Vrnjacka Banja - Culture

GALLERY

Vrnjačka Banja and the nearby cities of Aleksandrovac and Trstenik are not only rich in nature, but also in culture. The region sits on the historic borders of empires and strategically important communication lines that have left many lasting influences such as historic monuments and centuries-old monasteries.

Žiča Monastery

The monastery Žiča is the legacy of Serbian King Stefan Nemanjić, the First-Crowned, and was built between 1208 and 1230. In 1219, Žiča became the first seat of the Serbian Archbishopric. The church, dedicated to the Ascension of Our Lord, was decorated in the style of the Raška School and has Byzantine architectural attributes.

Studenica Monastery

The UNESCO protected 12th century monastery of Studenica is the crowning jewel of medieval Serbia. Stefan Nemanja initiated construction in 1196 and under the guardianship of his third son Sava, the monastery became the political, cultural and spiritual center of the ancient nation. Once a complex of 15 buildings, only three remain, with well-preserved frescoes dating to 1209. Evidence of spiritual and monastic life of that era can be found in the rule-book known as the Typik, which was written by Sava as an account of St. Simon’s life.

Belimarković Castle

Belimarković Castle was the 19th century summer home of the influential General Jovan Belimarković, young King Aleksandar Obrenović’s appointee prior to his coming of age. The castle, modeled after North Italian and Polish castles of the day, is Vrnjačka Banja’s oldest and most recognizable building. The Belimarković family lived in the castle until 1968, when it was purchased by the state and placed under its protection. It currently houses a museum with collections of archeological, ethnographic, historical, art and natural objects. The galleries of the museum containing original objects left to it by the Belimarković family offer an excellent opportunity to view both gilded and common Serbian life at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, while the art collection holds graphics, paintings and sculptures from the second half of the 20th century. Besides the museum, Belimarković Castle hosts chamber music concerts, theatrical presentations, lectures, summer schools and symposiums.