What to visit in the vicinity of Vrnjačka Banja
The area of old Raška, where Vrnjačka Banja is located, is the historical core of the oldest Serbian state in this region. It is precisely from this fact that the wealth of the area is reflected in churches, monasteries and medieval fortifications that are several centuries old. There are also numerous cultural and historical monuments, mountain tourist centers, picnic areas, rivers, vineyards...
Ljubostinja Monastery
Near Trstenik, 16 km from Vrnjačka Banja, is the Ljubostinja monastery. This women's monastery, as an endowment of Princess Milica, was built in the period after the battle in Kosovo, at the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century. Princess Milica became a monk there in 1392 and took the spiritual name Evgenia. Here she spent the rest of her life together with her friend, the medieval Serbian writer, the despot Jelena Mrnjavčević, that is, the nun Yefimija. She died in this monastery, and her relics are still kept in the monastery today. It was built in the style of the Moravian school, which combined the influences of Venetian Gothic and Islamic architecture here in a unique way. Great attention was paid to the appearance of the monastery and its imposing exterior is reflected in the massive stone rosettes on all four exterior walls. The monastery suffered violence several times, and therefore it was rebuilt several times, and the church preserved to this day has retained all the characteristics of the Moravian style. As the monastery has suffered a lot of damage over the centuries, not much has been preserved from its original painting, on which, in addition to the figures of saints, the figures of Princess Milica, Prince Lazar, Despot Stefan and his brother Vuk have been preserved. As a cultural monument of exceptional importance, the last endowment of Nemanjić, the mausoleum of Princess Milica and an ossuary with over thirty discovered monastic and noble graves, Ljubostinja has enjoyed the highest level of protection of the Republic of Serbia since 1979.
Žiča Monastery
Žiča is a Serbian medieval monastery from the first half of the 13th century located in the Ibar Valley, not far from Kraljevo. It is 32 km from Vrnjačka Banja and the easiest way to get there is if you take the road that leads from Kraljevo to Mataruška Banja. The monastery of exceptional historical and spiritual importance was built by Stefan Prvovenčani with his brother Sava, in the period from 1206 until Sava's departure to Hilandar in 1217, and the works lasted until 1221. The Žiča Monastery was founded with the unequivocal intention of being the seat of the archbishopric where kings will be crowned and archbishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church will be appointed. After the acquisition of church independence in 1219, thanks to Saint Sava, the seat of the autocephalous Serbian archbishopric was located in Žiča. During the Middle Ages, bishops and kings from the Nemanjić dynasty were enthroned in Žiča. The monastery church, built in the Raška style, is dedicated to the Ascension of Christ. The architectural foundation of the monastery is single-aisled, with an altar area and a spacious vestibule with a tower. The monastery has faced demolition many times since its construction, it has been rebuilt again and again and its stormy history has further influenced the respect it has gained. That's why it's a real miracle that his painting, even on such a modest scale, has been preserved to this day. The oldest frescoes of the Žiča monastery were painted after 1219 and today they are preserved mainly in the choir and the tower. In 1979, the Žiča Monastery was declared a cultural monument of exceptional importance and is under the protection of the Republic of Serbia.
Church of Saint Sava
The Church of St. Sava is located in the village of Gračac, on Mount Goč. It is not known exactly when this church was built, but it is assumed that it is more than 800 years old. It is believed that the church was built at the same time as the Žiča Monastery, and that Saint Sava himself, together with his father Stefan Nemanja, participated in its construction. According to some traditions, the Church of St. Sava in Gračac is even older than the Žiča Monastery. Throughout history, the church has suffered a lot, and this is the reason why we do not have accurate information about the time of its creation and its founders. Until the beginning of the 19th century, only the foundations remained of this church, on which a new church was built in 1812.
