Zajecar - engleski - niska rezolucija

CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
PRINCIP PRESS

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Articles
Bra ni slav Ma tić, Ol ga Vu ka di no vić, Vuk san Ce ro vić,
Archives of “National Review”, Archives of the City of Za je ča r
Photographs and illustrations
Dra gan Bo snić, Ra ša Mi lo je vić, Archives of “National Review”,
Archives of the City of Za je ča r, Central Library “Sve to zar Mar ko vić”,
historical Archives “Ti moč ka kra ji na”, National Museum in Za je ča r
Translated by
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Mar ke ting
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Народна библиотека Србије, Београд
338.48(497.11 Зајечар)
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MATIĆ, Branislav, 1965-
Zaječar, Capital of Serbian East /
[articles Branislav Matić, Olga Vukadinović,
Vuksan Cerović ; photographs and
illustrations Dragan Bosnić, Raša Milojević].
- Belgrade : Princip pres ; Zaječar : City of
Zaječar, 2012 (Belgrade : Portal). - 207 str.
: fotogr. ; 21 cm
Izv. stv. nasl.: Zaječar, prestonica srpskog
istoka. - Podatak o autorima preuzet iz
kolofona. - Tiraž 500.
ISBN 978-86-6189-027-7 (PP)
1. Vukadinović, Olga [аутор] 2. Cerović,
Vuksan [аутор]
a) Зајечар
COBISS.SR-ID 190645516
Copyright © “Prin cip Pres”. All rights reserved

Zaječar
CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Belgrade-Zaječar
2012

Harvest and wine festival in
“Fe lix Romuliana”, Gam zi grad, 21 st century

BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY 5
IN FRONT OF OPEN GATES OF ZAJEČAR
The City Older than Its Name
The oldest preserved written account of Zaječar is the one from Turkish census in 1466, during
the time of sultan Meh me d, known as Mehmed the Conqueror among the Turks. A small settlement
had only eight families and was paying levy in thee amount of 540 akçes to the landlord.
This is how most contemporary chronicles begin their story about Za je ča r. However, the history
of this region – and history of the archetypal city from where Zaječar would sprout many
times, under different names and on different locations in this area – dates back to a very distant
past. It is not possible to list all of its rulers, all states and peoples in which this city would
arouse. It is not known how
many times, in the fire of
creation and fire of demolition,
ramparts and towers were
created and disappeared, as
well as palaces and temples,
city squares and
bridges of this city,
older than its own
name. How many
times they would be
relocated, put out
there and grew somewhere
else, different
following the logic
of new era and some
other people.
At the time when
imperial Felix Romuliana
thrived about
ten kilometers to the
west from here (early
4 th century), there
was nothing on the
place occupied by
Za je čar today.
Today, it is the
other way around.
Who knows what
it will be like tomorrow?
Dionysus, frag ment of
a mosaic, Gam zi grad,
early 4 th century
This questions leads us at least one giant step further from any arrogance and brings us at
least a little bitz closer to the balm of that quiet wisdom that soothes our lives.
And there is this city, before us, with its gates and its heart open. After everything, it is struggling
for its real place under the sun in the new century and new millennium.
Let us enter it with a serene cheerfulness, like one would go to meet an old friend.

6
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Table of Contents
Beginning of the road
The city older than its name (5)
Manual
History
Culture
Basic information (8)
Ma p (10)
Overview of most important
events (14)
Growing of a new town (32)
Strength for new recuperation (36)
Self-defense with culture (38)
Institutions and organizations:
Cultural centre (40), Movie Theatre
(42), Theatre (44), Historical
Archives (46), Library (48),
National Museum (48), “ZA art” (50)
Events: “Gi ta ri ja da” (50), “Flower in
the word, flower in the image” (50),
Village competition (50),
“Days of Haj duk-Velj ko ” (50),
“Vra žo gr nač ki to čak” (50),
Festival of Wind Instruments
(50), “Đur đev dan Festival” (50),
Festival of children’s folk art (50),
Art Colony “Gam zi grad” (52),
Recital Festival (52),
Fe sti val of folklore of Euro-Region
“Danube 21” (52), “Days of
European Heritage” (52)
From hunting, wall relief in white marble,
Gam zi grad, 3 rd – 4 th century
Monuments: “Felix Romuliana”
(52), Memorial fountain (54),
Monument to people from Timok
killed in 1833 (54), Monument to
participants of the Timok
Rebellion (54),
Monument to warriors in Serbian
liberation wars 1912-1918 (54),
Monument to Ni ko la Pa ši ć (56),
Monument and charnel house of
warriors of the National Liberation
War and victims of occupational
terror (56), Cemetery of French
soldiers (56)
Education
Development of education and other
victories (58)
Abut schools, in a few words (62)
Preschool institutions (66)
Economy
Beginnings (68)
In du stry born in brewery(70)
Treasure in the bosom of the
earth (70)
Light bulbs put out the lanterns (72)
Cursed Zaječar glass (74)
Textile workers, wood processing
workers, tanners (76)
Agriculture (80)
Ban ks (82)
Traffic (86)
Post (90)
Heridate
Architectural heritage:
Ra dul be g’s Residence (92), Turkish
Mill (92), Church of the Holy
Mother of God (94), Gymnasium
building (94), Building of Male
Elementary School (94), Rajković’s
Palace (94), District Office (96),

ORIENTATION 7
Artillery Barracks (96), Municipality
House (96), Guildhall / Theatre (92),
House at Pro te Ma te je Street (96),
Building at Uli ci Đu re Sa la ja
Street (96)
Sacral heritage: Churches and
monasteries (98), The Eparchy of
Timok (102), All bishops (104),
Votive crosses(124)
Highlands
Mountains: Tu pi žni ca (106),
De li Jo van (106), Old Mountain
(106)
Caves: Led ni ca, Da vi dov pro past...
(106)
Power of water
Rivers (108), Gorges (108), Waterfall
near the monastery (108), Three
lakes (110), Waiting water (112),
Health from the depth (114), Ar terske
če sme (116)
Villages
Introduction (120), Bo ro vac (122),
Bru snik (122), Ve li ki Iz vor (122),
Ve li ki Ja se no vac (124), Ve li ka Ja siko
va (126), Vra žo gr nac (126), Vratar
ni ca (128), Vr bi ca (130), Gam zigrad
(132), Glo go vi ca (132), Gor nja
Be la Re ka (134), Grad sko vo (136),
Gr li šte (136), Gr ljan (136), Du bo čane
(138), Za gra đe (140), Zve zdan
(140), Je la šni ca (142), Kle no vac
(142), Ko priv ni ca (142), La so vo
(144), Le no vac (144), Le sko vac
(146), Lub ni ca (146), Ma li
Ja se no vac (146), Ma la Ja si ko va
(148), Ma li Iz vor (148), Ma ri no vac
(150), Me triš (148), Ni ko li če vo
(150), Pla ni ni ca (152), Pr li ta (152),
Rgo ti na (154), Sa laš (154), Se lač ka
(154), Ta ba ko vac (156), Tr na vac
(156), Ha lo vo (158), Ši pi ko vo (158),
Šlji var (158)
Sleeping Ariadna, wall relief
in white marble, Gam zi grad,
3 rd – 4 th century
Tourism
Sketches for action (160)
Skiing, “Po po va pla ža”, ethno (160)
Gam zi grad ska Ba nja (160, 216)
Healthcare
Reminder: History and present
(162)
Pharmacies (164)
Sport
Me dia
Beginnings (168), Football (168),
Handball (170), Horse riding (170),
Volleyball (172), Gymnastics (172),
Chess (172), Basketball (174),
Association (174)
Daily papers and magazines (176),
Electronic media (178)
People, time, works
Famous people from Za je čar :
Haj duk-Velj ko (182), Adam
Bo go sa vlje vić (184), Sve to zar
Mar ko vić (186), Ni ko la Pa šić (188),
Đor đe Gen čić (190), Ni ko la Co lo vić
(192), Ma rin ko Sta no je vić (194),
Zo ran Rad mi lo vić (194)
A man from Zaječar at the head of
the Empire: Emperor Galerius (198)
Service information (206)
Introductions (208)

8
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Basic information
Geographical position: Between 43 rd and 53 rd
degree latitude, and.e. between 20 th and 40 th
degree of east longitude, at the confluence of
the Black and White Timok rivers, more precisely
in the valley between two rivers.
Altitude: 137 meters (average)
Climate: Continental, moderately humid,
with warm summers and moderately cold
winters, with variable transitional seasons,
whereby autumns are warmer than springs.
Average annual air temperature: 10.6 degrees
Celsius. During vegetation period (April
– September) average tem pe ra tu re is 18.1 degrees
Celsius
Precipitation: Average annual precipitation
633 mm (in this respect, Za je čar Basin has characteristics
of Central European regime). September
is the driest, may is the rainiest month.
Land: Out of total 107.000 ha, 48.543 ha is
under farmland and gardens, 1.644 ha under
orchards, 2.781 ha under vineyards, 8.237 ha
under meadows, 9.369 ha under pastures and
30.498 ha under forests.
Neighboring municipalities: Bor, Negotin,
Boljevac, Knjaževac and Sokobanja
Roads: At the intersection of roads Ne go tin
– Niš and Pa ra ćin – Vi din, important hub of
Eastern Serbia.
Archivolts from Gam zi gra d, found in 1984.
Distances:
• Belgrade – 250 km
• Niš – 95 km
• Vidin (Bulgaria) – 40 km
• Sofia (Bulgaria) – 200 km
• Paraćin – 90 km
• Prahovo, the Danube – 60 km
• Sokobanja – 40 km
Railway lines: Zaječar is the main railway
hub of Timočka krajina, where railway lines
Niš–Pra ho vo and Majdanpek–Bor–Prahovo
intersect.
Air traffic: Niš Airport is about 70 km away
from Zaječar, and Belgrade Airport about 250
km away
Postal code: 019
Settlements: 42
Population density: 68.3 people per km 2
Ethnic structure: According to census from
2002, the city of Zaječar has a population of
65,969. Out of this, 59,867 are Serbs (90.7
percent), 2,981 Vlachs (4.51 percent), 0.49
percent of Roma people, 0.33 percent of Romanuans...
Villages: Bo ro vac, Bru snik, Ve li ki Iz vor,
Ve li ki Ja se no vac, Ve li ka Ja si ko va, Vra žo grnac,
Vra tar ni ca, Vr bi ca, Gam zi grad, Glo govi
ca, Gor nja Be la Re ka, Grad sko vo, Gr li šte,
Gr ljan, Du bo ča ne, Za gra đe, Zve zdan, Je lašni
ca, Kle no vac, Ko priv ni ca, La so vo, Le novac,
Le sko vac, Lub ni ca, Ma li Iz vor, Ma li Jase
no vac, Ma la Ja si ko va, Ma ri no vac, Me triš,
Ni ko li če vo, Pla ni ni ca, Pr li ta, Rgo ti na, Sa laš,
Se lač ka, Ta ba ko vac, Tr na vac, Ha lo vo, Ši piko
vo, Šlji var
Saint day: The Nativity of the Holy Mother of
God (Mala Gospojina), September 21
Day of the city: May 10, the Day of Liberation
from Turks in 1933.
Other saint days and jubilees: October 19
(Liberation Day in World War One), September
7 (Liberation Day in World War Two),
October 7 (The Day of Soldiers in Wars of
1990-1999)

MAP OF THE CITY OF ZAJEČAR

14
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Chronology
Overview of the most important events
About 6000 BC: Pre-Neolithic cultures arrived
to Ti moč ka kra ji na down the Danube,
then up the Ti mok River. Their traces were
found in Lju bi čev ac, Du ša nov ac, Pra ho vo, Jela
šni ca, Ve li ki Iz vo r, Gr lja n, Le skov ac, Le novac,
Gor nja Be la Re ka, Ra di čev ac...
4500-3500 BC. Vinča culture was present in
Kra ji na. This is verified by the found residential
houses, tools, as well as four anthropomorphous
statues that are today kept at the
National Museum in Zaječar.
About 2700 BC. Bu banj -Hum culture moves
through Svr lji g and descends to the Ti mo k
Basin (findings in early layer of Zlot ska Cave,
and in surface layers from Gor nja Be la Re ka
and Bre sto vač ka Ba nja).
About 2000 BC. A large number of no mads-stockbreeders
advance from the north to
the Timok Basin, mix with Indo-European
groups, thus creating (according to academics)
peoples that would later be known as Illyrians
and Thracians pod.
14 th century BC. At the location Pi šu ra česma,
on the eastern rim of the city, a necropolis
from this era was discovered – the oldest
material evidence on the existence of a settlement
in the area of today’s Zaječar.
Mid 4 th century. Tri ba ls, the oldest known
inhabitants of Ti moč ka kra ji na, frequently attack
Greece, and were therefore conquered by
Filip II of Macedon (382-336).
335 BC. A year after his father’s death, Alexander
the Great, through a forceful military
action, made it clear to the tumultuous ancient
peoples of Ti moč ka kra ji na, primar-
Imperial palace in Gam zi gra d, 3 rd – 4 th century, model at the site

HISTORY
15
ily to the Tri ba ls, that stability of the crown
cannot be jeopardized and that it would not
be taken lightly.
1 st century BC. In the middle of this century,
Romans arrive to the area of what is today
Ti moč ka kra ji na and come in contact with
Meze, then dominant ethnic group in this
region.
28 BC. After two and a half decades of Meze’s
bravely resisting the attacks of numerous Roman
campaigns, Roman general Mar ko Kras
conquered them. Becoming a part of the powerful
empire brought big (mostly very positive)
changes in life and history of this city.
250. Galerius, the future Roman general, Caesar
and August was born at a country estate in
today’s Gam zi gra d, near Zaječar.
293 AD. Galerius gained the title of Caesar,
and Diocletian called him “new Ro mu lus”.
297. Galerius won a big battle against Persian
emperor Narsej, and in later iconography this
victory was compared with Alexander’s victory
over Darius and with Dionysus’ victorious
campaign to India.
298. In his hometown, in the territory of today’s
Gam zi gra d, Caesar Galerius begins the
construction of the first (older) fortification
and palace in the complex that would later
become known as “Felix Romuliana”.
305 AD. Galerius becomes one of the two Augustus,
and the following year, after sudden
death of Constantius Chlorus (the second Augustus)
in Britain, and the most powerful man
in the Roman Empire.
306. Construction of younger fortification in
“Felix Ro mu li ja na” began, and it was finally
transformed in a luxurious city-palace, where
Galerius planned to withdraw in 312, after
leaving its throne to Caesars – successors at
Hercules’ head, Gam zi grad, about 310
the 20 th anniversary of his reign, in accordance
with Diocletian’s tetrarchy program.
The place where this astounding city was built
in a short time is the place where the emperor
was born and consecrated.
311. Emperor Galerius, already worn by severe
illness, dies on the road to Ser di ka (Sofia).
He did not live to withdraw from power
and move into “Felix Ro mu li a na”.
306. Felix Romuliana is mentioned in Epi tomae,
a work written by anonymous author,
ascribed to Aurelius Victor. Emperor Galerius,
it says, “was born and buried In Coastal
Dacia, in the place that he called Romuliana,
after his mother Romula”.
4 th century. Roman emperors in this century
left Felix Romuliana to Christian church, and
temples with crosses on top sprout in this pagan
imperial city.

