“Nice people, a quiet river, and wheat fields of Banat, a beautiful young girl, and an enchanting song of tamburitza players,” says the song about the city on the Begej river. Stories about its bridges, sumptuous architecture, multiculturalism, beer, and sports grandmasters arouse curiosity. Well, let’s satisfy it.

BECAUSE ZRENJANIN IS THE HEART OF THE BANAT PLAIN

It was first mentioned in 1326 as a village built on three islands of the Begej River. It was inhabited by many, even Spaniards, and almost became New Barcelona. Throughout history, it often changed its names – Becskerek, Veliki Becskerek, Petrovgrad, and Zrenjanin – named after the national hero Žarko Zrenjanin in 1946. It could also carry several nicknames, certainly Serbian Budapest, due to the number of bridges. We admit, Begej is not Danube, but even the blue European giant is not quite as powerful in the Hungarian capital as it becomes as soon as it escapes to Serbia. The flow of the river through the city was constantly changed, a little by nature, more by man. So, as many as 10 bridges were built over water. The oldest is the Small Bridge, built in 1904, and the newest is the 1992 Magistral Bridge. It also has three pedestrian bridges, a hanging and two arched ones.

The main Liberty Square is adorned by the County Palace, today the City Hall, the monument to King Peter I Karađorđević and the Roman Catholic cathedral from the mid-19th century, dedicated to St. John Nepomucene, who is considered the patron saint of bridges and rivers. There are magnificent buildings all over the place. The National Museum, the Palace of Justice, the Dunđerski Palace, and the House of Martial Arts, a work of Dragiša Brašovan, stand out for their beauty. Green oases in several spacious and landscaped parks add to its beauty as well. It is home to more than 20 national minorities, so various languages can be heard, and various religious objects can be seen. The Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God from 1746 is the oldest preserved building and one of only a few that survived the great fire in the early 19th century. The Slovak Evangelical Church dates from the first half of the 19th century, while the Reformist Church dates from the end of the same century. There used to be a synagogue, but at the beginning of World War II it was destroyed by Nazi occupiers.

In the summer, people rush to the outskirts of the city, to the well-maintained beach, Peskara, which lies on three lakes due to many years of sand exploitation. We do not know whether the famous swimmer Ivan Lenđer swam here, but Zrenjanin is a certified nursery of champions, and perhaps the sportiest city in Serbia. It is difficult to count the medals won by athlete Ivana Španović, volleyball players Maja Ognjenović and Jovana Brakočević, karate athlete Snežana Perić, the Grbić brothers, Dejan Bodiroga… We might have met a future sports grandmaster along the way, because the blood of the winners flows here, next to the Begej river.

BECAUSE WALKING IN “CORSO” (PROMENADE) IS FOR ENJOYING ARCHITECTURE

Throughout history, the street has changed names depending on who ruled Zrenjanin, and today it bears the name of King Aleksandar I Karadjordjević.  Just as a reminder who used to own everything here. The buildings in a separate part of the preserved old town were built in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, in the spirit of Art Nouveau or historicism with neo-baroque elements. Particularly noteworthy are the building of the Torontal Bank (Croatian Savings Bank), the palace of Jovan Panji and the house of Živko Vukov from the end of the 18th century, the only residential building from the baroque period. Particularly interesting is the house of the stonecutter Tuner Teodosije from 1900, known as “Scheherazade”, who walked out of 1001 nights to give Zrenjanin Moorish charms. There are many noteworthy buildings, and the sightseeing can take a long time. Numerous hospitality and restauration places in Zrenjanin’s pedestrian street, lively, clean and harmoniously decorated, offer respite and refreshment.

BECAUSE THE BEER MUSEUM PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF MAKING LIQUID BREAD

It is a recent one, but quite interesting, especially to beer drinkers. It settled in a renovated old plant, a brewery, that is, “a beer kitchen”. The walls and floor of the most important unit in beer production are lined with Brač stone in eight colors, and the entrance part, overlooking the river, is made of Italian glass. Uncannily luxurious for a brewery.

On display are a steam engine from the end of the 19th century, a filter machine, an old barley mill, made in Germany, a barrel bench for making beer barrels, copper cauldrons, and an old barrel with the inscription Dungyersky. You can also see old photos, beer bottles, mugs, labels, old tools, and many other interesting items.

One of the oldest drinks is made from yeast, hops, barley, and water. It is also often nicknamed “liquid bread” due to its high nutritional and energy value. It was brought to Zrenjanin by the German Sebastian Kreizeisen in 1745. The brewery’s boom is related to the Dunđerski family. It was taken over at the end of the 19th century, expanded and brewed beer using the best, Pilsen, technology, and the production of Zrenjanin beer continued this way. After being nationalized after World War II, it operated until 2007.

In accordance with its long beer tradition, Zrenjanin has been hosting Beer Day since 1986. Whether it flows from the taps in heaven, we will not know in this world; but we know for sure that in the last week of August it is abundant in the Banat beer paradise. No overindulging, because the infamous beer belly is lurking from the shadows.

BECAUSE A CONTEMPORARY GALLERY PRESERVES VALUABLE POST-WAR WORKS

It all started about seventy years ago in the Art Colony in the village of Ečka, near Zrenjanin. Not long after that, the Contemporary Gallery was founded, taking care of the works created in the Colony, and it was in 1964 that the city put everything under its roof in the Contemporary Gallery in Zrenjanin. The collection, which consists of paintings, sculptures, etchings, drawings, pastels, watercolors, tapestries, photographs, digital and video works, and installations, was mainly produced by artists who resided in the colony. Among the better known are Jovan Bijelić, Milan Konjović, Miodrag Mića Popović, and Uroš Đurić. But over time, it was also enriched by various donations, the most important of which was that of the Federal Executive Council of Yugoslavia. Thus, nowadays it also proudly features the works of greats artists who did not stay in the colony – Beta Vukanović, Stojan Aralica and Petar Lubarda. The collection contains about 2,800 artworks by artists from the former Yugoslavia and abroad. It beautifully represents contemporary fine arts in this area from 1946 to the present day.

BECAUSE THE RUSANDA SPA TREATS WITH MUD FROM THE SALT LAKE

It has settled in the only forest-like landscape in Banat, within the Rusanda Nature Park, a protected area. It is surrounded by meadow-steppe and wetland habitats. The environment is inhabited by more than 200 species of birds, so you can hear chirping all around. It lies on the shore of the lake of the same name. It is neither large nor deep, but the waters are saltier than the sea. Its salinity of around 60 percent. However, the bottom is especially interesting. It contains of a special type of mud that has been used for therapeutic purposes since the second half of the 19th century, with healing properties confirmed by the Imperial Academy in Vienna. “Peloid”, the mud of the Rusanda Spa, is extracted by boats in a traditional way and after use, collected and returned to the lake. A bit of sustainability, even more nature and birds, and most of all – well-being and enjoyment.

BECAUSE RIBS ARE A MASTERPIECE IN STARA ZANATLIJA

Old craftsmen in the past, and today true admirers of a good snack gather here. The tastes of large portions are complemented by a home-like atmosphere in the spirit of old Serbian and Vojvodina taverns with a multitude of ethnic motifs. Such are both hospitality and service. All kinds of delights are offered here, but we were attracted by “zanatlijska rebarca” (artisanal ribs). They are served with potatoes and “kaymak”. Juicy, made with in a genuinely traditional way. It’s a savoring experience to remember. And if your table is spiced up by the old-town music of tamburitza musicians…Your heart will bring you here a few more times.

BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU

Wherever you go, up and down our beautiful country, you are not alone. Nothing can surprise you while you’re on the road, because you are always in the immediate vicinity of one of the over 300 NIS Petrol and Gazprom petrol stations, as a true support to every adventure or journey you take.

Serbia has long been famous for its healthful springs and spa resorts. In the summer, multitude converge on them instead the seaside. There are meteorologists who predict, in the foreseeable future that these resorts might replace many ski centres, as there will be less snow. Serbia could benefit from this gloomy forecast. However, the question is whether the undisputed queen of this country’s spa tourism is ready to offer a year-round quality and entertaining stay? We explored Vrnjačka Banja in late autumn.

VRNJAČKA BANJA IS ALL-SEASON RESORT

At the altitude of about 220 meters above the sea level, protected from frosty winds by the Goč and Gledić Mountains, covered in thick woods, this area has always been salutiferous and soothing. Who and when was the first to discover and benefit from the mineral waters of this spa is not known for sure. The Romans most certainly did. A testament to this is a Roman fount teaming with a myriad of coins with images of Roman emperors. During the rule of the Ottomans, the people buried healing springs to prevent the conquerors from indulging in their bounteous effects. With liberation from the Turks, the development of a modern spa began.

Today, the Vrnjačka Banja Spa is the most famous and most visited resort in Serbia. In addition to seven well-known springs of mineral water, well-arranged so that you can refresh and invigorate yourself while walking and exploring, it is also adorned with a considerable number of noble antique villas with luxurious architecture. The Belimarković Castle, today home to the Local Area Museum, is particularly noteworthy. It is particularly proud of its bridges over the Vrnjačka River. The most famous is the Bridge of Love. It is totally covered in padlocks with which lovers lock their hearts together. It preserves the memory of two young people who were separated by the whirlwind of the Great War. The Serbian soldier did not return from the battlefield in Greece because of his new love, and his beloved withered from grief.

The poetic spirit of the spa is expressed on the Scrapbook Bridge, where boards with verses by famous Serbian poets are placed, while the Distance Bridge indicates the distance to certain world metropolises. The Golden Bridge celebrates mathematics, perhaps the only one in the world dedicated to this science feared by many schoolchildren, which preserves the memory of the grandmaster Svetozar Gligorić who played a simultaneous chess display on several dozens of chess boards by the river. Then, there is little bridge called “Ko to tamo peva” (or: Who dares to sing there?!) is a kind of homage to film artists who were welcome guests of the spa, especially Danilo Bata Stojković and his unforgettable line: “I would drive the bus this way”. Even the indestructible Mr. “Big Moustache” would hardly be able to do it over a tiny structure, but kudos for the idea. Every bridge has its own story and there is a lot to learn.

There are plenty of entertainment and sports events for all ages. Arranged playgrounds for children, an artificial rock for climbing, a zoo, carriage rides, a cinema… Among the newest attractions is the Ferris wheel, which allows you to observe the environment from a height of 50 meters, and the large water park Raj (or paradise in Serbian). By constantly enriching the contents, the dwellers of Vrnjačka Banja managed to transform their medicinal spa into a tourist resort that lives healthy and vibrantly all year round.

FAR EAST SPIRIT PERMEATES JAPANESE GARDEN

The best way to bring together two different cultures and two distant peoples is through nature. The garden inside the main spa park is decorated according to the Japanese concept – an artificial pond, a cascading waterfall, a wooden bridge, narrow paved paths, a wooden tea house, and unusual lamps that illuminate it at night. The art of simple, asymmetrical lines that reflect the harmony of nature. It exudes the scents and colours of a distant island country. And of course, everything is spick and span, Japanese way. Well, the Japanese know not only how to work, but also how to create a perfect natural oasis for rest and relaxation. Along with the one in Belgrade, it is the only Japanese garden in Serbia.

Right next to it is the Vrnjački Labyrinth. Along a kilometre-long path, you may wander through a green corridor made of 440 conifers in search of an exit. Feel free to enter; there are no vicious dragons or traps. A very nice addition to the overall natural atmosphere.

A WALK IN THE PROMENADE OF VRNJAČKA BANJA IS UNFORGETABLE EXPERIENCE

The promenade stretches along the banks of the Vrnjačka River. Shallow during most of the year, calm and quiet, it murmurs sometimes only under the dense canopy of linden trees, whose branches hug above it. They spread divine scents in the spring! We must return to the time when the lindens are in bloom. Numerous bridges make it easy to cross the river. On one side is a park with hundred-year-old trees, diverse lush vegetation and colourful flower arrangements. Artistic touches are given by sculptural works placed everywhere. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and well-kept parks we have visited. On the other bank, there are wooden stalls with various trinkets, pictures and souvenirs, many cafes, restaurants and hotels, some located in old, luxurious buildings. In the central part are the fountain and Gočak, a sparrow dressed in the national costume of central Serbia, the symbol of the spa. From the other bank rises the church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, a newer building with an unusual orange-toned facade colour. Lively, attractive, cheerful, and relaxed. Clean and tidy. Good for the locals, but also for the visitors.

CHURCH HILL BRINGS NATURE AND CULTURE TOGETHER

On Culture Square, where the Museum of Spa Tourism is located, above the artificial waterfall, rises Crkveno, also known as Chaika’s Hill. It used to be called Aleksandrovo brdo and the Rock of romantic beauty, for a reason. The cultural-historical entity is protected by law. It nurtures more than 150 types of plants and dozens of buildings, mostly beautiful villas, some of which are cultural monuments. The stairs lead to the amphitheatre named after Bata Stojković. On the summer stage, there is also a memorial room of the great Serbian actor, full of books and his personal belongings. At the top are the fountain of King Peter II, the parish house and the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the thirties of the 19th century. The three-kilometre-long hiking trail of Patriarch Pavle begins nearby. At the highest point, there is a lookout point with a statue of a girl with a bird, from where there is perhaps the most beautiful view of Vrnjačka Banja and the surrounding area.

LJUBOSTINJA IS ETERNAL LOVE’S DWELLING

A few kilometres from Trstenik, in lush nature, at the foot of the Gledić Mountains, the first women’s monastery in Serbia was established. It was built by empress Milica at the dawn of the Kosovo War, at the end of 1388. There are many interpretations about the name, which is truly unusual for an Orthodox shrine. According to the oldest, it comes from the word ljubvestin/ljubvostin/ljubostinja – place of love. Namely, there used to be a small church here, where a council was held at the beginning of August. One year, Milica, the daughter of Vratko Nemanjić, known as Jug Bogdan, and Prince Lazar appeared on it. That’s where they saw each other for the first time and fell in love. Wanting to immortalize the first meeting with her future husband, Milica built a magnificent temple dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the site of a small church. According to another interpretation, the name comes from the word ljubo-pustinja (pustinja is desert in Serbian), love for hermit, ascetic life, because in the early Middle Ages, an unusually large number of hermits lived in nearby bays and skits. And the third story says that the church is named after the toponymal of a lovely rock, since it is located at the foot of Samar, the highest peak of the Gledić Mountains. Which one is true is hard to determine, but love takes precedence, always and forever.

The magnificent stone building, in the Moravian style, was the work of Rade Borović, popularly known as Rade the Builder. Particularly impressive are the stone interlacing that frame the doors, windows and arcades and rosettes of unequal sizes with geometric and floral decorations filled with lace patterns. The unusual beauty of Ljubostinja, which is considered the perfection of the Moravian school, was perhaps best described by Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović in the poem Construction of the Ljubostinja Monastery.

