Kragujevac
Encyclopedia
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, the main city of the Šumadija
Šumadija
Šumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District
Šumadija District
The Šumadija District is located in the central part of Serbia. It has a population of 290,900, and the district seat is the city of Kragujevac...
. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River
Lepenica River
The Lepenica River runs through the center of Kragujevac city in Serbia....
. According to official,results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 147,281 inhabitants, while municipality has a population of 177,468.
Kragujevac was the first capital of modern Serbia
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
(1818–1839), and the first constitution in the Balkans
Miloš Obrenovic I, Prince of Serbia
Miloš Obrenović was Prince of Serbia from 1815 to 1839, and again from 1858 to 1860. He participated in the First Serbian Uprising, led Serbs in the Second Serbian Uprising, and founded the House of Obrenović...
was proclaimed in this city in 1835. Further on, the first full- fledged university in the newly independent Serbia was founded in 1838, preceded by the first grammar school (Gimnazija
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
), Printworks (both in 1833), professional National theatre
Knjaževsko-srpski teatar
Knjaževsko-srpski teatar is the oldest theatre in Central Serbia.It is based in City of Kragujevac, the fourth largest city of Serbia.The theatre was founded in 1835 by Miloš Obrenović, Prince of Serbia....
(1835) and the Military academy (1837).
Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
took the lead by becoming the seat of the throne in 1841. The University of Kragujevac
University of Kragujevac
The University of Kragujevac is a university located in Kragujevac, Serbia. It was founded in 1976 and is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:...
was not reestablished until 1976. Contemporary Kragujevac is known for its weapons, munition, and Zastava Automobiles
Zastava Automobiles
Zastava Automobiles is a Serbian industrial conglomerate based in the city of Kragujevac in central Serbia, currently run as a joint venture between the Fiat Group and the Serbian government . It is most known for its Fiat-based automobiles, which began assembling in 1955 for Eastern European...
company.
Early and medieval
The name of the town derived from the archaic Serbian word "kraguj", which is a name used for a particular species of hawkHawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
, thus the name means "hawk's nesting place". Interestingly, old maps show the name as Krakow.
Kragujevac experienced a lot of historical turbulence, not always without severe casualties. Over 200 archaeological sites in Šumadija confirm that the region's first human settlements occurred 40,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
era. Kragujevac was first mentioned in the medieval period as related to the public square built in a settlement, while the first written mention of the city was in the Turkish Tapu-Defter in 1476. Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
documents from the 15th century refer to it as a "village of Kragujevdza". The town itself gained prominence during the Ottoman period (1459–1804) as the central point in the Belgrade Pashaluk.
Early modern period
The city is located at crossroads. Given this location, the city has been devastated many times and has suffered great losses of life in a number of wars throughout history. It began to prosper after Serbia's liberation from Turkish rule in 1818, when Prince Miloš Obrenović proclaimed it the capital of the new Serbian State and built the Amidža Konak. The first Serbian constitution was proclaimed here in 1835 and the first idea of independent electoral democracy. The first law on the printing pressPrinting press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
was passed in Kragujevac in 1870. Kragujevac, the capital, was developing and cherishing modern, progressive, free ideas and resembled many Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an capitals of that time.
Apart from contemporary political influence, Kragujevac became the cultural and educational center of Serbia. Important institutions built during that time include Serbia's first secondary school (Gimnazija), first pharmacy, and first printing press. Kragujevac gave rise to many international scholars, professors, academics, scientists, artists and statesmen.
The turning point in the overall development of Kragujevac was in 1851 when the Cannon Foundry began production, beginning a new era in the city’s economic development. The main industry of the 19th and 20th century was military production. Kragujevac became one of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
’s largest exporters in 1886, when the main Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
– Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
railway connected through Kragujevac.
New centuries brought new wars. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Kragujevac again became the capital of Serbia (1914–1915), and the seat of many state institutions - even the Supreme Army Command was housed within the Court House building. During the war, Kragujevac lost 15% of its population.
Interbellum period
The social aspect, especially theater life in Kragujevac between the two wars was very vibrant. First cultural event in the liberated Kragujevac in 1918 was the establishment of the Theater Gundulic that worked only one season and moved to Belgrade,Following the model of Academic Theater in Belgrade formation in 1924 at the initiative of Kragujevac Scholars Academic Theater was established there, too that supported contemporary ideas, modern approach to stage, live word and repertoire, thus gaining the reputation of a serious art organization. There were many other cultural institutions in the city which began to grow into a large cultural and industrial hub of Central Serbia.
