Serbia Kragujevac. Serbia Kragujevac things to do in Kragujevac

Kragujevac is the administrative center of the Serbian region of Šumadija and the fourth largest city in the country. Holidays in Kragujevac mean affordable prices, the opportunity to see interesting sights, and plunge into the atmosphere of modern students in the vicinity of a rich historical heritage.

The most convenient way to get to Kragujevac from Russia is through the Serbian capital.

Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit

The building, built in 1818, was the first during the reign of Prince Milos.

The appearance of the church is not flashy, but its creators and architects were the leading masters of that era.

The bell, which appeared in the church 10 years after its construction, became a way to notify the local population about the sovereign's decrees.

By the way! The first Serbian Constitution was proclaimed precisely in the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Memorial Park "Šumarice"

Located in the northern part of the city, the park is a place that reminds local residents of the tragic events in the country's history.

The punitive actions of the fascist army resulted in the execution of the local population, which resulted in the death of 7,000 people.

The graves of those killed in October 1941 are located here in a wide 7-kilometer ring.

Walking around Kragujevac

Within the city walls and in its surroundings there are several places where it is pleasant to wander in good weather:

1. Large park, another name is Verkhniy. A huge number of trees grow on an area of ​​10 hectares. Some of them are up to 100 years old. In the center of the park area there is a monument to a wounded soldier.
2. Lake Buban is located in the vicinity of the city. Here, against the backdrop of picturesque landscapes, you can walk along the alleys, relax on a bench or visit local restaurants.

Kragujevac for children

One of the places in the city that is worth visiting with your child is the local Oceanarium.

In 400 sq. meters of various aquariums there are more than 300 representatives of the rivers and seas of the Balkans, Africa, America, Asia and Australia.

The oceanarium itself is quite compact, if not cramped, and is located in the building of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
The entrance ticket costs about 2 euros.

Excursions in the surrounding area

Devil's City

Almost any guide to Serbia will suggest a visit to this place, located near Kragujevac.

This natural landmark, located on Mount Radan, consists of more than 200 stone pillars, the highest of which rises 15 meters.

The diameter of the stone sculptures is about 1 meter.

On the tops you can see blocks whose weight reaches hundreds of kilograms.

By the way, guides’ proposals often include visiting the city of the devil at night.

Borac village

More than 40 years ago, picturesque rural landscapes became an incentive for the development of tourism in this then small village.

Local residents opened the doors of their properties to guests, which allowed the traveler to be completely immersed in the atmosphere of the village.

Over time, the number of such peasant farms grew. Today, those who want secluded walks in the lap of nature, healthy local food and a sense of village flavor flock here.

Events and festivals in Kragujevac

1. Car festival. At the festival-exhibition taking place in June, cars of the Zastava brand, which were assembled at a local plant, are demonstrated. Now the automobile plant is part of the Fiat concern, and cars of this brand have been assembled here since 2012.
2. Rock and roll festival Arsenal, held in June.
3. October theater festival named after the first director of the local theater, Joakim Vujic.

Kragujevac is an amazing city. During the day, it allows you to plunge into the historical past of the country, and when darkness falls, numerous bars in the city open their doors to those who want to have fun.

It makes sense for Russians to add Kragujevac to their list of cities worth visiting, especially since a visa is not required to stay in Serbia within 30 days.

Milesevo Monastery is one of the most famous Serbian monasteries. It is located near the town of Prijepolje in southwestern Serbia. The monastery was built on the banks of the Mileshevka River, which, apparently, gave it its name.

The monastery was built by Saint King Vladislav, who was the nephew of Saint Sava (the first Serbian Archbishop), between 1234 and 1236.

In 1237, Vladislav transferred the relics of St. Sava to the cathedral church in Mileshevo from the Bulgarian capital Tarnovo. And in 1594, the Turks burned the remains of St. Sava on Vracar Hill in Belgrade, where the Temple of St. Sava is now built.

Since the 12th century, the monastery was often destroyed and plundered by the Turks.

In the 16th century, the Mileshevo monastery reached its greatest prosperity. The development of culture and crafts brought good income. In this century, the buildings of the monastery were significantly updated and new ones were built. There was a monastery school at the monastery. Church books were copied and printed here.