„ Rade is building the Ljubostinja temple,

Intricately decorating walls, his craftsmanship so ample,

Lacing marble like a gown of a dame,

as if marble were embroidery frame”.

The painting of the monastery was being completed in two stages, after the Battle of Kosovo and at the turn of the 15th century. As the Ottoman Turks burned it, most of the paintings were destroyed. The visible frescoes are more recent. The interior is dominated by a beautiful iconostasis from the first half of the 19th century.

After the Battle of Kosovo, the princess became a nun and spent the rest of her life in Ljubostinja with numerous sorority and nun Jefimija, the wife of Uglješa Mrnjavčević and the first Serbian poetess. It was here that she embroidered the famous Praise to Prince Lazar, a masterpiece of embroidery art and one of the most significant poetic creations of Serbian medieval literature. For both of them, as well as for many widows of Kosovo heroes, Ljubostinja is an eternal home. Dignified, magnificent, discreet. As if somewhat concealed, unfortunately. If your trip takes you to this area, be sure to visit Milica’s beauty.

IN STOPANJA ROAST MEAT MELTS DOWN IN YOUR MOUTH

Between the towns of Trstenik and Kruševac, there is a settlement famous for its meat roasting competitions, or Pečenjijada in Serbian. It is not surprising that the event has taken root here. So, Stopanja, its official name, has the greatest number of meat roasting shops per capita in Serbia. Here, the skewer is turned at almost every corner.

The road takes us to a meat roasting shop, the namesake of the village, Stopanja. Meagre, but clean, hospitable and cordial atmosphere prevails. Usually roast lamb is also offered, but this time we were late, so only roast piglet was on the table. Fresh, lean, hot, with a crispy crust. It is eaten without bread and salad. It’s so delicious. Whichever roasting place in Stopanja you choose, you won’t go wrong. Your palate will be gloriously pampered.

The TV show was recorded before the beginning of the Christmas Lent. To all who are fasting, we wish them to overcome all temptations with perseverance.

And don’t forget, you can get to any destination faster with the Drive.Go application, with the help of which you pay for fuel at the petrol station, without leaving the vehicle and going to the cash register.

An Indian summer has given us a few more days to enjoy the benefits of nature. Instead of the West, whose seductive power we have already confirmed, we turn our compass towards the East. Always mystical and enchanting, full of surprises. We are going to the mining region of our homeland and the landscapes where nature still successfully resists man.

BECAUSE THE LAZAR’S CANYON IS A MYSTERIOUS PLACE

Wow! We couldn’t help but exclaim when our eyes saw the wonderfully carved cliffs covered with a green carpet. From a landscaped platform near the end of Lazar’s Canyon… Almost vertical giant walls overgrown with diverse vegetation extend their rocky hands to the other riverbank. To bridge the water. In some places, it is as if they are touching. And here and there, it seems they are tightly hugging. Somewhere, the boulders are indeed entrapped, and the two banks are connected. What’s at their bottom cannot be seen. The fence is installed at a safe distance from the edge. Do not even try to skip it, it is too steep, slippery, and dangerous. Sit back and enjoy. Here the words are silenced, and the imagination becomes playful.

The Lazar’s River and its tributaries – Demižlok, Mikulj and Vejska River – cut through the limestone massif of the eastern rim of the Kučaj Mountains and made a gorge. It is the longest and deepest in eastern Serbia.

With a multitude of crevices, ravines, and caves. The cliffs rise above 350 meters, and in the narrowest part, the width is less than seven meters. Like scenes from a fairy tale or a science fiction movie. Whether it was chosen as a sanctuary by elves and wizards is unknown. It’s not explored enough. But it is certainly a habitat of a diverse world of plants and animals. It is one of the most important biodiversity centres in the Balkans. This is the home of the Crimean Pine and relic species – yew tree and Serbian ramonda, a delicate purple flower.

„There used to be dozens of pairs of eagles, thousands of swallows, and chamois would walk everywhere in the evening”, reveals a local explorer whom we met at the viewpoint. „And then tourists rushed in and brought modern technologies, endangered them, and many ran away”, the nature conservationist recalls sadly and angrily the time when the human foot rarely walked here. But there is some good news. A few years ago, a couple of bears were brought in, and now five of them are lounging around the gorge. It seems that the giant growlers took to their new habitat.

Because of its wilderness and inaccessibility, it was a haven for fighters against the Ottoman Empire, whose soldiers did not dare to enter it. And when it comes to its name, there are several stories. According to one, it was named after Lazar, a fighter against Ottomans, who found his refuge here. And after the other story, it got its name after Prince Lazar, who stayed here with his horsemen. And it certainly has that unconquerable character. The name undoubtedly suits it.

Passing through one of the most impassable canyons is a great challenge even for true adventurers. It requires a lot of skill, good fitness, but also courage. It is visited during longer dry periods, in groups and preferably with a guide, with mandatory protective equipment.

We had to take a macadam road to the viewpoint we visited. It is rather steep, with larger stones all along it, so it is necessary to drive carefully. You can also walk along the landscaped path from Lazar’s Cave, the longest one in Serbia. There are several more viewpoints, each providing a completely new and different experience of the homeland. The Lazar Canyon is a natural monument. Its beauty is out of the ordinary and untouched, for now.

BECAUSE BOR IS THE MINING HEART OF SERBIA

It was mentioned for the first time in the 18th century. It began to develop with the opening of the copper mine in 1903, and it gained the status of a city after the Second World War. At the entrance to the city, there is a small square with a revolving monument to a miner. An unusual welcome that immediately lets you know where you have come to. There is a boulevard surrounded by trees leading to the city centre. It’s also a park-museum. On a grassy island between the two directions, there are industrial and mining exhibits. The car does not allow you to observe it carefully, so it’s better to take a walk. The most striking exhibit is a dump truck. Without a photo with this yellow giant, hardly anyone will believe that you visited Bor. Just be careful when crossing the street, it’s pretty busy. It is one of the most beautiful ones we have seen, and certainly the most unusual one.

We reach the Museum of Mining and Metallurgy. The renovation, which is much needed, is in progress, so its cramped space is even more reduced. But there are interesting things to see. The permanent exhibition shows the development of mining and metallurgy from prehistoric times to the present, the history of the Bor Mine, and the most important people. In addition to antique mining tools, the most interesting exhibits include a bronze belt from the 5th century BC and a set of gold women’s jewellery from the 2nd century AD, which is quite sophisticated. The Vlach corner is also charming, and it presents the material and spiritual culture of the Vlach community of Bor and its surroundings. In front of the entrance, sculptures by famous academic artists are exhibited.

Nearby is the central square and a monument to Đorđe (Georg) Weifert, the founder of the Bor Mine. Wander around the city and discover the buildings of French architecture, and if you have enough time, stop by the Zoo. Not far away is Brestovačka Spa, tucked away in fairy-tale nature with thermo-mineral water that even ancient Romans used for healing. And its famous historical buildings are must-see.

Small, but unexpectedly green, likeable and with quite a diverse offer. And its surroundings are even more diverse.

BECAUSE NATURE IS THE MASTER OF STOL

The road to Mt. Stol offers extraordinary scenes. It leads past the mines of the Bor Mine. Its size is difficult to describe. Mountains of excavations. They stretch indefinitely. And huge machines that never seem to turn off their engines. The Jama café used to be open to visitors here, 400 meters underground. It must have been a special experience to chat over coffee or a drink deep in the stomach of the earth.

