Valjevo: In the heart of Serbia

Valjevo: In the heart of Serbia

Severely damaged in the Austro-Turkish wars of the 18^th century, it became one of the key centres of the First Serbian Uprising, owing to several prominent historical figures among which stands out the Nenadović family from nearby Brankovina. Knez (Duke) Aleksa Nenadović was one of the first to be executed by the Turks. Jakov became one of the leading military commanders and his brother Mateja, the president of the Governing Council of Serbia. After the liberation, the town started to blossom again. Its centre was transferred in 1855 from the constricted right bank of the Kolubara River to the other bank where the town expanded with broad tree-lined streets. At the beginning of the 20^th century this was one of the most prosperous cities in Serbia. For instance, electric street lights were introduced in 1899 after the construction of the dam on the Gradac River. During the 1999 NATO bombing, the city’s economy was crippled when the “Krušik” factory was destroyed, creating severe unemployment. Valjevo lies in a position of outstanding natural beauty: there are no less than five waterways (Kolubara, Gradac, Jablanica, Obnica and Ljubostinja) at the foot of the wooded hills supplying the town with fresh air at all times. The oldest part of Valjevo is situated on the right bank of the Kolubara River under Vidrak hill. Between them lies the old trading quarter Tešnjar, one of the most picturesque in Serbia with its cobblestone streets, traditional 19^th century houses and inns, some of which carry inscriptions from local craftsman. From Tešnjar one can climb up Vidrak hill to the park surrounding the colossal monument to Stjepan Filipović , a partisan fighter who was hanged by the Nazis during WWII and later granted the highest honours with the title of “National Hero”. The monument, work of sculptor Vojin Bakić, takes a bold leap away from the usual social-realism style in depictions of communist martyrdom in the “Struggle for National Liberation” as it was called back then.

There are several bridges that lead across the river. The central one takes you to Vojvoda Mišić Square (Trg vojvode Mišića), on which stands the monument to this revered World War I commander of the Serbian army. In Živojina Mišića St there are several attractive buildings such as the Valjevo Savings Bank and the District Court, both dating from the turn of the 20^th century.

To the right of the old “Grand”, still the best hotel in the town, is the street that leads to the interesting building of the old school, dating from 1870. Today it houses the town museum (tel. 014/221-041; www.museum.org.yu, open Mon-Fri 9.30 a.m. - 2 p.m.). Part of the museum is also the Muselim’s residence (Muselimov konak,, situated behind the museum building on the left), the small residence of the Turkish governor of the town in which Ilija Birčanin, Aleksa Nenadović and other Serb leaders from the vicinity were imprisoned prior to their execution in 1804. Today it houses exhibitions on local episodes of the First and Second Serbian Uprisings. Continuing up the short Čika Ljubina St, we reach the bridge which marks the place of the famous execution that stirred Serbia to rebellion. The occasion is commemorated by a small red stone pyramid. Behind the corner to the left stands the High school, a twin building to the Third Belgrade High school, the style of which proved to be such a success. Facing Vidrak on this side of the river rises the squat Kličevac hill and on it the oldest landmark in the town – the Nenadović tower. It was originally built by the Jajić family of Turkish landowners, to guard the northern approach to the town. It was renovated by Jakov Nenadović in 1813, thus the new name. It is a three storey structure with one meter thick stone walls and openings of various shapes and sizes – windows and loop holes. There are two stone plaques from that period built into the walls featuring the Serbian coat-of-arms.

Downstream from Tešnjar, the Kolubara River is joined by the immaculately clean River Gradac. Along its last few kilometres it flows past old mills, wooden bridges, restaurants and fish ponds, and is crossed by the railway line heading further south towards the river gorge. The 30 kilometres of the Gradac is itself a beautiful area of considerable ecological importance. The source of the river is made from three streams that flow into each other to form the Gradac. Nearby is the Hut of the “Gradac” Ecological Society (014/225-188), where an overnight stay can be booked. Down river there are several beaches frequented by fisherman and a succession of small ravines. There is also Sava’s mill (Savina vodenica), named after Sava Savanović, the first known Serbian vampire whose name and representation were immortalized by the writer Milovan Glišić (1847-1908), himself a native of this region.

West of the Tešnjar quarter one can take a pleasant walk along Birčaninova Street to the Pećina locality and Valjevo brewery surrounded by a dense wooded landscape. Not far from here the rivers Obnica and Jablanica join up to form the Kolubara. ENVIRONS: 10 km down the road to Šabac, a left turn takes one to the village of Brankovina. The church marks the old centre of this rambling village whose habitats are spread widely about the surrounding area. Almost everything here is connected with the famous Nenadović family whose birthplace this is and several of whom were celebrated in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. In a field crossed by a stream there are several smaller buildings, the smallest of which are the wooden sobrašice, which were shelters built by wealthy families used for feasts on church feast days . The Church of Saint Archangel was built in 1830 from the funds donated by the priest Matija Nenadović, one of the leaders of the First Uprising, who became the president of the Governing Council and wrote the famed “Memoirs”. The graves of this prominent family stand by the north wall of the temple as well as the monument by Djordje Jovanović to the soldiers of Brankovina and other neighbouring villages who fell in the 1912-18 wars. Items exhibited in the church treasury include a 10^th century cross and the Gospel on which the members of the Governing Council took their oath. On a small mound left of the church lies the grave of the much admired poetess Desanka Maksimović, one of the leading Serbian lyricists of the 20^th century, who was born here. On the other side of the stream stand two school buildings. The Old school was constructed as early as 1834 and was one of the first schools to be established in the newly autonomous Serbia. This was built on the initiative of the already mentioned Matija Nenadović, who was one of the few men who could read and write in Serbia at that time. Today its unchanged classrooms house an exhibition on the school system in 19^th century Serbia.

5 km to the south of Valjevo lies the Ćelije monastery. The devastated medieval church was rebuilt in 1793. In 1810, the monastery housed a hospital and for that reason was attacked and torched by the Turks. In the courtyard lies the grave of Ilija Birčanin, executed in the famous 1804 beheading of the Serbian dukes.

Source: www.serbiainyourhands.com