Kragujevac, Serbia
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Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River. , the city proper has a population of 150,835, while its administrative area comprises a total of 179,417 inhabitants. Kragujevac was the first capital of modern Serbia and the first constitution in the Balkans, the Sretenje Constitution, was proclaimed in the city in 1838. A unit of the
Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service The Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Services (SWH) was founded in 1914. It was led by Dr. Elsie Inglis and provided nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, cooks and orderlies. By the end of World War I, 14 medical units had been outfitted and ...
was located there in World War I. During the Second World War, Kragujevac was the site of a massacre by the Nazis in which 2,778 Serb men and boys were killed. Modern Kragujevac is known for its large munitions ( Zastava Arms) and automobile ( FCA Srbija) industries, as well as its status as an education centre housing the University of Kragujevac, one of the region's largest higher education institutions.


Etymology

The name ''Kragujevac'' comes from 'kraguj' the Serbian name for cinereous vulture. In the Middle Ages, this bird was common in the woods of the area, and was used for hunting. The city's name means 'kraguj's tower', and the bird is represented on the city's coat of arms.


History


Early and medieval

Over 200 archaeological sites in Šumadija confirm that the region's first human settlement took place around 40,000 years ago during the
Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
era. The Jerina cave, located near the village of Gradac in the direction of
Batočina Batočina ( sr, Баточина, ) is a town and municipality located in the Šumadija District of central Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a lan ...
, is dated to have been inhabited from around 37,000 BP to 27,000 BP.
Dugouts Dugout may refer to: * Dugout (shelter), an underground shelter * Dugout (boat), a logboat * Dugout (smoking), a marijuana container Sports * In bat-and-ball sports, a dugout is one of two areas where players of the home or opposing teams sit whe ...
dated to 5,000 BC have been found in the city's vicinity, in the localities of Grivac,
Kusovac Kusovac is a village situated in Knić municipality in Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and ...
,
Divostin Divostin () is a village of the city of Kragujevac in the Šumadija district of Serbia. According to the 2011 census, there were 422 inhabitants. Over 100,000 Neolithic objects from Starčevo culture and Vinča culture were extracted in a number o ...
,
Donje Grbice Donje Grbice ( sr, Доње Грбице) is a village in the Municipalities of Serbia, municipality of Aerodrom, Kragujevac, Aerodrom, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 557 people.Popis stanovništva, domaćinst ...
and
Dobrovodica Dobrovodica ( sr, Доброводица) is a village in the municipality of Batočina, Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in ...
. These remains belong to the Neolithic Starčevo culture, which, in this area, spread along the river valleys of Lepenica and Gruža. The best known artifacts are the fertility figurines called ''Divostinke'' ("Girls from Divostin"). At the time of Roman conquest in 9 AD, the territory of the present-day city was largely inhabited by Illyrians (mainly the Dardani) and Celts (the Scordisci). By the late 6th and early 7th centuries, large-scale Slavic raids and settlement began, along with invasions from Hunnic and Germanic tribes. Later, the area would become part of the
First Bulgarian Empire The First Bulgarian Empire ( cu, блъгарьско цѣсарьствиѥ, blagarysko tsesarystviye; bg, Първо българско царство) was a medieval Bulgar- Slavic and later Bulgarian state that existed in Southeastern Europ ...
. With the weakening of both the Bulgarian and Eastern Roman empires, Stefan Nemanja, Grand Prince of the consolidated
medieval Serbian state Serbia in the Middle Ages refers to the medieval period in the history of Serbia. The period begins in the 6th century with the Slavic migrations to Southeastern Europe, and lasts until the Ottoman conquest of Serbian lands in the second half ...
, captured the territory between 1198 and 1199. Although it is hypothesized that the current area of the city was densely settled by the time of Stefan Nemanja's conquest, it does not appear in medieval Serbian documents. The first written mention of the city was in an Ottoman
cadastral survey Cadastral surveying is the sub-field of cadastre and surveying that specialises in the establishment and re-establishment of real property boundaries. It involves the physical delineation of property boundaries and determination of dimensions, a ...
(''
defter A ''defter'' (plural: ''defterler'') was a type of tax register and land cadastre in the Ottoman Empire. Description The information collected could vary, but ''tahrir defterleri'' typically included details of villages, dwellings, household ...
'') in 1476 after the city's incorporation into the Sanjak of Smederevo. Referred to as 'Kraguyfoça', the settlement, after Ottoman conquest, consisted of a square formerly used as a market with 32 houses. The surrounding region was largely empty; even the forests that once dominated the region had been burned. By the end of the same century, however, the Ottoman administration began to slowly resettle the city's area; by the 1536 cadastral survey, the town had 7 Muslim neighborhoods ( ''mahalas'') with 56 houses in total, along with a Christian community of 29 houses. On the left bank of the Lepenica, a mosque was erected.