And while, on the one hand, miners are tirelessly mining, on the other, nature is defying them. With its wilderness and lushness and rocky peaks of Veliki and Mali Krš mountains. The last section of the road to Stol is quite narrow, followed by a macadam road to the Mountain Home. In front of it, there is a field with goals for football competitions, and a few steps further, there is a pond with a decorated seating platform. Here you can relax and breathe in the nature. And enjoy the view of the highest peak, Goli Krš at 1,156 meters of altitude. As well as the view of forests, flower meadows, and limestone formations. The flat peaks and steep cliffs are a true paradise for hikers and scouts, and cyclists and all nature lovers climb the forest trails. Just nature and you. Alone. In perfect harmony.

BECAUSE BOR LAKE IS THE WATER TREASURE OF EASTERN SERBIA

At an almost mountainous altitude, at the foot of Crni Vrh, in the middle of the last century, man-tamed watercourses. Thus, tens of hectares of water oasis were created. Like a mirror reflecting the landscape. We sit on the shore at the Hotel Jezero, in a park with wooden benches with canopies. It could do with some decorating, primarily cleaning. If one ignores man’s arrogance and negligence, the scenes are like in a fairy tale. A magical autumn dance of sun rays and calm water. Complete serenity and quiet. It is only disturbed by a middle-aged gentleman who daringly swims all the way to the other shore. At that moment, a young man arrives on the SUP board and joins him. Thumbs-up to these true water lovers. They are not discouraged by the chilly October water. And, we felt the coldness by just looking at them. So, let’s warm up a bit. With Drive Cafe coffee. It is still warm. Always with a full, perfect taste. And we sweeten it a bit. With Drive Cafe croissants. Fresh and soft. Surrounded by this beauty, they are even sweeter.

Clear Bor Lake, surrounded by deciduous and coniferous forests, green glades, and meadows, attracts more and more visitors. Mostly in the summer, when thousands of swimmers seek refreshment on several landscaped and many wild beaches. Then it becomes lively, cheerful, and noisy. But the sunny autumn suits it. Then it becomes calm, quiet, secluded, and tame.

BECAUSE IN THE RESTAURANT BRAVO, THE FOOD GETS AN APPLAUSE

We are driving towards the highway to Belgrade, believing firmly that there must be a convenient place to tame our hunger along the way. Because there is no place in Serbia with twenty kilometres of roads without a restaurant. There must be one. So, we arrived in Boljevac. The locals directed us to the Bravo café-restaurant. In the very heart of the town, with a large garden and sophisticated interior decoration. Is this a good place to eat, we wonder suspiciously. A friendly young waiter recommends oven-baked gnocchi with chicken. Perfect and abundant. And ribs with cream. They stick to the fingers. They must have been made by a skilled chef. In the end, we unanimously say: “Bravissimo!” to Bravo. So, there are some fancy establishments with traditionally prepared food. We went there by chance, and we are planning to return to it at the first opportunity.

At the foot of the Šar Mountains, on the banks of Bistrica there is a town. From the ancient times, it was important for travellers and traders. Since the beginning of the 18^th century, it has been part of the Serbian state and has been getting stronger since. It flourished during the reign of King Milutin and Emperor Dušan. It is considered a museum of Serbian medieval history. From that time, it inherited 33 Serbian Orthodox shrines and monuments.

THE HOLY ARCHANGELS MONASTERY, THE MOST LUXURIOUS ESTATE OF THE NEMANJIĆ DINASTY

Emperor Dušan built his estate from 1343 to 1352 at the foot of a steep cliff in the Bistrica canyon. The land near the caravan route that connected Skopje and Prizren, the then capitals of the Serbian state. It was built at an older place of worship, where the emperor had recovered after a serious illness. On a huge property, he built two churches – his burial church dedicated to the Holy Archangels, and another one dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Both were made in Raška style, with Serbian-Byzantine elements. The emperor connected the estate to Visegrad, his palace on top of a cliff. “There is nothing equal to it under the sun,” says a 15th century record about the Holy Archangels Church. It impressed with its unsurpassed beauty and intricate floor mosaics. The church was considered the pinnacle of the Serbian religious architecture, a building befitting the most powerful Serbian ruler.

Only a few stones remain of the former splendor and beauty. The Ottomans looted and destroyed monastery in the middle of the 15th century, and razed it to the ground in 1615. The walls covered with marble were used for the construction of the Sinan Pasha mosque in Prizren. The remains were conserved after the Second World War, and monastic life was restored at the end of the 20th century. It was looted and burned down again in 1999, and then in 2004 in the March Pogrom.

Today, the monastery is looked after by a superior, two monks and support staff. Pupils of the Prizren Seminary often help. In addition to the guard at the entrance, the placed is guarded by a pair of cautious, but peaceful German shepherds. You can see the remains of the ramparts, two churches and dining halls, fragments of stone decorations with dragon and lion motifs, an old icon of the Archangel Michael, a model of the church, an improvised altar and a marble slab at the grave site of Dušan the Strong. In 1927, the relics were moved to the Patriarchate, and in 1968, they were solemnly laid to rest in the Church of St. Mark in Belgrade.

We spent the night in Dušan’s lodge, part of the monastery. It is clean and pleasant, with the splashing of Prizrenska Bistrica in the background. All lodgers eat lunch together at 10 o’clock. After the prayer, we share the meal and a relaxed conversation with the monks. After sharing bread with the guardians of Dušan’s legacy and following in his footsteps, we leave more experienced, calmer and stronger.

OUR LADY OF LJEVIŠ IS A RESSURECTING SANCTUARY

In the center of the city, on a small square between two alleys, we see a church with charred and sooty walls, windows patched up with sheet metal and wood, surrounded by barbed wire. The door is closed.

It is an endowment of King Milutin and is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God. The temple was built in the 13th century on the site of a 10-century early Christian place of worship and remodelled in the first decade of the 14th century. It was turned into a five-domed church, with the second floor and high bell tower added. For centuries, it was the Prizren cathedral. In the middle of the 18th century, it was turned into a mosque known as Cuma Cami, the frescoes hammered down and covered up with a thick layer of plaster. They saw the light of day two centuries later, when the restored pillars were demolished. It was badly damaged by fire in the March Pogrom.

The interior is rather gloomy. There is a small altar with icons and candlesticks, without an iconostasis, the dome is grey and visibly burned. Some wall frescoes have survived, however badly damaged. The most significant is the fresco of the Virgin of Ljeviš with infant Christ in her lap, picking fruit from a basket and feeding the hungry. It shines even brighter in the omnipresent chaos. Many deeds of our ancestors were dedicated to this icon; many prayers were addressed to it, many souls inspired and illuminated by it. One worshiper left a note in Arabic on the wall: “The pupil of my eye is the nest of your beauty.”

In 2006, this church and three other Serbian monasteries entered the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List under the common name Medieval Monuments in Kosovo and Metohija as endangered heritage.

„Thank you, thank you very much for visiting us,” says Father Vladan, a brave young clergyman who perseveres with his family. We turn to have one last look at the Virgin of Ljeviš, the suffering and the victorious.

THE PRIZREN SEMINARY IS A CRADLE OF SPIRITUALITY AND KNOWLEDGE

The seminary opened in 1871 as a theological and teaching school, the only one in Old Serbia. It was a pillar helping people preserve their religion, language, culture, and identity during the troubled times at the long-suffering soil of Metohija. Today’s role of the seminary is equally important.

It is located in the heart of the old bazaar, tucked away among mostly oriental-style houses, protected by iron doors. The guard opens them for us. We enter a perfectly arranged yard decorated with flowers and trees. Calm and tame. A world unto itself. A woman waves to us from the window and offers refreshments. Later, she reveals that after retiring she escaped from Belgrade to this old king’s capital and found peace. In the yard thee is a house of Sima Andrejević Igumanov, a Serbian merchant and philanthropist. He left it to the seminary „where the sons of my homeland – Old Serbia will study and prepare for spiritual knowledge“, so it says on his bust in the yard. The hall of the main building includes an exhibition of old photos of the building and Serbian patriarchs, some important documents, and relics.

