Holiday apartment in Šumadija District: Wine, Mountains and History

Holiday apartment in Šumadija District amid wine and mountain landscapes

Šumadija District combines wine landscapes, forested mountains and Serbian history. Topola and Oplenac stand for wine and dynastic heritage, Rudnik and Bukulja for nature and trails, and Orašac and other historic sites for history.

Wine, Villages and Traditions

The Šumadija Royal Wine Route leads through landscapes, villages and vineyards and conveys the region’s royal heritage. In Topola, the Oplenačka Berba has been held every year since 1962 in honour of wine and grapes. Kraljevska vinarija produces five wines in limited quantities exclusively from grapes grown in its own vineyards: Sauvignon Blanc, Shardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Suveren and Roze. For decades, the Sabor izvornog narodnog stvaralaštva has brought together performers of traditional folk art in singing, dancing and playing traditional instruments.

Rudnik, Bukulja and Ostrvica

Rudnik is the highest mountain in Šumadija; its summit, Cvijićev vrh, reaches 1,132 metres. The Rudnik landscape includes dense beech, maple and oak forests, clear streams and green clearings, as well as wildlife such as roe deer, wild boar, foxes and martens. A 19-metre-high observation tower stands on Mount Bukulja, offering views across a large part of Šumadija. Bukovičke banje Park covers more than 22 hectares and has been home to a significant open-air sculpture collection below Mount Bukulja since 1966. Marked hiking trails to the summit of Bukulja begin in the park of Bukovička banja. The 25-kilometre trail to Bukulja takes approximately 8 hours and 20 minutes to walk. On Ostrvica, also known as Ostrovica, you can visit the remains of a small medieval Župa town situated on an 800-metre-high rocky outcrop. Ostrvica was declared a natural monument in 2009.

History in Orašac, Topola and Oplenac

On 15 February 1804, the uprising of the First Serbian Uprising was agreed upon in Orašac, and Karađorđe Petrović was proclaimed supreme leader. The memorial complex in Orašac includes the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, a memorial school, a memorial fountain in Marićevića jaruga, a museum and a sculpture of Karađorđe. Karađorđev Grad in Topola was built between 1811 and 1813 and preserves a restored konak with a tower, a church with a bell tower and an old school. A permanent exhibition there displays personal belongings of Karađorđe and authentic weapons from the First Serbian Uprising.

In Oplenac, the Church of Saint George and the Mausoleum of the Karađorđević Royal Family form a white, five-domed building in the Serbian-Byzantine style, constructed between 1910 and 1930. Petrova kuća in Oplenac is the summer residence of King Peter, fully preserved in its architectural authenticity; its gallery presents thematic exhibitions about the Karađorđević dynasty. A medieval mint existed near Rudnik during the reign of King Dragutin; the dinar of King Dragutin minted there was the first Serbian dinar with a Cyrillic inscription. The remains of a Roman temple dedicated to the earth mother TERA MATRIS were discovered near Rudnik, alongside old mine tunnels.

Other historical destinations include Blagoveštenje Rudničko Monastery, founded towards the end of the 14th century at the foot of Mount Rudnik on the Srebrnica River, and Drača Monastery, built in 1734; its frescoes date from 1735. Kamenac Monastery in the village of Čestin dates from the 15th century. Borački krš is a natural landmark; its summit contains the remains of a medieval town from the time of Despot Stefan Lazarević. Risovača Cave is an important archaeological and palaeontological site associated with Neanderthal hunters. At the end of the explored section of the cave, the Chamber of the Risovača Man contains a figurative depiction of a family of Risovača hunters.

Other Places in Šumadija District

Kragujevac, Aranđelovac, Topola, Stojnik, Bare, Bukorovac, Mladenovac, Dragolj, Knić and Kijevo.

More about the region: Central Serbia.