WWII and the Kragujevac massacre
Kragujevac underwent a number of ordeals, the worst probably having been the October massacreKragujevac massacre
The Kragujevac massacre was the murder of men and boys in Kragujevac, Serbia, by Nazi German soldiers between 20–21 October 1941. All males from the town between the ages of sixteen and sixty were assembled, including high school students, and the victims were selected from amongst them...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Kragujevac massacre was the slaughter of 2,300 to 5,000 civilians—mostly Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
and Roma— by Nazi soldiers between 19–21 October 1941. Staniša Brkić, curator of The Museum of 21 October, published a book in 2007 where he listed names and personal data of 2,796 victims.
The killings went on from October 19 to October 21, 1941, in retaliation for a partisan
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
attack on German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soldiers. 50 people were killed if a German soldier was wounded, while 100 were slaughtered if a German soldier was killed. Among the killed was a whole generation of boys taken directly from schools. A monument for the executed pupils is a symbol of the city. This atrocity has inspired a poem called "Krvava Bajka" ("Bloody Fairy Tale") by Desanka Maksimović
Desanka Maksimovic
Desanka Maksimović was a Serbian poet, professor of literature, and a member of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.-Biography:...
, a well known Serbian poet from the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
Post-war city
In the post-war period, Kragujevac developed more industry. Its main exports were passenger cars, trucks and industrial vehicles, hunting arms, industrial chains, leather, and textiles. The biggest industry, and the city's main employer was Zastava, which employed tens of thousands. The industry suffered under economic sanctionsEconomic sanctions
Economic sanctions are domestic penalties applied by one country on another for a variety of reasons. Economic sanctions include, but are not limited to, tariffs, trade barriers, import duties, and import or export quotas...
during the Milošević era, and was all but destroyed by the NATO bombing campaign in 1999. Despite a possible deal with the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
auto manufacturer, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, to reopen the factory, the city currently suffers from widespread unemployment.
Since 1976, Kragujevac has grown as a university centre. The University of Kragujevac
University of Kragujevac
The University of Kragujevac is a university located in Kragujevac, Serbia. It was founded in 1976 and is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:...
includes the Faculties of Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, Philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
, Arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
, Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
.
Municipalities & settlements
- Aerodrom
- PivaraPivara-Municipalities:The city of Kragujevac is divided into the following municipalities:*Aerodrom, Kragujevac*Pivara*Stanovo*Stari grad*Stragari- Inhabited places :The municipality of Pivara comprises a part of urban Kragujevac and 15 villages:...
- StanovoStanovoStanovo is one of the municipalities in the city of Kragujevac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, 39,252 residents live in the municipality, while part of the urban Kragujevac included in municipality has 32,965 residents...
- Stari GradStari Grad, KragujevacStari Grad or Stara Varoš , meaning "Old City" in English, is the smallest but most populous of five municipalities of the city of Kragujevac in Serbia. It has 62,794 residents , and area of less than 16 square kilometers. The municipality was formed in 2002...
- StragariStragariStragari is a village and municipality situated in the central part of Šumadija District in Serbia. The municipality of Stragari is one of the five municipalities of Kragujevac city.- Geography :...
Settlements
List of settlements in the municipalities of Kragujevac:
- Kragujevac
- Adžine LivadeAdžine LivadeAdžine Livade is a village in Kragujevac municipality in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.-External links:*...
- BaljkovacBaljkovacBaljkovac is a village in Pivara municipality of Kragujevac in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.-External links:*...
- BeloševacBeloševacBeloševac is a village in the municipality of Valjevo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 849 people.-References:...
- BotunjeBotunjeBotunje is a village in Pivara, Kragujevac municipality in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. It is located north-east of the city.-External links:*...
- BukorovacBukorovacBukorovac is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. It is located east of the city.-External links:*...
- Velika SugubinaVelika SugubinaVelika Sugubina is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. It is located south-east of the city.It has a population of 234.-External links:*...
- Velike PčeliceVelike PceliceVelike Pčelice is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. It is located south of the city.It has a population of 673.-External links:*...
- Veliki ŠenjVeliki ŠenjVeliki Šenj is a village in the municipality of Stragari, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 350 people....
- VinjišteVinjišteVinjište is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 412 people....
- VlakčaVlakčaVlakča is a village in the municipality of Stragari, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 671 people....
- Goločelo
- Gornja SabantaGornja SabantaGornja Sabanta is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.It has a population of 839.-External links:*...
- Gornje GrbiceGornje GrbiceGornje Grbice is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 273 people....
