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The Belgrade Eye: a wheel over the Sava
Belgrade Waterfront Marina
About The Belgrade Eye: a wheel over the Sava
A giant panoramic wheel is planned on the New Belgrade bank of the Sava, facing Belgrade Waterfront and the old town: the Belgrade Eye, an idea that has been turning for almost a decade and is now part of the plans for the riverside of the future.
The back story
Every great river city seems to have its wheel. Vienna’s Riesenrad has turned over the Prater since 1897, and the London Eye has become the symbol of modern London since it opened on the Thames in 2000. For almost a decade Belgrade, with two great rivers and one of the most beautiful skylines in Europe, has been dreaming of one of its own.
The idea first took shape in 2017, when the Danish urbanist Jan Gehl, famous for making Copenhagen a city for people, proposed a ‘Belgrade Prater’ for Friendship Park at Ušće, where the Sava meets the Danube, with a Ferris wheel at its heart. A master plan for the Ušće riverside in 2018 suggested a wheel of 85 metres, taller than Vienna’s, and a design competition for the area in 2023 again invited ideas for where a wheel might stand.
Every great river city seems to have its wheel, from Vienna’s Prater to the London Eye, and Belgrade has been dreaming of one for years.
The Belgrade Eye
At the end of 2025 the wheel was given a name and a place: the Belgrade Eye, on the New Belgrade bank of the Sava between the Old Railway Bridge, which is becoming a green pedestrian bridge, and the Gazela Bridge. It is now part of Belgrade Waterfront’s plans for the riverside, which describe it as a new city and tourist landmark, alongside the new marina, the opera house in the dome of the Belgrade Fair and a promenade stretching all the way to Ada Ciganlija.
From its cabins, visitors would look straight across the Sava to the towers of Belgrade Waterfront, up to Kalemegdan and the domes and spires of the old town, and out over New Belgrade and the river islands. Officials have spoken of having it ready in time for EXPO 2027, but its height, design, builder and opening date have not yet been published.
Until then
For the best views over the city today, ride the lift to the Belgrade 360 Deck at the top of Belgrade Tower, climb to the Victor monument at Kalemegdan, or walk out onto the Sava Promenade at sunset, where the wheel will one day turn.
Why it's on our list
- A panoramic wheel over the Sava
- Views of the old town, Kalemegdan and Belgrade Waterfront
- Part of the new riverside between the bridges
- Inspired by Vienna’s Prater and the London Eye
The Belgrade Eye at a glance
From Belgrade Waterfront and contemporary reports. Height, design and opening date have not yet been published.
Timeline
- 2017The Danish urbanist Jan Gehl proposes a ‘Belgrade Prater’ with a Ferris wheel in Friendship Park
- 2018A master plan for Ušće suggests an 85-metre wheel
- 2023A competition for the Ušće riverside invites ideas for a wheel
- 2025The Belgrade Eye is announced as part of the new Sava riverside
- 2026Belgrade Waterfront includes the wheel in its plans for the Marina district
Other great wheels · 3
Vienna’s Riesenrad, 1897, about 65 m, The London Eye, 2000, 135 m, The Belgrade Eye: height to be announced
Listings, fees and opening hours change, so please contact The Belgrade Eye: a wheel over the Sava directly before you visit.
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