At
the foothills of the mountains Bukulja and Vencac, at the altitude
of about 255 m, 76 km far from Belgrade, the town of Arandelovac
is situated and Bukovicka Spa is in its center. This territory
used to belong to the village Vrbica, in which Prince Milos Obrenovic
often used the mineral water benefits. As long ago as in 1811,
Dositej Obradovic improved his health by it, and since the mineral
water from Bukovik was pleasant also for Princess Ljubica, Prince
Milos instructed Dr. Emerich Lindemeier, Chief of the Army Medical
Corps and Superintendent of the Sanitary Department, to start
the research. The received analyses were confirmed by the Vienna
Laboratory and the water became curative also officially. In 1858,
Prince Milos had the Church Pokajnica, devoted to St. Archengel
Gavrilo, built and decided to form a town from sections of the
villages Vrbica and Bukovik, called by him Arandelovac. So, with
his assistance, the development of the spa tourism in this region
began. The mineral water, already at that time supplied and used
at the Royal Court, upon personal request of Prince Milos, was
bottled by hand as Bukovicka Water Knjaz (Prince) Milos, in time,
as table water, it was awarded international quality awards (in
1906, in Brussels, in 1907, in London, in 1996 in Brussels and
Varna).
Although this region history goes back to prehistory,
the remnants of which may be seen in the nearby Risovaca Cave
and the National Museum of Arandelovac, safekeeping many exhibits
within paleontology, archeology, ethnology and history as witnesses
of the financial and spiritual culture in the regions of this
section of Sumadija, the Arandelovac synonym is certainly Bukovicka
Spa, the medical tourism center. It is surrounded by a park having
the area of more than 22 hectares. The park land was bought already
in 1849 and the first paths were marked at that time, the trees
were planted, the springs and baths Talpara and Dulara were arranged.
In the 1870’s, during the rule of Prince Mihailo Obrenovic, Bukovicka
Spa became one of the best arranged balneology tourism settlements
and building of the Old Edifice, the oldest preserved facility
in the park, an example of Serbian Romanticism Architecture, was
started as the Dynasty’s Summer Residence and the Assembly House.
And when so-called ‘Picnic Train’ was introduced, in 1906, and
used by Belgrade inhabitants every weekend in the season to travel
from Topcider to Arandelovac, it was clear that Bukovicka Spa
became the most popular fashionable meeting point of Serbia at
that time.
Although the times changed and Bukovicka Spa
is not what it was anymore, the tourists still have something
to see and experience. Arandelovac has got two Churches of St.
Archengel Gavrilo – One of them was built in 1835, on the foundations
of the Medieval Church since 1480 and the Archpriest Atanasije
Bukovicki swore the rebels to the fidelity to their fatherland
and the other one was built by Prince Milos. The Clog Churches
in Vencani and Darosava are also worth seeing, as well as the
newly built Church of St. Apostels Peter and Paul, one of the
largest ones in Sumadija. The freedom tradition of this region
left the memory to the First Serbian Uprising in the village of
Orasac, when creation of modern Serbian state began. In addition
to the Prince Milosa Pavillion and several mineral water springs,
the park under Bukulja is famous at present also for the greatest
sculpture outdoor collection. These sculptor works of local and
international artists were mostly created within the White Vencac
International Symposium, included by the UNESCO into the most
important worldwide attractions within painting arts. The beneficial
characteristics of Bukovicka mineral water, although not used
in once beautiful and now rather ruined buildings anymore, are
still the treatment basis in the Special Hospital Bukovicka Spa,
but they found their new usage value in the swimming pools and
Aqua Park of the modern Izvor Hotel, currently the tourism development
holder in this region.
WHAT TO SEE |
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On February 15,1804,
at the Presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple,
it was decided at the village of Orasac, near Arandelovac,
to raise the First Serbian Uprising and Karadorde
Petrovic was proclaimed the superior leader. A monument
complex was built in the memory of it, consisting
of the Assumption Church, Memory School and Memory
Fountain in Maricevica Ditch, Karadorde Museum and
Sculpture. |
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![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/staobici/risovaca,arandjelovac,pecinskiljudi,istn.jpg) |
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At the Arandelovac
entrance, there is Risovaca Hill, with the
Cave under the same name, famous among scientists
under the name „The Underground Paleolythic
Museum“. It includes the prehistoric man and
animal reconstructions |
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VENCAC AND BUKULJA
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Marked hiking paths, starting from the
Spa Park, lead to the mountain Bukulja (696
m). On the top is 19 m high view point.
Vencac (658m), famous for marble, from which
the St. George Church on Oplenac, French
Embassy in Belgrade and a section of White
House in Washington were built.
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![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/staobici/jezerogarasiarandjelovacistn.jpg) |
THE GARASI LAKE
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At the foothills
of the mountain Bukulja, there is the accummulation
lake of Garasi, famous picnic place of Arandelovac
inhabitants. |
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TOPOLA - OPLENAC |
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15 km far from Arandelovac is Topola, with the Karadordevici Memorial
Complex on Oplenac. |
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![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/parkbukovickabanjaskulptureistn.jpg)
SPECIAL REHABILITATION HOSPITAL BUKOVICKA SPA |
In the Special Rehabilitation Hospital Bukovicka
Spa, based upon the mineral water, clay and climate
curability, modern therapy methods in curing the
diseases of gastrointestinal and hepathobiliar
systems, respiratory system, as well as injuries
and diseases of the locomotive system, are implemented.
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The recreational
section consists of a swimming pool with Jacouzzi
bath and underwater massage, sauna, hydrokynetic showers,
shower massage with a changing pressure and temperature,
mud baths and the fitness cabinet. |
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![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/bukovickabanjanekada.jpg)
WHERE TO STAY |
The hotel and catering facilities are diverse:
Izvor Hotel, Kruna Bed & Breakfast
Establishment, Villas Aleksandar, Vidikovac
and Sokol, The Golden Kettle Mansion, ethnic
villages “Elms and Vision” and “Karadorde
Inn”, as well as many household facilities
and restaurants.
![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/gdeodsesti/etnoselobrestoviivizijaistn.jpg) |
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![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/narodnimuzejarandjelovacistn.jpg)
![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/arandjelovacsfinga.jpg)
![](http://www.istnews.com/131/destinacijearandjelovac/bukovickabanjaparksaskulpturamaistn.jpg) |