- Gornje JarušiceGornje JarušiceGornje Jarušice is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 655 people....
- Gornje KomariceGornje KomariceGornje Komarice is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.It has a population of 322.-External links:*...
- GrošnicaGrošnicaGrošnica is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 1280 people....
- DesimirovacDesimirovacDesimirovac is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 1401 people....
- DivostinDivostinDivostin is a village in Stanovo in Šumadija district. According to the 2002 census there were 399 inhabitants .Ceramics of Černa Voda III-culture dating to the Early and Middle Bronze Age have been found in Divostin....
- DobračaDobračaDobrača is a village in the municipality of Stragari, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 493 people....
- Donja SabantaDonja SabantaDonja Sabanta is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.It has a population of 651.-External links:*...
- Donje GrbiceDonje GrbiceDonje Grbice is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 557 people....
- Donje KomariceDonje KomariceDonje Komarice is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.It has a population of 545.-External links:*...
- DragobraćaDragobracaDragobraća is a settlement located in the Stanovo municipality, in the Šumadija District of Serbia.The population of the village is 845 , most of whom are ethnic Serbs....
- DračaDračaDrača is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 828 people....
- Drenovac
- DuleneDuleneDulene is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.It has a population of 218.-External links:*...
- ĐuriseloĐuriseloĐuriselo is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 699 people....
- ErdečErdečErdeč is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 67 people....
- JabučjeJabucjeJabučje is a village in Pivara municipality in Kragujevac city district in the Šumadija District of central Serbia.It has a population of 154.-External links:*...
- Jovanovac
- Kamenica
- Korman
- Kotraža
- Kutlovo
- LužniceLužnice (Kragujevac)Lužnice is a settlement in the Aerodrom municipality in Serbia....
- Ljubičevac
- Mala Vrbica
- Mali ŠenjMali ŠenjMali Šenj is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 100 people....
- Maršić
- MasloševoMasloševoMasloševo is a village in the municipality of Stragari, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 478 people....
- MironićMironićMironić is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 99 people....
- Novi MilanovacNovi MilanovacNovi Milanovac is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 406 people....
- OpornicaOpornicaOpornica is a Serbian village that is a part of Aerodrom municipality in Kragujevac. It is on a road Kragujevac-Topola .It has three parts:1. Opornica2. Mainić3. Stari Drum...
- PajazitovoPajazitovoPajazitovo is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 241 people....
- PoskuricePoskuricePoskurice is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 573 people....
- PrekopečaPrekopečaPrekopeča is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 123 people....
- RamaćaRamaćaRamaća is a village in the municipality of Stragari, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 340 people....
- Resnik
- Rogojevac
- TrešnjevakTrešnjevakTrešnjevak is a village in the municipality of Stanovo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 24 people....
- Trmbas
- Ugljarevac
- CvetojevacCvetojevacCvetojevac is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 719 people....
- Cerovac
- ČumićČumićČumić is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 1600 people....
- ŠljivovacŠljivovac (Aerodrom)Šljivovac is a village in the municipality of Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 493 people....
Economy
Kragujevac has been an important industrial and trading centre in Serbia for over two centuries. The city's industry are best known by its automotive production and firearms manufacturing. The former state-owned Zastava AutomobilesZastava Automobiles
Zastava Automobiles is a Serbian industrial conglomerate based in the city of Kragujevac in central Serbia, currently run as a joint venture between the Fiat Group and the Serbian government . It is most known for its Fiat-based automobiles, which began assembling in 1955 for Eastern European...
company was founded in 1953 and produced the well known, Yugo
Zastava Koral
The Zastava Koral , also known simply as the Yugo, was a subcompact car built by the Zastava corporation. The first Yugo 45 was handmade on 2 October 1978....
subcompact brand of vehicles. Zastava was sold to Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
in 2008, with Fiat pledging to invest 700 million euros into the company now renamed as Fiat Automobiles Serbia. Weapons manufacturung in Kragujevac began in 1853 and has since grown to become Serbia's primary supplier of firearms through the Zastava Arms
Zastava Arms
Zastava Arms is a Serbian manufacturer of firearms and artillery. It was founded in 1853 when it cast its first cannons. It is currently the leading producer of firearms in Serbia and is a large contributor to the local defence industry...
corporation.