In the 18th century, the monastery, after another devastation by the Turks, was completely empty. The monastery was restored only in 1863.

Lyubostyn Monastery

Ljubostinja is an Orthodox convent in central Serbia, located near the town of Trstenik. The most important temple was consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The monastery was founded by Princess Militsa in 1388. And it was built before 1405. After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, where her husband, Prince Lazar, was killed, Milica went to the monastery she founded, where she lived out the rest of her life. This is where her holy relics are kept.

A carved tablet in the shape of a trefoil cross informs that the monastery cathedral was built by Rade Borovic. The temple was built of polished stone, then plastered and additionally lined with rows of stone and brick. Some frescoes from the time the temple was built have still been preserved. In 1822, an iconostasis was created, which has survived to this day.

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Village Sirogojno

The ethno-village in Sirogoino “Staro Selo” is one of the unique places that has miraculously survived to this day. The village is located on beautiful hills, ten kilometers from Zlatibor.

Against the backdrop of picturesque landscapes, the ethnographic museum “Staro Selo”, which was organized in 1979, rises.

Monuments of ancient wooden architecture occupy an area of ​​approximately 15 hectares and clearly show the culture and way of life of Serbian villages of past centuries.

In Sirogojno, time stood still in the distant 19th century. Ancient wooden huts, made using ancient unique technology without a single nail, were brought here from all the surrounding areas and restored so that every guest could plunge into the daily life of Serbian peasants of the 19th century. In these houses you can find real utensils of that time, simple furniture, see the outfits that peasants wore on holidays and weekdays, learn interesting features of everyday life and details of family life.

Tourists who visit this unique ethnographic village at least once will be able to learn a lot of interesting information and feel the atmosphere and spirit of modest peasant life.

Peter's Church or, another name, the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is part of the Stari Ras monument complex.

The church is located on a hill slightly north of the city of Novi Pazar, built in the 8th - early 9th centuries. This is one of the oldest churches in Serbia that has survived to this day. There are even frescoes from the 13th century preserved on the walls of this church.

Around the church there is a cemetery with Slavic late Roman burials, and in the church itself the ruler of Serbia, Petar Gojnikovich, is buried. The church is also notable for the fact that Saint Sava, the very first head of the Orthodox Serbian Church, was baptized there.

Sopočani Monastery. Kragujevac

The Sopočani Monastery is located near the city of Novi Pazar in southern Serbia. Founded by the Serbian king Uros in the very beautiful valley of the Raska River, near ancient Ras - the center of the Serbian state. The only surviving part of the old monastery complex is the Church of the Holy Trinity (1264-1265), the building of the Russian school and side extensions in the form of lowered naves (early 14th century).

In the Middle Ages, the Sopočany monastery was a spiritual center and its brethren numbered over a hundred monks.

Around 1265 the church was painted with frescoes. Sopocan's frescoes are distinguished by the internal concentration of images, large scale, lapidary forms, and light coloring. There is nothing particularly spectacular or sensual in the images, but a complete impression of peace and grandeur is created.

In 1389, the monastery was burned by the Turks and restored under Despot Stephen. In 1689, after the roof of the church was burned and collapsed, the monastery was empty. It was restored in 1929, 1948-1956. In the 1990s, the relics of the holy silverless doctors Damian and Cosmas were transferred to Sopočani from the Vysoki Decani monastery.

In 1979, the monastery was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Devil's City National Monument

Devil's City National Monument consists of two rare natural phenomena - distinct landforms and two acidic and very cold mineral springs.

This natural monument consists of 202 figures ranging from 2 to 15 meters in height and from one and a half to 3 meters in width. They were created by a process of soil erosion that lasts forever. In this regard, the figures slowly but constantly change their shape, disappear and appear again.

There are many legends about the “City of the Devil”. Due to the nearby old church, abandoned village and cemetery, this place becomes even more mysterious.

Wuyang Monastery

The Vuyan Monastery was built in the 14th century and is located near the town of Cacak, next to the Vuyan Mountains. It is an important cultural and historical monument and is under state protection.

