VELIKO GRADIŠTE (1.059 km)

Veliko Gradište is about 110 km far from Belgrade, just an hour drive. It became settled in the base of the Carpatians and Homoljske Mountains, at the entry into the Đerdap Gorge, embraced by the blue Danube and the gold carrying Pek. It is called the Vestibule of Đerdap. It is not known when the Romans founded the settlement Pinkum on the place of the present Veliko Gradište. The settlement remnants may be seen on the bank itself, but it is known that Veliko Gradište had its flourishing historical era, owing to the copper mines, during the rule of the Emperor Hadrian, when special copper coins were wrought there. The gold carrying river Pek enters the Danube near Veliko Gradište. The area around it has been for Serbia for centuries the same as California for the United States of America during the Gold Rush.
During the rule of the Tsar Uroš I the Medieval miners Sasi found gold left behind the ancient Romans. It is not certainly known what the town got its name from. There is a legend saying a two wheel carriage came from one of the nearby villages to the town at the Pek entry daily, loaded by leather and other goods. Upon the question if he had to come like that daily, the answer was: "Yes, I have to, the big town wants me to!" Thus, from the two words, apparently, remained the name - Veliko Gradište. The worldwide famous violin player Vlastimir Pavlović - Carevac was born there. Near Veliko Gradište, in the village Kurjače, there is a female Monastery Nimnik, constructed in 1371. Near a Church dedicated to the St. Nicholas, there is a chapel visited by many people who believe it assists to the sick ones.
Currently, Veliko Gradište is a harbor for all international ships arriving up the Danube from the Black Sea harbors on their way to Vienna and vice versa.

At the 1,433rd kilometer of its flow, the Danube enters Serbia, flows through it for 588 kilometers, it is navigable on its whole flow and a natural connection to Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. The vicinity of the Tisa, the Morava and the Drina, as well as numerous internal channels and lakes, river islands and branches, it makes the sailing an unforgettable happening. On the way though Europe, by its entering Serbia, the Danube flows through the most interesting geographic, geological and cultural / historical regions. It flows from the Pannonian Plains on the north to Đerdap, the largest river gorge in Europe. At its banks, the empires of intact nature, culture created for centuries, cities with their specific characteristics replace each other. On its way through Serbia, the Danube informs the travelers with the origin and disappearance of civilizations, it makes them closer to the nations and their habits.

Internet Serbia Travel News is sailing into Veliko Gradište