16
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
5 th century. On several occasions during barbarian
invasions (primarily by Huns), Felix
Romuliana was destroyed and looted, then
rebuilt, but very modestly.
6 th century. Emperor Justinian I rebuilt Romuliana
as an important border fortification.
In 555, In his work On Buildings (De aedi fi ciis),
Procopius mentions this in the list of what
Justinian had rebuilt in Akva region. During
invasion of Avars in 585 and 586, when they
conquered most of the cities of the Coastal
Dacia, Felix Romuliana was destroyed and
looted again.
615. Under threats from new invasions, sad
remains of Felix Romuliana, a testimony of
transience of power and strength of forces of
destruction, are abandoned. Formerly powerful
imperial city – occupying about sic and a
half hectares, with over 20 fortified towers,
luxurious imperial palace, thermal springs and
promenades, two pagan temples, with floor
mosaics that belong to the best achievements
of late antiquity in the entire Europe, with
three Christian churches built later – finished
its three-centuries long turbulent history. Soon
it will be covered by earth and oblivion.
818. Timok people, Slavs who inhabited today’s
Timočka krajina since the 6 th century and who
called themselves that, refused to further accept
supreme power of Bulgarian rulers, and
a large number of them moved to Slavonija,
which was then a part of Franconia.
927. After the death of Bulgarian emperor
Si me o n I, in the area that Timočka krajina is
a part of, an era of power struggles began, a
period of instability 365 years long, in which
Serbs, Bulgarians, Byzantines and Hungarians
were involved.
971. After being conquered by the Byzantines,
Gam zi grad (Felix Romuliana) was again
inhabited for a certain period.
1060’s. Felix Romuliana is finally deserted.
1183. Serbian prefect Stefan Nemanja, after
coming at the head of great army of Ću pri ja,
through Če sto bro di ca, and descending to the
Timok valley, conquers Zaječar and the surrounding
areas from the Byzantines and annexes
them to his state.
1190. After defeat on the Mo ra va River,
Ste fan Ne ma nja had to return the area of
Timočka krajina to the Byzantine.
Saint in wood, Gr li šte
1291. Notorious Bulgarian-Tatar noblemen
Dr man and Ku de lin were driven away from
Bra ni če vo, and this region was annexed to
northern Serbian kingdom of Dra gu ti n Nema
nji ć. King Mi lu tin broke the attempt of
counterattack and pursued them all the way
to Vi di n. Local Tatar nobleman Ši šman managed
to solicit peace and accepted vassal status
under Serbian supreme power.

HISTORY
17
“Fe liks Romuliana”, Gam zi grad, today
13 th century. After the weakening of the Byzantine
Empire, Bulgarians reigned over this
area, albeit for a short while. Later Serbian
rulers from Nemanjić dynasty return Timočka
krajina into the Serbian state.
1365. During the time of weakened Serbian
Empire after the death of emperor Dušan the
Mighty, Hungarians occupied Vi din and took
the area under their rule.
1396. Seven years after the Battle of Kosowo,
great Turkish army entered Krajina and conquered
it. This occupation would last for 437
years, with several shorter breaks in the 17 th
and 18 th century.
1466. Za je čar is first mentioned in Turkish
census. The village only had eight families
and was paying levy in thee amount of 540
akçes to the landlord.
17 th and 18 th century. At the time of numerous
Austro-Hungarian wars against Turkey
(1683-1699, 1716-1718, 1737-1739, 1788),
Ti moč ka kra ji na, as well as the entire Serbia,
experienced suffering on both sides, and especially
Turkish side. Requisitions, desolations,
vengeance, lootings, terror. Therefore frequent
refuges and migration across the Danube.
1784. Within “field exploration” before the
new war against Turkey, an Austrian spy, flagbearer
Po kor ni, reports that the village of Zaje
čar has 150 Christian homes and one Turkish
inn at a blockhouse, Ve li ki Iz vor 250, and
Gr ljan 120 homes.
1805. Inflaming of the First Serbian Insurrection
inspired rebellious movements in
the majoprity of Serbian territories, including
Timočka krajina. Prince Mi li sav Đor đević
from Cr na Re ka, priest Ra di sav Jo va no vić
from Pla ni ni ca and Iv ko from Kri vi Vi r gathered
the rebels, killed a Turkish subasa near
Ili na, started toward Za je čar, but a Osman
Pa zva no glu, a vizier from Vidin, intercepted
them and “calmed them down with friendly
offers and forgiveness”.

18
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Su vo dol Monastery, detail of a fresco, 20 th century
1807. After the liberation of Belgrade in 1806,
death of Osma n Pa zva no glu in early 1807 and
inflammation of war between Russia and Turkey,
Ka ra đor đe allowed people from Timok
and Crna reka to raise a rebellion. Led by
haj duk-Velj ko and priest Ra di sa v, they soon
liberated the major part of Krajina and Gurgu
sov ci, inclusing Za je čar.
1813. In order to resist Na po le o n, Russia
already stopped the war against Turkey. A
severe crisis ensued, and soon the failure of
the First Serbian Insurrection. Haj duk Velj ko
Pe tr o vić was killed with unprecedented heroism,
defending Ne go tin. Turks conquered the
entire eastern Serbia again.
1829. Another Jedren Peace Treaty signed between
Russia and Turkey included Ottoman
obligation to “return the snatched areas to
Serbia”, which included Ti moč ka kra ji na.
1830. Awaiting liberation of Zaječar from
Turks, the first secular school was opened in
the city, located in a thatch, with one class.
The first teacher was Sa va Jo va no vić, the second
Pa ja Živ ko vić.
1833. On April twentieth, Prince Mi loš Obreno
vić gave the order that people of Eastern
Serbia should join the rebellion. Liberation of
the entire region and its annexation to Serbia
would be completed in May. On May 24,
Por ta recognized the condition established
through insurrection (which it should have
done earlier, on the basis of signed provisions
of the Jedren Peace Treaty from 1829, but it
violated its contracted obligations).
1834. The Eparchy of Timok within Serbian
Orthodox Church was established. Do si tej
(No va ko vić) was consecrated as the first bishop,
on Sretenje, and he would remain on this
position for the next 20 years.
1835. Former first Zaječar private school,
which was meanwhile reorganized into municipal
school, now becomes “pra vi telj stve na”

HISTORY
19
(state), one out of 21 in Serbia at that time.
The first doctors arrive to Timočka krajina:
self-taught Sa va Jo va no vić, doctor Re brić
(Master of Science in surgery), and later doctor
Bi he le (with degrees in medicine and veterinary
sciences).
1836. The first high school and gymnasium
was opened in Zaječar, only three years after
at that time the only Serbian gymnasium in
Kra gu jev ac. 29 craftsmen are working in the
city (three tailors making traditional clothes,
nine other tailors, eight craftsmen making
leather apparel, craftsmen painting textile,
two bag makers) and 21 taverns. Zaječar fair
was established.
1839. The seat of Eparchy was moved from
Zaječar to Ne go tin. That same year, Zaječar
gymnasium was also moved to Ne go tin.
1843. The first post office was opened in
Zaječar, third class branch. Di mi tri je Ka pa ris,
born in Epirus, became the first permanent
doctor in the city (on September 16).
1845. Ba ron Zig mund Av gust Her der, a Saxon
royal mining governor, in his book Mining
Road Through Serbia, provides the first modern
description and professional assessment
of ancient remains in Gam zi gra d. Merchant
Mi len ko Ste va no vić was the first person who
enabled people from Zaječar to buy books at
his store.
1853. Schools were opened in Za gra đe, Vr bica,
Lub ni ca and Ve li ki Iz vo r.
1855. A school was opened in Zve zda n. Female
elementary school began to work in Zaje
ča r, led by Eka ta ri na Ko stić from Ko vi n.
1856. Upon a decree of district chief Alek sandar
N. Tr fi ko vi ć, the cobbling of streets began
and Za je čar soon began to look like a “true
city”. The first hospital and the first bookstore
were opened.
1860. Austrian archaeologist and travel
writer Felix Ka nic stayed in Gam zi gra d,
made drawings of then visible wall and the
Ra dul-be g’s Residence, a part of exhibition “The Old Za je čar”, 19 th century

20
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Hunting, detail of a mosaic,
finding from ceremonial hall of
Galerius’ palace, Gam zi grad,
early 4 th century
surroundings, and also presents some brave
assumptions that would prove to be true
almost one hundred years later. Transportation
of postal parcels and passengers on
carriages began between Te ki ja, Ne go tin,
Za je čar and Knja že vac. Za je čar got its first
telegraph station. Weekly school for apprentices
began to work.
1864. Felix Ka nic in Gam zi gra d again.
1866. The Reading Room was established,
the first modern cultural institution In Za ječa
r. We know that eight years later, in 1874,
it had 105 members, 300 books, one map and
6 paintings. It was subscribed for 24 daily papers,
out of that 3 in foreign languages.
1868. The first hospital in Za je ča r, in the
house of the La lo vi ć family, near “Va nja’s
Brewery”, had je 20 beds.
1869. As the reaction of Zaječar people to
the fact that their gymnasium was again
moved to Ne go tin, they opened two-level real
school, which would grow into a junior high
school by 1880.
1872. Serbia in the East, the most famous work
of Svetozar Marković from Zaječar, was published
in Novi Sad.
1875. Svetozar Marković died of tuberculosis
on March 10 in Trieste, at the age of 29. His
last words were: “Hold your tears and work for
your people.”
1876. in order to help Serbian Rebels in
Bosnia and Herzegovina (rebellion from
1875), Serbia and Montenegro entered the
war against Turks. Ti mok army, led by colonel
Mi loj ko Leš ja ni n, was holding the Vidin
direction. In July, Morava and Timok army
merged into one group LED by the famous
Russian general Čer nja je v. Peace, under the
minimum terms that were acceptable for
Serbia, with preserving the pre-war bor-

HISTORY
21
ders, was achieved under the pressure that
Russia exerted over Turkey.
1877. On April 12, Russia enters a new war
against Turkey, and Serbia immediately joins
Russia. Timok people participate in fierce battles
on various parts of the front. More ready
and more cautious Serbia achieves significant
success at the battlefield and territorial expansions,
but these were annulled with disputable
decisions of Berlin Congress of the following
year. Gam zi gra d is written about by M. Mi li ćević,
J. Dra ga še vić, V. Ka rić, J. Mi ško vić...
1879. Singing club “Ti mok” was founded in
Za je ča r.
1880. The first printing office was established
in Za je ča r. A Czech, Fra njo Va vri ček,
opened the first pharmacy in Za je ča r, at Hajduk-Velj
ko va Street.
1881. The first gymnasium reading room and
students’ association “Na pre dak” were established.
1882. The first steam brewery in Zaječar began
to work. Zaječar society for gymnastics
and fencing began to work, upon initiative
of a group of officers from the city garrison,
which is the beginning of organized sport
and physical culture in the city.
1883. The Ti mok Rebellion. Started with rebellion
of villagers because of government
decision on branding and forced listing of
cattle, first in Gr lja ne, then in Gam zi gra d and
other places, and it ended in introduction of
martial law and intervention of regular army.
Cangaroo court sentenced 825 participants,
out of them 94 were sentenced to death. A
dedicated building of Zaječar Gymnasium
was built, after the design by Ri har d Lan g,
grandfather of Zo ra n Rad mi lo vi ć.
1884. Zaječarac, calendar for 1884-1885 was
published, which is considered to be the first

22
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Monument to Lju ba Di di ć
on Kra lje vi ca
publication published in Zaječar. “Za je čar
cooperative for mutual help and savings” –
the first local bank was established.
1885. Steam brewery was built, the first industrial
building in Zaječar. New reckless adventure
of king Milan, war against Bulgaria,
and shameful defeat on the Sliv ni ca.
1886. At the printing office of Mi li sa v Ni ko li ć
Ja go din ac, anthology Heroic poems and virtues
of Serbian soldiers in Serbia-Turkey War from
1876-1878 was publishedIt was edited by Milen
ko Pet ko vić Vla so tin ča nin, and this is the
oldest preserved book printed in Zaječar.
1887. Belgian industrial society “So ci e te gene
ra le po ur fa vo ri ser l’in du strie na ti o na le”
took over the coal mine “Vr ška ču ka” and
turned it into the most advanced mine in Serbia
at that time.
1889. After abdication of king Milan, Ni ko la
Pa šić, the leader of the radicals from Zaječar,
returns to Serbia from six years long emigration.
Professor Si ma Lo za nić performed
the first thorough analysis of thermal water
from Gam zi grad ska Ba nja, confirming its exceptional
properties. Narrow gauge rail was
opened from “Vr ška ču ka” mine to Ra du jevac
port on the Danube. Weekly magazine Timo
ča nin was launched, owned by the Radical
Party, the first media in Zaječar.
1890. Ni ko la Pa šić was elected president of
the National Assembly of the Kingdom of
Serbia. Society for gymnastics and fighting,
Society of Horsemen “Knez Mi ha i lo” and
Shooting Club were founded in Zaječar. Miha
i lo Val tro vić (1839-1915), the founder
and first professor of archaeology in Serbia,
published its article on Gam zi gra d. Aftre the
finding of professor Si ma Lo za ni ć, first medical
treatments began in Gam zi grad ska Ba nja.
1891. Ni ko la Pa šić, as the Prime MInister,
established his first cabinet. On May 21, the
first and the only issue of daily paper Vitez
was published in Zaječar, the ill-fated media
of the Society of Serbian Horsemen. Za je čar

HISTORY
23
gymnasium now included eight grades and
became one of the first five complete gymnasiums
in Serbia.
1892. Daily papers Se ljač ki glas, zaječarac and
Ti moč ki gla snik were launched. Ste van Ma čaj,
head of the Zaječar Hospital and an important
historian of this city, published its work
on archaeological remains in Gamzigrad (after
which a period of silence would ensue,
almost six decades long).
1893. Dedicated building of Za je čar gymnasium
was built. The first kindergarten was
opened in Zaječar.
1896. Gold mine “Sve ta Ana” near Glo go vica
was opened, and concessions were held by
Đor đe Vaj fert, an industrial from Belgrade.
1897. Felix Ka nic is in Zaječar again, it seems
for the third time. He writes that this is the
wealthiest town in Serbia after Belgrade. The
first agricultural cooperative in this region
was opened in Pla ni ni ca, and by 1905 there
will be as many as 32 of them.
1898. Girls’ school opened in Zaječar.
1900. Sto jan Na nić from Zaječar, on his Lumière
projector, organized film projection
in Belgrade “Po zo ri šna ka fa na”, advertising
himself as the “First Serbian cinematographer”.
Magazine Du hov na zrn ca was launched
in Zaječar, the owner and Editor-in-Chief of
which was priest Jo van Ha dži Vi doj ko vić.
at first the section up to Bo go vi na. Ti moč ki
od jek, the paper of independent radicals, appeared
in Zaječar, as well as Ti moč ka kra ji na,
the media of Timok radicals.
1906. A private female gymnasium was opened
in Zaječar, with 90 students (worked until
1912), and Junior Agricultural School. “Za ječar
Timok Bank” was founded.
1907. Traveling movie theatre of To do r Najda
no vi ć organized the first film projection
in the history of Zaječar, showing Cavalleria
Rusticana. The first gymnastics professor
was appointed in Zaječar, Ja ro slav Vo šta
from Czech Republic. Za je čar Gymnastic
Society “So kol” was founded (three years
later it will change its name into “Du šan the
MIghty”).
1908. From the small hydro power plant of
industrial Uro š Mi lo še vi ć in Gamzigradska
Banja, Za je čar was provided with electric
lighting.
Church of the Nativity
of Holy Mother of God,
Za je čar, 19 th century
1902. Telephone line Paraćin-Boljevac-Zaječar
was built.
1903. On the twenty first day of this year,
telephone exchange was opened and the first
phone rang in Zaječar. Commericial School
began to work.
1905. After ten years long preparations, construction
of railroad Za je čar-Pa ra ćin began,

24
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
1909. Public Library with library building
and Reading room was founded. On the Black
Timok, in Gamzigradska Banja, the first bigger
hydro power plant in the area of Zaječar
was built.
1910. Factory for the production of corn and
beech acorn oil was built in Zaječar.
1911. Timok Privileged Theatre “Gun dulić”,
the first local professional theatre, was
founded.
1912. Construction of the first dedicated
building of Zaječar Hospital was finished.
“Are na”, the first movie theatre in Zaječar,
was opened, At the international event “Sveso
kol ski sle t” in Prague, in sharp competition,
Gymnastic department of Zaječar Society
“Du šan the MIghty” won the exceptional
11 th place in general competition. Daily paper
So ko was launched. Railway Za je čar-Pa ra ćin
was opened for traffic.
1912-1913. In both Balkan wars, Timok people
were mobilized in two divisions: Timok
Division of the first call, within the Second
Army, and Timok Division of the second call,
within the First Serbian Army.
1914. Pra ho vo-Za je čar railway was opened for
traffic (a section of the planned railway Praho
vo-Niš-Kur šu mli ja). Both Timok divisions,
from the first day, participate in all great Serbian
battles of the horrifying World War One,
starting from the battles of Cer and Kolubara.
1915. On October fourteen, great Bulgarian
invasion on Za je čar began. Although majority
of Timok army was engaged at distant
fronts, although the enemy had enormous
advantage in terms of technical equipment
and number of troops, the city was heroically
defended for fifteen days. On October twenty
ninth, Bulgarians managed to conquer Za ječar
and Timočka krajina.
1916. Together with the entire Serbian army,
government and king, Timok divisions go
through Golgotha over the Albanian mountains,
and some of them managed to reach
Corfu. Serbia was divided into two occupation
zones, Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian,
and their border line went along the Big
Morava River, from Smederevo to Stalać, and
to the south in direction Kru še vac – Le ba ne –
Gnji la ne – Šar pla ni na. Za je čar and Ti moč ka
were in Bulgarian occupation zone.
Za je čar façade, a detail

