Cvetni trg or Flower Square () is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade municipality of Vračar.
Location
Cvetni trg is a small, triangularly shaped neighborhood in what was once the central part of the previously large neighborhood of Vračar. In terms of modern administrative division, it is located in the western part of the municipality of Vračar, on one of Belgrade's main streets of Kralja Milana and the border of the municipality of Savski Venac. Other two streets that mark the borders of the neighborhood are Njegoševa and Svetozara Markovića, but the term generally comprises a few adjoining blocks to the north and east, making a local community of Cvetni Trg, which existed until the late 2000s, when the municipality of Vračar abolished local communities. In the 1990s, the adjoining local communities of Slavija, Nada Purić and Kalenić was annexed to Cvetni Trg. Population of Cvetni Trg in that period was 9,308 (31,410 with other three local communities) in 1981, 8,664 (28,641) in 1991 and 25,759 in 2002. Cvetni Trg is located right across the Yugoslav drama theater and Manjež park.
History
The area of Cvetni trg was one of the Vračar areas covered in vast forests of oak and ash trees. The forest was cut down a long time ago to make place for an urban development (small open greenmarket and future supermarket) with only one tree surviving today. A tall pedunculate oak (Serbian: hrast lužnjak) with a crown diameter of , it is one of the three oldest trees on the territory of Belgrade, after two oaks in the village of Šiljakovac. In 2013 it was estimated to be 200 years old. In November 2013 the tree's roots were protected with the concrete casing an it has been concluded that it is healthy and in the good shape. Dried branches are regularly removed and the cuts are covered with the protective coatings. To keep them safe, the largest branches are supported by the metallic cables. Estimates in the early 2020s placed the planting of the tree between 1804 and 1811. Since 2001 it has been protected by the state as the natural monument. Apart from the cables, placed in 2006, during the 2015 reconstruction of the square, the metal poles were placed around it, which hold the square construction in the lower crown. Also, the concrete casing around the root was removed, and the grass was planted around the tree.
Greenmarket was opened in 1884, and by the end of the century streets around it got sidewalks and avenues. Cvetni trg was named after the many flower shops located there, which lasted until the early 2000s (decade) when most of them were closed. The dominant feature of the neighborhood since 28 April 1958 has been the first and, at that time, largest modern supermarket in the Balkans, the first one with shelves and baskets (even before Vienna). Used to the small stores, in the beginning the customers couldn't manage themselves in the supermarket so the helpers were employed to give the baskets to the customers, help them move around and explain that they can't take baskets home with them. Novelties included packed meat, coffee in bags and free paper bags for the groceries. The cashiers were paid by the company to visit hairdressers every week. As a curiosity, it was the first store to sell Coca-Cola cans in this part of the world. Since 1960 it has become part of Serbia's largest store chain, Centroprom, and for decades remained Belgrade's supermarket with the highest revenues. It was renovated in 1990, and given a modern, marble appearance. However, as C-market (the successor of Centroprom) was bought by the Delta Holding system, the supermarket was closed on 1 November 2006 and the thorough reconstruction began to change its purpose from a grocery market to the BMW car salon which was to be opened on 7 February 2007. Car salon was closed and the supermarket returned on 7 May 2009 (branded Maxi Exclusive).