Demographics
Ethnic groups in the municipal area of Kragujevac (including all municipalities) as of 2002:| Ethnicity | Number |
|---|---|
| Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in... |
170,147 |
| Roma | 1,154 |
| Yugoslavs Yugoslavs Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora... |
401 |
| Macedonians Macedonians (ethnic group) The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness... |
326 |
| Croats Croats Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have... |
204 |
| Muslims Muslims by nationality Muslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina... |
151 |
| Other | 3,197 |
| Total | 175,577 |
Politics
Results of the 2008 local elections:- Together for Šumadija (41)
- For a European SerbiaFor a European SerbiaFor a European Serbia – Boris Tadić is an electoral coalition that won the Serbian parliamentary election, 2008, Vojvodina parliamentary election, 2008 and Serbian local elections, 2008...
(14) - Democratic Party of SerbiaDemocratic Party of SerbiaThe Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March...
(6) - Socialist Party of SerbiaSocialist Party of SerbiaThe Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this...
(8) - Serbian Radical PartySerbian Radical PartyThe Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia...
(18)
Main sights
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
style. Modern conceptions also appear throughout the city, firstly in the shape of post-war concrete (usually apartments designed to house those left homeless during World War II), and secondly the up-to-date glass offices reflecting the ambitious business aspects of modern architects.
Some important buildings and institutions in Kragujevac include:
- The old church of Descent of the Holy Spirit was built in 1818, as a part of Prince Miloš' court. Its interior was decorated from 1818 to 1822. The new belfry was built in 1907.
- The Old Parliament was built in the court of the church where the first parliamentary meeting was held in 1859. Many events of great historical importance, such as verifying the Berlin Congress decision about the independence of SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, took place there. After undergoing reconstruction in 1992, the building was converted into a museum.
- The Amidža Konak was built by Prince Miloš in 1820 as a residential house. It is one of the finest examples of regional architecture in Serbia. It now houses an exhibition from the National Museum.
- The Prince Mihailo Konak was built in 1860. Its architecture blends local tradition with European architectural concepts. The building is now the National Museum.
- The High School (Gimnazija) was built between 1885 and 1887 according to designs from the Ministry of Civil Engineering. It is one of the city's oldest edifices designed in a European style, in the tradition of the oldest Serbian Gimnazija from 1833. Some famous Serbian scientists, artists and politicians were educated in this school.
- These institutions continue to promote cultural activities in modern-day Kragujevac: Knjaževsko-srpski teatarKnjaževsko-srpski teatarKnjaževsko-srpski teatar is the oldest theatre in Central Serbia.It is based in City of Kragujevac, the fourth largest city of Serbia.The theatre was founded in 1835 by Miloš Obrenović, Prince of Serbia....
(founded in 1835), National Library "Vuk Karadžić" (1866), Cultural and Artistic Group "Abrasević" (1904). - The "Kragujevac October" Memorial ParkŠumarice Memorial ParkŠumarice Memorial Park is the site near Kragujevac, Serbia of the execution of an estimated 2,300 men and boys of the town by the German occupation forces on October 21, 1941, during World War II...
, located in Šumarice, commemorates the tragic events of October 21, 1941. - The National Museum has various displays including those pertaining to archeology, ethnic diversity, the history of Kragujevac and Šumadija and many paintings. The archeology department has a rich collection of 10,000 display items and over 100,000 study items. The painting department has over 1,000 pieces of prominent Serbian art of extraordinary value.
- The "Zastava Museum" is located within the old gun foundry and exhibits the history of industrial development in Kragujevac and Serbia.
- The Historical Archives of Šumadija collects and files the archives and issues of the seven municipalities of Šumadija and has at its disposal 700 meters of archive issues with 780 registries and hundreds of thousands of original historical documents.
- Tourists may also be interested in the range of scenic attractions nearby, including the Aranđelovac, Vrnjačka Banja, and Mataruška Banja, Karađorđe's castle, the Church of Saint George in Topola 40 km away, the Old Kalenić monastery 55 km away, the resorts of Rogot (28 km) and Stragari (34 km) with old monasteries of Blagoveštenje and Voljavca.
Sports
The city is home to the BandyBandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
Federation of Serbia. The team of Kragujevac plays against the one from Subotica. FK Slavija
FK Slavija Kragujevac
FK Slavija is an association football club based in Kragujevac, Šumadija....
is the association football team for the city.
Famous residents
- Miloš Obrenović
- Milan Obrenović II
- Mihailo Obrenović III
- Milan ObrenovićMilan Obrenovic II, Prince of SerbiaMilan Obrenović II in Kragujevac, in the Principality of Serbia. He was the ruling Prince of Serbia for less than two weeks in 1839.- Early life :...
