Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia.
History
The area of Belgrade has been occupied since the Paleolithic era. The first settlements belonged to the Starcevo and Vinca cultures, in the Neolithic era.
In the 3rd century BC, the Celtic Scordisci tribe conquered the area and established Singidun. It was captured by the Romans in the 1st century BC and renamed Singidunum.
In 829, Belgrade was conquered by the Bulgarian Empire. While the city came to be known locally as Belograd, internationally it was referred to as Alba Bulgarica, Griechisch Weissenburg, Nandorfehervar, and Castelbianco. All of these are variations of "white city" or "white fortress".
Belgrade served as the capital of Serbia intermittently throughout history. First under Dragutin in 1284, when he established a new kingdom of Syrmia. Second under Lazarevic in 1404, when the city was gifted to him for accepting vassalization under Sigimund.
Belgrade fell to the Ottomans in 1521. Much of the city was destroyed.