According to legend, it was erected by a hermit who grazed cattle on the slopes of Mount Vuyan. The monastery was built and destroyed several times. In 1805, it was erected again thanks to the donations of the Serbian hero Nikola Lunjevica.

It is a single-nave structure made of broken stone, with a separate naos and narthex, above which rises an octagonal bell tower. The painting of the monastery, completed in 1939 and 1943, is reminiscent of medieval painting of 1805, and the iconostasis was made by the painters Stoyan and Jeremiah in 1808.

Museum of Traditional Architecture and Handicrafts

The Museum of Traditional Architecture and Handicrafts is located in the building of the foundry of the Zastava plant, which was built in the 80s of the 19th century. Examples of industrial architecture from those times are still preserved here.

The museum's exhibition reflects the history of industrial development in Serbia. In addition, weapons that were acquired as trophies during the First and Second World Wars are displayed here.

Museum visitors can see archival materials about the plant, photographs, samples of sporting and hunting weapons, and artillery pieces.

Complex Studenica. Kragujevac

Studenica is a kind of Serbian Lavra. The monastery, according to many, is one of the most beautiful in the world. It was built at the end of the 17th century by Stefan Nemanja, who was later canonized and named Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming.

The Studenica Monastery is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On the territory of the monastery there are two white marble churches and a stone temple, where paintings made more than 7 centuries ago are still preserved.

The bell tower, refectory and other monastery buildings have been preserved in very good condition to this day.

The main shrines of Studenica are the relics of Stefan Nemanja, his wife Reverend Anastasia of Serbia, their son, as well as fragments of the relics of the holy martyr Harlampius and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the sacristy of the monastery, despite the attacks of the Turks and several fires, it was possible to preserve a number of real religious treasures.

Monastery of Žiča Stephen the First Crowned

The Orthodox monastery of Zhicha was built in the style of the so-called Russian school, which is characterized by a combination of forms of Byzantine and Western European Romanesque architecture - this is its architectural feature. The main part of the temple is divided into three parts: the eastern part is part of the altar, and the dome rises above the middle one. On the western side, a spacious vestibule topped with a tower was later completed.

The monastery is interesting because its surviving wall paintings are a masterpiece of medieval Serbia to this day. There are two burials in the temple, in one of them Archbishop Evstatiy is buried, and in the second - Patriarch Gerasim.

The monastery sacristy is now empty, but few know that there were shrines in it: a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, decorated with pearls, and the right hand and a piece of the head of John the Baptist, which are now in Italy. There is a famous icon painting school in Žić, whose masters painted many icons that decorate Orthodox churches and houses throughout Serbia. Icons are painted on linden boards, which are preserved for at least three years.

The most popular attractions in Kragujevac with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Kragujevac on our website.

Story

It was first mentioned in 1476 in a Turkish document in the form "Kraguyofç". Then there were 32 houses in it.

Liberated from Turkish rule in 1815. The first capital of Serbia as a state of modern times (1818-1841). Here were the first Serbian gymnasium and lyceum (predecessor of the University of Belgrade), the first court, the first theater, and the first Serbian newspaper was published. Since the middle of the 19th century, industry has been developing (the first cannon was cast in 1853).

During the First World War, due to the occupation of Belgrade, the city again became the capital for a while.

On November 21, 1941, German troops shot 7,000 residents of the city, among whom were about 300 students and 18 teachers of the local gymnasium, in retaliation for the 70 German soldiers and officers killed by Tito's partisan units. People were taken straight from the streets. The song “Bloody Tale” by the Serbian poetess Desanka Maksimovic is dedicated to this event; the moment when the 6-10 year old gypsy shoe shine boys are taken away is especially touching. These scenes were repeatedly shown in films dedicated to the war. At the site of the tragedy there is now a monument and a museum.

Attractions

The first thing to do in Kragujevac is to go to the cultural and historical complex “Circle of Prince Milos”, within the boundaries of which are located the buildings of the capital period of Kragujevac - built in 1818-1841. It is worth paying attention to the magnificent Balkan-Oriental architectural style, in which elements of Slavic architecture with its straight lines and general nobility of composition are combined with domes and arches, as well as ornate decorations of the East. The only completely preserved building from the period of Prince Milos is the Amija Palace, built in 1818. This was once the site of “state housing” for members of the princely escort.

