Home of Merchant Youth

An endowment to her parents

The building of the Trade School, known as the Home of Trade Youth, is a unique jewel in the rich legacy of the Kiki family. This is not just another building in a series; it is the deeply personal project of Evgenija Kiki. After the death of her husband Nikola, she not only continued to manage his fund, but decided to leave her own mark in memory of her origins.

Evgenija, born into the respected merchant Naumović family, decided to invest the entire property she had inherited from her parents in one great cause. Her vision was clear: to create a home and school for “trade youth”, a place where poor but hardworking young men could learn the trade that had given her and her husband everything they had.

Seat of the “Trade Youth”

The building was handed over to the Belgrade Trade Youth, a powerful and respected association that brought together young merchants and worked on their cultural and educational advancement. This building became their headquarters, their school and their home.

Architecture and endurance

The building at the corner of Hilandarska and Cetinjska streets was completed in 1929. It was designed in the spirit of academicism, with a massive and dignified façade reflecting the seriousness of the institution it houses. Unlike many endowments that changed their purpose during the turbulent history of Belgrade, this building remained faithful to its original aim – today it still houses the Trade School. Thousands of pupils have passed through its classrooms, and so the vow of Evgenija Kiki has been fulfilled every day for nearly a whole century.