During the Ottoman rule, the seminary was on the verge of closing, which was luckily prevented due to the ingenuity of the Russian consul and the influence of the Russian emperor. It suspended its work for several years during the World War II, and evacuated to Niš during the 1999 bombing. During the pogrom of March 2004 the seminary caught fire and all its contents burned down. Fortunately, the school’s archives and library of about 15,000 books were evacuated five years earlier, and thus saved. The school returned to Prizren in 2011, and the buildings were gradually renovated. The tradition of commemorating Emperor Dušan in his Holy Archangels on the first day of the school year was also revived.

Prizren is much more than an imperial city, and the seminary is more than an educational institution. Here, during the retreat of the Serbian army in 1915, King Petar I Karađorđević hid the crown, saying that the symbol of the state must not go into exile: „Let it be in Prizren, the city of our greatest glory, and now our greatest suffering“.

THE TOWN OF PRIZREN USED TO BE THE CAPITAL OF THE SERBIAN KINGDOM

To get to the fortress on the hill above the town you can rent an ATV or hike, which is harder, but much more interesting. On the way you will pass two churches – the Church of the Holy Salvation and St. Nedelya Church. Both date back from the 14th century. You cannot go inside, as both are closed.

According to official data, the Prizren fortress, or Kaljaja, was built by the Byzantines in the 11th century and later expanded by Emperor Dušan. He occasionally stayed here, as did his son Uroš. During more than four centuries of Ottoman rule, the fortress took its present form. The walls have been restored and look impressive. You can walk through the once well-fortified city along dirt and stone paths. We look at the amphitheater with a stage and the stone remains of the buildings. We guess what they were for and what secrets they hide. There is quite a number of visitors, mostly young people. The biggest crowd is on the spacious terrace. The view opens to Prizren and the entire Metohija, all the way to the Albanian Alps.

At night, if a candle was lit in every Serbian Orthodox shrine in Kosovo and Metohija, the darkness would dissipate. It would bring daylight, all of a sudden. The firmament would flicker with the flame of golden crosses from the surviving domes and wax candles from the ruins of temples crucified through the centuries. Like a fire that never dies out. So great is their strain and so great is their number. Immeasurable, innumerable.

A piece of land like no other. Every step moves for at least a decade, every glance embraces a plenitude of magnificence, every prayer echoes in silence, every ancestral stone is a rampart of eternity. Places of worship as guides and guards, protectors and bell ringers, auguries and decorations. Of the same root and legacy. Every gallery and treasury. But UNESCO was not very generous. On the World Heritage List, it entered three monasteries (Dečani, Patriarchate of Peć, and Gračanica) and one church (Church of the Holy Virgin of Ljeviša), collectively called: “Medieval Monuments in Kosovo”.

THE PATRIARCHATE OF PEĆ IS A HEARTH AND A COVENANT

We pass through Peć in the northwest of Metohija and reach the walls near the city and the guard house. After a short questioning, the barrier gate is raised, and we enter the monastery property. Another guard is at the gates. He only lets us in after obtaining permission from the mother superior of the monastery.

The monastery founds its home next to greenish impetuous water that runs through the fairy-tale Rugova Gorge. Peć Bistrica River is known for the caves (Serbian “pećina”) in which the monks lived, so the monastery and the city were named after them. In the monastery yard, there are the remains of the palace from the XIV century, a lapidarium, the high bell tower from the XX century, the monastic cemetery, and an unusual tree. A black mulberry tree, about 750 years old. Only a few decades younger than the first built Church of the Holy Apostles, also known as the Church of the Holy Saviour. It was built by Archbishop Arsenije I in the third decade of the XIII century. Centuries later, churches dedicated to St. Demetrius, Virgin Hodegetria, and St. Nicholas were built. The community of these four temples is one of the most significant monuments of Serbian spirituality, culture, and art.

The entire history of medieval fresco-painting styles is seen on the walls of the churches in Peć. Of particular importance are the compositions of Christ, the Mother of God, John the Forerunner, and the throne of St. Sava, as well as the frescoes of the archangel Gabriel and St. Mercurius, and the Nemanjić lineage in the narthex. There is not enough time to peer into every nook, to study every sarcophagus, to be inspired by the golden iconostasis, and to admire each of the frescoes individually. A magnificence that cannot be put into words. Many non-believers testify to the powerful feeling that permeated them within the Peć antiquities.

The first autocephalous archdiocese, established by Saint Sava in the Serbian lands in 1219, was called the Archdiocese of Žiča and Peć. At the time of the creation of the Serbian Empire, it was elevated to the degree of a patriarchate in 1346. The monastery in Peć has been appointed its seat. It has a turbulent and tragic history. It was abolished and restored, set on fire and looted. But it survived and, with its tradition, preserved the faith in all Serbian lands.

With the unification of the Serbian Church after the Great War, the patriarchate was restored in 1920. Ever since, Serbian patriarchs have been enthroned in the Peć Monastery. The witness to the Serbian existence and duration. To the guardian of tomorrow for “generations that are yet to come”.

VISOKI DEČANI MONASTERY ARE A SHRINE BETWEEN WAKEFULNESS AND SLEEP

The access and entrance to the monastery are completely unusual. A few kilometres from the town of Dečani, we encounter deceleration devices on the road and the KFOR checkpoint. They let us pass without a word.

There is a fork in the road, the right way leading towards the forest and the NATO-led training camp of the international forces, and the straight way leading towards the monastery. In front of the entrance, there is a guard house and a KFOR vehicle. Dečani is one of the most endangered Christian cultural monuments in Europe and the only Serbian sanctuary in Kosovo and Metohija under the protection of KFOR. The contingents of countries that secure the entry alternate, and the interior is guarded mainly by Italians. The guard with blond hair, light eyes, and rosy cheeks immediately flustered when he saw the recording equipment. The rules are strict. It is not allowed to bring larger bags, backpacks, let alone anything else. He talks on the phone, then asks for our IDs and lets us in with a slight smile. We pass through the iron gate.

In the centre, there is a building made of whitish stone. It is blinding. With the whiteness of purity and innocence. “God bless you,” Father Petar welcomes us. With an enlightened face and serene eyes. His every word and movement exude true spirituality. He is a supreme connoisseur of the unfathomable treasures of Dečani.

The place where this temple of God was to be built had been determined by Saint Sava, but he passed away before its construction. In the wilderness of the fertile Metohija plains overgrown with chestnut groves and pines. At the foot of the gigantic Prokletije Mountains, whose rugged rough peaks are forever shrouded in clouds, which threaten to thunder over anyone who intends harm to their jewel. In the valley, on the banks of the bustling Dečani Bistrica River.

The dream of the first Serbian archbishop was realized by King Stefan Dečanski. He started building his endowment in 1326/27 and it was completed by his son, Emperor Dušan in 1335. The masters from the coast and the chief architect, Vitus of Kotor, built the church wonderfully interweaving the elements of the Western Romanesque and Gothic, and the Eastern Byzantine style with influences of Serbian art. The works were personally supervised by Archbishop Danilo II.

