VrnjackaVrnjacka SpaSpa The Elite Spa OF THE ROYAL SERBIA he Kings of the two Serbian Spa, often using the designs of magnifi- of the events and people from the Balkans Dynasties could not resist the cent buildings from European capitals. region in the second half of the 19th cen- Tcharms of the Vrnjacka Spa and its The first among them was the villa of the tury. He points out that Vrnjacka Spa curative waters, either. It was drunk by General Jovan Belimarkovic, the Regent developed considerably owing to the Aleksandar Obrenovic and the during the under age of the King Queen Natalija Obrenovic, whose son Karadjordjevics – Petar I, Aleksandar I Aleksandar Obrenovic. By its building Aleksandar visited the Spa in 1889. and Petar II. In return, the Kings made it style and beauty, it remained up to date TOTHEKING’S HONOR a ’Royal’ one and, first of all, the elite spa one of the recognizable symbols of the In spite of the modest testimonies, it is of Serbia. Vrnjacka Spa. The highest ranking guest known for sure that in 1904, King Petar I The beginning of a visible progress of the visiting Belimarkovic in his villa is cer- Karadjordjevic visited Vrnjacka Spa twice, spa in Vrnjci is related to the middle of the tainly King Aleksandar Obrenovic, which on June 29 and July 30, as stated by Jelena 1880’s, with its turn into the state compe- is certified by a photo from that period, as Borovic – Dimic, an archaeologist from tence. well as a note of Felix Philipp Kanitz, an the Spa, in her project ’Kings in Vrnjacka Energetic people from the nearby towns Austrian archaeologist and author writing Spa’. During his first visit, the King stayed build the first villas and mansions in the about his travels, who left valuable records in the Villa Katarina, owned by Miss 8 Jankovic, otherwise living in Belgrade. 1930’s. According to the register in 1933, rated by villas with flower gardens. The The Villa is situated at the edge of the Spa there were 133 handicraft workshops and Spa was gradually getting the image of a park, above the hot water spring. A festive shops in the Spa! Following the famous prestigious chic sanatorium. In such an lunch was organized to the King’s honor, European spas, cultural life in the Spa was ambient, the inhabitants of the Spa wel- to which all famous villagers from Vrnjci developing intesivelly, as well, kermises comed their King Aleksandar I were invited. The King went to the church and classical music concerts are orga- Karadjordjevic. and school, had a bath in the old bath- nized, theaters have got their guest pefor- THE ROYAL COURT – AN UNFULFILLED DESIRE room, on the hot spring. People were fol- mances there. In 1935, the Spa had 257 Unfortunately, there are not many written lowing him all the time, greeting him and mansions and villas and a phantastic visit notices of the King Aleksandar I visits to shouting ’Long live the King!’. The King was recorded just that year – 28,080 Vrnjacka Spa. The Vice President of the waved back, approached children, caress- guests! It was a unique record in Vrnjacka Spa Funs Association, Dr. Djoka ing them and the villagers kissed his Yugoslavia of that time. In 1936, a swim- Jovanovic, a university professor, wrote: hands, to show their respect. Everyone ming pool was constructed in the Spa, the „King Aleksandar I visited Vrnjacka Spa was watching him with great love, while first one in Serbia. In those years, ladies in twice, in 1927 and 1931. He spent three he, although old, was easily crossing from long dresses played cricket, a military weeks in the Spa, drinking mineral water one part of the Spa to another one. After orchestra entertained the guests in the and he was most delighted by its cura- the supper, including about fifty persons, park, whereas chases were organized on tiveness. Thus, he declared he would a dancing party was organized there. The the nearby Goc for hunters. Falconers like to have a Royal Court built in King and Lieutenant Colonel Misic pulled were patiently demonstrating their capa- the Spa for him, in order to visit the kolo. The celebration lasted till late bilities and skills at the reviews, as well. the Spa regularly and cure him- night hours and Vrnjci was unusually illu- The Spa had already had its first polycli nic self! This desire of the minated by many lampions. and railway and tennis was played very deceased King caused a After the World War I, Vrnjacka Spa was much. A beautiful park dominated the pleasant reaction at that developing fast and reached its peak in the central Spa zone, having the edges deco- time and the beginning 9 for ideological reasons and there is no trace of it anymore. However, owing to the skills of the