Serbia on the palm of your hand

Mt Rudnik, which commands central Serbia, is situated some 100 km south of Belgrade. Its highest peak is the Cvijic Peak (at 1132 meters above sea level), and the Srednji and Mali Šturac, Molitve, Paljevine and Marijanac peaks are all more than 1000 meters high. Roads to Mt Rudnik are good. Some of the advantages of Mt Rudnik are its proximity to historic sites such as Oplenac, Takovo, Vracevšnica Convent, Voljavca, Nikolje and the monasteries of the Ovcar and Kablar gorge, as well as its nice climate, clean air and numerous walking paths.

Jerina's town on top of Ostrvica is a challenge for mountaineers

The mountain and town of Rudnik were inhabited long before Slavs moved to this region. Ancient Romans and people who lived in the Nemanjic era dug ores and made coins in this area. Today, you can stay at the 65-bed Neda Hotel, with its sports grounds and swimming pool, and if you wish, you can climb the highest peak in Šumadija, the Cvijic Peak (1,132 meters) or the steep volcanic elevation of Ostrvica and reach the walls of Jerina's town, mentioned in Vojislav Ilic's poem. You must also visit the Climbers' Chalet and the Forest House. An environmentalist commune called the Clear Streams Family lives in the vicinity of the town.

From the history book

In the ancient era, Rudnik was a mining centre. Before the Ancient Romans, this area was inhabited by Illyrians and Celts. A large number of archaeological finds on Mt Rudnik indicate that a large Roman settlement was situated here. In the Middle Ages, Serbian rulers and wealthy feudal lords fought for the well-known mining centre of Rudnik. In the 15th century, Ragusans and Saxons had their colonies here. Rudnik gained special importance after 1441, when the Ottomans seized Novo Brdo. Despot Djuradj Brankovic had his mint and summer house on Mt Rudnik. Mining was not the only source of income for Rudnik's inhabitants. This was a settlement with developed crafts and trade, a cosmopolitan town, which spread its cultural influence throughout Serbia.