Jagodina | Top 10 in Cities of Serbia

Wax Figure Museum

This unique museum in Serbia has been in existence since 2008. It was conceived following the example of large world museums of the same type, where popular and famous personalities from history and contemporary culture are displayed in life-size wax figures. The Wax Figure Museum in Jagodina features figures of Saint Sava, Karadjordje, Nikola Tesla, Vlade Divac, and many other personalities from Serbian history, science, pop culture, and politics. The museum covers an area of 450 square meters, and the permanent exhibition includes 29 figures.

Aqua Park

Aqua Park in Jagodina is the oldest amusement park of its kind in Serbia. It opened in 2007 and is located in the most beautiful part of Jagodina, being the most visited facility in the city. It covers an area of approximately 50,000 square meters and includes 98 pools for sports and recreational activities. The park also features a large slide system with a total length of about 600 meters. In addition to pools and slides, the complex also includes sports fields for football, basketball, volleyball, and other sports. On hot summer days, the Jagodina Aqua Park is a must-visit for all tourists.

ZOO Park

The Jagodina Zoo Park is the first park of its kind south of Belgrade in Serbia. It was established in 2006 and covers an area of 2.5 hectares. Located in the most beautiful part of Jagodina, in the Đurđevo Hill Park, it is home to approximately 250 species of animals with around 320 individuals. Interestingly, not a single tree was cut down during the construction of the ZOO Park; instead, the trees were integrated into the environment, making this park an authentic natural entity. Visitors can explore the park accompanied by a guide by purchasing an admission ticket.

Aračlija Stream (Đurđevo Hill)

The Largest Park and excursion site in Jagodina is often called Park Đurđevo Hill, and it was once known as Đački Park. Aračlijski Stream descends the slopes of Đurđevo Hill, forming one of the most beautiful and largest parks in Pomoravlje. Its current name was given in honor of Atanasije Ivanović Aračlija, a learned Jagodina resident who also served Prince Miloš Obrenović. He participated in the uprising against Hungary in 1848 and distinguished himself in the battles for the liberation of Veliki Bečkerek (today's Zrenjanin). During his time in public service, he was also a tax collector, hence the nickname "aračlija." His son Stefan Ivanović bequeathed the family estate to the city on the condition that a park be built on it, which was done in 1904. Since then, Aračlijski Park has been a favorite outing spot for the people of Jagodina. The park also features a summer stage that serves as the venue for various cultural events in the region. Additionally, the park is home to the first and largest artificial waterfall in Serbia.

Jagodina Regional Museum

Jagodina Regional Museum was founded in 1954, and its first exhibition was part of the private collection of history teacher Dušan Vukićević. Over time, five departments were established: Natural History, Archaeology, History, Art, and Ethnology. The museum has more than fifty collections, including the archaeological collection of Neolithic sculpture, numismatic collection, glass collection, and more. The Jagodina Regional Museum is located in the city center, in one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, in Sokolski Dom Building. The building was erected in 1937 and was designed by the renowned architect Momir Korunović. It is protected by law as the finest example of Secessionist architecture in Jagodina.

Jovanča Micić Monument

The monument was erected in 2019 in honor of the character Jovanča Micić from Nušić's comedies "Put oko sveta" and "Običan čovek" (The Ordinary Man). A film based on the works of Branislav Nušić was released in 1964, in which the role of Jovanča Micić was played by the legendary Miodrag Petrović - Čkalja. Streets in Jagodina bear the name Jovanča, as well as the award of the Theatre Festival Dani komedije, which has been held in Jagodina since 1971.

Museum of Naive and Marginal Art

Another unique tourist attraction in Serbia is located in Jagodina and was established in 1960. It is of great importance for the development of naive art in Serbia. The museum has a collection of about 3,500 artworks from Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Hungary, Germany, and other countries. The museum's exhibition follows the history of naive and marginal art from the 1930s to the present day, representing around 450 artists. The museum is housed in a building from 1929, which is protected by the state as the most beautiful example of Secessionist architecture in Jagodina. At the Museum of Naive and Marginal Art, visitors can see works by prominent artists such as Sava Sekulić, Ilija Bašičević Bosiljo, Emerik Feješ, Vojislav Jakić, Barbarijena, Pal Homonay, Milosav Jovanović, Dušan Jevtović, Milan Rašić, and many others.

Saint Archangel Michael Temple

Popularly known as the Old Church, it is a foundation of Prince Miloš Obrenović. It was built in 1824 as the only church in Jagodina at that time. It was located on the outskirts of the city to avoid attracting too much attention from the Ottomans. In front of the main entrance to the church, there is a white marble plaque with rosettes, which was brought there in 1926 after the demolition of the Jagodina Mosque.

Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Education Sciences

One of the oldest educational parks in Serbia is located within the Faculty of Education Sciences in Jagodina. It was established in 1898 when the Teacher Training School was founded with the idea of conducting practical classes and recreation for students. Today, the botanical garden features 70 exotic woody and shrubby plants, some of which, such as the ginkgo, pedunculate oak, and black pine, have been in the park since its inception. Unfortunately, this unique park has been largely neglected over time, and its size has decreased from 6 hectares to just half a hectare.

Jošanica Monastery

Jošanica Monastery was built in the 14th century and is located in the gorge of the river of the same name, at the foot of the Crni Vrh mountain near Jagodina. Like most monasteries in Serbia, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times on the old foundations. Its present appearance dates back to the 17th century. The monastery church is dedicated to Saint Nicholas and was built in the typical Moravian style. During the Koča's Frontier period, the headquarters of Captain Koča Anđelković, one of the leaders of the uprising, was located in the monastery. During the Second Serbian Uprising, Prince Miloš Obrenović also stayed briefly in the monastery, and in 1832, after the uprising, he donated three bells to the monastery. Additionally, in the monastery courtyard, there is a monument to the Serbian soldiers who perished between 1912 and 1918, on which verses by Vojislav Ilić Mlađi are inscribed.