Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment

Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment (Serbian: Zadužbina Ilije M. Kolarca), also known as the Kolarac People’s University Building, is at 5 Students’ Square in the heart of Belgrade. The building is a monument of a great cultural and historical importance and as such was declared as the immovable cultural property.

The building covers almost entire irregularly shaped lot, on the corner of Students’ Square and 1300 Kaplara Street. To the west, the lot was separated from the neighbouring lots by a one-way alley, whereas to the north it borders the line of residential and business objects as well as with the newly built Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra building. Since it was built in phases, on the irregularly shaped lot, the building does not have its naturally developed structure. The layout and the architecture directly followed the changeable intentions of the investor. In general, the object bears the characteristics of moderate academism specific for the Belgrade of that time, and it does not differ a lot from many similar objects from the same period. There is an engraved inscription on the front facade “Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment”.

The Kolarac People’s University Building is the building of the monumental value, first of all because of its purpose and irreplaceable cultural role. It is conceived as the institution which through the cycles of lectures and other forms of education at the highest expert and scientific level, affects the development of the cultural environment. The lectures include various areas of human knowledge, from medicine, technics, philosophy, to the History of Art, and refer to world accomplishments as well as to the researches in local environment. The acoustic hall is particularly valuable, and even nowadays it is the venue of gathering of the music youth and the place of live concert activities. It is known as the most acoustic if not the only really acoustic hall in Belgrade. That is why it is the concerts of the most famous musicians in the world are organized in that hall.