Saint Petka Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Petka is located in the village of Stubal, 12 km north of Vrnjačka Banja, on the slopes of the Gledić Mountains. It was built relatively recently, in the period from 1970 to 1978, in a place where a religious building already existed in the past. Although there are not many materials left from him, the belief that this place is sacred remains. The only thing left from that period is a quadrangular stone, which is supposed to be part of an ancient church, or rather its altar part, and the people believe that this stone is miraculous. In the beginning, the monastery was male, and from 1989 it became female. Since 1999, the monastery began to develop faster. The old houses were demolished and the entire area in front of the church was landscaped. A bell tower was added to the church, and the church was completely renovated and painted.
Veluće Monastery
Veluće Monastery is located not far from Trstenik, about 30 km from Vrnjačka Banja. There is no consensus among historians about the founder and the time of creation. It is believed to be the endowment of an unknown family that belonged to the estate of Prince Lazar, whose male members most likely died in the Kosovo War. Year of construction 1377/78. it is based on the similarity of the architecture with the Lazarica church in Kruševac, and it is considered that it was a model in its construction or that they were built at the same time, by the same masters. It is built of sandstone and brick, with accented mortar joints. The interior of the monastery church, dedicated to the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is decorated with frescoes before 1389, and they are stylistically completely different from contemporary Moravian painting. It is not known to what extent and when the church suffered, but based on two preserved inscriptions it is concluded that it was restored in 1833 and 1836 during the reign of Miloš Obrenović, when the upper part of the church was painted on the outside and an inn was built. The iconostasis of the chapel is the work of the monastery's iconographic workshop. The Veluće Monastery is today under the protection of the Republic of Serbia, as a cultural monument of great importance.
Lazarica Church
The Lazarica Church is located in Kruševac, 40 km from Vrnjačka Banja. It was built by Prince Lazar as the court church of his newly built capital, in honor of his first son Stefan, heir to the throne. He dedicated the church to Archdeacon Stefan, patron of the Nemanjić dynasty. Hence its original name Church of the Holy First Martyr Stephen. It was built, most likely, between 1376 and 1380, and it was in this church that the Serbian army, headed by Prince Lazar, took communion on the eve of Vidovdan before going to battle in Kosovo in 1389. According to the style of construction, the Lazarica church belongs to the group of early Moravian style churches. The exterior of the church is characterized by the Byzantine style of masonry by alternating a row of yellow masonry with three rows of red brick, and there are also wide joints of mortar that protrude from the plane created by the wall. It is interesting that since the fall of Kruševac to Turkish slavery in 1454, Lazarica has not been demolished or turned into a mosque, which was the fate of many Orthodox churches. The Turks occasionally used this church as a stable or gunpowder magazine, but most of the building is faithful to the medieval period. According to previous research, the church was not painted until the middle of the 18th century, and only fragments of that painting have been preserved. The church iconostasis dates back to 1844 and is completely preserved today. Today, Lazarica is the oldest and most valuable protected cultural property of exceptional importance in the town of Kruševac.
Studenica Monastery
This medieval monastery is 86 km from Vrnjačka Banja and it is easiest to reach it by the road leading to Mataruška Banja, along the Ibar motorway all the way to the village of Ušće, from where the signposts lead you straight to this medieval gem of Serbian faith and history. Studenica Monastery is a male monastery. It was founded in 1186 by Serbian prefect Stefan Nemanja, and the works lasted until 1196. In the monastery complex there is the Cathedral Church dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (one of the oldest from the group of Raš style monuments), the endowment of King Milutin dedicated to Joachim and Anna (King's Church), as well as the Church of St. Nicholas, also known as Nikoljača and interesting because built of crushed stone. Today, the Church of the Mother of God preserves the relics of the great prefect Stefan Nemanja, the great prefect Ana (Anastasia) Nemanjić, the first Serbian king Stefan the Crowned and King Stefan Radoslav. The treasury of the Studenica monastery is rich in many examples of icon painting and handicrafts, and the monastery is also known for its collection of frescoes from the 13th and 14th centuries, of which the most famous fresco is the Crucifixion of Christ from 1207, one of the greatest achievements of medieval art. As one of the oldest and largest Serbian medieval monasteries, Studenica represents an immovable cultural asset of the Republic of Serbia and a cultural monument of exceptional importance. In 1986, UNESCO included Studenica in the list of World Heritage Sites.