Habsburg-Ottoman conflict and major revolts

In spite of its newfound consolidation under Turkish rule, the town's location in strategic borderland between the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
and the Ottoman Empire made it an area of frequent conflict in the modern era. During the
Great Turkish War The Great Turkish War (german: Großer Türkenkrieg), also called the Wars of the Holy League ( tr, Kutsal İttifak Savaşları), was a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League consisting of the Holy Roman Empire, Pola ...
, the Austrians, under
Louis of Baden Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (german: links=no, Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden-Baden; 8 April 1655 – 4 January 1707) was the ruling Margrave of Baden-Baden in Germany and chief commander of the Imperial army. He was also known as ''Türkenl ...
, pushed the Turks far to the south of the city. Although this occupation was short-lived, it spelled an end to consolidated Ottoman rule in the region. Soon after, in 1718, Kragujevac became a part of the Habsburg Kingdom of Serbia following conquest by
Prince Eugene of Savoy Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...
and the signing of Treaty of Passarowitz. Under Austrian occupation, the area around the city was fortified, and the Muslim population driven out. In 1725 the first officially recorded cases of vampirism occurred in Kragujevac, in which two alleged vampires were accused of murdering 42 people. In other parts of Habsburg ruled Kingdom of Serbia similar cases followed after which the Serbian word vampir entered German and later other world languages. As the Ottomans retook the town in 1739, and lost it again in 1789 to the same enemy, the town was ripe for new rule—this time under Serbian rebels. As a settlement central to the Sanjak of Smederevo under Ottoman rule, Kragujevac was of utmost strategic importance to its agitating, largely rural Serb inhabitants. Therefore, it became a centre of the Serbian Revolution, a national awakening of Serbs led by their '' vojvoda,'' Karađorđe. First liberated on 5 April 1804 during the First Serbian Uprising, the city was finally freed from imperial rule during the Second Serbian Uprising in 1815. In 1818, Kragujevac, though largely depopulated following the conflicts of the preceding centuries, was proclaimed capital of the Principality of Serbia on 6 May 1818 by Miloš Obrenović in the medieval
Vraćevšnica monastery The Vraćevšnica Monastery ( sr, Манастир Враћевшница, Manastir Vraćevšnica, ) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery in Vraćevšnica, Gornji Milanovac, Serbia, built in 1428–29 on the orders of Radič ( fl. 1389–1441), a mag ...
. To mark the occasion, he built the Amidža Konak, perhaps ironically a lone cultural souvenir of Ottoman rule. The first Serbian constitution, the Sretenje Constitution, was proclaimed in the city on 15 September 1835. It was one of the most liberal constitutions in Europe had ever seen.


Industrial development

Although Kragujevac lost its capital status to
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
in 1841, its importance only increased during the remainder of the 19th century as it grew into a city marked by its industry. Following centuries of economic underdevelopment, the underpinnings of the city's modernization—and Serbia's main munitions manufacturer, Zastava Arms—were laid in the commissioning of the city's foundry complex in 1835. Known under its Serbian acronym VTZ, the complex was completed in 1850, and the first cannon was cast in 1853. Colloquially styled the 'Knez's arsenal', its first director, Charles Loubry, was a French engineer authorized to take over this duty by a significantly larger figure than the Serbian '' knez''—the Emperor of France, Napoleon III. Following the creation of the VTZ, industrial development continued at an unprecedented pace. The first
telephone exchange A telephone exchange, telephone switch, or central office is a telecommunications system used in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or in large enterprises. It interconnects telephone subscriber lines or virtual circuits of digital syst ...
was installed in 1858, and in 1868 the first industrial brewery was opened by Nikola Mesarović. The first printing press was founded in 1870. To connect the city's burgeoning military industry as well as its production of iron ploughs to the rest of Serbia's regions, the
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
Niš railroad was built in 1886. To serve its industrial population, Serbia's first grammar school (''gimnazija)'', the city's first pharmacy, and its first cinema, located in a local ''kafana'', were all built during the remainder of the 19th century, along with Kragujevac's Great (or Upper) Park and, in 1891, its first regulatory urban plan. The city's industrialism characterized it among its European peers, along with its workers' demonstrations, known as the ''Crveni barjak'' ('Red flag') demonstrations, first held on 27 February 1876. Today, the beginnings of the town's industry, the now-defunct VTZ, have been recognized by the Serbian government as vital to Serbia's cultural heritage and, as of 2017, consists of 151 individual objects, of which 31 are protected as unique heritage, including the old foundry, the machine workshop, the chimney, the
fire lookout tower A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a "fire lookout" whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness. It is a small building, usually on the summit of a mountain or ...
, the railroad bridge over the Lepenica River, and the cartridge factory. Once known by its non-industrial residents as the 'Forbidden City' (''Zabranjeni Grad),'' the complex is now open to the public.


World War I

During World War I, Kragujevac again became the capital of Serbia (1914–1915), and the seat of many state institutions—the Supreme Army Command was housed within the court house building. A unit of the Scottish Women's Hospital for Women's Service was based there from December 1914 to November 1915. A list of those working in the hospital can be viewed on the website "Imperial War Museum: Lives of the First World War " and more information on these units is below. During the war, Kragujevac lost around 15% of its population. On the night of 2 June 1918, a group of occupying Slovak soldiers from the Austro-Hungarian 71st infantry regiment mutinied in the city centre. The soldiers, led by Viktor Kolibík, had recently returned from captivity in Russia and were to be immediately deployed to the Italian Front. The mutiny failed, and 44 mutineers were executed.