Crosses on the Church of the Nativity of Holy Mother of God, Za je čar
HISTORY
25
1918. The Second Serbian Army and Cavalry
Brigade of French general Gam be ta, in
a fierce invasion, liberated Pi rot (October
13), Svr ljig and Kal nq (October 15), Knja ževac
(October 16). On October 15, in the vicinity
of Zaječar, just before the beginning of
operations for the liberation of the city, villagers
in the background raised insurrection
against the occupier, and by doing this they
made the task of the liberators much easier.
On October nineteen, Cavalry Brigade of general
Gam be ta entered Za je čar. This finished
the three years long Bulgarian occupation,
during which systematic denationalization of
Serbian population had been conducted, as
well as physical extermination, destruction of
Serbian material goods and cultural traces.
1919. Za je čar became the seat of Ti mok District,
which consisted of Za je čar, Za glav ski,
Ti moč ki and Bo lje vač ki county. Within the
“Soko” Society, “Ti mok” ball-playing section
was founded. The first film projections in
Zaječar after the World War.
1920. Art Nurturing Society was founded,
wirth fine art, music and photography section.
1922. Completed the last section of Pra hovo-Za
je čar-Niš railway, the construction
of which had been interrupted by World
War One.
1923. Art (Painting) School was opened in
Zaječar. Paper Ti moč ka kra ji na was launched
by the National Radical Party of the Timok
District.
1924. National University was founded. Merchant
Če da Jan ko vić built the first movie
theatre building made of solid material, modeled
after a movie theatre in Vienna.
1925. Thermal power plant was commissioned
in Zaječar. Privileged District Theatre
Timočka krajina was founded. Catchment
of spring water in Gamzigradska Banja was
completed and construction of facilities for
accommodation of guests began.
1926. Cultural-artistic society “Abra še vić”
was founded. A 140 kilowatt thermal power
plant was commissioned in Gr lja ne. “Glass
Factory” began to operate in Zaječar, but it
did not last long. The first Zaječar female club

26
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Centre of Za je ča r, first
quarter of the 20 th century
in sport called hazena (predecessor of today’s
handball) was founded.
1927. Junior agricultural School in Zaječar
began to work.
1929. At the popular square in Zaječar, a
monument dedicated to soldiers killed in
Liberation Wars of 1912-1914 was completed,
the work of Fra no Me ne ge lo Din či ć.
Zaječar Chess Club was founded in Hotel
“Kru na”.
1930. The first X-ray machine began to work
in Zaječar Hospital. The first volleyball match
was played in te city (under the auspices of
the Soko Organization). The first match in
ha ze na, predecessor of today’s handball, was
organized.
1932. Daily paper Ti mok was launched, edited
by Mi ro slav Pa u no vić and Ja kov Ver ner.
1934. Glas Epa r hi je Timočka was launched,
a semi-monthly paper for religious issues,
owned by the Eparchy Church Court, and
edited by Pe tar Mi šić.
1937. Za je čar has 18 artesian wells built,
practically one on every big intersection, but
this did not solve the problem of supply of
health drinking water.
1939. Za je čar is officially the fourth city in
terms of wealth and cleanliness in Serbia.
Because of mineral resouces and increasingly
serious industrial development, it was
also called “Serbian Rur”.
1940. Goj ko Stoj če vić, the future Serbian Patriarch
Pa vle (1914-2009), served in the military
in military hospital in Zaječar.
1941. On April thirteen, at four o’clock PM,
vanguard of German occupation army entered
Za je čar. A day later, on April fourteen,
strong German troops coming from Bulgaria
fully occupied the city.
1941-1944. German district occupation command
was stationed in Zaječar. It was or-

HISTORY
27
Building of City Administration, today
dered that some administrative authorities,
schools and public services should continue
working under occupation rule. Germans in
the city are holding stronger military forces
than usual, because of military-strategic
significance of this area, and to ensure that
exploitation of mineral resources, as well as
agricultural land, forests and cattle is not interrupted.
All forms of armed resistance to
the occupiers, which were not interrupted,
were punished with brutal repressions and
mass executions.
1944. Struggle for liberation of Zaječar
started on September 6. Already the next
day, at 4 PM, 23 rd Serbian division of the
National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia
(NOVJ) entered the city, but it withdrew on
September 8. Strong German forces, parts
of the Group of Armies “E” that were withdrawing
from Greece, were moving over the
Timok Valley toward Za je ča r. Fierce battles
in the wider region of Zaječar lasted until
the first days of October. In the night between
October 7 th and 8 th , 45 th division of
NOVJ, and parts of the 64 th corpus and 4 th
mechanized corpus of the Red Army liberated
Za je čar.
Already by the end of that year, Library and
Cultural Centre (the first post-war cultural
institution in the city) were founded, and
Ra dio Za je čar, the first post-war local radio
station in Serbia, began to work on December
22.
1945. Daily paper Reč na ro da was launched,
and on April 24 it changed its name to Naš
ži vot, and on 1951 to Ti mok.
1946. Civil construction company “Kra jina”
was founded, the holder of post-war
construction of capital facilities in Zaječar
region, such as Thermal Power Plant “Zvezdan”,
Hydro Power Plant “So ko lo vi ca”,
Brick Factory in Gr li ška Re ka, “Porcelain
Factory” in Zaječar... the first preschool institution
in Zaječar municipality was founded.
Business Academy was opened. District
National Theatre was founded.

28
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
1947. Wheat Blossoms, a play by Ju ri j Ma kre v,
the first opening night of the District National
Theatre, founded on February 2. Knitwear
“Mer kur” relocated to Um ka, and textile
factory “Na pre dak” was founded in Zaječar,
which would grow into textile company “Timo
čan ka” in the following year. Carpenters’
Cooperative was established, which would
later grow into furniture factory “Je din stvo”.
Basketball section was opened within Sports
Society “Di na mo”, which would soon grow
into an independent club.
1948. In all villages of Zaječar municipality,
construction of cooperative homes began,
which was primarily financed from
the funds of self-contribution of villagers
themselves. A music school was opened in
Zaječar. National University and City Library
were refurbished. The City State Archive
was founded.
1950. Social construction of residential
buildings in Zaječar began. Architect Đur đe
Bo ško vić drew a new layout of Gam zi gra d,
sketched the position of the most important
buildings within the ramparts and requested
this “important late antiquity monument to
be protected and explored”.
1951. National Museum was founded in
Zaječar (March 27).
1952. Based on the decision of the Ministry
of Health, Za je čar Hospital was officially
classified as the first rate healthcare
institution. Its sa ni tar y-epi de mi o lo gical
station was separated and became the Institute
of Hygiene (today Institute of Public
Health).
1953. Archaeological explorations began
in Gamzigrad, led by Ve ko sla v Po po vi ć
and Đor đe Ma no Zi si . Contours of palaces
and temples, thermal baths and granaries,
gates and colonnades began to emerge below
the layers of earth and time. A big secret
was resurfacing before the eyes of curious
world. Construction of the plant for
production of ceramic tiles in Zaječar was
completed.
1954. Experimental agricultural station grew
into the Institute for Agricultural Explorations.
Za je čar Basketball Club “Di na mo”
changed its name into “Mla dost”.
1956. Cultural-educational community of
Zaječar was founded.

HISTORY
29
1957. City water supply system was founded
in Zaječar.
1961. Magazine Raz vi tak was launched. This
magazine will have an important role in social,
cultural and literary life of Zaječar and
Timočka krajina. Construction of modern
sewerage network began in Zaječar.
1963. Construction of modern road Za je čar-
Pa ra ćin began; it will last six years. Even today,
this is the main connection between Timočka
krajina and Po mo ra vlje and Belgrade.
1964. In addition to Institute of Hygiene
and national Pharmacy, all healthcare institutions
in Zaječar (healthcare Centre, Centre
for Mother and Child, General Hospital)
were integrated into the Medical Centre.
1966. The first “Gi ta ri ja da” festival took
place (in Belgrade). This event would later
grow into one of the trademarks of Zaječar...
production of glass in this city was restored.
1970. There are increasingly frequent and
more grounded scientific assumptions that
Gam zi grad is actually a palace of an exceptionally
renowned person of the Roman Empire
from the 3 rd century. It is compared with
imperial palaces in Thessaloniki, Spli t, Asia
Minor and on Sicily.
1971. After 17 years long break, Ra dio Zaje
čar began to work again. Construction of
a new water supply system began in the city.
Production of cut industrial crystal began.
1973. Zaječar Archives (founded in 1948)
changed its name into Historical Archives
“Ti moč ka kra ji na”.
1976. institute for the Prevention and Treatment
of Diseases of Peripheral Blood Vessels
and Vibration Diseases was built in Gamzigradska
Banja, the only one of that kind in
Serbia.
1977. A correspondent office of Ra dio-Television
Belgrade was opened in Zaječar.
1980. Construction of the new Healthcare
Centre in Zaječar was completed.
1984. Gam zi grad secret was resolved. On
June twenty three, a fragment of archivolt
with engraved inscription “Felix Romuliana”
was found, and this finally confirmed that a
home town palace of Roman emperor Galerius
had been located there.

30
ZAJEČAR - CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
1989. A tomb and place of apotheosis of emperor
Galerius and his mother Ro mu la was
discovered on the Ma gu ra hill, near “Felix
Ro mu li a na”.
1992. Endowment “Ni ko la Pa šić” and Foundation
“Zo ran Rad mi lo vić” were founded.
1993. The famous porphyry head of Emperor
Galerius was found at the archaeological site
in Gamzigrad.
1994. Timok Television was founded in February.
On December 20 th , the Second Program
of Ra dio Zaječar was launched.
1995. On March 23, Youth Radio “Spin” began
to work. Za je čar finally built a monument
to Ni ko la Pa ši ć, one of teh most famous
people from Zaječar (work of sculptor Draga
n Ni ko li ć).
1997 Faculty for Management was founded
in Zaječar, the first private institute of higher
education in Eastern Serbia.
1998. Za je čar Municipality established the
Foundation for stimulating birth rate.
2002. On January 18, a three-part realization
of project Euro-Region “Danube 21” began
in Vidin. Eight municipalities from Serbia
(and Za je čar), nine from Bulgaria and five
from Romania are involved in this project.
2007. On June 29, “Felix Romuliana” 29was
included in the UNE SCO’s list of world cultural
heritage li stu.
2009. Zaječar Cultural Centre was founded.
It consolidated the activities of former Youth
Centre and Cultural-Education Community.
2010. Outside the ramparts of imperial palace
on the archaeological site in Gamzigrad,
a part of extraordinary composition “Thracian
Horseman” was found, the first of this
kind in this part of the world
2011. Book Za je čar. The Heir of Imperial Cities,
which is now standing before you, was
published.

Fountain in the city centre

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
32
BRIEF HISTORY OF ZA JE ČAR CULTURE
GROWING OF A NEW TOWN
Although seemingly dull place and distant from all major
roads, as far back as 1830, three years before the liberation
from Turks, Za je čar was able to laud itself with an elementary
school. It truly began to thrive after the Ottomans had
left. Partly thanks to its diligent, resourceful and wise inhabitants,
partly thanks to duke Miloš who had not only elevated
it into the ranks of a district town, but used it as the Eparchy
seat of the newly developed region.
The same year when the Eparchy was founded, in 1834,
the first subscribers to then still very rare books emerged.
Some of them were from Za je ča r, but also from surrounding
villages. Education was undergoing quick development
(and this will be the topic of a separate section), as well as
the entire city. As a district town, Za je čar was becoming increasingly
interesting for merchants, craftsmen and people
of other professions. Lifestyle was also changing, as well as
the needs of the people. In 1845, merchant Mi len ko Ste va nović
was the first to offer books to them in his shop, and they
were also sold by traveling merchants, mostly at fairs.
An important contribution to Zaječar’s catching up with
the world was provided by district chief Alek san dar N. Trifko
vić, a cousin of Prince Alek san dar Ka ra đor đe vi ć. Not at all
fascinated by the fact that the first streets of Zaječar (created
after the liberation from Turkey) would turn into deep mud
with the first autumn rain, and not at all popular because
of levies and mandatory work that he had imposed, in the
spring of 1856 he ordered that gravel, sand and river stone
be delivered to Za je čar from the entire Crna Reka district, in
order to begin cobbling of the streets. Reckless tongues whispered
that this decision was conceived by his wife Ju li ja na,
for whose entertainment Mr. Trif ko vić had introduced the
fashion of balls (“... which were pompously attended, with
mandatory welcome and bowing”). At any rate, that same
Lear when the cobbling began, a correspondent of Srp ski
dnev ni k proudly reported from Za je ča r: “Thank god, we got
pavement as well!”
The first cobbled pavement was made at the street where
District Office was located, and then it was to a large extent
built in the downtown area. And so, in the mid June 1865,
Za je čar began to look as a “true city”, like those in the most
1
2
Za je ča r city centre,
early 20 th century
Kra lje vo Se lo,
Timok District
Administration
Early Polity
“In the late 19 th
century, Za je čar was
distinguished among
Serbian towns for its
initiative and solutions
for communal
problems. The main
streets were cobbled,
the town centre
and open market
were landscaped,
street lanterns were
mounted, public bath
was built together
with city hospital,
post office, numerous
schools and other
public institutions.
The excavation of
first artesian wells
had begun, water was
supplied from the
spring in Kra lje vi ca,
and power supply was
initiated. Kraljevica
was forested at
the beginning of
20 th century, having
become such a
beautiful promenade
for citizens of Za ječa
r.” (Sve ti slav Ži kić:
“Co mmu nal -housing
construction”, in:
Za je čar – Ku ti na, Zaje
čar, 1982)

CULTURE
1
2
33

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
34
advanced parts of the country. And the opening of first hospital
with abort twenty beds, located in a private house, can
also be credited to the unpopular district chief. According to
one version, the first bookstore in the city was also opened
that same year (according to the other version, that happened
in 1870).
In accordance with this catching up with the world,
but also because of the need to determine the exact number
of taxpayers, the census was published. As Bo ra Di mitri
je vić says in the book Census of the Town of Za je čar from
1863, it turned out that this district town had a population
of 3,567, out of that 1,937 men and 1,630 women. Seven
hundred twenty four of them were literate. The state was
able to count on 898 taxpayers. The census also showed
that 186 foreign citizens live in Za je ča r. Total value of real
estate of all citizens was 118.660 Cesar ducats. Based on its
population, Za je čar was 11 th in Serbia, and based on real
estate, it was 8 th .
A description of Ko sta Po po vi ć, a student of Belgrade
Lyceum and participant of excursion around Serbia led
Jo sif Pan čić was made in the same year as the census. Popo
vić writes that Za je čar is a town that “... has some trade
in foreign merchandise, but it is still considered almost as
a secondary activity; the people are still more interested in
producing natural goods than in trade, everybody has, in addition
to their shops, farmland, meadows, vineyards and, it
seems, progress from it...” “Wool”, he adds, “is almost the
most important export product here... and is the most expensive...
The second export product are sheep and goat
skin... butterfat and cheese... they are of excellent quality,
especially butterfat... better than the butterfat that comes
from Austria to Belgrade market... From everything that we
said can easily be concluded that this is the wealthiest place
in terms of its natural produce.”
In1860, this wealthy place got its reading room (some accounts
mention that the reading room was opened in 1866),
and a branch office of the Main Serbian Bookstore in Belgrade
was opened in 1870.
This indisputable cultural progress was suddenly interrupted
by the Serbian-Turkish War (1876-78). The town that
had just began to thrive, suffered severe damages in this war.
After they were robbed “down to the last nail and after all
windows and doors were removed from them”, a large number
of houses were burned.
1
2
Pa no ra ma of
Za je ča r at the end
of the first decade
of the 20 th century
Cen tral city square,
deo gde je bi la
pi ja ca, early
20 th century
Reading Room
In 1870, Reading
Room in Zaječar was
right after Belgrade
Reading Room by the
number of subscribers.
Data indicates
that in 1847, the
reading room had
105 members, 300
books, one chart,
six pictures, and
those who showed
interest were able to
browse through 24
newspapers, three of
which were in foreign
languages.

