Aranđelovac | Top 10 in Cities of Serbia

Bukovik Spa

Once a small settlement on the outskirts of Arandjelovac, at the foot of Mount Bukulja, Bukovik Spa is now an integral part of this city in the heart of Sumadija and one of the most beautiful and well-organized spa complexes in the country. It is named after the nearby village of Bukovik, where the first beneficial mineral water spring was registered in the late 18th century. After such news spread among the people, Prince Milos Obrenovic allegedly bought the forest in which the spring was located, thus laying the foundations for the future Bukovik Spa, where the Serbian elite of the 19th century sought treatment and relaxation. Today, the spa is home to the Special Rehabilitation Hospital "Bukovik Spa", with four well-arranged mineral water sources (Talpara, Djulara, Knez Mihailo, and Pobeda), where various ailments of the body such as rheumatism, anemia, asthma, diabetes, stomach problems, conditions, and diseases of the female reproductive organs, and more are treated and healed by drinking medicinal water and bathing in it. The hospital is located on the outskirts of one of the most beautiful parks in Serbia and has several outdoor fountains where all visitors, passersby, and tourists can drink the beneficial water.

Lake Garaši

The artificial Lake Garaši was created in the mid-1970s by damming the course of the Bukulja river, resulting in a larger water reservoir covering an area of about a hundred hectares (the surface area varies depending on the water level throughout the year). It is located about 7 kilometers from Arandjelovac, on the way to Ljig. Interestingly, during the filling of the lake basin, the hamlets of Geraši and Jelovik were submerged, so today, parts of the lake are symbolically named after them – Milićevici, Lekići, and Vrbe. The primary purpose of this reservoir was economic - to improve the water supply of Arandjelovac, but over time, the lake has become a tourist attraction of this part of Šumadija - a picturesque ambient complex, a popular excursion spot, and a true paradise for fishermen. The lake's shores, admittedly, are not developed for swimmers, but in its immediate vicinity, there is an improvised pool in a natural setting, with sun umbrellas and loungers, numerous sports facilities, a restaurant, and a parking lot.

Bukovik Spa Park

Magnificent and according to many, the most beautiful park in Serbia. Conceived and designed according to the idea of the first Serbian urban planner, Emilijan Josimović, it gained its present-day appearance in the mid-19th century, which made it a fashionable destination of the Principality of Serbia. Covering an area of just over 20 hectares, it features a multitude of pedestrian paths covered with small Venčac white marble along which magical flower alleys and rows of plane trees, oaks, and other species stretch. Within the park, there are several representative buildings built in the style of Serbian Romanticism and Secession. The most striking among them is undoubtedly the building of the Old Building Hotel, once the summer residence of the Obrenović dynasty, but now a magnificent yet (unfortunately) completely neglected facility. On the opposite side of the park, there is the Prince Miloš Pavilion, the first mineral water factory in Serbia, now a museum-gallery space with three sources of mineral water. The Bukovik Spa Park also represents a kind of collection of outdoor art sculptures, scattered literally everywhere in the park, created within traditional art events that have been held in Aranđelovac for decades.

Art Exhibition "Marble and Sounds"

A globally recognized and one of the longest-standing events in Serbia, with a half-century tradition, has been taking place since 1966 in the Bukovik Spa Park. Throughout July and August, it encompasses a diverse cultural and artistic program, including musical, folkloric, literary, and dramatic events, but above all, it emphasizes sculptural art. In this regard, the exhibition has been hosting the Symposium of Sculpture "Beli Venčac" for decades, as well as the International Festival of "Ceramic World", featuring prominent sculptors and artists from all over the world who, working in the white Venčac marble, exhibit their sculptures, leaving the most beautiful ones in the magnificent park, making its environment even more beautiful and splendid. Today, visitors can see works by Oto Logo, Dušan Džamonja, Lin Čedvik, Claude Lost, Kengiro Azuma, and many other giants of 20th and 21st-century sculpture.

Risovača Cave

When coming from Belgrade and Kragujevac, or Mladenovac and Topola, to Aranđelovac, at the entrance to the city you will be greeted by a signpost for Risovača Cave. Located in the hill of the same name, on the right side of the Kubršnica river valley, this cave is easily accessible to any curious person and (partially because of that) is one of the most well-maintained and visited speleological objects in Serbia. Although not particularly extravagant, grand, or rich in cave formations, as we usually imagine caves, Risovača is an extremely significant natural monument from an archaeological, paleontological, and anthropological point of view, as it has yielded a multitude of animal fossils (cave bear and lion, giant deer and woolly rhinoceros) from the last Ice Age since the middle of the previous century until today. In addition, far more significant remains of the prehistoric Neanderthal man (and their tools) have been found, which, according to experts, places Risovača among only five caves in the Balkans where the remains of prehistoric humans have been discovered. All these findings, fossils, and artifacts are exhibited in the National Museum of Aranđelovac. The cave itself can be visited every day of the week from 9 am to 5 pm, at a symbolic price of 200 dinars per person.

