The Castle of Culture in Vrnjačka Banja | Museums of Serbia

The Castle of Culture in Vrnjačka Banja is dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Vrnjačka Banja and its surroundings, and it represents the oldest architectural structure in this town after the Vrnjačka church. It is a representative cultural building that was once the summer residence of General Jovan Belimarković.

Belimarković was the Minister of Army and Construction during the reign of King Milan Obrenović and the regent of underage King Aleksandar Obrenović.

The Culture Castle houses the Local Museum that showcases the historical heritage of Vrnjačka Banja and its surroundings. It contains several collections: Archaeological, Ethnographic, Natural Science, Historical, and Artistic.

The Historical Collection represents a collection of architectural heritage, graphic-tourist propaganda of Vrnjaci, and it also contains photographs, postcards, as well as old glass negatives. The Art Collection consists of paintings, graphics, and sculptures.

Three exhibitions make up the permanent display:

• Ethnographic Heritage of Vrnjačka Banja
• Memorial Room of General Belimarković
• Ladarište - Prehistory of Vrnjci

The Ladarište exhibition showcases the prehistory of Vrnjaci, as the oldest traces of life in this area date back to the Late Stone Age. The Ethnographic Heritage of Vrnjaka Banja exhibition presents the tradition of living in this region from the second half of the 19th century until the 1960s.

Visitors also have the opportunity to peek into the Memorial Room of General Belimarković, where furniture and utensils are exhibited, as well as rare books and newspapers from that time. The collection includes Belimarković's books and magazines of exceptional cultural value.

During the off-season, visitors to the Local Museum have access to the Art Collection of the Culture Castle. It showcases sculptures, graphics, and paintings from the second half of the 20th century. Additionally, visitors can enjoy classical music concerts, lectures, book promotions, dramatic collages, and summer schools regularly organized in the castle.

The conceptual design by Belimarković's nephew, engineer Pavle Denić, is located next to the church in Vrnjačka Banja and was built in the style of Polish villas that were prevalent in northern Italy at that time. The castle was constructed over five years and was completed in 1889. Until 1968, Belimarković's descendants lived in the castle, and since then it has been under state protection, representing a cultural treasure of exceptional significance for the Republic of Serbia.

The magnificent Belimarković castle is recognizable for its Renaissance elements and was built in the spirit of historicism with romantic details. The castle is adorned with a two-winged staircase that leads to the first and second floors. White marble from the Belimarković quarry on Mount Goč was used in its construction.

The working hours of the Local Museum are from Monday to Friday from 7 am to 9 pm, and on Saturdays from 7 am to 3 pm. The Museum is closed on Sundays.