Yugoslavia

Following World War I, Kragujevac became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, later renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In the period before the Second World War, the city continued its cultural and economic development with the founding of the Gundulić Theatre and the Kragujevac Academic Theatre as well as a number of new factories. Following the Nazi
invasion of Yugoslavia The invasion of Yugoslavia, also known as the April War or Operation 25, or ''Projekt 25'' was a German-led attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II. The order for the invasion was p ...
, the city came under direct Nazi occupation. After a joint
Partisan Partisan may refer to: Military * Partisan (weapon), a pole weapon * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line Films * ''Partisan'' (film), a 2015 Australian film * ''Hell River'', a 1974 Yugoslavian film also know ...
-
Chetnik The Chetniks ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Четници, Četnici, ; sl, Četniki), formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationa ...
attack on German forces in nearby Gornji Milanovac, ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Wilhelm Keitel calculated that 50 people were to be shot for every German soldier wounded and 100 people were to be shot for every German soldier killed. Franz Böhme therefore ordered the deaths of nearly 2,800 men and boys between 19 and 21 October 1941 in the
Kragujevac massacre The Kragujevac massacre was the mass murder of between 2,778 and 2,794 mostly Serb men and boys in Kragujevac, by German soldiers on 21 October 1941. It occurred in the German-occupied territory of Serbia during World War II, and came as a r ...
. The dead included a class from the city's First Gymnasium; today, a monument to the executed pupils is the symbol of the city. The massacre inspired a poem titled ''Krvava Bajka'' (''A Bloody Fairy Tale'') by
Desanka Maksimović Desanka Maksimović ( sr-Cyrl, Десанка Максимовић; 16 May 1898 – 11 February 1993) was a Serbian poet, writer and translator. Her first works were published in the literary journal ''Misao'' in 1920, while she was studying at t ...
. The city was liberated from Nazi Germany on 21 October 1944. In the post-war period, Kragujevac continued to develop its industry. Its main products were passenger cars, trucks and industrial vehicles, hunting arms, industrial chains, leather, and textiles. The biggest industry was Zastava Automobiles, which at one point employed tens of thousands people. The first product of the Zastava Automobiles car company, the FIAT 750, was manufactured in 1955 under a licence to Fiat Automobiles (now FCA). In the following three decades, more than five million passenger cars (FIAT 750, Zastava 1300, Zastava 101, Zastava 128, Zastava Yugo, Yugo Florida, Fiat 500L) were manufactured and marketed in 74 countries worldwide. Perhaps most infamous among the automobiles produced is the Yugo, also marketed as the Zastava Korral. The city's industry greatly suffered under international economic sanctions during the Milošević era in the 1990s, and some parts were reduced to rubble by the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.


Kragujevac today

The city today remains an industrial heart of Serbia, and has grown with the influx of students and refugees from the Yugoslav wars. In 2010, the city government signed a memorandum with the German development agency GIZ and in 2012 city hall adopted a strategy of urban development of the central city zone to be completed by 2030. As of December 2017, many objects within the complex deteriorated and the right bank of the Lepenica is urbanistically neglected. The authenticity and representative values of the complex must be preserved, but where it is allowed, the industrial and workers quarters will be transformed into the residential and commercial areas, traffic corridors and used for the numerous educational and cultural institutions Serbia's industrial city continues to cherish.


Geography and infrastructure

Kragujevac lies
above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...
. The coordinates of the city are 44°00'36.3 N and 20°55'01.9 E. It is located in the valley of the river Lepenica. The city covers an area of , surrounded by the slopes of the Rudnik, Crni Vrh, and
Gledić mountains Gledić is a village in the municipality of Kraljevo, western-central Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, ...
. Kragujevac is the traditional centre of Šumadija, a region characterized by its rolling hills and fertile orchards. File:Image-of-Sumadija-2.jpg, ''Kragujevac is centre of Šumadija region'' File:Strogi prirodni rezervat Veliki Sturac, planina Rudnik 01.jpg, ''National Reserve Veliki Sturac, Mountain Rudnik''