Other notable buildings from the heyday of Kragujevac are the Gymnasium (built in 1887, the gymnasium itself was founded forty years earlier and was the only one in Serbia), the Palace of Prince Mihailo - a one-story building created according to all the canons of Austrian classicism, and the Theater (1835) - again the first in the country.

The Old Church, built in 1818 also by order of Prince Milosz, is dedicated to the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. A decade later, the temple acquired its own bell and since then has served as a kind of place for announcing government decrees. In particular, the first constitution of Serbia was proclaimed here in 1835.

The most important, but sad monument to the recent history of Serbia is the Šumarice memorial complex, dedicated to the events of the Second World War. On October 21, 1941, a Nazi punitive action was carried out here, during which seven thousand civilians of the city were shot. The graves of the victims form a seven-kilometer ring.

For a walk in the fresh air, go to the Big (or Upper) Park, which has more than 120 years of recreational “history” and an area of ​​more than 10 hectares. In the center of the park you can see a monument to a wounded soldier, which is surrounded by hundred-year-old trees. The picturesque nature of the surroundings of Kragujevac can be seen on the shores of Lake Bubanj - there is a park with a lot of benches and several restaurants.

It is also worthwhile to get out of the city - to the charming village of Borac, located among idyllic rural landscapes.

Shopping

Souvenirs and other trivial tourist goods are sold in shops at attractions, as well as in the Kragujevac tourism office. For more serious things, you should go to the central streets of King Peter, King Alexander or Lola Ribar - here you can buy products with a Serbian flavor (for example, embroidered towels), clothes, shoes and all “universal” goods.

If you are overcome by a longing for megamalls (albeit adjusted to the Serbian scale), welcome to the Kragujevac shopping centers - “Roda Center” or “Kragujevac Plaza”. In the latter you will be greeted by more than a hundred shops, cinemas, an entertainment center and other mall amenities.

Kitchen

It will not be difficult to have an inexpensive snack or a thorough lunch with national cuisine in Kragujevac - a lot of fast food establishments and “reputable” restaurants literally await tourists on the streets of the city.

Excellent Serbian fast food is served in the affordable Lepenica near the bus and railway station - pljeskavica is especially good here. For excellent barbecue and variations on the theme of grilled sausages (“chevapchichi”, if that), go to “Labud”, and delicious schnitzels are prepared at “Plavi Byk”. For an experience of “haute cuisine”, it is recommended to look into “Dvorishte”, which is located on the picturesque shore of Lake Buban, or the two oldest restaurants “Old Serbia” and “Balkan” in the historical center of the city.

Accommodation

In Kragujevac, tourists will be greeted by a lot of hotels, guest houses, boarding houses and hostels. There are a lot of inexpensive (even by low Serbian standards) options - this is due to the student orientation of the city. The most options are in the city center and near the university. In general, you should aim for 15-20 EUR per night in a good hotel; rooms in private houses can be found at prices starting from 8 EUR.

Transport

The center of Kragujevac is very compact and can easily be explored on foot. The main attractions are located close to each other, except for the Šumarice memorial park in the north of the city - it makes sense to get there by bus or taxi. If you arrived in Kragujevac by car, there should be no problems with parking, even in the city center.

How to get there

The closest airports to Kragujevac are in Belgrade and Niš (150 km in both cases), so the most convenient way to get here from Russia is by landing in the Serbian capital.

From Belgrade and other cities in the country you can arrive to Kragujevac by intercity bus. The trip from Belgrade will take about two hours, transport departs from the capital's central bus station. Prices are low - a round trip ticket will cost about 10 EUR. Buses arrive at the Kragujevac bus station, from where you can reach the city center on foot in about ten minutes.

There is also a train station in Kragujevac, but it only makes sense to arrive here by train from the southern regions of the country (for example, from Niš), with which Kragujevac has direct connections. Traveling by rail from Belgrade will require a transfer, so we recommend choosing buses.