CULTURE
1
2
35

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
36
STRENGTH FOR NEW RECOVERY
Almost completely destroyed, very soon after the cessation
of military actions, Za je čar began to rise again from
the ashes. Reading rooms, formerly centers around which
the cultural life of the town had been taking place, no longer
existed. However, that life did not die. Only one year after
the end of the war, upon initiative of gymnasium professor,
a singing club “Ti mok” was founded, and in late December
1881, a reading room was founded again within the school.
Just like the former reading room in the town, this was the
center around which cultural events were taking place. Since
1880, gymnasium choir was also active in the gymnasium,
and as of the following year student’s club “Na predak” became
active as well, organizing, performances, literary evenings
and concerts.
The first printing office was opened in 1880. The first
local publication was printed in it – it is believed that it was
Za je ča rac, calendar for 1884-85. In addition to typical information,
it also contained information on fairs, old and
new measurements, but also anecdotes, jokes and entertaining
stories.
“With an amazing renewing capacity, Za je čar always recovered
from all these blows of the fate”, wrote the famous
travel writer Felix Ka nic. “True, ‘Ve li ka ka fa na’, where I was
given a room on October 20, 1889, as well as the church and
a large number of private houses, still carried visible signs of
Cherkess brutylity, but they are slowly disappearing, especially
through the activity of credit cooperative and savings
bank, which released almost 14 million only in 1895. When on
August 10, 1897, I visited Za je čar for the fifth time, I found
all the streets paved and Ko zli ć’s regulation plan from 1889
realized in the most part. A park was also made, on the Great
Market and water from Kraljevica was flowing in the Upper
Town from two fountains, which will soon be replaced with
more monumental ones. In the Upper Town, I saw a gymnasium
with 25 windows from the front and decorative figures,
which had been built “for the science and the homeland” for
250,000 dinars, and elementary and vocational schools for
girls were also under construction... A new district office is
planned to be built near the old, unseemly one, on that side
where the town should developed toward the distant station
of the Timok railway. When this railway, designed for a long
time, is built from Za je ča r through Knja ževac and to Niš, it
1
2
“Louvre” in Za je ča r:
Well known tavern
with the same name
and bank in the
city centre
Royal welcome
ceremony:
Arc de Triomphe
in Za je ča r, to the
honor of king Pe tar
I Ka ra đor đe vi ć,
1908
Grammar School
Professors and
Students
Among the professors
of Za je čar Grammar
School, one of the
first fours grammar
schools in Serbia,
there were Ja ša Proda
no vić, Du šan Pante
lić, Si mo Ma ta vulj,
Je re mi ja Ži va no vić,
Al bin Vil har... In addition,
Ni ko la Pa šić,
Pe ra Ve li mi ro vić, Stevan
Mo kra njac, Si ma
Lo za nić, Vla di slav
Pet ko vić Dis, Zo ran
Rad mi lo vić
attended it...

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would also stimulate Za je ča r industry that is today, in addition
to the production of textile in many houses, reduced to
one mill and two breweries, one of which that belongs to ‘Zaje
čar Industrial Society (Mi li sav Ni ko lić and Co.)’ produces
beer from Serbian hop in a modern way, with steam power.”
Finally, the travel writer added that, at this time, Za je čar
was considered the wealthiest city after Belgrade, and that
in 1897 it had a population of 7,000, living in 1,250 houses,
“for the most part very beautiful”. Out of that number, 360
were involved in agriculture, 230 in trade, and most of them
in crafts. There were two lawyers, six doctors, eight priests,
and as many as 31 teachers and professors!
It is not surprising then that publishing company “Srpska
knji žev na za dru ga” had many subscribers here, but it
is somewhat unexpected that among them there are many
members of agricultural cooperative from the nearby village
of Pla ni ni ca. Changes in cultural life and entertainment
also happened in accordance with this, and it is increasingly
marked with going to concerts, performances of culturalartistic
societies, theatre performances. The theatre company
of then famous actor Foti Iličić most frequently toured
to Zaječar, and thanks to their fellow citizen, Sto ja n Na ni ć,
people of Zaječar also had an opportunity to watch the first
“motion pictures”.
SELF-DEFENSE WITH CULTURE
Having suffered war destructions again, including cultural
institutions, after the end of World War One, Za je čar
repeats its history: it rises from the ashes. Movie theatre,
theatre and cultural-artistic societies are founded, opened,
closed and then opened again. Continuing the tradition
started by professors of the Gymnasium in the 19 th century,
the Society for Nurturing Arts was founded in 1920. It had
three sections: art, music and photography. Gathering primarily
amateurs, the Society organized concerts, lectures,
exhibitions, and in1923 its art section grew into a four-year
long art school.
Music scene was also significant, primarily thanks to
the singing club “Ti mok”, which had a choir and tambura
orchestra. Workers’ Cultural-Artistic Society “Pro le ter” was
also active, with a choir, drama and poetry section. It was
active until the prohibition through Ob zna na from January
1929. Similar thing happened to Workers’ Cultural-Artistic
1
Palace of General
Bank “Raj ko vić
i Staj ko vić”
in Za je ča r,
founded in 1926
Force Driven
In 1909, Za je čar,
considerably larger
town at that time,
got a Public Library
consisting of a library
and a reading room,
soon after which the
first professional
theatre was founded
(Ti mok Privileged
Theatre “Gun du lić”).
Lu ka Jo va no vić built
the first cinema in
1912. Although it
was built of wooden
boards in the middle
of a field, cinema
“Are na” had 300
seats and was very
popular at the time.
It was operating until
Bulgarians entered
Zaječar during World
War I and
demolished it.

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Society “Abra še vić”, whose property was confiscated. As
soon as political constraints loosened a bit, the Society was
reinstated. In 1932, local authorities first built the Craft
Home, and then created their organization that should have
attracted young people. It had an amateur and music section.
Both the Youth Section of the Association of Timok and
Krajina people, and the Association of Law Students founded
in 1936, were involved in cultural activities (in addition to
political engagement).
And then, again, a war began. World War Two.
Immediately after liberation of Za je ča r in October 1944,
while the war in Europe was still raging, vibrant cultural and
artistic activities were happening. Youth and pioneer homes
are founded, Youth cultural-artistic society “Lju ba Ne šić”
was established (with a choir, drama and folklore sections),
ra dio-station was launched, as well as the first weekly magazine.
Two months later, Cultural Centre was opened, which
included a library, reading room, drama, choir, literary and
art section, section of oral newspapers, debate club...
National University was founded in 1948, and Workers’
University in 1958 (although their programs overlapped to
a certain degree). The House of Yugoslav National Army was
also significant for the cultural life. This House is located
in an adapted space of the former Officers’ House. Youth
Centre was also involved in cultural-educational activities,
with literary, art and cinematography-photography section
being especially successful. Certainly, the famous Zaječar
“Gi ta ri ja da” has a special importance of the activities of the
Youth Centre.
Cultural-educational community of Za je ča r was founded
in 1956, also with a mission to help cultural-educational and
cultural-artistic activities of amateur organizations and cultural
institutions. It was especially successful in restoring
various clubs, associations and societies in villages.
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
AND ORGANIZATIONS
Cultural centre
Founded in April 2009, it consolidated the activities of
the former Youth Centre and cultural-educational community.
It organizes art programs, promotes cultural and esthetic
values, educates, organizes concerts, exhibitions, literary
evenings and theatrical and multi-media events. It has
1
2
Building of the
Municipality Hall
in Za je ča r
Concert on
“Po po va pla ža”
National
Technique
Founded in April
1946, this social and
educational organization
is involved in the
expansion of technical
education of
children, youth and
adults. Its members
are Ra dio-club “Timok”,
Pho to-cinema
Club “Ti mok”, Aero
Club “Kri la Ti mo ka”
(Timok Wings), Association
of Technical
Education Teachers,
Club of Informatics
and Applied
Computer Science,
Inventors Association
of Za je ča r, Association
of Organizations
for Scientific and
Technical Education
of Zaječar Youth,
Movement “Nauka
mladima” (Science to
the Youth).

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a Youth Ensemble of Traditional Dances, Children’s Ensemble
of Traditional Dances, Choir “Felix Romuliana”, national
Orchestra, Children’s Choir “Pi ko li”, Dance Club “Ba i lan do”,
Youth Literary Club, Children’s Drama Stu dio and Zaječar
Art Association (UZUS). Fol klor e Ensemble, established to
nurture and reinterprets through art the music heritage of
Eastern Serbia, is the winner of numerous awards and recognitions,
and it toured to Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, Germany,
Hungary, France and Switzerland with great success.
The most important events of this cultural institution are:
• Prom Parade “Dance with Europe”
• Fe sti val of Young Poets “Poetry Days”
• Cultural Summer “Za je čar in the Heart”
• Music Fe sti val “Eastern Fortresses”
• “Gi ta ri ja da”
• International Art Colony “Gam zi grad”
• International School of Philosophy “Felix Romuliana”
• Multi-media Music Fe sti val “Golden Trumpet of the
Bal ka ns”
• International Sa lon of Rock Photography
• “Fe lix Ro mu li a na Sum mer Fest”
Movie theatre
In the late 19 th and early 20 th century, one of the most
interesting people in Za je ča r was Sto jan Na nić, the man who
will become famous throughout Serbia and earn a place in
the history of cinematography. Born in a poor family, went
to the world and returned from it as “the first Serbian expert
illusionist”. He introduced himself to his fellow citizens as an
exceptional illusionist, but also as the owner of a device that
was a kind of predecessor of a film projector. At that time,
the real movie theatre was still in the future. Lumière brothers
organized their first projection on December 28, 1895 in
Paris, and half a year later people in Belgrade were also able
to watch the first films.
Na nić both his first Lumière film projector in 1900 and
began to show films, at first at “Po zo ri šna kafana”, and then
in other taverns in Belgrade, advertising himself as “the first
Serbian cinematographer”. Small sized and easily movable,
his apparatus enabled him to frequently change venues
where he showed the films, as well as places and countries.
In order to be able to show films, he had to obtain approval
from the Ministry of National Economy of the Kingdom of
Serbia. There were no movie theatres at that time, and this
1
2
Cinema “Ti mok”,
before and now
Cultural Revival
“During the last decade
of 19 th century,
Za je čar reached a
high level of culture
and education. Apart
from boys’ and girls’
elementary schools,
complete grammar
school, Public
Library, numerous
associations of
students and citizens,
the town had a steam
bath, three printing
houses, two bookshops,
daily papers
and books were
pressed… Theatre
companies often visited
it, public lectures
were held, as well as
concerts, balls and
assemblies of various
cultural and educational
content, various
cultural activities
were conducted...
The town had already
been a genuine cultural
and educational
centre of Ti močka
Krajina and served
as an example of fast
development in the
whole of Serbia.”
(Ste van Velj ko vić:
“Cul tu re”, in: Za je čar
– Ku ti na, mo no graphy,
Za je čar, 1982)

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resourceful entrepreneur from Za je ča r, in addition to taverns,
also organized projections at fairs and in schools, for as
long as there were minimum conditions for this.
And Za je čar people watched the first real film in 1907,
thanks to the traveling cinema of To do r Naj da no vi , who
showed them the film Cavalleria Rusticana. The first dedicated
movie theatre building in Zaječar, opened in 1912 on a
field near the railway station, was owned by Lu ka Jo va no vi ć.
According to the accounts, the engine of his film projector
was quite modern and was using diesel. The first film projections
after World War One were organized as early as in
1919. Za je čar got its first real movie theatre, built of solid
material, in 1924. It was modeled after a movie theatre in
Vienna, built by merchant Če da Jan ko vić, and even today,
after eight and a half decades, Zaječar people can still watch
movies in this auditorium.
Theatre
Tours of theatre company of Fo ti Ili či ć aroused great interest
of Za je ča r people for this art form, and in 1911, they
enthusiastically welcomed the establishment of the first
professional theatre in their city. The first theatre manager
was Lju bo mir Ra ja čić Čvr ga, and the first actors were former
members of traveling theatre companies. Performances were
held at the tavern “Ta ko vo”, until the theatre was dissolved
when actors were enlisted in the war.
The new theatre will be built in 1925. It was called Privileged
District Theatre of Ti moč ka kra ji na, and its survival, in
addition to the manager, actor Ni ko la Jok si mo vi ć, was the
responsibility of the Assembly of Timok District. In addition
to touring around Kra ji na, the theatre entertained audiences
in Priština so often that it received a subsidy for their work
from Kosovo District. Because of this, in 1927 it changed its
name into Privileged Timok-Kosovo Theatre. Two years later,
this theatre was dissolved- Still, performances were held
regularly in Za je ča r, thanks to guest performances of companies
from other cities.
Occupation authorities in World War Two did not manage
to maintain theatre. However, as soon as the arms were put
to rest, theatre lovers were heard. Upon their initiative, the
District National Theatre was founded on February 2, 1947,
and only one day later it had its first premiere: play Wheat
Blossoms by Ju ri j Mo kro v. Despite the fact that it had only
two professionals, it had seven productions with 82 perfor-
1
2
Building of the
National Theatre
“Zo ran Rad mi lo vić”
Archives and
nostalgia: Crying for
past performances
of Za je ča r theatre
Rescue
Founded by a decree
in 1947, the theatre
was almost abolished
in the same manner
less than a decade
later. However, its
contemporary director
Mi lan Pa u nović
did not want to
reconcile with the
abolishment of the
only theatre in the
region, which used to
have approximately
100 stages (almost
in every village) and
staged 250 plays a
year. Prior to the
issuance of the
order on abolishment,
he signed the
contracts with actors
and extended their
engagement for the
following two years.
He was not politically
persecuted because
he was supported
by the town, he was
even given a touring
bus when the dust
settled.

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mances. Box office hits were mostly plays by Ste va n Srem ac,
Bo ra Stan ko vi ć, Bran ko Ćo pi ć, Bra ni sla v Nu ši ć: Zo na Zam firova,
Ko šta na, Ni ko le ti na Bur sać, Mrs. Minister, Protection...
The theatre changed its name several times, in accordance
with changed circumstances. It was District, County,
Municipal, City, even National Theatre Za je čar-Bor, Theatre
of Timočka krajina... Today it is named after Zo ra n Rad mi lovi
ć, the bard of Serbian theatre who was born here. During
55 years of its work it maintained a repertoire based primarily
on the best local and foreign plays.
Historical archive
“Only ignorant and irrational people can think that
the past is dead and forever separated from the present by
means of impenetrable wall. To introduce light of scientific
truth into past events means to serve the present. Therefore,
archive documents are not dead, gray and in vain, as
they can appear to those who are superficial or ignorant.”
(Ivo An drić)
Pursuant to the decision of the Ministry of Education,
the Archive was founded in Zaječar on April 14 1948. The
mission: to collect and protect documents from the territory
of Zaječar district (Za je čar, Bo lje vac, Knja že vac, So ko ba nja).
From that day and until today, this institution changed its
name and location several times. The Historical Archive “Timoč
ka kra ji na” was moving around for three decades until,
in 1979, it finally got its home, one of the most beautiful
buildings in Zaječar built before World War Two.
This castle, as it is called by the employees, on a little
bit over 1,000 square meters, holds 2,000 meters of archive
materials. Almost everything that remained preserved from
1833 until today has been collected. Not at all easy job, especially
because various waters were ravaging Ti moč ka
kra ji na in their destructive campaigns. That is why various
documents, registry books, funds of Nikola Pašić and Đorđe
Genčić from the early 20 th century represent a true treasure.
For its contribution, the Archive received the “Golden Archive”
Award, the highest recognition in this area. In addition
to its main activity, it is also involved in the publishing
of various publications, books (it has published 28 books on
the history of Eastern Serbia), organizing exhibitions (over
100 theme exhibitions thus far), literary evenings... It was
also a co-organizer of several scientific events, with published
anthologies of articles.
1
2
3
Historical Archives
“Ti moč ka kra ji na”,
in this building
since 1979
Lo go of the
Historical archives
100 th anniversary
of liberation of
Ti moč ka kra ji na:
Announcement of
the Association of
Timok and Krajina
People, kept at the
Archives in Zaječar
Booklovers
Books subscribers in
liberated Serbia, still
very rare, had already
appeared in Za je ča r
in 1834. According
to the sources,
at the beginning of
the eighth decade of
the century, Zaječar
was the second town
in Serbia (after
Belgrade) by the
number of books
subscribers. Despite
horrible destructions
in Serbo-Turkish
War from 1876-1878
and the destruction
of the whole fund of
books, solely Zaječar
Grammar School library
used to possess
around 4,000
books before the
World War I.