Cityscape

The architecture of Kragujevac displays a fusion of many different styles. Historically, Ottoman (nowadays almost completely gone) and 19th century Vienna Secession style architecture have played an important role in the city's landscape. Newer architecture dominates the city's panorama. A blend of Viennese, Balkan as well as
Brutalism Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by Minimalism (art), minimalist constructions th ...
is present, as showcased in the monuments to the Kragujevac massacre. Post-war concrete apartment blocks built during the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia period are prominent. Today, glass office buildings reflect the ambitious business aspirations of the city. Some important buildings in Kragujevac include: * The "old" (or "Pridvorina") church of Descent of the Holy Spirit, built in 1818 as a part of Prince Miloš's court * The Old Parliament, built in the court of the church where the first parliamentary meeting was held in 1859 *
The Amidža Konak ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...
, built by Prince Miloš as a residential house (now exhibition) and an example of regional Serbian architecture * The Prince Mihailo Konak, built in 1860 to blend local tradition with European architectural concepts and now the National Museum * The grammar school (''gimnazija''), built between 1885 and 1887 in European style to serve as the first educational institution of its kind in Serbia, educating prominent Serbian figures such as Svetozar Marković, Nikola Pašić, and
Radomir Putnik Radomir Putnik ( sr, Радомир Путник; ; 24 January 1847 – 17 May 1917) was the first Serbian Field Marshal and Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian army in the Balkan Wars and in the First World War. He served in every war in ...
The Upper (Great) Park is the largest park in Kragujevac. It was established in 1898. It is covered with more than of greenery, and a dense canopy of century-old trees, renovated walkways and benches are the right place for rest, walk and relaxation. In the park and its immediate vicinity there are sports facilities for basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Lower (Small) Park is located in the city centre, within the Milos Wreath complex. At its centre there is a monument to the Fallen People of Šumadija. The Ilina Voda park, a legacy of Svetozar Andrejević, was established in 1900. It covers an area of . There is a fountain with a small waterfall, five mini lakes connected by a small stream, and a small zoo with about 100 animals and a garden with various types of trees characteristic of Šumadija. The curiosity in the park is the largest sculpture of Easter eggs ( high) in Europe and the second in the world; made from recycled metal, set in 2004. Scenic attractions nearby include the Aranđelovac, Gornji Milanovac, Vrnjačka Banja, and Mataruška Banja, Karađorđe's castle, the Church of Saint George in Topola away, the Old Kalenić monastery away, the resorts of Rogot () and Stragari () with the old Blagoveštenje and Voljavča monasteries. File:View_on_the_city.JPG, ''View of Kragujevac'' File:Konak-kneza-Mihaila.jpg, '' House of prince Mihailo Obrenović III'' File:Saborni_Hram.jpg, ''Kragujevac Cathedral'' File:The city square1.jpg, ''Pedestrian zone'' File:La_Résidence_Amidža_à_Kragujevac.jpg, ''Amidžin Konak''


Transportation

Kragujevac has developed transportation infrastructure, with a variety of road connections to the Serbian capital, Belgrade. It can be reached using Serbian IB-class roads 24 (an expressway) and 25. In the coming years, the city will also be accessible via Pan-European Corridor X or, in Serbia, the
A1 motorway A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to: Education * A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages * Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects * A1, a ...
. The town is also connected to nearby Jagodina and Gornji Milanovac via class IIA road numbers 170 and 176 (via Bar, Montenegro), respectively. Kragujevac is connected by bus lines with almost all cities in the country. The most frequent departures (every half-hour) are to Belgrade. The central bus station is about a kilometre away from the city centre. Kragujevac can also be reached by train. The central train station is located close to the central bus station. The company responsible for public transportation in Kragujevac is the City Traffic Agency (GSA). The integrated public transport is performed by two companies: Arriva Litas and Vulović Transport. There are 22 urban bus lines and 14 lines that connect nearby rural areas operating according to established timetable. There are also 7 taxi and 3 rent-a-car companies operating in Kragujevac. Car parking system with 10 parking lots and zoned street parking (three zones with 4,244 parking spaces) is operated by public service company Parking Service Kragujevac.


Climate

Kragujevac has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
( Köppen climate classification: ''Cfa''), and with a July mean temperature of . Winds most often blow from southwest and northwest, while they often blow from southeast in January, February and March.


Municipalities and settlements

;Defunct city municipalities From May 2002 until March 2008, the city of Kragujevac was divided into the following city municipalities: * Aerodrom *
Pivara Pivara () was one of five city municipalities which constituted the City of Kragujevac. The municipality was formed in May 2002, only to be dissolved in March 2008. Inhabited places The Municipality of Pivara comprised the following settlemen ...
*
Stanovo Stanovo () was one of five city municipalities which constituted the City of Kragujevac. According to the 2002 census, 39,252 residents lived in the municipality, while the urban area had 32,965 residents. The municipality was formed in May 2002 ...
* Stari Grad *
Stragari Stragari ( sr-cyr, Страгари) is a rural settlement within the City of Kragujevac. Geography Located at 250 m above sea level, it lies 30 km northwest of Kragujevac and about 120 km south of state capital, Belgrade. It lie ...
; Settlements List of settlements in the city of Kragujevac:


Demographics

According to the 2011 census results, the city's administrative area has a population of 179,417 inhabitants. Around 70% (126,312 inhabitants) are of working age (aged 15 to 64). The employed population in 2014 was 42,148 (47.0% of whom were women), most of whom work in metalworking (22%) and medical and
social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...
(13%). 54.6% of persons older than 15 have only secondary education, while 17.7%% hold a college or university degree. Around 93% of total city area is covered with water supply system, 78% with sewage system, 72% with natural gas supply network, and 92% with cell phone networks.