Academic Sculptor Dragisa Obradovic and the preserved photos and picture postcards, a fully identical monument was ressurected in its full shine, almost at the same place, in the central park of Vrnjacka Spa, on July 28, 2006. ZORAIDA FOR PETAR II After the reconstruction of the Vrnjacka Church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God had been completed, in 1938, Petar II Karadjordjevic presented as a gift to this Church the icon Andrej the First Called, a work of Uros Predic. The young King visited Vrnjacka Spa on September 25, 1939. Escorted by General Simovic and a part of the Court escorts, the young King stayed in the villa ’Zoraida’, which belonged to the family of Belgrade’s salesmen Kuzman Nikolic. The villa is situated near the Church, on a hill, which was transformed into a Memorial Park, by planting a thousand oak plantlings, in the spring 1936, dedicated to the King Aleksandar I. The luxury of the Villa Zoraida is witnessed by the data of 25 modern rooms, two apartments, a of the Court construction was construction of the new Spa the Vrnjacka Spa Funs swimming pool with showers, awaited with great joy. The Spa bath. But, very much unfortu- Association built a monument car parking lots and wonder- Management made sure nately for all of us, the King’s as a sign of their gratitude to fully arranged garden of roses. immediately, in order to meet desire was not fulfilled“. the King the Unificator for his As a memory to this visit of the the desire of the Great King, The Royal Court was not con- assistance in the arrangement King Petar II Karadjordjevic, that a separate section is con- structed, but, in 1938, the and improvement of Vrnjacka Vrnjci built a Memorial structed for His Majesty the Circle of Serbian Sisters of the Spa. Unfortunately, in 1946, Fountain, near the Church, in King and His Home during Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the monument was removed 1940. The opposite sides of the 10 Fountain were decorated by applied, tra- On the other marble plate, there was an for the recovery of their legionnaires. As peze shaped, black marble plates. In their engraved sanctification: “As a memory to regarding the first written data, Baron upper part, in the medallion, a portrait of the first visit of the King Petar II to Siegmund Herder made a report with the the King Petar was sculptured and a text Vrnjacka Spa, on September 25, 1939. first official data on the performed che - was engraved under it. The marble plates This Memoarial Fountain is built by the mical analysis of the Vrnjacka mineral were removed by force, some time after Sokol Association of Vrnjacka Spa, the waters, by order of Prince Milos the end of the World War II and smashed. Orthodox Church, President of the Spa Obrenovic, in 1835. The text reconstruction discovers for us Management and the Vrnjacka Spa Funs The beginning of the organized tourism the verses of Vojislav Jovan Ilic Junior: Association. September 21, 1940“. dealing in Vrnjacka Spa is related to July „Many hurry up the path; THE VRNJACKA TIME MACHINE 1, 1868, when the shareholding compa- With the Holy Song Based upon the found archaeological ny ’The Founding Company for the From the Holy Church materials, since there are no written his- Curative Mineral Hot Water in Vrnjci“ issued the invitation, by To Heaven to go. torical sources on the founding of Vrnjacka Spa, it was found out that the which it invites the citizens to This is a hot hymn Vrnjacka curative mineral waters were fulfill their patriotic duty by And gratitude to God used in the ancient time. The Romans, giving a financial contribu- For the Vrnjacka glorious famous for keeping the beauty and physi- tion for the settlement and use of the Vrnjacka Rescue water.” cal health cult, used the hot mineral water 11 mineral waters. The initiator of gathering sons traveled away without a considerable cialized in the needs of the Spa guests, the Vrnjacka visionaries, the citizens from relief”. In the Spa season 1870, Dr. Franjo while the first Spa reading room was in a Trstenik, Krusevac and Kraljevo, was Ribnikar practiced as the Spa physician, smaller room there. The daily newspa- Pavle Mutavdzic, at that time the Regional the father of Slobodan, Vladislav and pers, brochures with medical advices and Chief in Krusevac. At te beginning of Darko Ribnikar, founders of the newspa- other literature were read there. The first crea ting a modern spa, a recognized per Politika. cafe and milk restaurant was opened in cu ring center, the Company bought the The news of the Vrnjacka water curative- 1925. Milan Vukovic is meritorious for land around the springs by their own ness became famous fast.