Vrnjačka Banja


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Vrnjačka Banja (Serbian Cyrillic: Врњачка Бања) is a town and municipality located in the Raška District of central Serbia. The population of the town is 10,065 inhabitants, while the population of the municipality is 27,527 inhabitants.

Vrnjačka Banja

Врњачка Бања (Serbian)

Vrnjačka Banja

Flag of Vrnjačka Banja

Flag

Coat of arms of Vrnjačka Banja

Coat of arms

Location of the municipality of Vrnjačka Banja within Serbia

Location of the municipality of Vrnjačka Banja within Serbia

Coordinates: 43°37′25″N 20°53′37″E / 43.62361°N 20.89361°E
Country Serbia
RegionŠumadija and Western Serbia
DistrictRaška
Settlements14
Government
 • MayorBoban Đurović (SNS)
Area
 • Town19.06 km2 (7.36 sq mi)
 • Municipality239 km2 (92 sq mi)
Elevation217 m (712 ft)
Population

 (2022 census)[2]

 • Town9,252
 • Town density490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
 • Municipality25,065
 • Municipality density100/km2 (270/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code

36210

Area code+381(0)36
Car platesВБ
Websitewww.vrnjackabanja.gov.rs

Vrnjačka Banja is known as the spa town, on account of the many hot springs here with temperatures measuring exactly that of the human body (37.5 degrees Celsius). The town is located near the Goč mountain.

Aside from the town of Vrnjačka Banja, the municipality includes the following settlements:

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
194815,916—    
195317,394+1.79%
196118,820+0.99%
197121,940+1.55%
198124,768+1.22%
199125,875+0.44%
200226,492+0.21%
201127,527+0.43%
Source: [3]
 
Vrnjačka Banja within Raška District

According to the last official census done in 2011, the municipality of Vrnjačka Banja has 27,527 inhabitants. Population density on the territory of the municipality is 115.2 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Most of its population are ethnic Serbs (96.2%) and 36.6% of the municipality’s population is urban. The ethnic composition of the municipality:[4]

Ethnic group Population %
Serbs 26,482 96.20%
Roma 334 1.21%
Montenegrins 107 0.39%
Macedonians 33 0.12%
Yugoslavs 30 0.11%
Others 541 1.97%
Total 27,527

The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2022):[5]

Activity Total
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 171
Mining and quarrying 28
Manufacturing 1,498
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply 51
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities 259
Construction 536
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 1,109
Transportation and storage 269
Accommodation and food services 1,074
Information and communication 56
Financial and insurance activities 78
Real estate activities 87
Professional, scientific and technical activities 237
Administrative and support service activities 130
Public administration and defense; compulsory social security 397
Education 555
Human health and social work activities 513
Arts, entertainment and recreation 172
Other service activities 224
Individual agricultural workers 53
Total 7,497

Situated in a great park full of trees with particularly charming houses, Vrnjačka Banja is the most celebrated and most popular spa town of Serbia and at same time, a very attractive recreation center. Surrounding Vrnjačka Banja are UNESCO protected medieval buildings. Other nearby landmarks include the first court of the Serbian Archbishop, the Žiča Monastery and Sopoćani Monastery which both date back to the thirteenth century and the twelfth century Studenica Monastery all of which are located in Ibar River Valley.

It owes its reputation to its therapeutic effects known already to the Roman troops in the second century AD. It was upgraded by the Czech Baron Herder in 1835 after Prince Miloš Obrenović wanted it to be like Karlovy Vary, it has since received people from all of southern Europe, who came to rest or for treatment. Summers are pleasant, and the winter is mild. Natural springs can be found on five mineral water sources well positioned in the park. The warm water (36 degrees Celsius) is ideal for massage and cool (17 degrees Celsius) sufficiently reviving.

 
General Jovan Belimarković in 1896 vuilt the first drinking water fountain and water system 1892

There are seven mineral springs +1 Legend in Vrnjačka Banja, from which first four are used for medical treatment:

  • Topla voda (36.5°C)
  • Snežnik (17°C)
  • Slatina (24°C)
  • Jezero (27°C)
  • Beli izvor
  • Borjak
  • Vrnjačko vrelo

The hotels are numerous and have swimming pools and halls for games. In winter, it is convenient for skiing on the Goč, just a few kilometres away. In the summer, Vrnjačka Banja is transformed into one of greatest cultural centres in Serbia: literary soirées in a city library, classical concerts under the column capitals and the festival of the cinema scenario. The restaurants are often on the border of a water current and offer terraces under the trees of the park.

The largest Opanak in the world, in the Guinness World Records since 2006, is the 3.2m shoe, size 450, weighing 222 kg (489 lb), made by opančar Slavko Strugarević, from Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia.

A number of modernistic buildings inspired by Art-Nouveau by architect Mihajlo Mitrović can be found in Vrnjačka Banja.[6]

One of the famous landmarks of Vrnjačka Banja is the Bridge of Love.

  • Town promenade

  • Town park building

  • Bus station

  • Building in town

  • Mercur Hotel

  • Villa Alexander

  • Hotel Promenada

  • Topla voda

  • Town hotel

  • Town central park

  • A stream and pine trees

  • Padlocks of the Bridge of Love'

  1. ^ "Municipalities of Serbia, 2006". Statistical Office of Serbia. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  2. ^ "Census 2022: Total population, by municipalities and cities". popis2022.stat.gov.rs.
  3. ^ "2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia" (PDF). stat.gov.rs. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Попис становништва, домаћинстава и станова 2011. у Републици Србији" (PDF). stat.gov.rs. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  5. ^ "MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA, 2023" (PDF). stat.gov.rs. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  6. ^ Niebyl, Donald (2020-03-03). "Mihajlo Mitrović's singular Art-Nouveau inspired modernism in Vrnjačka Banja". spomenikdatabase. Retrieved 2020-04-05.