Ethnic groups


Politics

Results of the 2012 local elections (there are 87 seats in local assembly) are the following: * Together for Šumadija- United Regions of Serbia (37) * Let's Get Kragujevac Moving (18) *
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
-
Social Democratic Party of Serbia The Social Democratic Party of Serbia ( sr, Социјалдемократска партија Србије, Socijaldemokratska partija Srbije, SDPS) is a centre-left political party in Serbia. It is orientated towards social democracy. His ...
(12) *
SPS SPS may refer to: Law and government * Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the WTO * NATO Science for Peace and Security * Single Payment Scheme, an EU agricultural subsidy * The Standard Procurement System, fo ...
- PUPS- JS (10) * Liberal Democratic Party- Serbian Renewal Movement (5) * Democratic Party of Serbia (5)


Economy

Kragujevac has been an important industrial and trading centre of Serbia for more than two centuries, known for its automotive and firearms industries. The former state-owned Zastava Automobiles company was purchased by
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
in 2008, and new company, FCA Srbija, was established. Fiat was joined by partners Magneti Marelli (
exhaust systems An exhaust system is used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes. Depending on the overall system ...
and control panels), Johnson Controls (car seats and interiors), Sigit (thermoplastic and rubber components) and HTL ( wheels). Weapons manufacturing in Kragujevac began with foundation of the VTZ in 1853 and has since grown to become Serbia's primary supplier of
firearms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes c ...
through the Zastava Arms corporation. Today, Zastava Arms exports more than 95% of its products to over forty countries in the world. By the decisions of the Ministry of Defence of Serbia, Zastava Arms became a part of the Defense Industry of Serbia in 2003. The most important partners of Zastava Arms are
Yugoimport SDPR Yugoimport–SDPR ( sr, Југоимпорт–СДПР, Jugoimport–SDPR) is a Serbian state-owned weapons manufacturer as well as intermediary company for the import and export of defense-related equipment. It is headquartered in Belgrade, w ...
, Army and Police of Serbia,
Century Arms Century International Arms is an importer and manufacturer of firearms that is based in the United States. The company was founded in 1961 in St. Albans, Vermont, with offices in Montreal. In 1995, the company headquarters and sales staff moved to ...
, and International Golden Group. Rapp Marine Group (components for ships, oil platforms and machines),
Meggle AG Meggle is a milk and whey processing company based in Wasserburg am Inn, Germany. History In 1882 Josef Anton Meggle founded a dairy in Wasserburg am Inn. In order to expand, Josef's brother Jakob opened a sales office in Dresden in 1886 – ...
( dairy products), Unior Components ( broaches, welded construction, thermal treatment),
Metro Cash and Carry Metro AG is a German multinational company based in Düsseldorf which operates business membership only cash and carry stores primarily under the Metro brand. Until 2020 it was also active in general retail business through Real division, wh ...
, Mercator and Plaza centres ( retail) established their operations in Kragujevac. Many other local companies provide key manufacturing and production establishments. According to the National Bank of Serbia, there were 30 commercial banks operating in Serbia as of December 2016, of which Direktna Banka has its headquarters in Kragujevac. The Kragujevac Fair was established in 2005. It comprises of area dedicated to trade and exhibitions and of area for other activities (administration, Media centre, restaurant etc.). As of September 2017, Kragujevac contains one of 14 free economic zones established in Serbia. The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2019):


Society and culture


Education

There are 22 primary and 8 secondary schools in Kragujevac. There are also 3 special schools: a school for hearing impaired children, the music school "Dr Miloje Milojević", and the school for children with disabilities "Vukašin Marković". The University of Kragujevac was established on 21 May 1976. It is the fourth largest university in Serbia and is organized into 12 faculties and two institutes which are spread over six nearby cities (Kragujevac, Čačak, Kraljevo, Užice, Jagodina and Vrnjačka Banja). Around 16,000 students are currently enrolled at the university. It has around 1,350 employees, out of which 900 are teaching and research staff. The University Library in Kragujevac is of a generally scientific character, and its primary users are university teaching staff and students. Its area is and includes several storage rooms, a reading area and the university gallery. The library keeps around 100,000 copies of books, 2,500 doctoral and master thesis, 450 titles of domestic journals and 105 titles of foreign journals.


Culture

There are many cultural institutions in Kragujevac that have gained regional and national significance in the arts. These institutions include: * Knjaževsko-srpsko pozorište (founded in 1835) * the National Library " Vuk Karadžić" (founded in 1866) * the cultural and artistic group "Abrasević" (founded in 1904) * The "October in Kragujevac Memorial Park", located in Šumarice, commemorating the tragic events of 21 October 1941 * The National Museum, with various displays including those pertaining to archaeology, ethnic diversity, the history of Kragujevac and Šumadija, and many paintings (the archaeology department has a rich collection of 10,000 display items and over 100,000 study items, while the painting department has over 1,000 pieces of prominent Serbian art of extraordinary value) * The "Old Foundry Museum", located within the old gun foundry, presents the industrial development of Kragujevac and Serbia using a collection of 5,800 pieces: weapons and equipment, machines and tools, archive material, photos, paintings, trophies and medals. * The Historical Archives of Šumadija, collecting and filing the archives and issues of the seven municipalities of Šumadija and has at its disposal of archive issues with 780 registries and hundreds of thousands of original historical documents There are three fine and applied arts associations in Kragujevac: the Art KG, the branch of the Serbian Association of Painters ULUS and the Association of Painters of Kragujevac, the ULUK. The most important annual and biannual cultural events include: * the International Festival of Chamber Choir Music * the International Festival of Chamber Music * the International Small Forms Theatre Festival *
Arsenal Fest Arsenal Fest ( sr-cyr, Арсенал Фест) is a summer music festival held in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is staged annually since 2011 and occurs for three days every late June. History When it started in 2011, the festival had only a single stag ...
* the International Saloon of Antiwar Cartoons * the International Art Workshop "Balkan Bridges" * the International Jazz Festival * the International Puppet Theatre Festival


