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The nature was extremely generous to Belgrade and it endowed the city with every possible gift. Belgrade has an extraordinary location, it has two rivers, the Sava and the Danube, and true jewels that come with the rivers – the islands.
The island of Ada Ciganlija, a sports, recreation, cultural and entertainment center as well as a forest park, is probably the most beautiful jewel of Belgrade, an oasis full of resting spots in the shade, a paradise for swimmers, fishermen and lovers of many other types of recreation.
Once an island and now a peninsula, Ada Ciganlija is only four kilometers away from the city center. It is covered with dense woods, clearings and meadows and it occupies approximately 270 hectares. Together with Ada Medjica Islet, the lake, the green areas along the banks and the surfacing water of the river Sava in this area, it occupies the territory of about 800 hectares. This territory is of extreme importance for Belgrade.
The historic documents of Belgrade often mention this island and it is known that as early as in 1812 it became a public property, which it remained to this day. Unfortunately, despite its beauty, the island remained neglected throughout the 19th century.
After the Second World War, Ada became the favorite island of fishermen, hunters and owners of floating houses. The Master Plan of Belgrade for 1950 defines its basic purpose: outing spot and recreation center with a public beach.
In 1967 the branch of the Sava was bridged in several places and the water occupying the space between two bridges was turned into a lake. The lake is 4. 2 kilometers long and 200 meters wide and it has become known as ” The Sea of Belgrade “ .