Kalenić Monastery
Kalenić Monastery is located near Rekovac and is 40 km from Vrnjačka Banja. It was created in the 15th century on the model of the court church of Prince Lazar in Kruševac as an endowment of Protovestieur Bogdan, his wife Milica and brother Petar. The church of the Kalenić Monastery, dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, was built and painted between 1407 and 1413. Its artistic value ranks it among the most important cultural monuments in Serbia. The Kalenić Monastery has the best-preserved frescoes from the 15th century. The church is richly decorated inside and out, and this monastery is considered to be the most luxurious Serbian monastery in the Moravian style.
Koznik
The Koznik fortress is located 8 kilometers west of Aleksandrovac, less than an hour's drive from Vrnjačka Banja on the road that leads through Goč. It is one of the most famous medieval fortifications in this part of the country. It is located on the slopes of Kopaonik, at 921 meters above sea level, from where it dominates the surroundings above the river Rasina. Like most of the fortified cities from that period, very little is known about the origin of Koznik, and the lack of historical data is compensated by numerous interesting stories and legends. The exact time of the town's origin is unknown, but based on the remains of architecture in the Moravian style, it is assumed that it was built in the second half of the 14th century during the reign of Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović. Koznik is located on difficult-to-access terrain. It is surrounded by sharp rocks on three sides, and the fortification itself is irregularly shaped and follows the configuration of the terrain. According to legend, the building material was carried on goats, which is why the city got its name. The ramparts are reinforced with eight towers, placed at approximately the same distance. At the highest point, in the middle of the northern rampart, there is the Donjon tower, which is also the best preserved. It appears in the sources for the first time in 1381 in the Lazarus charter to the Lavra monastery of St. Athanasius on Mount Athos, which was made "in the noble city of Koznik". Later, Stefan Lazarević also issued two charters to his magnate Radič Postupović, assigning him all the villages around Koznik. Archaeological research of the site was carried out in the 70s of the 20th century. Today, the fortress is partially preserved and is under the protection of the Republic of Serbia as a cultural monument of great importance.
Maglič
Maglič Fortress, a kind of Serbian Camelot, is located 20 km south of Kraljevo and about 40 km from Vrnjačka Banja. It is located in the Ibar gorge, on top of a hill around which the river makes a sharp bend and surrounds the foothills on three sides. It was built in the 13th century to defend the northern borders of the state and the only caravan road that connected the Moravian Valley and Kosovo Field, and the first written information about it comes from 1337 in the writings of Archbishop Danilo II. This castle has survived countless wars, uprisings and riots, and it can thank its inaccessibility for that. It got its name because of the fog that often surrounds it, so it really looks like it is lifted up into the sky under the clouds. The fortress has an elongated base and consists of 8 towers connected by ramparts. The towers in the fortress have wooden floors and stairs in the interior. The ramparts of the fortress are 270m long, while their width is two meters with the battlements. Inside, there is a small town, a palace, a residential building, a church, a well, a reservoir... Every spring, white and blue lilacs bloom in the Ibar Valley, which, according to legend, were planted by King Uros I of Serbia to show his love for his wife, the Catholic Queen Jelena Anjou, as well as for this French noblewoman to feel at home in Serbia. Maglič Fortress is a kind of symbol of the Lilac Valley and is considered one of the most beautiful and best preserved examples of Serbian military architecture. It is under the protection of the Republic of Serbia as a cultural monument of exceptional importance.