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Central Library “Sve to zar Mar ko vić”
Data on the first book subscribers in Zaječar, Vražogrnac
and neighboring places recorded only one year after the liberation
from Turks, also indicated the existence of first private
libraries at that time. However, the first public library
would appear only a few decades after. Distant predecessor
of today’s Central Library “Sve to zar Mar ko vić” was the
Reading Room, founded on January 22, 1866 (some sources
say that it was founded in 1860), whose fund was completely
destroyed in the Serbian-Turkey War from 1876-1878. It was
later restored and again, and for a long time, it was a cultural
centre in Zaječar.
Za je čar got first Public Library, located In the Gymnasium
building, after several failed attempts, in 1909. When
after the occupation of Serbia in 1915 the school was closed,
the same happened to the Library. During World War One,
all the books disappeared from its shelves. There is no
data of the Library being restored between the world wars,
but it is known that other bookstores and reading rooms
were working.
Two and a half months after the liberation in 1944, the
city finally got its Library again. Today it has 100,000 books,
a magazine section, CD library, reading room with 70 seats,
computer system, 3,500 members enrolling each year. It is
also conducting publishing activity, popularization of books
at promotions, literary evenings, lectures and exhibitions.
For more than thre decades it has been organizing manifestation
“Flower in the Word, Flower in the Image”, a review of
children’s literary and art work.
National Museum
Decades before the initiative to found a museum was officially
launched in Zaječar, there had already been an interest
for that. It was expressed by Gymnasium professors,
many of whom were involved in scientific and research work.
Thanks to them, a small museum was opened in the 1920’s at
the school, with archaeological and geological-mining collections
(partly destroyed during World War Two, partly scattered
in a later period).
The initiative to establish a museum was launched very
soon after the liberation in 1944, but it was not going to be
realized until 1951. Initially established as a hometown collection,
in time the Museum has grown into a complex institution,
with departments of archaeology, history, art history
1
2
3
4
Central Library
“Sve to zar
Mar ko vić”
in Zaječar
Building of the
National Museum,
one of the symbols
of the city
Cemetery and
Hiding place
At the site Pi šura
če sma, on the
eastern outskirts of
present-day Za ječa
r, a cemetery (with
urns) and the oldest
traces of a settlement
in this town were
discovered. They date
from the 14 th century
B.C. “Hiding places
for precious assets,
probably buried
during the threat of
war”, date from the
Iron Age, the last in
prehistory. At that
time, in Zlotska Cave,
there was a settlement
made of logs
where bronze and
iron tools were made.
The most important
findings are kept in
the National Museum
of Za je ča r.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
and ethnology, Permanent exhibitions are displayed in the
main building of the National Museum, Ra dul-be g’s residence
and Museum Timočka krajina in Bo ljev ac.
Today, the museum has over 17,000 exhibits and is one
of the main carriers of cultural life in Zaječar. It has organized
a large number of exhibitions, as well as literary evenings,
book promotions, concerts, projections of archaeological
and ethnological films, lectures. Thanks to exhibits
that are, based on their significance, classified as world cultural
heritage, this is one of the most significant museums
in Serbia. Imperial palace “Felix Romuliana” in Gam zi gra d,
Ra dul-beg’s Residence and Turkish Mill are also a part of the
National Museum.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CULTURAL EVENTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
A part of ethno
exhibition at the
National Museum
in Zaječar
Tradition several
decades long:
From “Gi ta ri ja da”
in Zaječar
Folklore Festival
in Zaječar
The sound of “di ple”:
Festival of
Traditional Wind
Instruments
in Gr lja ne
50
“Gi ta ri ja da” in Zaječar. The oldest fe sti val of young
rock bands, organized for the first time in 1966, and later
grew into one of the most significant music events in Serbia
and the region.
“Flower in the Word, Flower in the Image”. A review
of literary and art work of elementary school children, organized
for the first time in 1970.
Competition of villages “From May to May”. An event
of competitive nature, held mostly during winter, in organizing
agricultural production, development of education
and upbringing, construction and development of villages,
cultural activities, protection and improvement of the environment.
“Haj duk-Velj ko’s Days”. Cultural, sport and tourist
manifestations in Le nov ca, the home village of Haj duk-Veljko
Pe tro vi ć, organized for the first time in 1972.
“Vra žo gr nač ki to čak”. Cultural-entertainment event
that preserves old national customs and spiritual and material
folklore from oblivion.
The Republic Festival of Old Wind Instruments. Every
year in late July and early August, in the village of Gr ljan.
“Đur đev dan Festival” in Gamzigradska Banja. It preserves
old customs, presents sites in the vicinity to the visitors,
primarily the archaeological site “Felix Romuliana”.
Inter-municipal Festival of Children’s Folklore in
Grad sko vo. Since 1996, it has been promoting children’ts
creativity within traditional folk crafts.
“ZA art”
Association of fine
and applied artists
was founded under
this name on March
1 st 1994. It deals with
the organization of
individual and group
exhibitions of its
members in Zaječar
and other parts of
Serbia. It is one of
the founders of the
art Colony “Gam zigrad”.
The members
of the association
are famous for their
participation in numerous
humanitarian
and charity activities.

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International Art Colony “Gam zi grad”. In Commercial-Recreational
Centre of “Elek tro ti mo k” in Gamzigradska
Banja, this event has been organized for many years by “ZAart”,
National Museum and Cultural Centre.
Recital review. After a series of pre-competitions, the
best reciters of Za je ča r come to the municipal competition,
and the winners gain the right to participate at the competition
on the state level.
International fe sti val of fol klo re of Euro Region
“Danube 21”. Takes place in Ka la fa t (Romania), Vi di n (Bulgaria)
and Za je ča ru (Serbia), with participation of culturalartistic
ensembles from all three countries.
“Days of European Heritage”. Launched in 1991, upon
iniziative of the Couincil of Europe, this event regularly takes
place in Zaječar as well.
MONUMENT HERITAGE
“Felix Romuliana”. Only about ten kilometers away
from Za je ča r, in the vicinity of Gam zi grad ska Ba nja, there is
“Felix Romuliana”, an archaeological site that was, because
of its significance, 2007 included in the World Cultural Heritage
Li st. These are remains of imperial palace, the construction
of which was started at the end of the 3 rd century BC by
Roman Emperor Galerius (Gal Galerius Valerius Maxi mi an,
reigned 293-311), t his home place. One of sixteen Roman
emperors who were born here, in the territory of what is today
Serbia, wanted to spend his late years, after withdrawing
from the throne, in this magnificent summer palace, modeled
after the one in Thessaloniki. It is known that Emperor
Galerius was especially fond of his home place and his mother
Romula, after whom the palace was named. Unfortunately,
he did not live long enough to settle there permanently,
because death intercepted him near Ser di ka (So fi a), at the
result of illness.
Thanks to the notes of German baron Simun d Augu sta
von Her de r, who used to frequent this area, this palace was
known already in the 19 th century. A spacious plateau with
Roman remains was also observed by Felix Ka ni c, but he
thought that it was a Roman military camp. First explorations
were commenced by Ve ko slav Po po vić and Đor đe Ma no Zi si
in 1953. Already one month later, they uncovered mosaics
that clearly indicated that no military camp had been located
there, but something much more significant.
1
2
On fame
and transience:
Imperial palace
in Gam zi gra d,
present day
Resources
“Ro mu liana is
mentioned in two
historical resources:
in Epi to mae, the work
of an unknown author
from 360 A.D.,
attributed to Aurelius
Victor, and in Procopius’
work De aedi fici
is, originating from
555 A.D. Pse u do
Aurelius Victor mentions
that the Roman
Emperor Galerius
(Caesar from 293 to
305 A.D., Augustus
from 305 to 311 A.D.)
was born and buried
in Dacia Ripensis, in
the placed called Romuliana
named after
his mother Romula.
In Procopius’ work,
Romuliana is only
vaguely mentioned
in the list of castles
restored by Justinian
in the area of the city
of Aqua...” (Dra go slav
Sre jo vić)

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A major breakthrough on this site was achieved in 1970,
when the excavation works were taken over by archaeologist
Dr Dra go slav Sre jo vić. In 1984, an archivolt with inscription
Felix Romuliana was uncovered, and this confirmed that this
had been a location of an imperial palace, one of the best
preserved examples of Roman court architecture. Five years
later, graves of Romula and Galerius were discovered at a
nearby hill Ma gu ra, namely the place where their apotheosis
had been performed (rite of posthumous ascending into the
realm of gods). One of the last significant discoveries was in
1993, when a porphyry head of Emperor Galerius was found.
In July 2010, outside the walls of the summer palace, a
part of a bigger unit known as “Thracian Horseman” was discovered,
the first of this type in the Balkans. It is believed
that it was about 1.2 meters high and that it was carved at
the late 1 st or early 2 nd century.
Memorial fountain. Dedicated to soldiers killed for the
liberation from Turks in 1833 and in Serbian-Turkey War of
1876-1878. Restored in 1994.
Monument to Timok people killed in 1833. Built in
1898, to commemorate 123 Timok soldiers who lost their
lives liberating Kraina from Turks, this monument is located
on the City Cemetery.
Monument to killed participants of Timok Rebellion.
Built in 1940 on Kra lje vi ca, on the place where 21 participant
of the Timok Rebellion were killed in 1883. The author
is An tun Augu stin čić.
Monument to soldiers killed in Liberation Wars in
1912-1914. A work of Prague student Fra n Me ne ge la Dinči
ć, it is located on the Liberation Square, popularly called
The Square. It was built by disabled war veterans, with the
help of other citizens of Za je ča r, and it was formally uncovered
in 1929. By accident or not, it faces Bulgaria, from
where the danger was coming in both the Balkan Wars and
World War One. However, when relationships with Bulgaria
started to improve to certain extent after World War One,
under discrete pressure from the USSR, the “inappropriate
monument” disappeared overnight, in the fall of 1946. It was
returned again over night, two months later, when the relationships
deteriorated again.
1
2
“Fe lix Ro mu li a na”,
partly reconstructed
section
Monument to
the liberators in
Za je ča r city centre
Ti mok Rebellion
Due to Government’s
decision on sealing and
forced census of livestock,
peasants rebelled
in Griljane in March,
in Gamzigrad in May,
and radicals convincingly
won the elections
in September 1883.
King Milan refused to
acknowledge them, he
dismissed the Assembly,
gave a mandate
for the formation of
progressive government
of Ni ko la Hri sti ć,
brought a decision on
the disarming of the
“National Army”. The
riot broke out in the
entire Timočka Krajina.
Government reacted
strongly, declared state
of emergency, activated
newly formed regular
army corps and suppressed
the rebellion
bloodily. In November,
later called “the month
of death”, courtmartial
adjudged death
sentences that have
been executed already
on the next day in
Kraljevica. 825 rebels
were sentenced, 94 of
which were sentenced
to death.

CULTURE
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
56
Monument to Ni ko la Pa ši ć (1845-1926). The home
town of the famous Serbian politician and statesman built
a monument to him only in 1995 (work of sculptor Dra ga n
Ni ko li ć).
Monument to soldiers killed at the National Liberation
War and to victims of fascist terror. Uncovered in
1971 on Kra lje vi ca, on the place called Ve ša la (“Gallows”),
where in September 1941 the Nazis hanged, among others,
national heroes Mi len ko Br ko vi ć Cr ni and Đor đe Si me o no vi ć.
The monument is a work of architect Vla di mi r Ve lič ko vi ć.
Memorial Charnel House dedicated to soldiers in the
National Liberation War and victims of fascist terror.
Uncovered in 1951, a work of architect Ra di sa v Živ ko vi ć,
located at the very entrance into the City Cemetery. It was
reconstructed in 1962, when remains if 1,266 soldiers of the
Red Army killed during operations for the liberation of Eastern
Serbia were laid in the charnel house.
Cemetery of French Soldiers. At the City Cemetery, occupying
a surface area of 880 square meters, there is the last
resting place for 85 French soldiers who were killed in October
1918, liberating Za je čar together with Serbian soldiers.
1
1
2
Ceremonial
Guard at the French
Military Cemetery
in Za je ča r
View from
Kra lje vi ca:
Monument to
Lju ba Di di ć
Formation
of Kra lje vi ca
Citizens of Zaječar
believe that forest
park Kraljevica, which
is located above the
town, has been formed
owing to contemporary
Major Mi la n
Milj ko vi ć, credited for
many things. However,
based upon the
data collected and
publicized by Ili ja Miha
i lo vić, PhD, it can
be seen that Kraljevica
was been being formed
a long time, starting
with the initiative of a
retired state forester
Sa va Dra ga no vi ć in
1888. At the request
of Zaječar court, the
state granted seedlings
for Kraljevica
in 1904, 1925, and
several times during
the period from 1927-
1935... It resulted in
the area of 650 acres
which was placed
under protection of
Zaječar municipality
by the decision of the
Municipal Assembly
in 1971.

CULTURE
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
58
DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION
AND OTHER VICTORIES
Za je čar Got its first elementary school as far back as in
1830, three years before it was liberated from Turks! It was
a private school, located in a thatch “at Grandpa Jova’s Alley”
(as Sto jan Co ka Si mić wrote in his Memoirs), at the place
where Elementary School “Lju ba Ne šić” is located today. It
had only 15 students, and the first teacher was Sa va Jo va nović
who, that same year, also became the first Zaječar priest.
Aftre the liberation from Turks (1833), municipal school began
to work, and later the state school as well, located in a
specially built “bondrucara” near the Zaječar church. Gymnasium
was opened already in 1836, one of the four oldest
gymnasiums in Serbia, with two grades of grammar school.
In the first year it had seven students in the first grade, and
the following year it had 13 students in both grades. The first
teacher was Ži vo jin Ke reč ki, a Pre ča nin.
At the beginning, the school was attended by children of
wealthier parents, and later other children as well. By 1850,
schools were also built in Gr lja n, Ko priv ni ca, Vražogrnac, Grli
šte and Rgo ti na. That is why in 1850, after a series of negotiations
between representatives of municipalities, counties
and districts, a “mutual agreement” was signed, pursuant to
which all municipalities, regardless of whether they had a
school or not, were obliged to jointly take care of the existing
educational institutions. At that time, it was a unique
document in Serbia. Immediately afterwards, schools were
opened in Za gra đe, Vr bi ca, Lub ni ca and Ve li ki Iz vo r (1853)
and Zve zda n (1855).
In early 1855/56 academic year, female elementary
school was opened in Zaječar. According to accounts, it was
run by Eka ta ri na Ko stić from Ko vi n. Four years later, in
1859/60, Za je čar had a population of 2,854 and three teachers:
Pe tar Ći ri ć in the first grade (with 61 students), Pe tar
Vla ji ć in the second grade (with 651 students) and Di mi tri je
Bo gi će vi ć in the third and fourth grade (with 26, i.e. 12 students).
The female school, that was attended by 28 students,
was at that time run by Ra he la Ko stić. Weekly school for apprentices
also began to work in 1860. In the first grade it had
11, and in the second grade 38 students.
Administration of Zaječar Youth Trade Organization
decided in 1903 to establish a trading economic school, but
1
2
Male school
in Zaječar
(today Elementary
School “De san ka
Mak si mo vić”),
built in 1905.
Building of Zaječar
Gymnasium, built
in 1891-1893.
Network
During school year
1873/74, boys’ school
had 144 and girls’
school 79 students.
During that year,
there were schools
in twenty villages as
following: four-year
schools in Ve li ki Izvo
r (90 students) and
Rgo ti na (58), threeyear
schools in Brusni
k (65), Vra žo grn ac
(56), Vra tar ni ca (36),
Gr lja ne (48) and Gr lište
(30)... Interesting
fact is that School for
Women was founded
in Zaječar in 1898. It
was closed in 1904,
and was succeeded by
Women’s Vocational
School which existed
until 1948.

