Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Serbia Beli Potok Monument to the Unknown Hero

Monument to the Unknown Hero

Near Belgrade, an ancient-looking sarcophagus serves as a World War I monument.

Beli Potok, Serbia

Added By
alexplorer
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Monument to the Unknown Hero.   NMedjedov/CC BY-SA 3.0
Monument to the Unknown Hero.   Михаило Јовановић/CC BY 3.0
Monument to the Unknown Hero.   Snežana Negovanović - Vlada Borikić/CC BY-SA 3.0
The caryatids.   Snežana Negovanović - Vlada Borikić/CC BY-SA 3.0
The caryatids.   Dekanski/ CC BY-SA 4.0
View of the monument from the Avala Tower.   BuhaM/CC BY-SA 4.0
Monument to the Unknown Hero.   Snežana Negovanović - Vlada Borikić/CC BY-SA 3.0
View from the monument.   Lana Velkov / Atlas Obscura User
Monument to the Unknown Hero.   Amazonite/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Monument to the Unknown Hero, located on Avala Mountain on the outskirts of Belgrade, is a reminder of the mass casualties the Serbian people suffered during World War I. The identity of the hero has not been verified, though some documents claim that in the grave rests a 70-year-old Muslim man from the Pešter Highlands who was killed by an enemy grenade in 1915.

After members of the Allied Forces began building similar monuments, King Alexander I decided to construct a similar structure in Serbia. To make room for the Serbian monument, the medieval fortifications atop the hill were destroyed. 

The grave's architectural design resembles an ancient temple and includes a sarcophagus made of black granite. It's surrounded by caryatids representing the people of former Yugoslavia: Bosnian, Montenegrin, Dalmatian, Croatian, Slovenian, Vojvodina's, Serbian, and Old Serbian women. The inscription at the top of the sarcophagus reads, "Alexander I King of Yugoslavia to the Unknown Hero." The tomb with the remains of the unknown hero is located in the crypt, underneath the monument. 

The monument instantly caused some controversy, as people believed the unknown hero who fought and died for the Kingdom of Serbia was used to propagate an idea of a unified Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The area soon became a popular picnic area and a memorial complex. The architecture of monument gives a striking impression, especially observed during the morning mist, along with the nearby built hotel, decorated with depictions of mystical creatures of the forest and wilderness. 

Related Tags

Soviet Architecture Soviet History Monuments War Memorial Memorials War History World War I Wwi Military
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina

Traverse the beauty and history of the Balkans through locals' stories.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

alexplorer

Edited By

Lana Velkov

  • Lana Velkov

Published

January 21, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Monument to the Unknown Hero
Beli Potok
Serbia
44.68908, 20.515861

Nearby Places

Tito's Blue Train

Belgrade, Serbia

miles away

Eastern City Gate of Belgrade

Belgrade, Serbia

miles away

Hero Dog Monument

Belgrade, Serbia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Serbia

Serbia

Europe

Places 126
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Tito's Blue Train

Belgrade, Serbia

miles away

Eastern City Gate of Belgrade

Belgrade, Serbia

miles away

Hero Dog Monument

Belgrade, Serbia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Serbia

Serbia

Europe

Places 126
Stories 3

Related Places

  • The memorial plaque.

    Hartlepool, England

    Heugh Gun Battery Memorial Tablet

    This memorial honors the first British soldier killed by enemy action on home soil during World War I.

  • The Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial.

    Givenchy-en-Gohelle, France

    Canadian National Vimy Memorial

    A monument to the thousands of Canadian soldiers who died capturing the French ridge during World War I.

  • Portuguese Fireplace.

    Hampshire, England

    Portuguese Fireplace

    This unlikely memorial honors the Canadian and Portuguese laborers who felled trees for the Allies in World War I.

  • Just before sunrise

    Washington, D.C.

    D.C. War Memorial

    An overlooked memorial honoring the local Washington residents who died in World War I.

  • Le mémorial de Mort-Homme.

    Chattancourt, France

    Le Mort Homme (Dead Man's Hill)

    A memorial to the soldiers who died in the bloody battles to control Verdun in World War I.

  • Shell in the house.

    Whitby, England

    Bombardment Garden

    The recreated ruins of a house designed to memorialize a World War I shelling on the town.

  • Fovant Badges

    Fovant, England

    Fovant Badges

    Soldiers carved these regimental badges into the chalk hills in remembrance of those who died in World War I.

  • The Ashford tank.

    Ashford, England

    Mark IV World War I Tank

    A rare example of this century-old British tank stands near the center of town in Ashford.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.