A solemn, elegant, expensive church. Made of two-coloured blocks of marble stone polished to a shine. Alternately placed light yellow Peć onyx and reddish-purple Dečani breccia. “The appearance of the church strains the sight and the eyes of everyone that look at it, because the light of the marble shines so strongly as if there was a star shining from within”, noted an unknown travel writer in the 15th century. It is more than 36 meters long, 24 meters wide, and the dome reaches 29 meters. Hence Dečani became Visoki (Serbian for “high”). The highest.
The Father leads us to the massive wooden doors on the side of the church. A portal decorated with a rich, playful relief. Each placed around the doors and windows, as well as the wreaths and friezes of the blind arcades, is unique, with different motifs and figurines.

He takes us to the church dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord, Salvation Day. The stone threshold is hollowed out. Only this antiquity knows how many souls have trodden on it during almost seven centuries.
Art is omnipresent, interwoven with gold and vast wealth. The iconography was completed around 1350. More than 1,000 frescoes on 4,000 thousand square meters were painted by the most skilled artists of Dušan’s empire. And it was huge.

This is the largest and best-preserved gallery of Serbian medieval painting and a real treasure trove of Orthodox iconography. According to the number of characters and scenes and the skill of fresco painting, they belong to the top art of the Middle Ages, also known by a special name – Dečani painting. The frescoes of the Nemanjić family, the founder images of Stefan Dečanski and Emperor Dušan, and the portraits of Emperor Dušan with his wife and son are impressive. It is especially proud of the fresco of Jesus the Almighty, or Jesus with a sword. It is unique in the world.

Father Petar shows us the throne of Stefan Dečanski, a powerful, magnificent iconostasis from the middle of the 14th century, and next to it, a reliquary with the relics of the holy king, whose body is preserved and has miraculous powers as we are told. The last time the relics were dressed was in 1964 in the vestments that were hand-made by the then bishop, later Serbian Patriarch Pavle. Everything is original and preserved. Only the gold from the floor was taken away, says the father, pointing to the traces of the precious metal on the rectangularly carved marble floor with the finest patterns.

The monastery had a difficult life under the foreign rein, it was looted and raided. It was protected several times by Arnauts and Ottomans, but many times it was saved only by a miracle. Once when they wanted to turn it Turkish, and another time when they tried to move the remains of Stefan Dečanski, but the carriage would not move. The monastery was crushed by the boots of Bulgarians, Austro-Hungarians, and Germans, and in recent history, it was repeatedly attacked with fire and artillery weapons.

Father Petar invites us for some refreshment on the terrace of the lodging house overlooking the church. A young man is sitting at the table, with distinctly white skin, light eyes, and curly red hair. He doesn’t seem local to us, but we are reassured by Father Petar. “This is our Dutchman; he has become an Orthodox Christian”. Our curiosity did not engage him in the conversation much. We only found out that he had seen some pictures of Serbia on the Internet, travelled a bit, came to Dečani, and became Orthodox. The nature of Serbia is stunning, and the spirituality of the Dečani is even stronger. Then, a young novice appeared offering homemade juice and a hot pastry with cheese, melting in the mouth. Much of it is homemade, from the large Dečani monastery estate called “metoh” in Serbian. That’s how the whole area got its name – Metohija, since the entire land used to belong to the church.

All the time we can’t avert our gaze from Dečani. Luxurious, yet unobtrusive, majestic, yet modest. Like the warmth of the bosom of the homeland and the sanctity of the covenant of the forefathers. Timeless. As high as the earthly object can rise to heaven.

We leave the walls of the monastery, which was included in the World Heritage List in 2004, two years before the other three shrines in Kosovo and Metohija. We take our IDs from the guard and thank him, as we usually do at parting. “I’m just doing my job,” he responds quickly with a hint of justification. He must have noticed in our eyes that we expressed a lot more than a polite “Thank you”.

In the parking lot, there is a large group of people getting off a bus. “People come from different places and countries,” we recall the words of Father Petar. What should the humankind do was long ago said by wise Dostoevsky: “Beauty will save the world”. And the Dečani has spawned enough of this beauty of Fyodor’s to save the entire universe.

GRAČANICA IS THE LIGHT BEARER OF ORTHODOXY

As centuries pass, this monastery is getting more captivating and prouder. But even as a new building, it was untouchable. A sovereign master of the fragrant fields of the peony of flat Kosovo. The undisputed king of grace and artistic greatness. The beauty of King Milutin.

One of the most powerful Serbian medieval rulers was also a great endower, but the crown of his rich legacy is this monastery about twenty kilometres away from Gazimestan. It was as if he had foreseen where the fateful battle for the kingdom of heaven would take place some seventy years later, so he gave the knights an unforgettable gift in advance. To provide them with underground strength and testify that they did not shed their blood in vain.

We take the bypass around Priština. Serbian Tricolours on the pillars are a sign that we have arrived in the town of Gračanica. The monastery is a little further away, on the main square. Next to the monument to Miloš Obilić on horseback, with a raised sword in his right hand, his gaze fixed on the Kosovo field.

There is no guardhouse in front of the entrance. The Serbian population lives in the town of Gračanica. However, in some parts of the walls, there is barbed wire.

The church dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin was built from 1315 to 1321. During the 14th and 15th centuries, it was an important spiritual and artistic centre, and in the middle of the 16th century, a printing house and a library were established there. Later, due to the great Ottoman iniquities, it was devastated. It was renovated before the Second World War, and after its end it became a female monastery. Since the war conflicts in 1999, it has been the seat of the Bishop of Raška-Prizren that was relocated from Prizren.
It is one of the first-class medieval architecture achievements. It was built in Serbo-Byzantine style, of extremely harmonious proportions, made of hewn stone laid in double and triple rows of bricks of pale reddish hues.

The external narthex was built at the end of the XIV century during the reign of Prince Lazar. On the front and side parts of the narthex are oblong high openings in the glass. Quite unusual for Serbian medieval sacral buildings. To our visible amazement, the young curator explains that it was the (un)doing of the communists in the 1960s. It seemed too dark for them, so they knocked out parts of the walls and placed glass on the openings to make it brighter.
Poor tortured Gračanica. Even today, some sixty years later, it has not been restored to its original state. But even such an “enlightenment” undertaking cannot damage its beauty.

The church frescoes were painted by famous artists from Thessaloniki, and the narthex frescoes were painted in the 16th century. The most famous is the fresco of Queen Simonida, the fifth wife of Milutin, a woman of unusual beauty, but of miserable fate.

The far-reaching reputation of one of the most valuable medieval frescoes was added by the poem of the poet and patriot Milan Rakić:

“Today upon me from your royal height,
From that antique stone covered all in grime,
Oh, sad Simonida, shines down the light,
Of eyes gouged sightless in another time”!

It is also significant to mention the founder portrait of King Milutin with the model of the church, the monumental figure of Christ Pantocrator, the standing figures of holy warriors, and the genealogy of the Nemanjić Family, first painted in Gračanica.

There may be more beautiful, certainly more luxurious Serbian temples, but Gračanica is “so deeply entrenched in our country and in ourselves” as said by the poet Desanka Maksimović about the immortality of her beloved church:

“If only you were an apple, Gračanica,
that we might put you in our bosom
and warm you, cold with age as you are,
if only our long-gone forefathers’ bones
were not scattered about you near and far.”

This light bearer of Orthodoxy, a haven and spark of faith and hope for the Serbian people in Kosovo, has woven itself into the souls and thoughts of all. Ever since its birth, radiant and gentle, always defiant and proud. Gračanica. The King Milutin’s treasure. And ours.

Not all land in Bačka is flat. It has its slight ups here and there. It even created a hillock. Just so as to stir up the uniformity of the landscape. To counterbalance the flat fields. And, at the foot of it, a river runs. It flows, not only through the verses of Stevan Raičković, but “deep through the life” of this and many other poets. What do they jointly create? We’ll find out soon enough.

