Makiš () is a forest and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Čukarica.
Location
Makiš is bordered by the Sava river and Sava Lake to the west and north, Čukarica and Čukarička Padina to the northeast, Julino Brdo, Žarkovo, Bele Vode and Rupčine to the east, Železnik to the south and Ostružnica to the southwest.
Geography
For the most part, Makiš is a marshy forest, crossed by many small streams and canals, most notably the Marevica. Northern part is known as Jedek, western as Aščinica and central as Veliko Okno. Part of the Sava's alluvial plane, the main section of the area, which covers several hundreds of hectares, is covered with gravel and sand which are 10,000 years old. In time, a plentiful water source formed. As the Sava river reaches the bend at Makiš, some water continues in the straight direction, penetrating the ground in the fan-shaped manner, without reaching the surface. Through the "flake" system of dispersion, the water filters itself through the non-organic wall, made of gravel, sand and other silicate minerals, before reaching the reservoirs. The natural underground reservoirs spread over several hundreds of hectares, at the depth of . The water is drained by the Ranney collectors.
In the early 19th century, the area was covered in thick forest. Until the 20th century, Makiš was known for plentiful pastures used by the farmers from the nearby Žarkovo for their livestock.
In total, Makiš forest spreads on .
Characteristics
Makiš is for the most part non-residential (it had a population of only 1,217 in 2011), but important for the city industry and transportation. Major roads of Sava motorway and Old Obrenovac road cross through the area, marking western and eastern borders of the neighborhood. The railway also passes on the eastern border were the Makiš marshalling yard, largest one in south-east Europe, is located. The central facilities (including the water factory) of the Belgrade waterworks are located in Makiš, so as many gravel digging and cement plant on the bank of the Sava river.
First waterworks which supplied Belgrade from Makiš was finished in 1892, and the system was ceremonially opened on 12 July 1892, at Terazije. At the time, it was one of the most modern such facilities in Southeast Europe, projected by engineer Oskar Smrekar (1854-1935). For the first time in Belgrade, the underground water was used by the water supply system, instead of water springs. Original capacity was per day, for 80.000 citizens. By 1914, the production grew to daily. As Belgrade grew in the decades to come, the first water treatment facility ("water factory" Makiš 1) became operational in April 1987. It treats water from the Sava river. Another treatment facility, Makiš 2, was built from 2004 to September 2014, which should cover Belgrade's need for water until 2035.
During the Interbellum, the waterworks company built the residential complex for its workers in Makiš, which originally consisted of two buildings within the industrial facility. Makiš Stadium is located in the northern section of Makiš.
Planned projects
Aerial lift
The "Čavlina and Sladoljev" company from Zagreb drafted the project of connecting two banks of the Sava by the cable car in 1922. The project never realized. Engineer and CEO of the institute for urbanism and dwelling "Juginus", Mirko Radovanac, revived the idea in the 1990s. After extensive surveys (traffic analysis, interviews with the commuters, climatic, geological, urban and other research), they presented the project in 1993. They proposed the terminuses should be at the Sports Center Košutnjak and Block 44 in the neighborhood of Savski Blokovi in New Belgrade, across the Sava. Stops in between would include the major public transportation roundabout in Banovo Brdo, Makiš and Ada Ciganlija, five in total. They called it the "ideal route". The plan also included construction of commercial areas around the terminuses, which would cover , helping the profitability of the project. Apart from being ecological and an attraction, it was estimated that it would shorten the trip for 45 minutes.