Lion is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade

Belgrade

Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...

, the capital of Serbia

Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Zvezdara

Zvezdara

Zvezdara is a hill, forest, urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...

.

Location

Lion is located along the old Belgrade's longest street, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra

Bulevar kralja Aleksandra

Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra , with length of 7,5 kilometers, is the longest street entirely within the urban limits of Belgrade, capital of Serbia...

, 3.5 kilometers south-east of downtown Belgrade (Terazije

Terazije

Terazije is the central square and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :...

). It borders the neighborhoods of Bulbuder

Bulbuder

Bulbulder is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Zvezdara.- Location :...

 on the north-east, Đeram on the west, Lipov Lad

Lipov Lad

Lipov Lad is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Zvezdara.- Location :...

 on the south-west, Denkova Bašta on the south, and Cvetkova Pijaca

Cvetkova Pijaca

Cvetkova Pijaca or colloquially Cvetko is an open green market and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...

 on the east.

Characteristics

Before World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Lion was a commercial centar on the boulevard, with many tobacco and grocery stores, bookshops and craftsman shops. The neighborhood got its name from the kafana

Kafana

Kafana , kafeana , kavana are terms used in the former Yugoslav countries for a distinct type of local bistro which primarily serves alcoholic beverages and coffee , and which sometimes also has a live band.The concept of a social gathering place for men to drink...

 "Lion", which was named after the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 town of Lyon

Lyon

Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

. Kafana was a favorite place for pre-war state employees, officers and teachers and it was known for pool, chess and domino tournaments, so as for the Sunday's dances for the youth. Unfortunately, the Lion kafana doesn't exist anymore, it has been replaced since by other commercial venues.

Though mainly residential area today, Lion still has a developed commercial section along the boulevard so as several schools. Stadium of FK Hajduk

FK Hajduk Beograd

FK Hajduk Beograd is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia.-Recent seasons:1 Championship abandoned officially on May 14, 1999 due to the NATO attacks on FR Yugoslavia.-Current squad:...

and thetaer of "Zvezdara Teatar" are also located in the neighborhood. The population of Lion was 5,509 by the 2002 census.