
- Kalemegdan and Belgrade Fortress: the park and fortress at the end of Knez Mihailova, with views over the meeting of the Sava and the Danube.
- Skadarlija: the cobbled bohemian street with old taverns and live music, a few minutes' walk to the east.
- Terazije: the wide boulevard with the Hotel Moskva, a short walk to the south.
See Belgrade with World City Trail
Our Belgrade scavenger hunt turns the city centre into a game you play on your phone. The route takes around 2 hours, with about 29 minutes of walking, and at each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a story about the city.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour of Belgrade and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Belgrade scavenger hunt →
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Facts checked in October 2026.