- Nikola PašićNikola PašicNikola P. Pašić was a Serbian and Yugoslav politician and diplomat, the most important Serbian political figure for almost 40 years, leader of the People's Radical Party who, among other posts, was twice a mayor of Belgrade...
- Radomir PutnikRadomir PutnikRadomir Putnik, also known as Vojvoda Putnik, OSS OCT OKS GCMG was a Serbian Field Marshal and Chief of General Staff in the Balkan Wars and World War I, and took part in all wars that Serbia waged from 1876 to 1917.-Biography:...
- Jovan RistićJovan RisticJovan Ristić, or Ristitch was a Serbian statesman and diplomat....
- Vuk Stefanović KaradžićVuk Stefanovic KaradžicVuk Stefanović Karadžić was a Serbian philolog and linguist, the major reformer of the Serbian language, and deserves, perhaps, for his collections of songs, fairy tales, and riddles to be called the father of the study of Serbian folklore. He was the author of the first Serbian dictionary...
- Joakim VujićJoakim VujicJoakim Vujić was a Serbian writer, dramatist, actor, traveler and polygot. He was one of the most accomplished Serbian dramatists and writers of the 18th century, director of Knjaževsko-Srpski Teatar in Kragujevac 1835/36...
- Radoje DomanovićRadoje DomanovicRadoje Domanović was a Serbian writer and teacher, most famous for his satirical short stories. His few remaining years were a constant fight against consumption...
- Svetozar MarkovićSvetozar MarkovicSvetozar Marković was an influential Serbian political activist and literary critic. He developed an activistic anthropological philosophy with a definite program of social change.-Early life:...
- Dragoslav Srejović
- Mija AleksićMija AleksicMilosav "Mija" Aleksić was a beloved Serbian actor.Aleksić was born in Gornja Crnuća village in Gornji Milanovac municipality, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During World War II, when Axis powers occupied the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 17-year-old Mija Aleksić attended high school in Kragujevac...
- Ljuba TadićLjuba TadicLjubomir "Ljuba" Tadić was a Serbian actor who enjoyed a reputation as one of the greatest names in the history of former Yugoslav cinema....
- Draginja AdamovićDraginja AdamovicDraginja Adamović was a Serbian poetess.- Biography :She published three poetry books and was included in three anthologies of poems: "Poetesses of Kragujevac" , "Lyrical humming of Sumadija" , and "Singers of sleeping capital" ....
- Dragan TodorovićDragan TodorovicNot to be confused with Dragan Todorović, Serbian politician.Dragan Todorović is a writer and multimedia artist...
- Radomir Mihailović Točak
- Slobodan Stojanović Kepa
- Dragomir Bojanić GidraDragomir Bojanic GidraDragomir Bojanić, best known by his nickname Gidra was a famous Serbian actor....
- Vidosav StevanovićVidosav StevanovicVidosav Stevanović born June 27, 1942 in Cvetojevac village near Kragujevac, Serbia is a Serbian writer.- Biography :...
- Predrag Đorđević
- Nikola LončarNikola LončarNikola Lončar is a retired Serbian professional basketball player.He played for KK Partizan , Real Madrid Baloncesto, Pallacanestro Varese, Paris Basket Racing, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Joventut Badalona, CB Breogán, CB Estudiantes and Armani Jeans Milano.Playing for KK Partizan, Lončar won the 1992...
- Dejan Brđović
- Zoran SpasojevićZoran SpasojevicZoran Spasojević , Kragujevac, January 22, 1949, is a Serbian writer.-Biography:He has had published twelve books and one compact disc....
- Gorica PopovićGorica PopovićGorica Popović is a Serbian theatre, television and film actress.-Selected filmography:*The Fall of Italy *The Dark Side of the Sun *Battle of Kosovo -External links:...
- Tomislav NikolićTomislav NikolicTomislav "Toma" Nikolić is a Serbian politician, President of the Serbian Progressive Party. He is also a former member of the Serbian Radical Party, where he served as Deputy Leader of the party and parliamentary leader during the absence of Vojislav Šešelj...
- Marija ŠerifovićMarija ŠerifovicMarija Šerifović is a singer from Serbia. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Molitva". Šerifović was born in Kragujevac, Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia and is the daughter of Verica Šerifović, also a notable singer...
- Jelena TomaševićJelena TomaševicJelena Tomašević is a Serbian pop singer famed for her strong vocal performances. She has won numerous awards for her songs and represented Serbia at 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, coming sixth with the song "Oro".- Music career :Jelena started her way to stardom at the young age of 8 when she won...
