Hotel Moskva was constructed in the years leading up to World War I, which was an era defined by its economic prosperity, artistic expression, and political intrigue.

Hotel Moskva debuted on January 14, 1908, during a lavish inauguration ceremony presided over by King Petar I Karađorđević of Serbia. This spectacular hotel specifically played a central role in the cultural developments of early 20th-century Belgrade. Renowned novelist Miloš Crnjanski founded the “Grupa umetnika” shortly after World War I, which was a small but enthusiastic collective of intellectuals who yearned for a cultural rebirth in Belgrade. In addition to Crnjanski, the group included Sima Pandurović, Rastko Petrović, Stanislav Vinaver, Ivo Andrić, Momčilo Nastasijević, and Branko Lazarević. Even though these artists and philosophers never formed a coherent school, their discussions introduced a stimulating academic atmosphere for a new generation of Serbian thinkers. They met in Hotel Moskva's kafana, because, according to Crnjanski, it was the only place with working electricity at the time. 000

The hotel continued to serve the city’s intellectuals following World War II, with most of Belgrade’s cultural elite frequenting the location regularly. Yugoslav Nobel laureate in literature, Ivo Andrić, had his own table at the restaurant for many years. Poet Vasko Popa developed a daily ritual that lasted for decades, in which he drank coffee every day from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hotel Moskva today is still among Belgrade’s most renowned holiday destinations. Some 36 million visitors have passed through the doors alone. As such, nowhere else is better to start experiencing the city’s rich cultural history than at the Hotel Moskva.