Why visit the Tisza river and Titelski breg

1. Because Tisza is a river of love

It travels a long distance before its water splashes Serbia, where it presents its waters to the Danube. It is its longest tributary. It divides the regions of Bačka and Banat. It is the only river in Europe that “blooms”. It has a lone counterpart in the world, the Yangtze in China. The Tisza “flower” is a mayfly that, usually in June, emerges from the river mud to freedom in order to continue its species in an unparalleled romantic dance. It gives its life for love. And it lives only for a day. And when it goes extinct somewhere, it never appears there again. “The Tisza mayfly is an indicator of how clean the river is,” our captain says as we board his boat.

We sail downstream, to the mouth of the blue giant. “Slowly, I like to take my time,” our helmsman hints at the long sail ahead of us and begins the story of the secrets, as he says, of the river that is faster and deeper than the Danube. We listen to him attentively and watch the campers who set up tents along the banks. They are huddled in the deep shade, fishing. Without making a sound. Like greenish water and quite lush surrounding nature. Calm, quiet, relaxing. Sometimes only a little bird makes a sound. We are suddenly snapped by a piercing sound. We almost fell into the water. A monstrosity is coming our way. Warning the little boats to get out of its way. We escaped in time and managed to remain on the rippling water. Our captain finds a patch of shade near the shore and docks. “It’s scorching hot. Let’s freshen up a bit,” he suggests, pulling out a cooling bag from the cabin. He is an experienced sailor of the Tisza river. Inside the bag, there is water, beer and, to our surprise, canned G-Drive iced coffee. He knew who he would be travelling with. He chooses latte, with a jocular remark: “It is too early for beer”. We have cappuccino and espresso. Cold and “strong” enough that, as we were a little dazed by the sun, they’ve shaken us up and prepared us for further boat ride.

Upstream from the bridge connecting Banat and Bačka, there is a rather different atmosphere. Lively and cheerful, noisier. There are houses packed in close together, built on barges, some of them jerry-built, some new and modern, several cafes, and a handful of boats, mostly simple ones. There is also a Tam-Tat boat that cruises on three rivers and two confluences. Families are riding around in boats and pedal boats, the young are jumping into the water and having fun, and the little ones are frolicking in the water. Fishermen are mostly waiting patiently for the fish to bite, pleasure-seekers are calmly sailing, and some scooters and speedboats are buzzing by. Everyone knows each other, they are waving, shouting, and honking the siren as a greeting. Such is the life on the Tisza river in Titel.

2. Because Titelski breg is a unique sight in Bačka

In the plain, even a small upland can be a hill. Thus, in Bačka, Titelski breg, which rises to 130 meters, is considered nothing less than a mountain. “When you climb to the top, it can buzz in your ears,” people from Bačka joke about their region that is flat as a pancake. It stretches for about 17 kilometres between the Danube and Tisza rivers, between Mošorin, Lok, Vilovo, Titel, and the Tisza river. There are two opinions on the emergence of this plateau. Some believe that it was made by wind-blowing of loess, while others think that it was detached from Fruška gora mountain. However, it is considered the most interesting loess plateau in Central Europe. It is nicknamed Witness hill (Serbian – Svedok brdo), as it holds countless secrets about climate and environmental changes that have been going on for hundreds of thousands of years. Today it is a special nature reserve. It is the habitat of about 630 plant species, significant number of which are typical steppe species. More than 140 species of birds, including 100 nesting birds, have been recorded there. The little owl and the bee-eater, one of the most colourful birds in Europe, also live here, while the white-tailed eagle and the saker falcon keep their watch over the area. There are also amphibians, reptiles, Eurasian eagle-owls, and European ground squirrels. We saw one European ground squirrel at the famous old well with large water holes, on the glade at the foot of the hillock. We haven’t checked, but they say the antique well still functions. The claim is supported by a herd of cows that graze around carefree. There is a local lore about the vast treasure buried here somewhere. Of course, it belonged to the ruler of the Huns, Attila, who, it is believed, was buried at the foot of the hill, in the arms of the Tisza and the Danube. But this is not the only area in Vojvodina where the locals claim that the grave of the Scourge of God is. According to historical sources, he did end his life in Pannonia, but whether he was buried there and where that is, or whether the Tisza took him somewhere else, will probably remain a secret forever.

3. Because Titel is a lovely town

It is nicely settled. In the heart of Vojvodina Province, along the right bank of the Tisza river, overlooking the place where the Bega river gives its water to the Tisza, on the southern slopes of the Titelski breg. There have been settlements in the area of this town ever since prehistoric times. The oldest mention of its name was in the Hungarian charters in the second half of the 11th century. Having hosted Dacians, Celts, Huns, Romans, Ugrians… it first became Serbian at the beginning of the 15th century, and finally after the Great War.

Today, Titel is a relaxed, peaceful, and hospitable town. There are several interesting buildings there: a guardhouse from the 18th century, the former warehouse for chaika boats, the Šajkaš Battalion barracks, and two churches, Roman Catholic and Serbian Orthodox, both dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and built in the same year, 1811. How interesting.

It’s a hot day with only a few persons on the street, while the others must be on the Tisza and at the town beach. A well-decorated concrete beach with reed-covered sun umbrellas, a green area with a children’s playground, and sports fields. The main street, named Glavna, starts from the beach. The first part is cobblestone, surrounded by trees, behind which are mostly private houses, some with rather interesting façades, some slightly dilapidated. There is also a small square with a fountain and a café. We walk further. It seems that the street stretches indefinitely. Finally, we reach the birth house of Mileva Marić. Big, with a large wooden gate and reliefs on the façade. It reflects the wealth of her family. Although she did not live in it for a long time, today there are not any signs indicating this was her first home. According to the media, the current owners refused to put a memorial plaque on the house. It was then decided, again according to the media, to place her bust across the street in a park, otherwise quite neglected, in order for Mileva to look at her birth place. We couldn’t find it. We may not have looked carefully enough, but if there is the bust, it should definitely be in a visible, prominent place. Only then did we understand the wondering look and shaking of the head of several locals we asked about Mileva’s bust. We unjustly accused them of not knowing about their famous fellow citizen, who, both during her life and today, does not enjoy the deserved glory and respect. In the town, only the Secondary Technical School bears her name. And Titel could have been the town of Mileva, one of the smartest ladies of the 20th century. Unfortunately, it’s not.

4. Because from Kalvarija viewpoint you can see three rivers

The top of the southeastern part of Titelski breg can be reached through narrow streets. There is a signpost. Some consider that Kalvarija (meaning Calvary – place of the skull, Golgotha) should be renamed Gradina (meaning hillfort), as a testimony to the centuries-old existence of the fort. Such a name would be nice, and it would certainly be more Serbian. One of the fortresses was the Old Town of Titel, which was demolished to the ground in the Ottoman-Habsburg wars at the end of the 17th century. However, a couple of stone boulders and a stone building remained. It is not known what the building was. There are no signs with inscriptions. All information boards are dedicated to the loess and deposits, too scientific and uninteresting for a regular visitor. But there is none about any remnants of former settlements. However, Kalvarija is certainly an escape into silence and solitude and a pleasant refuge during hot days. You can have some rest on the benches in the greenery, which, to be honest, need some renovation. Bring refreshments and snacks if you plan to stay longer. It is one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Titelski breg. One can see the town on its foot, the confluence of the Bega into the Tisza river, the flat Banat region… And in order for the view to reach the place where the Tisza kisses the Danube, one must watch more carefully and stand on the tip of the toes. But it’s worth it.