- Milovan Ilić MinimaksMilovan Ilić MinimaksMilovan Ilić Minimaks was a Serbian radio and TV journalist.He was born on 5 November 1938 in Lipnici, Kragujevac, Serbia. He completed primary and secondary school in Kragujevac, and studied law in Belgrade...
- Bora DugićBora DugicBora Dugić is a Serbian musician and flautist having released a number of CD's and records as well as having performed at countless concerts.- Early and professional life :...
- Ana MihajlovicAna MihajlovicAna Mihajlović is a Serbian fashion model. She is best known as the winner of the 2002 Elite Model Look She has walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, Dries van Noten, Givenchy, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Prada, Christian Dior and others.-External links:*...
- Danko LazovićDanko LazovicDanko Lazović is a Serbian footballer who plays for Russian Premier League club Zenit as a second striker or a winger.-Feyenoord:...
Twin towns - sister cities
Kragujevac is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Suresnes
Suresnes
Suresnes is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. The nearest communes are Neuilly-sur-Seine, Puteaux, Rueil-Malmaison, Saint-Cloud and Boulogne-Billancourt...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, since 1967 Piteşti
Pitesti
Pitești is a city in Romania, located on the Argeș River. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated on the A1 freeway connecting it directly to the national capital Bucharest,...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, since 1971 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, since 1971 Ohrid
Ohrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, since 2001 Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, since 2002 Springfield
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
, United States, since 2002 Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, since 2004 Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, since 2006
The town has other forms of cooperation and city friendship similar to the twin/sister city programmes with:
Trenčín
Trencín
Trenčín is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 56,000, which makes it the ninth largest municipality of the country and is the seat of the Trenčín Region and the Trenčín District...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Bat Yam, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, since 1992 Drama
Drama, Greece
Drama , the ancient Drabescus , is a town and municipality in northeastern Greece. Drama is the capital of the peripheral unit of Drama which is part of the East Macedonia and Thrace periphery. The town is the economic center of the municipality , which in turn comprises 53.5 percent of the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, since 2003 Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
Karlovac
Karlovac
Karlovac is a city and municipality in central Croatia. The city proper has a population of 49,082, while the municipality has a population of 59,395 inhabitants .Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
Foča
Foca
Foča is a town and municipality in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river, in the Foča Region of the Republika Srpska entity.-Early history:...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Sinchon
Sinchon
Sinchon or Sinchon-dong is a neighbourhood and a judicial dong in Seodaemun-gu in Seoul, South Korea....
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Local media
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See also
- List of places in Serbia
- University of KragujevacUniversity of KragujevacThe University of Kragujevac is a university located in Kragujevac, Serbia. It was founded in 1976 and is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:...
- Faculty of Economics
- Šumarice Memorial ParkŠumarice Memorial ParkŠumarice Memorial Park is the site near Kragujevac, Serbia of the execution of an estimated 2,300 men and boys of the town by the German occupation forces on October 21, 1941, during World War II...
- Kragujevac massacreKragujevac massacreThe Kragujevac massacre was the murder of men and boys in Kragujevac, Serbia, by Nazi German soldiers between 20–21 October 1941. All males from the town between the ages of sixteen and sixty were assembled, including high school students, and the victims were selected from amongst them...
- Museum of Genocide
- Knjaževsko-srpski teatarKnjaževsko-srpski teatarKnjaževsko-srpski teatar is the oldest theatre in Central Serbia.It is based in City of Kragujevac, the fourth largest city of Serbia.The theatre was founded in 1835 by Miloš Obrenović, Prince of Serbia....
- JoakimfestJoakimfestJoakimFest, Festival of the best theatrical performances of Serbia as per texts by domestic authors.JoakimFest will be the 7th till the 15th of May in the Knjaževsko-srpski teatar from City of Kragujevac....
- First Kragujevac GymnasiumFirst Kragujevac GymnasiumThe First Kragujevac Gymnasium is a high school located in Kragujevac, Serbia. Founded in 1833, the school is the oldest Serbian gymnasium south from the Sava and Danube rivers.-Studying profiles:There are several studying profiles in the school:...
- Šumadija fairgroundŠumadija fairgroundThe Šumadija fairground is an exhibition area in the Šumadija district of Kragujevac, Serbia, featuring 3,500 m² of covered indoor space. The fair was established on 9 May 2005 in Kragujevac. One of the fairs with most success was the Šumadija Beer Open which was organised for the first time on 6...
- Gruža Lake