Sports

Kragujevac is home to
Čika Dača Stadium Čika Dača Stadium ( sr, Стадион Чика Дача) is a multi-use stadium in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Radnički 1923. The stadium was named in memory of Danilo ...
, the third largest stadium in Serbia by seat capacity. The largest and most important sports association in Kragujevac is Radnički, which brings together 19 clubs: football, athletics, volleyball, handball, boxing, wrestling etc. FK Radnički 1923 is the city's most successful
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club and competes in the Serbian SuperLiga. Kragujevac is also known for having the oldest Serbian football club founded in the Kingdom of Serbia,
FK Šumadija 1903 FK Šumadija 1903 (Serbian Cyrillic: ФК Шумадија 1903) is a football club in Kragujevac, Serbia. In 2009 was briefly merged with '' FK Radnički'' from Kragujevac and formed a new club named FK Šumadija Radnički 1923, but continued wi ...
. KK Radnički is the city's premier basketball team. Besides the Basketball League of Serbia it also competes in the local Adriatic Basketball League. Radnički volleyball club is one of strongest volleyball teams in Serbia, and water polo club
VK Radnički Kragujevac Kragujevački vaterpolo klub Radnički ( sr-cyr, Крагујевачки ватерполо клуб Раднички Крагујевац) is a men's professional water polo club based in Kragujevac, Serbia. It's a part of the Radnički multi-s ...
competes in the Serbian Water polo League A and has won the domestic league and the LEN Trophy in 2013. The city is home to the CROSS OVER Basketball Summer Camp, and the
Bandy Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two teams wearing ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The international governing body for bandy is ...
Federation of Serbia. The team of Kragujevac plays against the one from
Subotica Subotica ( sr-cyrl, Суботица, ; hu, Szabadka) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, ...
. The Faculty of Economics of the university in Kragujevac is the founder of the futsal club
KMF Ekonomac Klub malog fudbala Ekonomac ( sr-cyr, Клуб малог фудбала Економац), commonly known as Ekonomac Kragujevac ( sr-cyr, Економац Крагујевац), is a Serbian futsal club based in Kragujevac. Ekonomac is currently ...
. The club was founded by Professor Veroljub Dugalić, several teaching assistants and a group of Faculty of Economics students on 7 November 2000. The club is playing in Serbia's
Prva Futsal Liga Prva Futsal Liga () is the premier futsal league in Serbia. It is governed by the Football Association of Serbia and it is played under UEFA and FIFA rules. It was founded in 1988 and as of 2019–20 season, the league consists of 10 teams. 2021 ...
and has won the Serbian championship eight times and
Serbian Futsal Cup The Serbian Futsal Cup is an annual cup competition for Serbian futsal teams. It is organized by the Football Association of Serbia and was founded in the 2005–06 season. Finals Winners by titles Related competitions * Prva Futsal Liga P ...
twice.


Local media


Gallery

File:Da.se.ne.zaboravi.jpg, '' Monument to the executed pupils and teachers'' File:Spomenik-palim-Sumadimcima.jpg, ''Description Monument to slain people from Šumadija in the wars'' File:Stone-lion-in-Sumarice.jpg, ''Stone lion in Šumarice park, World War I memorial'' File:Zastava main gate.jpg, '' Zastava main gate'' File:Kragujevac - Densely populated density (Centralna Radionica).jpg, ''Densely populated city quarters'' File:Night-view-on-city-hall1.jpg, ''City center'' File:Kragujevac_architecture.jpg, ''Main street''