EDUCATION
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
60
because of a small number of students the school was closed
in 1905. With the help of the Ministry of Trade of Serbia and
Belgrade Youth Trade Organization, Artisan-Trading School
was opened in Zaječar on November 7, 1910. It worked until
the end of World War One, and then it grew into two threeyear
long schools: Trading and Artisan. Pursuant to the decision
of Moravska District, in 1934 the Artisan School became
Vocational School for the Learning of Crafts. In 1921, a fourgrade
Trading School was opened in Zaječar, and College of
Trading also worked for some time, and it is especially interesting
that there was Art School in Zaječar from 1923 to 1929.
In 1839, Za je čar gymnasium was moved to Ne go tin, where
the Bishop of Timok also moved that same year. In 1844,
in Ne go ti n it was, pursuant to the Law on Gymnasiums,
turned into a four-grade semi-gymnasium. Renowned people
from Zaječar managed to persuade Duke Mi lo š to return
the gymnasium to Za je čar in 1860, but in 1866 it was moved
to Ne go tin again. Za je čar responded to this decision by establishing
a two-grade real school (1869), which was given
the third grade 10 years later, and the fourth grade in 1880,
when it became junior high school. A year later, the gymnasium
was given its own reading room. For eight years, literary
group “Na pre dak” was active with the Reading room,
around which Zaječar youth gathered.
Resourceful Za je čar MP’s at the Assembly skillfully used
the then applicable assembly procedure and pushed their
request for opening the full gymnasium before the Negotin’s
request, which had been submitted earlier. This caused
great animosity of their neighbors, but Za je čar received a
full seven-grade gymnasium which, as of 1891/92 academic
year, became eight-grade gymnasium. That is how the Zaje
čar gymnasium became one of the five full gymnasiums
in Serbia (The First and Second Belgrade Gymnasium, and
gymnasiums in Kragujevac, Niš and Zaječar).
Accounts say that on St. Jeremiah Day in 1891, on May
1 according to the old calendar, when the Day of the liberation
of the city was celebrated, a foundation stone for the
construction of gymnasium was officially laid in Zaječar. For
Za je čar at that time it was a great celebration. In accordance
with customs, a sealed bottle with inscription and signatures
of state officials, with whose support the construction of the
building had started, as well as with signatures of Mi ha i lo
Bo bi ć, who was the director at that time, was embedded in
the foundations, and municipality president Ili ja Bo ško vi ć.
1
Cover page of
“Spo me ni ca”
of Zaječar
Gymnasium,
published for
100 th anniversary
of the school
Almanac
Professor Mi lan
Cve ti ča nin, longtime
principal of Zaječar
Grammar School,
for the prominent
school’s centenary in
1936, wrote a Commemorative
which
is an important
historical resource
even today. The
old professor also
testifies about the
existence of almanac
Za je ča rac, probably
the oldest book
printed in Zaječar.
Besides the almanac,
it contained, he said,
“the information on
fairs, old and new
units of measure, as
well as anecdotes,
witticisms and funny
stories.” There have
been indications
that the book was
printed in 1884 in the
printing house owned
by Mi li sa v Ni ko li ć
Ja go din ac, but, unfortunately,
Zaječar
archives and libraries
have not preserved a
single copy of
that edition.

EDUCATION
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
62
It is interesting that the bottle was laid into the foundation
by Ri hard Lang, one of the designers of the gymnasium, who
later converted to orthodox Christianity and remained in
Zaječar (grandfather of Zo ra n Rad mi lo vi ć). The building was
completed in 1893. Based on testimonies of the contemporaries,
“it was comparable with the most beautiful lyceums
in Paris”.
Pursuant to the decision of the highest authorities in
charge of education, two-grade female gymnasium was
opened in 1906 in Zaječar, which in late June 1908 grew into
a four-grade school, and from August 1, 1910, a six-grade
school. In 1912, the school merged with the Senior Zaječar
gymnasium.
Until the end of Word War Two, the gymnasium was the
only high school in Zaječar. And then, on July 31, 1946, Trading
Academy was founded, which had 85 enrolled students
in that first year. In 1951, the school changed its name into
High School of Economics, and since 1961/62 it has been
the School of Economy. In July 1948, the Ministry of Health
of the SR of Serbia made a decision to open the State High
School of Medicine in Zaječar for education of nurses. The
school was initially only for girls, and since 1965, men have
been able to enroll as well. Development of industry imposed
a need to open a high school for the education of technical
personnel in Zaječar. This happened in 1966, when Technical
School “November 29” began to work. It had four grades
(two within the department of mechanical engineering and
two within the department of electrical engineering), 120
students and eight professors.
Four high schools exist and work in Zaječar today:
Gymnasium with 433, Medical School with 664, School of
Business-Economy with 819 and Technical School with 789
students.
ABOUT SCHOOLS, IN BRIEF
In 1904/1905 academic year, In addition to gymnasium
building, the construction of Male School also began. Today,
it is Elementary School “De san ka Mak si mo vić”. Thanks
to contributions from the guild, citizens, municipality and
district authorities, the xconstruction works were completed
within a few months. The school had 10 classrooms, teacher’s
apartment, other areas and a big yard. Today, Elementary
School “De san ka Mak si mo vić” has 587 enrolled students.
1
2
Elementary
School “De san ka
Mak si mo vić”
in Zaječar
(formerly Male
School building)
Elementary School
“Lju ba Ne šić”
(formerly
Gymnasium
building)
Economy
Several schools
of economy were
founded and closed
in Zaječar: Mixed
Primary Vocational
School for the
economy students
(1944/45), Periodic
School for the economy
students (1959),
Vocational Training
School (1970),
Extended Vocational
School in Gr lja ne
(1945-1954), Mining
and Industry School
at “Vr ška ču ka”
mine, Mining School
at “Lub ni ca” mine
and Adult Education
Center (1959).

EDUCATION
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
64
Elementary School “Lju ba Ne šić” was founded in 1951,
in the building that had been built in 1892 for the gymnasium.
The building was reconstructed in 2006, with support from the
Kingdom of Norway. The school has 657 enrolled students.
Elementary School “Đu ra Jak šić” was founded in 1951.
It has been in its current building since 1960/1961 academic
year. It has an outpost in Lub ni ca (eight-grade school), Šljiva
r and Pla ni ni ca (four-grade). The school, including its outposts,
has 677 enrolled students.
Elementary School “Haj duk-Velj ko”, founded in 1984,
has outposts in Zve zda n (eight-grade school) and Gam zi gra d
(four-grade school). It has 708 enrolled students.
Elementary School “Lju bi ca Ra do sa vlje vić Na da” was
founded in 1972. It has 615 enrolled students.
Elementary School “Vuk Ka ra džić” in Ve li ki Iz vo r has
continued the tradition of the old school founded in 1839. It
has an outpost in Ha lo vo. It has 204 enrolled students.
Elementary School “May 15” in Ma li Ja se novac, fonde
in 1945. It has three four-grade outposts, in Grad sko vo, Ve liki
Ja se novac and Ši pi ko vo. It has 69 enrolled students.
Elementary School “Jo van Jo va no vić Zmaj” in Sa la š
has continued the tradition of a school founded in 1865. Today
it has four-grade outposts in Bru sni k, Ta ba kov ac, Ve lika
Ja si ko va, Du bo ča n, Ko priv ni ca, Ma la Ja si ko va. It has 270
enrolled students.
Elementary School “Vla di slav Pet ko vić Dis” in Gr lja ne
has continued the tradition of a school founded in 1842. It is
one of the oldest village schools in Serbia. Today it has outposts
in Gr li šte, Ma li Iz vo r, Bo rov ac, Ma ri nov ac, Vra tar ni ca,
Za gra đe, Vr bi ca and La so vo. It has 229 enrolled students.
Elementary School “Do si tej Ob ra do vić” in Vražogrnac
has continued the tradition of a school founded in 1841/1842.
Today it has outposts in Tr nav ac and Ni ko li če vo. It has 126
enrolled students.
Elementary School “Je re mi ja Ilić Je gor” in Rgo ti na
has continued the tradition of a school founded in 1845. It
has 93 enrolled students.
Special Elementary School “Je le na Maj sto ro vić” for
developmentally disabled children has begun to work on
September 1, 1968, with seven departments from first to
eight grade, 10 teachers and 72 students. Its foundation was
preceded by a special department for education of such children,
which began to work in 1959 as a part of Elementary
School “Mi len ko Br ko vić Cr ni” (today Elementary School
1
2
Rest: pupils
from Za je čar in
SC “Po po va pla ža”
Me ga tren d’s
Faculty for
Management in
Zaječar, the first
private institute
of higher education
in Ti moč ka kra ji na
Boarding Schools
Two boarding schools
were founded after
the war: Economy
Students Dormitory
and Boarding High
School. In 1960, they
merged into Vocational
Schools Dormitory.
The institution
was located in the
school building near
the Theatre. The dormitories
were situated
on one floor of the
School of Economy,
and were later transferred
to the barracks
of “Crna Trava”
company and on the
premises of Party
School in Kraljevica.
The premises of
the former Women
Vocational School
were used as kitchen
and dining room. The
new building of the
boarding school was
built between 1965
and 1967.

EDUCATION
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
“De san ka Mak si mo vić”). In 1973/1974 academic year it already
had nine classes, with 108 students, boarding school
and organized day care. Today, this is an institution for elementary
and higher education of slightly developmentally
disabled children. It was recently refurbished. Today it has
105 enrolled students.
Elementary School for Music Education “Ste van Mokra
njac” was founded in 1948, upon initiative of several enthusiastic
people and upon request of parents who wanted
their children to gain wider education in the field of music
in their city. Already in the first year it had 139 students in
departments of piano, violin, clarinet and trumpet. Besides
school director, all teachers were free-lancers. Since it did
not have its own building, rooms on the upper floor o f the
former Female School were adapted for its use. The building
was later expanded, and the school got its concert auditorium
with enviable acoustics. Today it has 265 enrolled students.
PRE-SCHOOL
1
2
Kindergarten in
the village of Gr ljan
Heaven for children:
Playing on
“Po po va pla ža”
66
The first kindergarten in Zaječar was founded in 1893. It
was founded by Ma ri ja Mi lan ko vić, who had previously run
kindergartens in Niš and Šabac. She contacted Zaječar authorities
asking them to allow her to work with pre-school
children. Permission was granted, schools provided blackboard,
desk, tables and chairs. The kindergarten was supported
through parents’ contributions, and it had 17 boys
and girls from five to seven years old.
A few years before World War Two, there was one private
kindergarten in Zaječar, organized by the pastor of Roman
Catholic school.
After the war, a state owned institution was founded
in Zaječar for pre-school children, called “Children’s Kindergarten”.
It was opened in 1946, and it had twenty four
children. A year later, institution “Children’s Nursery” was
opened, which had twenty children. Five years later, both institutions
merged into one combined institution for daycare
for pre-school children, and in 1969, Institution for Direct
Protection of Children was founded. Today, this is regarded
as the beginning of operation of independent work of Preschool
Institution “Đu li ći”, which includes kindergartens
“Ne ven”, “Lji ljan”, “Đur đe vak”, “Ma sla čak” and “Pla me nak”.
The institution has six buildings (one in the village of Gr ljan),
it has 37 groups with 860 children, one to seven years old.
Every day, 122 employees take care of them.
New Nursery
School
Aided by the funds
from the National
Investment Plan, on
November 2 nd 2010,
at “Po po va pla ža” site
began the construction
of a new nursery
school surfacing
1,680 square meters,
containing room for
250 children. It is said
that it would satisfy
the needs of Zaječar
and send waiting lists
to history.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
68
ECONOMY IN ZAJEČAR
Until the liberation from Turkey in 1833, there is almost
no data on economic life of Zaječar. According to the already
mentioned testimony of Austrian officer Po kor ni from 1784,
there was one Turkish inn in Zaječar, and there were inns in
the villages of Pla ni ni ca, Vražogrnac and Rgo ti na. Nothing
more. Judging from Memoirs by Sto ja na Co ka Si mi ć, teh situation
was not much different half a century later, just before
the liberation of Za je ča r in 1833:
“There was no more than 150 houses in n Zaječar, all
ground-floor, with thatched roofs. Some had a fence, and the
others didn’t. No house was visible from high plum trees and
other trees, only a chimney here and there would emerge
through branches of plum trees, just so much that it was possible
to conclude that there is a house here and that there are
souls living in it. – There were no streets. And even if there
had been, they were winding. Except for our tavern, which
is made of wood and covered with planks and which used to
be where today there is the tavern of Mi li sa v, my nephew,
there was another one opposite from the school, paint shop
of painter Bo silj ak and another small shop Vuč ka...”
Life of people Zaječar and in entire Serbia under Turkish
occupation was reduced to mere survival. On the open space
ravaged by armies and looted by rebels, there was no trace of
economic wealth. With one eye people were watching their
farm land, and with the other they watched the forest where
they could hide in.
Liberation was the turning point. Mills were the first to
start working, then crafts began to develop. Already in 1836,
only three years after the liberation from the Turks, there
were 29 craftsmen inn Zaječar (three tailors making traditional
clothes, nine other tailors, eight craftsmen making
leather apparel, craftsmen painting textile, two bag makers)
and 21 taverns. Zaječar fair was established that year.
Before Serbian-Turkish wars there were two mills on the
Black Timok, one above the iron bridge, owned by Jo t Pet ko vi ć
and Si ma Mi tro vi ć, later bought by Jo van Va nja La ko vić, and
the other downstream from the bridge, owned by Uro š Mi loše
vi ć, merchant from Vražogrnac. Turks burnt down the mill
of Jo va n La lo vi ć, but he built a new one on the same place.
In 1901, turbines were built on that mill. In Vra tar ni ca there
used to be a mill with four winches, rolling mill and sawmill.
Uroš Mi lo še vić and sons had a mill near Kostolac, mill of Ni-
1
2
District economy
and (in a distance)
Hospital in Zaječar
Shaping of the city:
Panorama of
old Zaječar
Fair
Za je čar Fair was
established in 1836,
simultaneously with
fairs in Kru šev ac and
Po že ga. Three years
later, upon the Decree
on Village Fairs,
it was ranked among
seven privileged fairs
where foreign goods
could be sold as well.
It used to last for
three days. Beside
merchants from
Zaječar, it gathered
merchants from surrounding
towns, from
Paraćin, Ću pri ja,
Uži ce, Kru šev ac, Jago
di na, Sa ra je vo, Ni š,
Đa ko vi ca. Livestock,
horses, barley, wool,
black and white cloth
and pigskins were
mostly sold. Customers
from Požarevac
were mainly buying
cattle, ones “from
Turkey” were buying
horses, and traders
from Jagodina were
buying cloth.

