In the heart of Sumadija, “the city of the kings” is a charming little town of 80.000 population where it is agreeable to stay. Three hours on the road away from the capital, Kraljevo has been installed comfortably on thanks of Morava and emanates an atmosphere of joy. The best sign is its “korzo” in the Italian style. Obligatory walks I the nice walking street at the beginning of the evening in the family or the youth among them. Surrounded by four mountains between 1,200 and 1,500 meters of height with the nice wavy relief-Goc, Stolovi, Troglav and Cemerno-Kraljevo offers chance for excursion into the mountains. On the other hand this typically Serbian town controls the flow of the river of Ibar charged by history: the fortress of Maglic situated at a culminating point or the monasteries of Studenica and of Zica attested it. This town of the waters surrounded by three spas, one of which the most important in Serbia, Vrnjacka Banja. Nothing to put under question, dynamic cultural life and the always animated soirées make the visitors’ satisfaction.
History
Kraljevo became an important town as late as in the XVIII century and there is not a long time that there exists a town called Karanovo. There are the proofs of the Roman presence in the environing villages . It has been well known for instance that the spa of Vrnjacka Banja was used for its soothing water on the III century already. In Middle Ages the environment of Karanovo were developing at the end of the XII century the monastery of Studenica had been erected by Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the dynasty of Nemanjics. At the beginning of 1217 there was a king of Serbia for the first time in the history of this state. To assure the control over this central territory, Nemanjics had constructed the fortress of Maglic on the Ibar.
The second important period of the “royal city” it is in the XIX century. Its role in the insurrection against Turks in 1805 and its terrible situation of the cross roads in Sumadija favoured the development of the commerce and the industry. Prince Milos made here a new church to be constructed in 1824 and especially Milan Obrenovic had been crowned 1882 in Zica.
Kraljevo maintained its role of the regional metropolis in the XX century, but its central position in Serbia made it learn a tragedy during the II World War. In October 1941 had been passed the order to shoot 100 Serbs for one German soldier killed and 50 of them for one wounded German. Many thousands persons will fall under the bullets of the occupier in several weeks.
Tourist sites
MONUMENT OF THE SERBIAN COMBATANTS - the symbol of the town dominating all arteries going away from it, this very high sculpture of bronze and dedicated to Serbian soldiers killed during the Balkan Wars 1912-1914 and during the I World War. It has been called tenderly “Milutin” The soldier on the summit has been tenderly called “Milutin”.
VASIN KONAK - In a shadowed park a house of a very nice outlook. Constructed 1831 by Vasa Popovic, brother of a princess Obrenovic it represents one of the rare examples of the Serbian residential architecture from the beginning of XIX century. Beautiful incrustations above the ground floor doors and a very low roof typical for the transition from the Ottoman ages. Today the residence of a religious endowment you may visit the sculpture in wood ateliers down there.
SVETA TROJICA CHURCH - The church constructed by the prince Obrenovic 1882. It is typical for the neo-baroque style and it possesses an iconostasis representative of the end of the XIX century. N face of it, on the square a Soviet tank with the red star in the very place representing the battle against the Nazis.
NATIONAL MUSEUM - Next to the church in the ancient lyceum, a monumental building. Its modest façade and its impressive lines would approach the monuments of the Central Europe of the end XIX century. In the interior is an exhibition of the modern Serbian art and a permanent exhibition of the history of the region. About the renewal contact Suzana Novcic. muzej-kraljevo@tron-inter.net
MONASTERY OF ZICA. Recognizable by its vive red colour, the monastery has a particular importance for the history of the Serbian nation. Zica is since its erection in 1219 the residence of the Serbian diocese here St. Sava, the first Serbian archbishop had crowned his brother King Stefan. Later on the sons of Stefan Radoslav and Vladislav had been crowned here. But at the end of XIII century the patriarchy had been moved to Pec, then the Ottomans had burnt the church many a time. The burnt out arch at the entrance could still be seen. The church belongs to the architecture school of Raska recognisable by its rectangular design and by its square tower.
THE SPA OF MATARUSKA. After Zica, going toward the Ibar, a spa, specialized for rheumatisms. Its agreeable climate and its park offer an agreeable framework for cycling and walks the “Termal” hotel of 60 rooms well managed. The complete pension for 1,400 dinars on the ancient part, 2,500 dinars in the renewed part. Phone: (036) 811 344. E-mail: office@mbbanja.com.
