Hello everyone, if you read my previous post, you saw that I was in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, located in Theodore Dreiser Street, which runs through Topcider park in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. The church is surrounded by a spacious courtyard and in addition to the chapel and the shop located there, there is another hidden gem that I discovered during this visit and I did not know existed until now. It is a charming house/residence built in the 19th century.
This residence, commissioned by Prince Milos Obrenovic, carries a quiet dignity that speaks of another time. While many know of the famous Milos's konak/residence in the main part of the park, this smaller house was designed as a special residence connected to the temple itself, serving both practical and spiritual purposes.
Walking through the yard, I enjoyed the atmosphere of stillness. Wooden benches line the space, and even simple tree stumps have been shaped into rustic seats, inviting visitors to pause, breathe, and reflect.
The house itself blends harmoniously with the temple and surrounding greenery, as though it has always belonged to this landscape.
Inside, the house retains its 19th-century character. Thick walls, large windows, stylish furniture, and traces of original woodwork evoke the life of a Serbia just finding its modern identity under Milos's rule. It is easy to imagine the quiet conversations that may once have taken place here, or the clergy who found both rest and duty within its walls.
For me, the charm lies in the serenity of this hidden corner. But also in that feeling of going back in time that I always find exciting.
Thank you for reading.
Jelena