East European countryside in transition - case study of Serbia

Abstract

Modern Serbian village, in the form of bulk or dense settlements, its architecture, constructive materials, spatial layout, functions and ways of exploitation of the soil, vary to some extent in some parts of the country. Natural conditions, time of occurrence, type of farm (if still there), and social structure ‒ all these factors affect rural development and landscape change. All changes in the way of cultivation and function of villages affected the development of construction zones, which were redesigned and rebuilt over many years ‒ not always to the benefit of cultural heritage. The evidence that urbanization can be seen in the Serbian countryside (as in other European countries) are considered in this work, with necessary illustrations. In the process of continuous change, attention should focus on preserving the identity of places and forms of developmental events. Initiated projects are focused on development and reconstruction of infrastructure and preservation of cultural heritage. Awareness of cultural values of Serbian villages and landscapes as subjects of a kind of historical colonization has been shaped during long-term transformation.