Goč
Mount Goč is located above Vrnjačka Banja. It is part of the northern Kopaonik mountain range and belongs to the category of lower mountains with the highest peak Ljukten (1216m). Mount Goč, 13 km away from Vrnjačka Banja, is the main excursion destination for residents and guests of Vrnjačka Banja. Goč is famous for its diverse flora and over 650 different plant species grow on it, many of which are medicinal. It is one of the most forested mountains, with a mild climate and a large number of springs and rivers flowing towards Zapadna Morava river in the north and Rasina river in the south. It is covered mainly with beech, fir and pine forest. In recent years, this mountain has become one of the tourist centers of this area with its rich nature and increasingly diverse accommodation offer. In the Dobra Voda tourist center, next to the hotel of the same name, there are two 300 m long ski slopes for beginners and children, with two ski lifts. 150m from the hotel there is a cable car 1150m long and a ski slope 1400m long. Thanks to the active work of mountaineering societies, there are a large number of marked hiking trails suitable for those with less fitness, as well as for lovers of long mountain walks, which represents a true little paradise for lovers of hiking and enjoying pure, untouched nature. There are several viewpoints on Goč, and the most popular is the Krst viewpoint, which offers a beautiful view. From Krst, when the weather is nice, you can see Kopaonik, Rtanj, Gledićke mountains and Rudnik. The lesser-known artificial lake Selište is located on Goč. In the heart of untouched nature, surrounded by forest and streams, it serves as the water supply for Vrnjačka Banja, so fishing and swimming in the lake are not allowed, as well as any other activities that may damage its purity. On Goč itself and on its slopes, especially along the road to Aleksandrovac, there are several restaurants of local cuisine with excellent traditional specialties. What you should definitely try is the famous trout because, thanks to numerous streams and rivers with crystal clear water, there are a large number of ponds on Goč.
Kopaonik
Kopaonik is the largest mountain massif in Serbia. One part of it is a protected zone called the Kopaonik National Park, and it is home to the largest ski center in Serbia with over 55km of alpine trails and 18km of Nordic trails. Kopaonik has ski slopes suitable for both beginners and experienced skiers. The highest peak of Kopaonik is Pančićev vrh, at a height of 2017m, on which is the mausoleum of the famous Serbian naturalist after whom it was named. On the higher parts, it is covered with a coniferous forest of spruce and fir, on the sides there are beech and oak forests, and some specimens of endemic flora can be found on it. In the area of Jelovarnik within the national park, at an altitude of about 1500m, there is the third highest waterfall in Serbia, 71m high. Thanks to the developed tourist center with modern hotels and supporting facilities, Kopaonik is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Serbia. Depending on the season, numerous activities are available to guests, such as snowboarding and paragliding, for those who love adrenaline, hiking (there are Pančićev vrh for the bravest, as well as Šiljak vrh, Kozje stene, Markova stena for those in a slightly weaker condition), hiking tours (Kopaonik offers numerous (un)paved trails that can be walked independently or with the help of expert guides), and for those who like a challenge, Kopaonik is also enriched with mountain biking routes. There are also various programs for children, and numerous sports fields are ideal for the preparation of Sport teams. Kopaonik is also a destination for congress tourism.
Popina Memorial Park
The Popina Memorial Park is a memorial park on a hill next to the Popina River in Štulac, between Vrnjačka Banja and Trstenik. It was erected as a memorial to the Battle of Popina. In that place, on October 13, 1941, the Trstenički partisan detachment and the Dragosinjačka company of the Kraljevo detachment fought for several hours against parts of the 171st German division. This battle remained known as one of the first frontal battles between the partisans and the occupying forces, and it is probably the last joint battle between the supporters of communism and the monarchy against the fascists. Architect Bogdan Bogdanović is the author of the "Nišan" memorial, which symbolizes a warrior on dead watch. The memorial park, also known by the local population as "Sniper", covers an area of 12 hectares and was built from 1978 to 1980.