For the first time since 1943: Belgrade no longer has Old Sava Bridge, that was built by German Nazi occupiers

Photo: Jovica Vuckovic

For the first time since 1943, the panorama of Belgrade is without the Old Sava Bridge (Stari Savski Most), which was a symbol of the city and a witness to its turbulent history.

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The removal of the bridge started at the end of last year, and intensive work has now led to the structure being fully dismantled. On July 30, 2025, the arch of the bridge was removed, which means that Belgrade no longer has one of its landmarks.

History of Old Sava Bridge

The Old Sava Bridge was built in 1942 during the German occupation of Serbia. Although it was built by the Nazis (who previously, in 1941, bombed and destroyed the only existing bridge over the Sava River), it became extremely important for Belgrade, especially since it was the only large bridge in Europe that was not destroyed during the retreat of the German army in 1944.

This was the case thanks to the courage of teacher Miladin Zaric, who, risking his life, cut the detonator wires and prevented the explosion that would have brought the bridge down.

Over the decades, the bridge served as a key traffic connection between Belgrade and New Belgrade, used by vehicles and trams. Although there were plans for its modernization and expansion, the city authorities eventually decided to remove it completely and build a new one.

Bridge's future location?

The decision to remove the Old Sava Bridge caused many controversies, and protests by citizens and professionals.

Many believed that the bridge had great historical significance and should have been preserved, perhaps by moving it to another location, such as Usce, which was one of the options discussed for a long time.

However, the city authorities insisted on its removal in order to enable the construction of a new bridge with larger traffic capacity, which will be part of a wider project to improve traffic infrastructure in Belgrade.

The construction of the new bridge, that will be built by a Chinese company, should be over by the end of 2026 or early 2027. With the removal of the Old Sava Bridge, Belgrade is turning to the future and new infrastructural projects, while the question remains how the memory of the bridge that survived the war will be preserved for future generations.

(Telegraf.rs)