Restaurant Tošin Bunar - History

Restaurant “Tošin bunar” is situated at the same place where it was built two centuries ago, but no one can precisely say when. The restaurant has got the unusual name by a well which acctually existed in front of the entrance of today’s restaurant, locally known as “Jakarata”. It was named after Toša Apostolović, who accordingly to the legend, was of Greek origin and his actual name firstly was Theodoros Apostolos. Once he moved to this area he took a Serbian name. He was a skilled merchant and owner of a large estate and this pub. Some data suggest that he was the president of the Zemun parish, at a time when the Zemun had about 6.000 inhabitants.

Toša Apostolović was born in 1745. and died in 1810. He suffered from a serious eye illness, and he was told once in his dream that under Bežanijska kosa existed good vineyards and healing waters, where he should take the barrel and push it down the valley. Apparently, according to the vision, Toša should dig a well where the barrel stopped, and by washing his face with that water, affliction would pass.

Tradition confirmed this saying. The existence of the well is certainly not an ordinary story, and many still do remember. Manager of the restaurant “Tošin bunar” recalls that the well had a sweep, so tipical of that age of the old Srem. Unfortunately, the well was destroyed during the construction of the University campus.

The restaurant also belonged to Toša Apostolović and it was the hangout for coachmen and passengers. The building still looked decent, although it was made of charge and only few plasterboards which helped it maintain a stylish look.

Tošin bunar began to settle between the two wars. Until then, there were only huts for the guardians of vineyards and gardens. Houses along the long road connected Zemun and Novo naselje or Old Airport. During that period, in the place of the present University campus, close to the pub, there was the excise tax. On that place, the farmers who were bringing goods to Zemun market had to pay tax.