Kragujevac Travel Guide

The City of Kragujevac is the administrative, political, economic, educational and cultural hub of the District of Sumadija as well as the surrounding neighborhood Districts. The City of Kragujevac has a population of about 300.000.The City is situated well, geographically. Kragujevac is in the center of Sumadija and Pomoravlje, 140 km to the south of the Capital City of Belgrade, by the highway E 10. Kragujevac covers an area of 835 square kilometers, andlies within the slopes of the Rudnik, Gledic and Crni Vrh Mountains. The river of Lepenica runs slowly through the city center. A series of rivers and tributaries bisect the city with the landscape enhanced by the stretches of mountain ranges of the Rudnik and Gledic along with the peak of the Crni Vrh. Many rivers link Kragujevac with the District of Pomoravlje, creating heavily trafficked international transportation routes. Kragujevac is located at a 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. Kragujevac began to prosper in 1818 when Prince Milos Obrenovic proclaimed it the capital of the new Serbian State, and began to lay the first foundations of Serbia. The first Serbian Constitution was proclaimed here in 1835 and the first idea of the independent electoral democracy. The first Law on the Printing Press was passed in Kragujevac in 1870. Kragujevac, the capital, was developing and cherishing modern, progressive and free ideas and resembled many European capitals of that time. Apart from the political influence of the time, Kragujevac became the cultural and educational center of the state. Most important institutions built were: The First Grammar School, the first Pharmacy, and the first printing press. Kragujevac gave rise to many international scholars, professors, academics, scientists, artists and statesmen. The City has a rich cultural and historical heritage. Many cultural, educational and scientific institutions were founded between 1818-1841 when Kragujevac was the seat of the Principality of Serbia: "Gimnazija" First Grammar School in Serbia "Knjazevsko-Serbski Teatar"-First Theatre in Serbia "Licej" the highest educational institutions in Serbia and the forerunner of University Cathedral Old National Assembly Memorial Park "October of Kragujevac" numerous other monuments national importance. These institutions continue to promote cultural activities in modern Serbia. Theater "Joakim Vujic" (founded in 1835), National Library "Vuk Karadzic" (1866), Cultural and Artistic Group "Abrasevic" (1904).