ECONOMY
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
ko la V. Ko la ro vi ć. In addition to those, there were mills in
Vražogrnac, Zve zda n, Gr lja n and Vi šnja r near Za je ča r.
Trades developed extensively until Serbian-Turkish wars
in 1876-78. In that period, Za je čar suffered great destructions
again. A long time has passed before the life would
sprout again from the ashes, but it did sprout. In 1896, there
were120 trade shops in Zaječar, out of that 48 mixed-trade,
and others were already specialized: 22 grocery shops, five
iron shops, two tanning shops, six manufactures, eight ropemaking
shops, three cattle, eight for pigs, two purveyors and
one antique shop.
INDUSTRY BORN IN BREWERY
1
2
Long tradition:
Two views of the
Brewery in Zaječar
70
Individual, better standing and more far sighted merchants
who were purchasing their goods in Vienna and Budapest
had an opportunity to see the results of industrialization,
and began to invest their capital into industry. In 1882,
Va nja La lo vić built the first steam brewery in Zaječar, which
worked until 1915. It was on location of what is today Paši
će va Street, in the area today occupied by the building of
Forest Estate “Timok Forests”. Equipment was purchased in
Germany, and employees were certain Se fler and Fer di nand
from Bavaria. The brewery had 16 employees during the
season, and nineoff-season. Annual production was about
25,000 liters of good quality beer. Interestingly, that beer
was in Zaječar sold only in tavern “Vožd”.
In addition to breweries, Zaječar also had a brickyard
owned by M. Sa vi ć, and in 1910, on the basis of a special law
issued on December 1, 1906, Uroš Mi lo še vić built a factory
for the production of corn and beech acorn oil. Export of that
oil was exempt from sales tax and other duties.
TREASURE IN THE BOSOM OF THE EARTH
Although it had a millennium long tradition, mining in
Timočka krajina was completely neglected during Ottoman
occupation. It was restored immediately after the liberation.
Gold mine “Saint Anne” was opened in 1896, in the territory
of Glo go vič ka, Luč ka, Si kol ska and Sa la ška municipality.
Concession for gold mining was given to Đor đe Vaj fert, an
industrial from Belgrade. About 150 workers were employed
at the mine, and annual production was from 150 to 200 kilograms
of gold.
Second Brewery
In 1884, “Za je čar ska
za dru ga” (Zaječar
Cooperative) Bank
built the second
brewery on the
present premises of
“Heine ken” brewery.
It was actually a
stock company whose
main shareholders
were merchants
An dra Mi lo še vić and
Mi lu tin Sta no je vić.
The brewery utilized
coal from the mine
near Zve zdan village,
and it produced
approximately
10,000 hecto li ters
of beer per year.
The main craftsmen
were Germans
named Schwartz and
Schmitt.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Accounts say that interest for coal appeared in the mid
19 th century. Certain Jo zef Hirš, a tenant from Budapest,
leased mines in the territory of Vr ška ču ka and began to excavate
coal. Since he was not economically powerful enough to
run such business, in 1887 the mine was taken over by Belgian
industrial society “So ci e te ge ne ra le po ur fa vo ri ser l’in du strie
na ti o na le”, and invested large amounts in it. “Vr ška ču ka”
thus became the most modern mine in Serbia at that time.
In 1889, the said Belgian society built a narrow gauge
railway to the port on the Danube, in the village of Ra du jevac
in Negotin area. The railway was 85 ki lo me ters long, and
in addition to freight it was also used for transportation of
passengers, although no prescribed permits existed for such
an activity. High capacity briquette factory was built in Radu
jev ac, which turned coal into briquette, which was afterwards
transported to Europe through the Danube.
In 1912, coal mine “Srp ski Bal kan” was opened about
three kilometers from Gr lja ne toward Vr ška ču ka. The concession
for exploitation of coal went to a retired MC and
merchant Đor đe Gen čić. Since the coal was small, a briquette
factory was built in Gr lja n, with cable car leading to it.
Caopacity of the mine was 150 to ns per day.
LIGHT BULBS PUT OUT THE LANTERNS
1
2
Mine in Rgo ti na
Hydro power plant
on the Black Timok
in Gam zi gra d
72
The first hydro power plant in the territory of Za je ča r
was commissioned in 1909, on the Black Timok, in Gamzigradska
Banja. The owner, To ma Mi lo še vić, built the power
plant for about two years and invested 360,000 dinars into it.
The first ge ne ra tor and turbine were purchased from “Gan c”
in Budapest. At the beginning, the power plant had installed
power of 110 kilowatts.
Electric Power was initially supplied to wealthier households,
and then to others as well, and old lanterns in Zaječar
were put out. By World War One, light bulbs were lit in
Vražogrnac, Ve li ki Iz vo r, Lub ni ca and Vr ška ču ka.
In1921, Gam zi grad power plant was expanded with another
160 kilowatt turbine, and 1924 with the third one, with
the same power. Three years later, another ge ne ra tor was installed,
which was, during dry years, powered by means of
diesel engine with 170 horse power. In 1926, thermal power
plant, with power of 140 kilowatts, was commissioned in Grlja
n. The power plant survived the time and lived to see today’s
era, as a testimony of the quality of equipment that was
mounted in it.
Mine in Zve zda n
Having opened „Vrška
ču ka” mine, a
coal mine in Zve zda n
was opened. Merchant
Ni ko la La lo vi ć
had owned it until
1903 when Zaječar
Industrial Association
took it over. The
production was low,
only several hundreds
of tones a year,
mainly for mills,
brewery and tilery.
Mine “No vi Zve zdan”
(New Zvezdan) was
activated in 1909.

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74
In 1924, a power plant with two generators (175 and 150
kilowatts) was built in Za je ča r itself, driven by two loco mobiles
with 205 and 175 horse power. In addition to Za je ča ra,
this power plant also supplied power to the villages of Zvezdan
and Gr ljan.
According to accounts, during the same period the brewery
also purchased a ge ne ra tor of 250 kilowatts, with an intention
to generate power for its own needs, but also to supply
power to citizens. It did not obtain consent for the second
activity. As the result of this, machines remained unused and
were activated only after World War Two. Owners of automated
mills “Staj ko vić i Raj ko vić” also failed to obtain approval
to supply citizens with electric power, although they
had a 200 kilowatt ge ne ra tor.
After World War Two all villages in Za je čar municipality
were supplied with electricity, but there was no construction
of more significant facilities for the production of electric
power. Only hydro power plant “So ko lo vi ca” (1948) was
built, with capacity of 5,200 kilowatts.
CURSED ZA JE ČAR GLASS
The brewery of Va nja La lo vi ć stopped working after
World War. Brewery of “Za dru ga” Bank was still operational,
with 50 employees and annual production of 15,000 hectoliters
of beer.
The first more significant post-war industrial attempt
was the construction of glass factory in Zaječar in 1925/26.
The design was made in Czechoslovakia, and the construction
cost was about 13 million dinars. There were 250 employees
working at the factory, half of them from Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Austria and Romania. It produced 4,500
square meters of glass per day and it did not operate well.
The attempt of industrials Đor đe Gen či ć and Mi la n Sa vi ć,
who purchased it for three million dinars, to put it back on
its feet, also failed. The factory was closed, and equipment
dismantled and brought to Pan če vo. Even the factory building
was demolished in 1930.
Production of glass in Zaječar was restored in 1966, when
factory of manually blown hollow glass for general use began
to work. Two years later, a flat glass plant was built, which
was again unprofitable, and the production was stopped in
1971. The plant was rebuilt and adapted for the production of
cut industrial crystal. This is how the famous “Kri stal” came
1
2
Acknowledgment:
Di plo ma of the
Fund for the
building of House
of Artisans, 1921.
One of early
factories in Zaječar
Tilary
Immediately after
the World War II,
a new steam bath
was built in Zaječar
brewery. Since there
were no ceramic tiles
for lining of walls and
floors, Director Stojan
Sto ja no vić, called
Do mi šljan (Ingenious),
decided that
they should make
them themselves.
They built a furnace
chamber, took a
hydraulic press from
oil refinery, made
tools, supplied clay
from Metriš region
and began manufacturing
tiles. When the
Research Institute
from Belgrade had
certified the tiles, the
City Hall in Zaječar
decided to found an
enterprise for the
production of ceramics
and china on 19 th
February 1950.

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76
into being, the company that built plants throughout the former
Yugoslavia and employed several thousand people.
In the late 20 th century, Zaječar glass broke again. Today,
all that is left from once powerful factory that used to export
its products to all continents, are huge empty halls owned
by “Euro kri sta l” from Belgrade, as a silent illustration of the
opinion that glass production in Zaječar was cursed from the
very beginning.
In addition to crystal, in the second half of the 20 th century
Za je čar was also famous for porcelain. In 1953, a plant
for the production of ceramic tiles was built, which in a very
short period became an industrial giant with over 2,000 employees.
The construction began in 1951. First, the building of
burnt mills “Staj ko vić i Raj ko vić” was refurbished. A tunnel
oven 85 meters long was built, as well as the building
for gas-ge ne ra tor. Already in 1953, in addition to ceramic
tiles, porcelain plates, cups, saucers and other household
products were released into the market of former Yugoslavia
and Europe. In the next few decades the factory developed,
plants for the production of decorative porcelain were built,
and then, disintegration of the entire state initiated the disintegration
of “Porcelain”. Plants of this factory are today
desolated.
TEXTILE WORKERS, WOOD PROCESSING
WORKERS, TANNERS...
Upon the order of new communist authority, “Mer kur”
textile factory was created from three pre-war textile manufacturing
plants, and in 1947 it was relocated to Umka, and
workers remained without jobs. Shortly afterwards, textile
manufacturing plant “Na pre dak” was founded with about
twenty workers. It manufactured shirts, hats and laundry. In
early 1948, wool processing plants of Vla di mi r Spa si ć, cotton
textile plant of Sta ni mi r Mar ko vi ć and Jo va n Jo vi ć, sock
manufacture of Ni ko la Pet ko vi ć and manufacture of cotton
balls and wool “Ika” were included into this factory. This is
how textile company “Ti mo čan ka” was created and, by 1969,
it grew to the size of 630 employees. At first, it operated the
plants at Pro te Ma te je Street, and since 1955 on the new location,
near the road to Ne go ti n. The first post-war kindergarten
in Zaječar was opened within this company. Today it
includes Public Company “Ti moč ka kra ji na”.
1
Staircase to the top
and bottom: Za je čar
economy growing
stronger through
challenges
Furniture
By merging carpentry
workshops, the Cooperative
of Carpenters
was established in
1947. It was later
renamed into the
Carpenter Enterprise
“13. jul”, which
in time grew into
Furniture Factory
“Je din stvo” (Union)
which used to employ
200 workers in the
eighties. It has never
been completely
clarified whether it
was closed due to
actually unprofitable
production or due to
wrong assessment by
local authorities.

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78
Leather factory “Mi len ko Br ko vić Cr ni” was founded
through expropriation of the tannery owned by Sve to li k Miško
vi ć, a merchant from Zaječar, immediately after the liberation.
It had 150 employees which were tanning six to eight
tons of beef, veel and sheep skin per day, and in 1957 it was
moved to new facilities. This factory grew into Leather-Textile
Plant “Za je čar”, which produced textile apparel, but also
very precious fur coats for export to Russia. The factory is
still operational today, but working in a much lower volume.
For decades before and after World War Two, people in
Zaječar wanted fruits and vegetables produced in this region
to also be processed in that region, and then to place
the processed products into the market. Following this wish,
in 1945, the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives purchased
machines and began to produce grape honey and must concentrate.
Five years later there were two workshops: one for
the processing of fruits and vegetables (in the basement of
the brewery) and the other one for production of liqueurs
and hard liquor (in Haj duk-Velj ko va Street). In 1950, these
two plants processed about forty wagons of raw materials
of fruits and vegetables, producing raspberry, sour cherry
and blackberry juice, fruit preserves and desert beverages.
Already in 1953, on the foundations of the destroyed glass
factory, factory for the processing of fruits and vegetables
was built, but it was soon closed down because of volatile
prices of raw materials.
Instead of the factory for the processing of fruits and
vegetables, a modern butchery was built in Zaječar, with
assistance in the form of loan from the General Investment
Fund. Its capacity was 4,650 cattle, 5,000 calves 11,000 pigs,
23,000 lambs and 230,000 poultry in a year, in one shift. The
butchery was later expanded and modernized, and had about
700 employees. In addition to fresh meat, it also produced
durable and semi-durable cans and processed meat. It exported
its products to markets in Europe, America, Africa
and Asia. Cans from Za je ča r were also eaten by American
soldiers. Out of this big collective, only the refrigerator is
operational today.
After World War Two, machine factory “Ar se ni je Spa sić”
was founded. It produced machines for processing and carpentry
industry, as well as tran spor te rs for mining, exporting
a part of its production. But it is not operational today.
Za je čar heas learned, from its own experience, that large
industrial capacities are not flexible and that they cannot
1
2
Measuring of the
city and time:
Kralja Alek san dra
Street in Zaječar,
before and now
Wonders
“At the time when in
Timok valley more
than 100 meters of
railway tracks were
laid daily, and the
atmosphere slightly
resembled the
famous scenes from
Wild West, ‘Statue
of Liberty’ was lifted
in New York harbor
and Eiffel Tower in
Paris, the world’s
largest rail tunnel
‘St. Go tthard’ was cut
through the Alps…
If those were the
world’s ‘wonders’,
then the railway in
Timok valley was
a ‘wonder’ from
Eastern Serbia which
lasted for a quarter
of a century.” (Neboj
ša A. Jo vić, from
magazine Raz vi tak
(Development), Za ječar,
2008)

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
easily withstand market shocks. That is why no one today
is thinking about opening new giants that would hire thousands
of employees. Economic policy of the local authorities
envisages stimulations for investors who hire 50 or more
employees.
AGRICULTURE
1
2
Si lo s in Zaječar
Vineyard in Se lač ka
80
Zaječar has long and rich tradition of agricultural production.
Already in 1887, the first attempts were made to
improve the species composition of cattle by importing bulls
from Switzerland. At that time, the government tried to establish
a silkworm farm in this area, even cotton production.
Agricultural cooperative in Pla ni ni ca was founded in
1897, in Vra tar ni ca in 1898, Gor nja Be la Re ka, La so vo, Lenov
ac and Ma ri nov ac in 1900. By 1905, there were as many
as 32 cooperative in the territory of today’s city of Za je ča r.
Junior Agricultural School, which worked from 1928 to
1942, had significant contribution i the development of agriculture
in Zaječar region. It had an experimental estate on
75 hectares, and useful know-how related to new varieties
and technologies were reaching farmers through this school.
Among others, the school is the founder of the use of afu sa li
and rajn ski ri zling grape varieties, good quality varieties of
walnut, hazelnut, jo na tan and delicious apple varieties, mangu
li ca pigs and poultry breeds. The school organized courses
and exhibitions on which farmers had a chance to learn
about new methods and forms of production.
After World War Two there were significant changes
in agriculture. by means of agricultural reform, more than
1,000 hectares of land was taken away from farmers in
Zaječar region. 740 hectares of land were taken from the
“enemy of the people”. Pursuant to the law from 1953, another
2.130 hectares were confiscated. This land was used
to create agricultural estates “Ti mok”, “Sa laš” and “Za je čar”,
which operated with variable success.
In post-war period, cattle farm was opened in Sa la š, with
8,000 cattle or 3,600 tons of beef per year (1966), cattle
farm “Ala pin” with 4,000 cattle or 1,800 to ns of beef (1985),
pig farm in Zve zda n with 15,000 pigs or 1,425 to ns of pork
meat per year (1963), pig farm “Ha lo vo” with 30,000 pigs or
2,850 ns of pork meat per year (1987), pig farm of cooperative
“De li Jo van” in Sa la š with 1,000 pigs or 95 tons of pork
meat per year (1984), sheep and goat farm near Du bo ča na
New Varieties
At the end of 20 th
century, experts from
Zaječar Institute
of Agricultural
and Technological
Research participated
in the national
project of creating an
agricultural culture
resistant to extreme
droughts. In the
meantime, the expert
from this scientific
institution have created
dozens of new
varieties of wheat
and fodder.

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82
with 3,500 sheep and 500 goats, 4,000 lambs and kids and
11,200 kilograms of wool (1987), broiler chicken farm in
Sa la š with 2,000,000 broilers or 3,500 kilograms of poultry
meat (1987), incubator station of the In sti tu te for Agricultural
and Technological Research in Zaječar, with 600,000
one day chickens...
A special place in the development of Timok agriculture
certainly belongs to the In sti tu te for Agricultural and Technological
Research. It was founded in late 1946 on the estate
and in facilities of the Junior Agricultural School as a District
Experimental Agricultural Station, with a mission to carry
out research of cultivation of agricultural crops. Eight years
later (1954), the experimental station grew into a scientificresearch
station, named In sti tu te for Agricultural Research.
During reorganization in 1959, it became an experimental
station for farming of the Corn In sti tu te in Ze mun Po lje.
Since 1961, it has been the In sti tu te for Agriculture again.
Zaječar agriculture is in the hands of private sector again.
Unfortunately, wars in the last decade of the 20th century
and sanctions against Serbia had severe consequences posle
di ce in this area as well. Agro-technology was reduced to
bare minimum, mechanization was obsolete, villages were
deserted and mostly left in the care of old people. Despite all
this, agriculture is an activity with highest possibilities for
progress, because most villages in Zaječar have all preconditions
for the production of organic food, which is very valuable
and, it seems, its price will continue to rise.
BAN KS
By World War One, five private banks and one branch office
were opened in Zaječar. “Za je čar Cooperative for mutual
assistance and savings” was founded in 1884, “Za je čar Savings
Bank” in 1893, “Za je čar Timok Bank” in 1906, “District Timok
Bank” in 1911, branch office of “Mortgage Bank” in 1914.
It is recorded in chronicles that the “Cooperative for mutual
assistance and savings” was founded by Mi lu tin Ste fano
vić, An dra Mi la di no vić, Mi lan Si mić and S. D. Šum ka rac,
with founding capital of 100,000 di na rs, which was divided
into 2,000 shares. The Bank was involved in collecting savings
deposits and giving loans. In 1923, its capital was one
million dinars, savings almost six million, and loan users
owed five and a half million dinars. It lived to see the end of
World War Two, and was afterwards nationalized.
1
2
Fields at the foot
of Tu pi žni ca
The main street
and one of the
banks in the
centre of Za je ča r
Savings Bank
“Za je čar ska
štedionica” (Za je čar
Savings Bank) was
not very fortunate.
It was founded by
wealthy citizens of
Za je čar , leaders of
Liberal party - Niko
la R. Pro tić, Jo van
Ne delj ko vić, Sta no je
Mi loj ko vić, Ni ko la U.
La lo vić, Ste van J. Ilić,
Ste van Li lić, Branko
Jo va no vić, Lu ka
Be šić, To dor S. Mi kić
and others, with
founding capital of
150,000 dinnars and
1,500 shares. It was
liquidated immediately
after the
World War I.