Notable people

*
Milan Obrenović II Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city has ...
, Prince of Serbia (1839) *
Mihailo Obrenović III Mihailo ( sr-cyr, Михаило) or Mihajlo () is a Serbian masculine given name, a variant of the Hebrew name ''Michael''. Common as a given name among Serbs, it is an uncommon surname. It may refer to: * Mihailo Vojislavljević ( fl. 1050–d. ...
, Prince of Serbia (1839–1842 and 1860–1868) * Tomislav Nikolić, President of Serbia (2012–2017) * Filip Kostić, Footballer *
Radomir Putnik Radomir Putnik ( sr, Радомир Путник; ; 24 January 1847 – 17 May 1917) was the first Serbian Field Marshal and Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian army in the Balkan Wars and in the First World War. He served in every war in ...
, first Serbian Field Marshal (Voivoda), Chief of the General Staff (1890–1892, 1903–1905, 1908–1915), and
Minister of Defense A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
(1904–1905, 1906–1908, 1912) *
Jovan Ristić Jovan Ristić ( sr-Cyr, Јован Ристић; 16 January 1831 – 4 September 1899) was a Serbian politician, diplomat and historian. Biography Born at Kragujevac, he was educated at Belgrade, Heidelberg, Berlin and Paris. After failing to o ...
, President of the Ministry of Serbia (1867, 1873, 1878–1880, 1887–1888), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1867, 1872–1873, 1875, 1876–1880, 1887), and President of
Serbian Academy of Science and Arts The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts ( la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Serbica, sr-Cyr, Српска академија наука и уметности, САНУ, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, SANU) is a national academy and the ...
(1899) * Dušan Simović, Chief of General Staff (1938–1940)
Nikola Koka Janković
sculptor and full member of Serbian Academy of Science and Arts * Radoje Domanović, writer and teacher *
Zoran Spasojević Zoran Spasojević ( Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Спасојевић; born January 22, 1949, in Kragujevac), is a Serbian writer. Biography He has had published fourteen books and one compact disc. He is also the author of the screenplay for a ...
, writer *
Dragan Todorović Dragan Todorović (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Тодоровић; born September 1958 in Kragujevac, PR Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia) is a6h ujwriter and multimedia artist. Until 1995 he lived in Yugoslavia, where he worked as a journalist, editor, ...
, writer and multimedia artist *
Milan Dedinac Milan Dedinac ( Kragujevac, Kingdom of Serbia, 27 September 1902 – Opatija, Yugoslavia, 26 September 1966) was a Serbian poet, the most expressive lyricist among the Surrealists. Similar to Crnjanski, although in a different way, he was a ...
, poet *
Draginja Adamović Draginja Adamović ( sr-cyr, Драгиња Адамовић; 1925–2000) was a Serbian poet. Biography She published three poetry books and was included in three anthologies of poems: "Poetesses of Kragujevac" (1991), "Lyrical humming of Sum ...
, poet * Mille Marković, boxer, sex-club owner and convicted criminal and gangster Mille Marković *
Dragiša Nedović Dragiša Nedović ( sr-cyr, Драгиша Недовић; Kragujevac, Kingdom of Serbia, 20 July 1916 – 31 January 1966) was a Serbian folk songwriter, composer and musician. Having lived in Serbia, Bosnia and Dalmatia, he composed numerous ...
, songwriter, composer and musician *
Vidosav Stevanović Vidosav Stevanović ( sr-cyr, Видосав Стевановић; born 27 June 1942) is a Serbian novelist, writer, poet, playwright, and publicist. He has written over thirty literary works, including a political biography of Slobodan Miloševi ...
, novelist, story writer, poet, playwright and publicist * Dragoslav Srejović, archaeologist and historian *
Nataša Kandić Nataša Kandić ( sr-cyr, Наташа Кандић; born December 16, 1946) is a Serbian human rights activist and coordinator of the RECOM Reconciliation Network, founder and ex-executive director of the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC), an organi ...
, founder of the Humanitarian Law Center
Mirko Babić
actor *
Dragomir Bojanić Gidra Dragomir () is a Slavic masculine name, mostly found in Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Russia, and Ukraine as well as Romania. It is composed of the Slavic words '' drag'' (dear, precious) and ''mir'' (peace), both very comm ...
, actor *
Branislav Jerinić Branislav "Ciga" Jerinić (20 March 1932 – 27 June 2006) was a Serbian actor. He appeared in more than ninety films from 1958 to 2003. Selected filmography References External links * 1932 births 2006 deaths Actors from Kraguje ...
, actor * Gorica Popović, actor *
Nikola Rakočević Nikola Rakočević ( sr-cyr, Никола Ракочевић; born 27 June 1983, Kragujevac, Serbia) is a Serbs, Serbian actor proclaimed as one of Europe’s leading young screen actors,. Rakočević has received numerous awards at major intern ...
, actor * Milovan "Minimaks" Ilić, radio and television host *
Bora Dugić Borislav "Bora" Dugić ( sr-Cyrl, Борислав Бора Дугић, ; born 10 June 1949) is a Serbian musician and flautist having released a number of CDs and records as well as having performed at countless concerts. Early and professiona ...
, flautist * Cune Gojković, singer * Ljubica Marić, composer (1909-2003) * Marija Šerifović, singer,
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
winner of 2007 * Jelena Tomašević, singer *
Vesna Despotović Vesna Despotović (born 18 April 1961) is a Serbian basketball coach and former basketball player who competed for Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Ј ...
, Serbian basketball player,
Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
bronze medalist (1980), and
EuroBasket EuroBasket, also commonly referred to as the European Basketball Championship, is the main international basketball competition that is contested quadrennially, by the senior men's national teams that are governed by FIBA Europe, which is the E ...
bronze medalist (1980) *
Stevan Pletikosić Stevan Pletikosić ( sr-cyrl, Стеван Плетикосић) (born 14 March 1972 in Kragujevac, Serbia, then SFR Yugoslavia) is a sport shooter from Serbia. While still a junior, he won a bronze medal in Men's 50 m Rifle Prone in the 1992 Su ...
, Serbian sport shooter, six time Olympic participant,
Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
bronze medalist (1992), two time ISSF World Shooting Championships silver medalist (1994, 2006), and European Shooting Championship silver medalist (1995) *
Nikola Lončar Nikola Lončar (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Лончар; born May 31, 1972) is a Serbian former professional basketball player. He also holds Spanish citizenship. Professional career Lončar started his career at Partizan, making his professi ...
, Serbian basketball player, Olympic silver medalist (1996), FIBA World Championship gold medalist (1998), FIBA European Championship gold (1997) and bronze medalist (1999), and Euroleague champion with KK Partizan (1992) * Katarina Bulatović, Montenegrin handball player, Olympic silver medalist (2012) and
European Women's Handball Championship The European Women's Handball Championship is the official competition for senior women's national handball teams of Europe, and takes place every two years. In addition to crowning the European champions, the tournament also serves as a qualifyi ...
gold medalist (2012) *
Marija Lojpur Marija Lojpur ( sr, Марија Лојпур; born 10 August 1983) is a Serbian handball player. She plays for the club Szeged KKSE, and on the Serbian national team. She represented Serbia at the 2013 World Women's Handball Championship The ...
, handball player, 2013 World Championship silver medalist *
Jelena Milovanović Jelena Brooks (; sr-cyr, Јелена Брукс, ; born April 28, 1989) is a Serbian professional women's basketball player for UNIQA Sopron. Standing at , she plays at the power forward position. She also represents the Serbian national baske ...
, basketball player, Olympic bronze medalist (2016) and EuroBasket Women 2015 gold medalist (2015) *
Predrag Đorđević Predrag Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Предраг Ђорђевић; also transliterated Predrag Djordjević; born 4 August 1972) is a Serbian former professional footballer. Known for his set pieces, Đorđević played as a left midfielder for Greek ...
, footballer * Danko Lazović, footballer *
Stefan Ilić Stefan Ilić ( sr-cyr, Стефан Илић; born 7 April 1995) is a Serbian professional footballer who last played as a forward for Indian club Mohammedan Sporting. Club career He represented the Serbia U-20 team, that took part in the You ...
, footballer, World U-20 champion * Ana Mihajlović, fashion model, winner of the 2002 Elite Model Look *
Aleksa Ristić Aleksa may refer to: *Aleksa (given name) *Aleksa (surname) *Belarusian spelling of name Oleksa Oleksa (Ukrainian: Олекса) is a Ukrainian name, a variant of the Slavic name Alexey or Greek Alexius. The name may refer to the following notable ...
, basketball player Fiba 3x3 Debrecen masters *
Đorđe Kostić Đorđe Kostić ( sr-cyr, Ђорђе Костић; 1909-1995) was a Serbian writer, poet and linguist. As a young man, Đorđe was part of the Yugoslav Surrealist group. However, later in his life he took up a career in linguistics and was the Rese ...
, basketball player Fiba 3x3 Debrecen masters *
Ivan Nedeljković Ivan Nedeljković (, born 15 May 1978) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a attacking midfielder. He is the current manager of AEK Athens U17 team. Playing career Born in Belgrade, Serbia, Nedeljković began his playing c ...
, basketball player Fiba 3x3 Debrecen masters *
Filip Popović Filip () is a masculine given name and a surname, cognate to Philip. In Croatia, the name Filip was among the most common masculine given names in the 2000s. Notable people with the name include: ; Given name * Filip Barović (born 1990), Montene ...
, basketball player Fiba 3x3 Debrecen masters * Slavko Perović (footballer) *
Filip Holender Filip Holender (; born 27 July 1994) is a Hungarian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Vasas. Club career Budapest Honvéd During his career at Budapest Honvéd Holender scored 30 goals in 159 matches. Lugano On 21 July 2019 ...
, Hungarian footballer