5. Because portions are large in Mala čarda restaurant

At the foot of Kalvarija, on the very riverbank, in the shade of trees, overlooking the Tisza river. A more than tempting start to the Titel gastronomic experience. We are greeted by the wide smile of a young waiter. In the manner of an experienced host, he quickly recommends a portion of grilled perch. It’s prepared with the experience and knowledge of fishermen, so that not even the grumpiest guests could complain. He also recommends a burger of unusual cubic shape, for gourmets. And it really is exceptional, both when it comes to its taste and size. It is large and stuffed. But it quickly disappeared from the plate, just like the perch. The appetite, you know, is always better with the smell of the Tisza.

Kosovska Mitrovica is for many, the most sacred piece of Serbian land. It is certainly home to the most magnificent Orthodox temples.

After the administrative crossing, we drive along the shore of Gazivoda Lake. It reminds of Zlatarsko Lake. With its emerald tones Gazivoda Lake is tucked away in lush greenery. It exudes calmness.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA IS AN ANCIENT CITY

Statues and altars from the II and the III centuries were found in the city area. The city was mentioned for the first time in medieval writings. The name Mitrovica originates from the XIV century after the church of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki, which King Milutin donated to his endowment, the monastery of Banjska. After the First Balkan War, it became part of the Kingdom of Serbia.

It is settled in the north of the Kosovo Basin, at an almost mountainous altitude, on the edge of the Dinaric Mountains, bordered by the slopes of Golija, Kopaonik and Rogozna. From afar, the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica acts as a hill stronghold. It was as if someone was chasing and cornering it, so when it reached the hilly hinterland, it dug in and did not depart. There is nowhere else to go. The streets are still quite narrow today, mostly on a slope, the residential buildings are old, and many are with dilapidated facades while the buildings are mostly neglected. Understandably, there are many more pressing concerns.

On the main square there is the monument to Tzar Lazar, seven and a half meters high. He holds a sword in one hand and points to Gazimestan with the other. It was first shown on Vidovdan 2016. Next to it, there is the bust of the Russian diplomat and consul in Kosovska Mitrovica, Grigoriy Stepanovich Shcherbina, who said while he was dying that he was “the first victim in the new Serbian history for the liberation of Old Serbia”. He succumbed to a wound from a Turkish bullet in 1903. On the pedestal of the monument, the words of academician Vladimir Ćorović are inscribed: “A drop of fraternal Russian blood has flowed into the streams of Serbian blood, which have flowed through Kosovo for centuries (in Serbian: Kap bratske ruske krvi kanula je u potoke srpske krvi, koji stolećima Kosovom teku).” Further towards Ibar, a pedestrian street stretches under the Serbian Tricolours spread between the buildings. They are placed everywhere – on pillars, terraces, shop windows… There is quite a number of catering facilities on the promenade. Crowded. There are many young people and children. They ride bikes, run, and kick and throw a ball.

At the end of the promenade there is a sculpture Kosovo Peony (in Serbian: Kosovski božur), in memory of the Milić brothers, three heroes who gave their lives to defend their homeland. Nearby, on the very coast, there is a monument to those killed in recent war conflicts. At the top there is a picture of the White Angel. Apart from the memory of the victims, truth be told, there are not many preserved cultural and historical buildings. Some remained across the river. We also reach Ibar, and then the church of Saint Sava in the southern part of Mitrovica.

A VISIT TO THE CHURCH OF SAINT SAVA CAUSES STRONG FEELINGS

There is a guardhouse outside. We have announced our visit, so the policeman allows us to enter. Father Nenad welcomes us, visibly joyful. He does not have guests often. Religious people mostly come for the holidays. “There are more and more of them. Strangers also come sometimes“, says the Father with a beaming face, because everyone who sets foot in is worth as thousands of souls. He shows us the church port.

The construction of the temple began in 1896 and was not completed until 1921. It was built in Serbian-Byzantine style and made of stone. It had a magnificent gilded iconostasis. It was declared a cultural monument in 2000. Four years later, in the March Pogrom, it was burned and robbed. The church bell was removed. To date, it has not been set again. After the unfortunate events, it has been a landfill and a burning place for a long time, Father Nenad sadly recalls while showing us the bullet-riddled church bell tower clock. He brings us in to a church restored with great efforts. Narrow, oblong windows allow rays of light to shine through. Walls are white, unpainted, and instead of iconostasis there are arranged icons. These all are the gifts of individuals and other Orthodox temples in the country and abroad. There is still a lot of work to do, but the place of worship has come to life.

We leave with a heavy heart. The Father calls the children to say goodbye. Five boys come from the parish house, which has not yet been completely renovated. They politely and somewhat shyly wish us a good day. The Father drives them to school in North Mitrovica every day. They are the only Serbian family in the southern part of the city. Simply staying for the sake of future survival is sometimes the bravest act.

THERE ARE SPECIAL PLACES FOR BREAK EVERYWHERE

We return to the northern side. We need refreshments, and a break due to the long walk in addition to the impressions from the Church of Saint Sava. But not in a crowded cafe, we want to be alone for a while. We sit on a bench near the monument Kosovo Peony (in Serbian: Kosovski božur) which is symbolic. Everyone sips Jazak water lost in their thoughts. It is our faithful companion on all trips, so we took it to this special trip as well. We drink the last drops from the bottle and we are already strong and ready to continue walking. Miracles are made by the minerals of natural spring water.

THE MONUMENT TO MINERS CAN BE SEEN FROM AFAR

We climb up the hill through narrow streets and we reach the meadow where there is a children’s playground and an unfinished facility, probably for sports. A cross rises on the highest rock of the nearby hill. It seems golden under the rays of the Sun. It illuminates the surroundings. On the other side, there are the outlines of the remains of the medieval town of Zvečan on the top of the extinct volcanic cone. Stefan Dečanski died there.

Following the path through the conifer forest, we come to a monumental stone creation, about 20 meters high. It was erected in 1973 in honour of the deceased partisans of Albanian and Serbian nationality in the Second World War. A trough-like structure is placed on two conical pillars. According to one interpretation, the pillars represent the two peoples of Kosovo, and the trough represents their unity during the liberation struggle. According to the second interpretation, it represents a mining wagon. The bones of the deceased miners rest in the tomb.

A few steps further there is a viewpoint from which the view extends over the whole Mitrovica. The church of Saint Demetrius stands out, on the glade at the foot of the platform. The place has been carefully chosen, so that it can be seen from everywhere. It is a newer building, from the beginning of the XXI century. It was consecrated on Mitrovdan in 2005.

AT “SEJDA” THEY SERVE BALLTASTIC MEAT

Without second thoughts, we go to eat at “Sejda”. It has a tradition of almost sixty years. The host welcomes us unusually cordially. Everyone from Central Serbia is a special guest. They serve only meatballs. But not the ones well-known to us in tomato sauce, but grilled ones. They are taken piece by piece and served with hot buns and a salad of your choice. Something between a kebab and a burger, both in terms of size and composition. The taste, however, is different, juicier, tastier and unique. Well, dear people of Novi Pazar, you have strong competition. If by any chance we were appointed to the culinary jury, we would share the golden medal, like brothers. The host, who despite the great crowd pays attention to us, does not allow us to pay. “You came to the host’s house, to the hospitable city“, he says proudly. We disapprove, but in vain. He is persistent. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts. We leave our Mitrovica with mixed, deep feelings. The hospitable city, but above all the city of everyday heroes.