When it thickens: What is the state of public toilets in Belgrade?

Summer starts in less than two weeks, and temperatures have already exceeded thirty degrees. This means that in the coming months we will move around the city more and drink more liquids.

However, when it comes time for that most basic physiological need, few will think of looking for a public toilet first. Rather, we will stop at a coffee shop, shopping center or some public institution, hoping that no one will stop us at the entrance.

To check their condition public toilets in Belgrade, we visited several of the city's busiest locations. First, we headed to Zeleni venac, where tens of thousands of people pass by every day, but also homeless people stay.

At the entrance to the toilet, there is a notice that the working hours are from seven to 10:30 p.m. during the winter, or until 11 p.m. in the summer. It is free to use, and it, like other public toilets in Belgrade, is taken care of by the Public Utility Company "Greenery-Belgrade".

The first surprise is a pleasant one. The toilet smells like air freshener, the sinks, floors and toilet bowls are clean, and there is soap and toilet paper. It is less surprising that some tiles are damaged, and traces of rust are visible on some sanitary ware. However, all in all, the situation is much better than one might imagine.

Photo: Isidora Cerić

However, this does not mean that there are no problems. Just a few steps from there, behind the "Sindra" tavern, opposite the entrance to the market, there is a well-known corner that smells of urine. Although a public toilet is nearby and free, some citizens apparently still choose the outdoor alternative.

Unimaginable scenes next to the National Theater

If you find yourself in Republic Square, the nearest public toilet is right next to the National Theatre. And he is neat and clean. There we found a worker who takes care of his hygiene throughout the day. He says that the job is not easy because some visitors leave behind scenes that are difficult to recount.

From urinating next to the toilet to climbing a board, the scenes, he says, are sometimes unimaginable. When he draws someone's attention, he often faces unpleasantness and humiliating comments.

Kalemegdan is one of the most visited places in Belgrade. There are several toilets in the area of ​​the fortress and the park, and the ones we visited were in just as good condition as the toilets on Zeleni venc and Republic Square.

In the toilet by the children's playground, we met a mother with her children. She says that, before entering, she expected significantly worse conditions, but that the hygiene pleasantly surprised her.

Photo: Isidora Cerić

They are clean, but there are not enough of them

The problem, therefore, is not only in maintenance. The public toilets we visited were mostly clean, free and functional. The problem is that there are not enough of them in the city, that they are mostly distributed in the center and that most of them have working hours that end before midnight.

According to data from the website of PUC "Zelenila-Belgrade", there are a total of 20 public toilets in the capital, divided into four categories according to the level of equipment. Only three are available for people with disabilities - in Manjež and Tašmajdan parks and near the St. Sava Temple.

Public toilets are generally not adapted for parents with babies. In them, there are usually no tables or special areas for changing the little ones. Parents are more likely to find such an opportunity in a shopping center than in a city-run restroom.

Photo: Isidora Cerić

How is it in other places?

In other cities, the situation can be even more complicated. There is one public toilet in the central area of ​​Čačak, near the town square and the bus station. It is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., while it is closed on Sundays, and its use costs 20 dinars.

We were not able to check its equipment and condition, because we arrived outside working hours. By doing so, we checked something else - that the bladder, unlike public toilets, has no working hours.

Photo: Isidora Cerić

According to information from the website Info Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, although it has significantly fewer inhabitants than Belgrade, has 22 public toilets that work all year round and another eight seasonal ones, and several of them are also available at night.

Vienna, on the other hand, has around 160 public toilets, many of which are free. Some have also become tourist attractions, such as the underground public toilet on the Graben, opened back in 1905, which is protected as a historical monument due to its art nouveau design.

From Art Nouveau to the smell of ammonia

At the beginning of the 20th century, Belgrade also had a public toilet in the Art Nouveau style. It was designed by Jelisaveta Načić, the first female architect in Serbia.

As "Vreme" previously wrote in 1912, as part of the landscaping of Terazij Square, an underground public toilet with 24 porcelain cups was built. The walls were decorated with art nouveau tiles, and the men's and women's sections were accessed by separate stairs with decorative railings, noted in numerous photographs of old Belgrade.

Today, in the corners of the underground passage under the "Moskva" hotel, an unbearable smell of ammonia can be felt. Passing towards Balkanska Street is recommended only to the bravest.

When there is no public toilet nearby, citizens manage. They enter cafes, where using the toilet often means ordering a drink. Those who are more experienced know which colleges, municipalities or other public institutions they can walk into unnoticed and satisfy their basic physiological needs.

We sent questions to the city secretariats responsible for this area about whether the construction of new public toilets is planned, in accordance with the needs of the multi-million city, which is visited by tourists throughout the year. However, we did not receive an answer.

While we're waiting for him, during the day we can manage somehow - find the nearest public toilet, enter the shopping center or rely on the good will of the waiter. At night, the choice is much more difficult, so we have to wait until home or, if there is a stop-and-go, give in and use some hidden corner of the city.

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