International relations


Twin towns – Sister cities

Kragujevac is twinned with:


Partnerships and cooperation

The town has other forms of cooperation and city friendship similar to the twin/sister city programmes with:


See also

* List of places in Serbia * University of Kragujevac *
First Kragujevac Gymnasium The First Grammar School of Kragujevac ( sr, Прва крагујевачка гимназија, Prva kragujevačka gimnazija) is a high school located in Kragujevac, Serbia. Founded in 1833, the school is the oldest Serbian Secondary school, hi ...
* Šumarice Memorial Park *
Kragujevac massacre The Kragujevac massacre was the mass murder of between 2,778 and 2,794 mostly Serb men and boys in Kragujevac, by German soldiers on 21 October 1941. It occurred in the German-occupied territory of Serbia during World War II, and came as a r ...
* Knjaževsko-srpski teatar * Joakimfest *
Arsenal Fest Arsenal Fest ( sr-cyr, Арсенал Фест) is a summer music festival held in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is staged annually since 2011 and occurs for three days every late June. History When it started in 2011, the festival had only a single stag ...
*
Šumadija fairground The Šumadija fairground ( sr, Šumadija sajam) is an exhibition area in the Šumadija district of Kragujevac, Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a ...
*
Gruža Lake Gruža Lake ( sr, Гружанско језеро , translit=Gružansko jezero), is an artificial lake located to the southwest of Knić, Serbia. The lake was created in 1983 as a water reservoir for the city of Kragujevac and the surrounding set ...


Notes and references


Notes

* Spasić, Živomir. Prestonica Kragujevac: prilozi istoriji Kneževine Srbije: 1818–1841. Prizma, 1998.


References


External links


City of Kragujevac official website
{{Authority control Populated places in Šumadija District Municipalities and cities of Šumadija and Western Serbia Šumadija 1476 establishments in Europe Former capitals of Serbia 15th-century establishments in Serbia Populated places established in the 1470s Starčevo–Körös–Criș culture