Orašac

The small village of Orašac, located about 5 kilometers from Aranđelovac on the way to Mladenovac, has great significance on the historical and tourist map of Serbia. In 1803, the decision to start an uprising against the centuries-old Turkish rule, known as the First Serbian Uprising, was made here, and it began a year later in the nearby Marićevića Gorge. Today, at this location, there is a memorial complex of Orašac, consisting of a memorial fountain and the Church of the Ascension, commemorating this glorious act of liberation, as well as the elementary school "First Serbian Uprising" in the center of the village and a monument to the leader of the uprising, Vožd Karađorđe. Every February 15th, on Sretenje, this place symbolically marks the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia with a series of ceremonies.

Bukulja Mountain

Already on the southwest outskirts of Aranđelovac, the slopes of Bukulja Mountain rise prominently above the city to a height of 696 meters. It is one of the mountains in the so-called "Šumadija Ridge", which extends in a meridian direction from Rudnik to Kalemegdan (including Gledić Mountains, Kotlenik, Venčac, Kosmaj, and other smaller). It is covered with dense beech and oak forests and crisscrossed by well-maintained hiking trails that lead from Bukovička Spa Park all the way to the summit of Bukulja, where a high observation tower is located, offering a spectacular view of the city of Aranđelovac and almost the entire Šumadija region. Already confirmed as a favorite outing spot for the people of Aranđelovac, Bukulja is also a very popular destination for athletes, recreational enthusiasts, and nature lovers from across the country.

Aqua park Izvor

One of the first, largest, and most visited water parks in Serbia is located in Aranđelovac, in the complex of the luxury hotel Izvor. During the summer days, this water park is a true paradise for schoolchildren, as well as for adults who still have the "inner child" within them. A multitude of exciting water attractions and slides of various shapes, speeds, complexities, and adrenaline levels will provide you with an unforgettable adventure and relaxation during the hot summer days. The water park also features a large swimming pool, tepidarium, steam bath, Finnish (dry) and bio sauna, as well as a salt room and fitness center. When you add a restaurant, a café-patisserie, and several sports courts within the water park complex, it is clear that this destination offers all the necessary conditions for a perfect and relaxing day with family or friends. You can check the prices for individual and group enjoyment of the charms of Aqua park Izvor on weekdays or weekends here.

Religious Sites

In the heart of Šumadija, religious sites, as expected, predominantly belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church. Among numerous churches and monasteries from the 18th and 19th centuries, built primarily in the Byzantine-Moravian style, two churches stand out in terms of architecture and historical significance.

The Church of Saint Archangel Gabriel is a protected cultural heritage site of great historical and cultural significance. Built in the mid-19th century at the request of Prince Miloš Obrenović, it represents the original church of the city of Aranđelovac, which is why the town bears its name (in its place, there was a small settlement called Vrbica at the beginning of the 19th century). It is believed that the construction of the church was a sort of act of penance by Prince Miloš for the murder of his godfather Karađorđe. As the murder happened on the night between July 12 and 13 (according to the Julian calendar), on the day of the celebration of the Assembly of Saint Archangel Gabriel, it is believed that the church was dedicated to this saint for that reason.

The Wooden Church of Saints Peter and Paul is one of only three remaining log churches in Šumadija and is also protected by law. It is located in Darosava, a village near Aranđelovac, and was built in the 1830s during the liberation wars against the Ottoman Empire. It did not withstand the ravages of time and weather conditions, nor the neglect after World War II, so it entered the 21st century almost completely neglected. However, thanks to the conservation and restoration work of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments from Kragujevac, it has regained its former glory in recent years.

Famous Figures from Aranđelovac

Ilija Hadži-Milutinović, better known as Ilija Grašanin (1812 - 1874), was one of the greatest Serbian statesmen and politicians in recent history. Originally from the village of Garaši near Aranđelovac, he served as a minister on several occasions, as well as the Prime Minister of the Principality of Serbia and a constitutionalist. He was the creator of Načertanije, one of the first and most comprehensive national programs of Serbia for that time, which contained a vision of uniting all Serbs into one state.

Danko Popović (1928 - 2009), a writer, author of short stories, television and radio dramas, and novels, among which the most famous and widely read is "The Book about Milutin" - a poignant story about a host, peasant, and soldier from Šumadija who, in the form of a confession, portrays all the tragedy of an ordinary Serbian peasant during and between the two World Wars. This novel, printed in over half a million copies, represents a kind of masterpiece of the writer from Aranđelovac.