The initiative to establish the Belgrade City Archives originated in the late 1930s, and the reason for the establishment of this institution was, above all, to protect and preserve the extremely significant documentation of the Zemun Magistrate, created back in the 18th century.After the World War II, the fate of archival documentation was similar to the situation in the country, the archives were in a chaotic state and due to ignorance, and archival documents were used for heating or processing. In order to protect cultural assets, the first regulations were adopted for the protection of buildings of historical and artistic importance, public monuments, busts, paintings, libraries and archives, which were put under protection of the State, and the first archival centers were established in cities across Serbia. Archival material created by the Zemun Magistrate was returned to the premises of the Belgrade Library and Museum, but in a scattered and completely unorganized state.
At the proposal of the Department of Education of the Executive Board of the People's Committee of the City of Belgrade, at the Assembly held on the 26 September 1945, it was decided to establish an independent institution, the "City Archive", with the task of collecting original documents of the local government and other documentation related to the development of Belgrade and Zemun. In the beginning, the Archive has been part of the City Library, and in 1947 it was separated and continued to operate as an independent institution, with a separate budget. Since 1954, it has been located in the former Class lottery building (corner of Vasina and Zmaj Jovina streets). The Archive received its current name by the Decision of the City Council and the Executive Board of the City of Belgrade in 1958.
The Historical Archives of Belgrade is a cultural institution of extraordinary importance, whose primary duty is to protect and preserve archival material created by registry offices, societies or individuals. The jurisdiction of the Archives covers the area of the City of Belgrade and suburban municipalities.
As the Archives took over a large number of collections over the years, the repositories became cramped over time, and therefore, in 1963, a detailed study of the future purpose-built building was prepared, based on the design by Milan Jerković. After the project was accepted by the City Assembly, the location was secured by the New Belgrade Construction Directorate. It would be the first purpose-built building for the needs of an archive in Serbia after World War II. Designed in the spirit of Corbusier's principles, the new building was built in the period from 1969 to 1972, and was officially opened on October 15, 1973. (more)
The Archives performs its primary task – the preservation of cultural assets – through various types of protection of archival materials - starting from the preliminary protection of cultural assets in their creation, through preventive measures, to operational conservation and restoration techniques.
Since the Technical Service Department and Bindery office were founded in the Archives in 1955, the institution itself has been working on rebinding old books, as well as on binding, making archival boxes, cases, folders and similar products for the purpose of storing and protecting archival material.
On the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the Historical Archives of Belgrade, the publication The Archive as the Guardian of Old Crafts, by Bojan Kocev (Historical Archives of Belgrade, 2023) is available for free download. The book represents an attempt to rescue a specific craft, which is slowly dying out, from oblivion and to present its importance, specificity and beauty to a wide audience.
| Publication The Archive as the Guardian of Old Crafts (in Serbian language) |  |