Villa Zlatni Breg

The villa is situated on the northern slopes of the Plavinac Hill, overseeing the Danube from its right bank, and the Banat lowlands across the river. It is situated above the Old Smederevo road, which connected the capital Belgrade with Smederevo, a starting section of the historical Tsarigrad Road. The villa is located on the eastern outskirts of Smederevo, above which is the hill of ("Golden Hill") which gave the name to the building. == History ==

Obrenović Summerhouse Prince Miloš From 1827 to 1829, Prince Miloš Obrenović purchased the lot from a local Ottoman sipahi. The lots already had a planted vineyard, orchard, meadows, a house and steam bath. In 1831 the prince planted his own vineyards on the estate as the entire Smederevo area is well known for its grapes. The first object built was a wine cellar for the wine produced by the prince's vineyards which Miloš exported into Europe. The cellar and the neighboring konak, with one room and a kitchen, were built in 1833. In 1836 Prince Miloš sent 500 seedlings of the best Smederevo varieties of grapes to be planted around the objects as a garden. Captain Jovanča Spasić was appointed by Prince Miloš to take care of the estate. In this period, the estate had an economic, wine producing function, rather than a leisure one. The vineyards were in operation even during the 1842-58 period, when house of Obrenović was dethroned and exiled. It was a simple, one floor edifice built in the Swiss style, but the Serbian press referred to it as "palace". The summerhouse was nicknamed salon. Additionally, Prince Mihailo planted 2,000 vines of the French varieties and, as an avid equestrian, arranged the horse tracks around the house. The name of the architect is unknown, but he was probably from Vienna as the house was built in the Mitteleuropean architectural style. King Alexander I and Queen Draga King Alexander I and Queen Draga often spent time in Plavinac, even more than the previous royal couple. As they grew more and more unpopular, this was a way to hide their private lives and the remove themselves from the capital city. As they mostly came via the Danube, the town of Smederevo decided to expand the port and the build a promenade and a park along the bank. During their stay in the house, parties, balls and feast were held almost every day. They began their relationship in the villa in 1895, as Draga used to be Queen Natalie's lady in waiting. They spent their honeymoon here and organized celebration of their first anniversary with a reception for 400 guests. From here Queen Draga dispatched a false news about her pregnancy and here she secluded herself when the scandal broke out. The villa also continued to be used for public and state affairs so some of the constitutions were declared here and it was often a meeting place of the government ministers. Historians cite the house as one of the locations where the 1903 overthrow of the royal couple was planned. Both of Antonije's daughters, Ružica "Ruža" Orešković (1875-1959) and Milica "Mica" Cakić née Orešković (1876-1907), served as ladies in waiting to Queen Natalie, and followed her into an exile. After inheriting the villa, his sons, Borivoje and Milan significantly advanced the wine production. In 1909 they installed the hail cannons, among the first in Serbia. In 2016-17 the main entry stairwell was reconstructed and the new façade was done on the entire object. Today, the entire complex - park, vineyards, villa - is officially declared a "representative house for the use of state authorities" and is described by the reporters as "one of the most representative owned by the state". It is surrounded by of parks and vineyards. == Interior ==

The villa includes the summer salon, winter salon, green salon, dining room, library and royal dorm. The arrangement of the interior includes: Ground floor • Summer Salon, actually, a glassed veranda; 1860 card table in the Napoleon III style; 1840s small chess table in the late Biedermeier style; late 19th century Neoclassicistic style étagère-music stand; 1815-20 Empire style table clock; mid-19th century late Biedermeier style musical commode - automatophone; a small table for handwork; two small tables from the second quarter of the 18th century in the Rococo style. • Winter (or Great) Salon; reproductions of the Obrenović dynasty family portraits: Prince Michael (by Johann Böss), Prince Miloš (by Moritz Michael Daffinger), King Milan and Queen Natalie (by Stevan Todorović) and King Alexander and Queen Draga (by Vlaho Bukovac); two salon type settees in the Louis XVI style from c.1780; two lukijernas (oil lamps) from the second half of the 19th century; fireplace with accessories (a holder for the tongs and the poker, a front for the fireplace, bellows or alarije), all from the late 19th century; gold plated porcelain amphora from the 20th century. • Library; reproduction of the Prince Miloš' portrait with the fez (by Pavel Đurković); 1815 combined wardrobe made in Vienna, in the early Biedermeier style - a rare and precious exhibit, a craftsmanship's masterpiece; two carpets, originating from the late 19th century, from the Asia Minor and Middle East. • Dining Room; an original portrait of Queen Natalie, by Stevan Todorović; a dining table in the Louis XVI style; 1840-45 cabinet and sideboard in the Neo-Rococo style; a chandelier from the same period. First floor Left section is organized as a royal suite, which consists of the Study Room, Salon, lobby and a dorm. Right section is adapted into the apartments. • Study Room; reproduction of Paja Jovanović's painting The Takovo Uprising, commissioned by King Alexander in 1898; writing desk, made of sycamore maple, from the late 19th century; floor clock; library; tabernacle; highly valuable cabinet from the early 17th century; carpet from the Central Asia from the 19th century; Persian rug, made from 500.000 knots of camel hair, woven in the 1710s. • Empire Salon; wall photos made by Anastas Jovanović; oleograph of Princess (later Queen) Natalie in folk costume; Baroque mirror; Venetian chandelier made from the Murano glass. • Dorm; dressing table (coiffeuse); early 19th century Empire style bed; two smaller Persian rugs; three icons - Coronation of the Virgin (c.1780), Resurrection with the holidays of Jesus and Virgin Mary, and Saint Nicholas (mid 19th century). • Apartment 2; early 19th century Empire style bed; 1820 Biedermeier wardrobe; Neo-Baroque dressing table with the rock crystal mirror. • Apartment 3; 1785-90 English Classicistic style cabinet room (writing-secretary desk, chair, library); c.1820 Biedermeier style sitting furniture set. ==See also==