Forewordin unity. It is the inherited heterogeneity of Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia
which characterizes them, but which could be seen as a potential to master
the future.
Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia have their own characteristics and phases
of development. The Ottoman political and cultural influence is one of the
most interesting commonalities in the urban history and is still visible today.
It makes the three capitals comparable and distinguishes them from the art
of organizing the western European cities. There are many common issues of
development after the achieving of the national sovereignty in the 19th century:
the speed of urban growth, the prompt change of the cultural paradigm and
the implementation of the western European urbanism and urban models.
Romania’s connection to France and also to other countries from the Roman
language family is well known. Sofia and Belgrade have had special relations
to Central Europe, especially to Austria and Vienna. Many Austrian architects
practiced for example in Bulgaria establishing the academic architecture and
urbanism. The relations between Belgrade and Vienna were not always easy,
but Vienna was often the place to give asylum to Serbs, from Vuk Karadic
to Bogdan Bogdanovic. All three capitals examine an analogue shift to the
modernistic ideas in the period between the world wars. They have a valuable
stock of historic buildings from this period which needs to be renovated and
integrated into the modern city, capable to master the future.
The post-war period is characterized by ambivalences caused by the
differentiation of the socialist political systems. However, the traces of the
socialist modernity are omnipresent in the cityscapes of Belgrade, Bucharest
and Sofia, forming a specific heritage. The cityscapes are also affected by some
buildings from this period, mostly for housing, but also by buildings of political
representation, especially in the case of Bucharest. Today these buildings
create a lot of problems for the integrated urban planning and development.
An additional issue concerning all the three capitals is the underdeveloped
public transportation system.
In spite of many links to Central and Western Europe all the three countries
and their capitals still have to fight today for recognition and acceptance. Their
urban images are connected in the mind and perception of many “westerners”
with poverty, backwardness and corruption. But instead of arrogance we would
need to exchange ideas and visions about the future and offer understanding,
support and help. A special task is for example the integration of the Roma
population we have to solve in Bucharest, Sofia and Belgrade. I have seen
horrible situations, but also extraordinary successful pilot projects. I have met
a lot of engaged citizens, but I have also seen a lack of courage of some city
officials to improve the situation of poverty and discrimination. In a united
Europe with more or less open borders this is a European issue and not only
one of the three countries and their capitals.