UDC 711.4 (497.11) 711.4 (560.118) CHASING THE LIMELIGHT: BELGRADE AND ISTANBUL IN THE GLOBAL COMPETITION Aleksandra Stupar, Cenk Hamamcioglu The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare main changes of contemporary Belgrade and Istanbul - two urban nodes at the crossroads of different and multileveled flows. Following the same pattern of global activation, inevitable competition and networking, these cities are trying to synchronize their multidimensional background, establish new patterns of global behavior and adjust them to the dynamism of modern life. Consequently, their historical role has been modified, urban tissue has been developed, recreated and regenerated, and the output of this process represents an attractive testimony of their global initiation. Revealing the ambiguous nature of strong economic forces as well as a new fusion of urban cultures, Belgrade and Istanbul are structuring the globalized image with the new key-elements. However, their true potential and the real efficiency of this process should be re-evaluated - the changed physiognomy of the city could improve its position in the global hierarchy and facilitate its integration into the global community, but, sometimes, local limitations are too complex and too strong to be ignored. INTRODUCTION Belgrade and Istanbul, two interesting exam- for the Austrians and the Turks, and both ples interlinked by specific historical circum- conquerors 'molded' the city according to their Although the process of globalization repre- stances, have decided to apply this logic for own cultural and military needs. From the 19th sents an ambiguous spin which integrates and the future development. Although different in century, (1867) Belgrade expanded rapidly and segregates different space and time scales, their size, structure, organization and cultural finally (after 1918) became the capital of the levels and nodes, it could also be conceived as context, these cities share the similar position - newly founded Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats a unique mode of urban development, adjusted placed at the crossroads of multiple inherited and Slovenians. However, during the Second to the contemporary needs and the speed of and newly created flows, but mostly conside- World War, the city of Belgrade suffered uncountable flows. red as a global periphery. Facing the difficul- inestimable damage caused by German Following the main course imposed by the top- ties caused by specific political and economi- occupying forces, being also a target of the global cities, urban-scapes all over the world cal situation, they are trying to establish an Allies' bombing that destroyed all the bridges alluring image for the future using their own on the Sava and Danube, and demolished are trying to achieve globally acceptable image as a new testimony of their economical spin- potentials and guidelines of the city branding. many residential areas. off. Twisting between newfangled global REPOSITIONING THE CROSSROADS Although Belgrade lost in this war more than esthetic and inherited patterns of local 50000 citizens and faced great poverty, it cultures, virtual openness and real limitations, As one of the oldest cities in Europe, Belgrade slowly started to recover becoming the cities are struggling for the best position in the shared the history of Thracian-Cimmerian and important international political, economic, global hierarchy that should facilitate their Scythian tribes, as well as Celts and Romans. It cultural and sports center in Europe. For more initiation in the worldwide city networks. was the target of Ostrogodos, Avars and Slavs, than 30 years (especially between 1960s and However, this cruel but inevitable competition and an important frontier stronghold of 1990s), it had been the place of important could bring to the urban surface an amazing, Byzantium (during the 11th and 12th century). international meetings. Just to mention the creative and vivid patchwork of hidden It became a Serbian town in 1284, its capital in most important like: the First Conference of the symbols, signs and forgotten meanings that the beginning of the 15th century (under Heads and Governments of the Non-aligned represent a starting point for the reinvention of Despot Stefan Lazarevic) but Turks captured it Countries in 1961, the Conference on Security urban attractiveness. in the 16th century. During the next two and Cooperation in Europe /OSCE/, the centuries it was of great strategic importance UNESCO Conference, annual meetings of the spatium 27 World Bank and the International Monetary After the transfer of national administration to Both cities were candidates for the Olympic Fund, the 6th UNCTAD. Belgrade was the Ankara, the situation slightly changed, but, Games: Belgrade (before its stagnation, for organizer of various cultural, sport, and other after 1950s, the new economical policies 1992 and 1996 Olympics) and Istanbul (for events. Today, after numerous political influenced an impetus with a dramatic change 2000 and 2008), but although their location changes and NATO bombing in 1999, in size, density and facilities due to the and sport facilities were considered as their Belgrade, now the capital of the Republic of increasing activities of industrialization and advantages, they did not get this chance for Serbia modifies its urban essence. Trying to international trade. Since 1990s Istanbul has economical and media spin-off. For example, regain its lost position in the global networks become the host town of the international although Istanbul's motto for 2008 Olympics and to recreate its international spirit, the city economic and political meetings such as the was "The Meeting of Continents", its and its local government emphasize its advan- Black Sea Economic Cooperation (KEİ) symbolical position of the crossroads of Asia tages as symbols of the future development. meeting in 1992, the United Nations Confe- and Europe was not sufficient for election. As rence on Human Settlements-II (Habitat-II) in the main 'contra' argument the political and Similarly, Istanbul has a very attractive geo- 1996, the 17th meeting of North Atlantic Treaty seismic instability were stated, but the main politic position at the junction of two Organization (NATO) in 2004, as well as reason actually was the important competitive continents. Because of its distinctive situation numerous sports competitions (Class 1 World advantage(s) of Beijing - the financial and its preserved topography and harbor, the Offshore Championship in 1999, the 32nd guarantees from the government and the city had been settled by different tribes and European Basketball Championship for Men in commercial potential of the huge Chinese colonies since the 7th century B.C. In this 2001, Istanbul Formula Grand-prix in 2005). market that will be entered by the international, century, Megara tribe, which had escaped from globalized capital. Dorian attacks from Greece, established the Today, Istanbul has different problems first settlement - a city named Byzantion. The generated from the contradictions of urban life THE GLOBAL ACTIVATION VS. city was captured by Persians, Macedonians but, at the same time, it is trying to achieve the LOCAL LIMITATIONS and Romans became the capital of East Roman best possible position on the global platform Empire (in 395 A.C.) and changed the name integrating the fundamental history with the The Belgrade metropolitan region, with its 1,6 from Byzantion to Constantinople. It had a needs of contemporary urban life. million residents, has always been considered status of the capital city of two world empires as the gate to the East and the door to the in the Mediterranean Basin - The Byzantine Obviously, the inherited/historical role of West. Therefore, it is now trying to benefit from (East Roman) and Ottoman - until the establi- Belgrade and Istanbul are transposed into a its position of the communication hub of the shment of Turkish Republic in 1923. In the new system of values and their positions are SE Europe and its new connectivity is based meantime, when conquered by Ottomans in now (re)questioned in accordance with upon two international rivers (Danube, as the 1453, Constantinople finally became Istanbul. different empirical data that could illustrate European corridor VII, and Sava) and a section diversity among them. Measuring and of the European corridor X (highway network). As a unique coastal city with the location on analyzing their power and connectivity and Belgrade is also plugged into the European the trade routes, Istanbul was a strong political, categorizing them into the new hierarchical network by an international airport, the interna- administrative, trade, religious, scientific and system(s) these two urban nodes have to tional railway system, two ports and four cultural center and the most populated 'insert' themselves into a new geography of railway stations. Additionally, its integration is European and Middle-East city in the 17th globalization that only 'identifies' cities with oriented towards other important urban nodes century, with 800.000 inhabitants (Ana evidence of world city processes. Therefore, it in SEE (Bucharest, Sofia, Thessalonica, Sara- Britannica, 1993). During these centuries, city is not surprising that Istanbul found its place jevo, Zagreb) and Central Europe (Ljubljana, expanded in glory with the long-lasting peace among high connectivity gateways (Taylor at al, Budapest). and richness. During the Ottoman hegemony, 2002), as a node of principal component the