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84
“Za je čar Timok Bank” was founded in 1906. Most of its
founders were the greatest merchants from Za je čar (Dra gomir
N. Ma tić, Je vrem A. Ilić, Stan ko T. Tra no vić, Jo van Si mić,
Ko sta S. Sa vić, Ni ko la Sta men ko vić, Đor đe Vel. Jo va no vić,
Ko sta Bo ško vić, Ste van Raj ko vić), but also Alek sa Dra gić, a
shoemaker. The founding capital was 93,000 di na rs, already in
1923 it amounted to 1,250,000, and in 1925 it was 2,500,000
di na rs. In addition to providing loans, the bank was involved
in foreign exchange operations and trade, and in 1924 it obtained
concessions for 300 hectares for exploitation of coal
on Zve zda n. After World War Two it was nationalized.
“District Timok Bank” was founded in 1911 by people
of various professions. The only thing they had in common
was membership in the Radical Party. There is no data as
to the amount of the founding capital, but it is known that
bank’s capital in 1914 amounted to 750,000, in 1921 it was
1,500,000, and in 1923 it was 3,000,000 di na rs. In addition
to purely banking operations, it was also involved in import
and export of goods, trade, opening of warehouses, concessions,
and various other profitable activities. After 1930, the
bank invested ca pi tal in mines in the area of Knja žev ac, but
these obviously did not pay off. Because of this, but also because
of economic disturbances in the country, it was liquidated
in 1936.
“The State Mortgage Bank” had its branch office in
Zaječar before World War One. Its operations were interrupted
by the war, and was reopened only in 1940, with assets
in the amount of 6,600,000 di na rs. It operated with success
and already in the late 1941, it had collected savings in
the amount of 19,973,052 di na rs. It was liquidated by the
decision of the “State Mortgage Bank” on May 5, 1945, and
all of its assets were taken over by branch office of “The State
Mortgage Bank” in Ni š.
After World War One, “Commercial-Trade Bank” was
founded in 1920 by the leading merchants from Za je čar (Niko
la Sta men ko vić, Đor đe V. Jo va no vić, Đo ka Mi lo va no vić,
Alek san dar P. Ži va no vić, Jo van M. Mar ja no vić, Mar ko C. Petko
vić, Sve to zar S. Mi loj ko vić and others). The founding capital
was 2,000,000 dinars in silver. At the beginning, the bank
was also involved in other profitable operations, and since
1926 only in banking. In 1928, it built its commercial building
in the centre of Za je ča r in which, in addition to offices,
it also had a tavern. After the end of World War Two it was
taken over by branch office of the National Bank in Zaječar.
1
2
Banking in Zaječar,
in spring and winter
After the War
After the World
War II, “Jugoslovenska
investiciona
banka” (Yugoslav
Investment Bank),
“Jugobanka” from
Belgrade and “Komer
ci jal no-in ve sti cio
na ban ka” (Commercial
Investment
Bank) from Bor had
their sub-offices or
branches in Zaječar.
Main association of
agricultural cooperatives
from Zaječar
founded “Zadružna
štedionica” (Cooperative
Savings Bank) in
1957, later incorporated
with cooperative
savings banks
from Knja žev ac and
Ne go ti n, liquidated
upon the passing of
the Law on Banks
in 1961.

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86
“Industrial-Commercial Cooperative” was founded in
1921. It was founded by Za je čar merchants, entrepreneurs
and wealthier people of various professions. Most of the
shares was later taken by industrial Đor đe Gen čić, and then
also industrial Mi lan Sa vić. It went bankrupt because of
carelessly invested funds in a glass factory.
In addition to these, the following banks also worked
in Zaječar: “Crafts Credit Bank” (1923-1929), “Commercial
and Trading Bank” (1926-1940), Ge ne ral Bank “Raj ko vić and
Staj ko vić” (from 1926 until the end of World War Two, when
it was nationalized).
Today, the following banks also have their branch offices
in Zaječar: “Ko mer ci jal na ban ka”, “Kre di ban ka”, “Me ri di jan
ban ka”, “Unicredit Bank”, “Agro ban ka”, “Ban ka In te sa”, “Al fa
Bank”, “Société Générale”, “ProCredit Bank”, “Me tals Bank”,
“AIK Bank”, “Po štan ska šte di o ni ca” and “Raiffeissen Bank”.
TRAFFIC
Already in the 2 nd century AD, Timočka krajina had good
roads, by standards of that time. Powerful Roman Empire,
having determined that it is under a great danger from the
crossing of Barbarians over the Danube, built a series of fortifications
along the big river. This Limes Moesiae stretched
from Belgrade to the Black Sea. For the purpose of supplying
the legions stationed there, Romans covered the entire area
of today’s Timočka krajina with roads, including the area of
what is today the city of Zaječar. In accordance with the available
data, an important road led from Niš (Na i sus), through
Rav na (Ti ma kum Mi nus), from there down the White Ti mok
to the Ko stol fortification at the confluence of the Black
and White Ti mo k. Here, the road branched toward Danube,
Morava River basin, Bulgaria and Poreč. The road toward
Morava River basin, by all accounts, was passing by the imperial
Ro mu li ana.
During the period of Turkish rule, the roads were fully
neglected and ruined. They were hardly any better by World
War Two, because the traffic was of low intensity, and means
of transportation did not require modern quality pavements.
The current road network was built mostly in the second
half of the 20 th century. As an example, constrction of the
road Za je čar-Pa ra ćin, which was the main connection between
Timočka krajina and Morava River basin and Belgrade,
started in 1963, and completed in 1969. Total length of the
1
2
Railway station
in Zaječar, entrance
from the street and
exit to platforms
Dispute
Merchants from
Zaječar, To ma Milo
še vić and Je re mi ja
Sa vić, had a dispute
that lasted for more
than three decades
over the right to
build a power plant
on Crni Timok River.
When a power plant
was built in Zaječar
in 1926, there was
a dispute between
the municipality and
To ma Mi lo še vi ć over
the right to deliver
the electricity to the
customers. For a certain
period, Zaječar
was being supplied
from two networks.
The dispute lasted
for three years and
Milošević lost it, and
thus had to remove
his low voltage
network.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
88
roads in the area of the city of Za je ča r is 493 kilometers, out
of which 378 ki lo me ters with contemporary pavement.
The said Belgian railway was the first railway in the
Zaječar area. It was built for transportation of coal, equipment
and parts for mine “Vr ška ču ka”. It did not have permit
for passenger transportation, but was certainly used for this
purpose as well. Of course, that railway could not solve traffic
problems in Timok area, especially those in communications
through Če sto bro di ca, Cr ni vr h and Tre si ba ba. Roads
that led through these areas were unusable even in summer
periods, and during winters almost regularly, which slowed
down the total economic development.
For this reason, Za je čar people asked from the state to
have their area connected with railway Belgrade-Niš, built
in 1884. And so, in 1890, the National Assembly of Serbia
approved funds for the laying of the railway, but not toward
Pa ra ći n as people from Za je čar wanted, but in direction Niš-
Za je čar-Danube. This was a strategic move, based on joint
Project of Russia and Serbia to build a railway that would,
through Romania, connect the Black and Adriatic Sea. This
project was based on Russia’s desire to cut the expansion of
the Austro-Hungaria toward the East, and to make a traffic
connection with warm seas. The railway route was determined,
but the construction did not begin because there
were no funds.
Since the said international project was not realized, the
attention was focused on the direction that Za je čar people
had insisted upon. Routing began in 1895, but his took a
Chile because of a very unfavorable terrain. The construction
began in 1905, first on the section from Za je ča r to Bogo
vi na. Next year, construction of the section from Pa ra ći n
to Iz vo r began, and the construction of the most problematic
part, from Iz vo r to Kri vi Vi r, lasted more than six years. The
entire railway was opened for traffic on January 28, 1912.
Shortly afterwards, the arm Me tov ni ca-Bor, which was primarily
used as an industrial railway for the Bor Mine, was
also opened for traffic.
Meanwhile, again for strategic reasons (Turks were planning
to build railway Pri šti na-Ska dar), the government in
Serbia decided to build railway Pra ho vo-Niš-Kur šu mli ja.
Construction of the section from Pra ho vo started in 1907,
and by 1912 it was connected with the extended arm of the
railway Pa ra ćin-Za je čar near Vra žo grn ci. Pra ho vo-Za je čar
Railway was commissioned in 1914. The arm leading to Knja-
1
2
Za je čar railroad
through the Canyon
of the Bor ska River
Belgian Railway
Construction of “Belgian
railway” began
in 1887 and ended in
1889. 2.6 mi lli o n of
contemporary dinnars
were invested in
it. The best example
of how much money
that was is that the
budget of Serbia
consisted of 22 million
dinnars at the
time. The railway was
82 kilometers long,
with 0.76 m wide
rails. It was used for
70 years. 2,500 people
were engaged in its
construction, 84 of
which were experts
from Belgium and
Italy. Seven builders
were buried at the
cemetery in village
Ta ba ko vac.

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ževac was completed on January 28, 1915. However, because
of the difficult terrain and World War One, everything had to
be postponed, and the railway to Niš was not finished before
August 15, 1922.
After the end of World War Two, modernization of railways
and widening of the railway tracks. By the end of 1963,
the line to Ne go ti n was completed. Construction of Za je čar-
Bor Railway started in1949, but because of insufficient funds
and difficult terrain it was completed only in 1963. In 1972,
this arm was connected wit the previously completed Kuče
vo-Bro di ce-Maj dan pek Railway. Za je čar-Pa ra ćin Railway
was abolished on May 25, 1968, because it was determined
that this railway was slow and non-profitable.
PO ST
The first post office in Zaječar, a third class office, was
opened on October 15, 1843. Transportation of parcels and
passengers started in 1860 between Te ki ja, Ne go tin, Za je čar
and Knja že vac. Two-horse carriages were later replaced with
“federlije” – four wheelers of much better quality. It was given
a permanent building right before the Balkan wars.
1
2
3
Old post office
building in Zaječar
Busses for free
transportation of
pupils in Zaječar
Bridge over the
Black Timok, not far
from Po po va pla ža
1
The First
There is an evidence
that the first longdistance
telephone
line in Serbia was
used exactly in
Zaječar region. One
can almost certainly
claim that it was built
for the needs of the
industrial railway
built in 1888/89 connecting
Vr ška ču ka
and Ra du jev ac on
the Danube, where
the Belgian company
utilized telephone
line, which was quite
common in Western
Europe at the time.
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92
ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE
Radul-be g’s Residence
In the centre of Za je ča r, at the beginning of Lju be Ne šića
Street, there is one of the oldest preserved edifices in the
city, also called Ninuca’s houe or Čar dak by older people from
Zaječar. The first written account on it is from 1784, but exact
time of construction and the name of the first owner are
lost somewhere on uncertain intersections of history. But the
one after the liberation from Turks was preserved. It was purchased
by the wealthiest person in Gr lja ne, Ra dul Gli go ri je vić,
and he moved to Za je čar with his wife and younger children.
On the ground floor there was a shop, with warehouses,
and the upper floor was used as residential area. The base
of the building is irregular rectangle. Walls on the ground
floor are massive, made of stone, and bondruk is on the upper
floor. Wooden porch stretches along the entire length of the
house toward Ljube Nedića Street. Today, the Residence is
an exhibition area of the National Museum. The upper floor
contains permanent exhibition of interior of a 19 th century
town house (“Old Za je čar”), and on the place of old shops on
the ground floor there is a gallery, with an area for the sale of
paintings and souvenirs. In addition to art exhibitions, other
cultural programs take place here as well.
Turkish mill
It is located in the very centre of Za je ča r, right next to
the Liberation Square. It is assumed that it dates back to the
18 th century, but there is no reliable data.
Immediately after liberation in 1833, it caught the eye of
Duke Mi lo š, but because of recklessness of Mi le Ra doj ko vi ć,
commander of “all Serbian army in Kraj i na and Ti mo k”, it
fell into the hands of a man from Niš to whom the previous
owner had owed 500 gold coins. Because of that mistake, Radoj
ko vić had to apologize to the duke.
Built of stone, with wooden cellar and roof structure, covered
with roof tiles. Water for the work of this mill was taken
from the Black Timok by means of a trench that was dug
through the settlement. For as long as two centuries, with its
four stones, it milled the cereals of townspeople and people
from the nearby villages. It would stop working during heavy
frost, or when the trench would be flooded by torrents. Reconstruction
of the trench, they say, was so expensive, that
the La lo vić family, who were owners of the mill for a long
time, had to sell a parcel of farmland every time.
1
2
Residence of
Gr ljanac Ra du l
Gli go ri je vi ć,
building from
the 18 th century
Museum exhibition:
Za je čar middle-class
house from the
19 th century,
on the first floor
of the Residence
Guildhall (Theatre)
It is situated at the
corner of Sve to za r
Mar ko vi ć and Ti močka
bu na Street. It
was built in autumn
1897 from the trade
guild funds. The
edifice was severely
damaged during
battles for liberation
of Za je ča r in autumn
1944. It was restored
immediately after
the war and Zaječar
Theatre has been
situated there ever
since. It was built
in the style specific
for the end of 1920’s
with more freely
designed doorway of
the porch entrance
and pyramidal roof
endings.

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Long forgotten and neglected, the mill was reconstructed
in 1977, upon the initiative of the National Museum. It was
used as an attractive hospitality facility, in which various cultural
programs were frequently organized.
Church of the Holy Mother of God
Built in 1834, it initially consisted of a single-naval
naos, with a semi-circular vault, semi-circular apse and lateral
choirs, covered with a double-pitched roof. Icons were
painted in 1840 by Đor đe Ba ka lo vi ć, a painter from Vojvodina.
It was severely damaged in the Serbian-Turkish Wars
in 1876-1878.
It was refurbished before the end of the 19 th century,
when a narthex with a choir was built, which fully fitted with
the rest of the building in terms of architecture. A belfry was
also added, with floors and the final part in the form of a
topped spherical pyramid, for which it still represents a characteristic
symbol of Za je ča r. Important icon paintings in the
church were mostly the work of painter Ste va To do ro vi ć. In
the late 20 th century, a wrought iron fence was built around
the church and there was arranged.
Other aspects of this sanctity are detailed in the chapter
on sacral heritage of Zaječar region.
1
2
Water mill in
Zaječar, 18 th century
Gymnasium
building (today
Elementary School
“Lju ba Ne šić”)
94
Gymnasium building
It occupies the space between Do si te je va, Pa ši će va and
Mi lo ša Ve li kog streets, in the centre of Za je ča r. It was built
in 1892, based on the design apparently developed by several
authors, Richard Lang among them, who later embraced
Christian Orthodox religion and remained in Zaječar (grandfather
of Zo ra n Rad mi lo vi ć). The building represents an important
architectural work.
Based on the account of architect Mi lo ra d Vo ji no vi ć: “The
central risa lite with entrance area is accented vertically with
a roof attic, with balusters in fields, accentuated on ends with
another smaller pyramidal post as an obe lisk... The center, as
the symatry of the entire façade tract from Do si te je va Street,
is emphasized by the sculptural conposition consisting of a
group of three vertically arranged human figures.”
The building has been fully reconstructed recently.
The building of Male Elementary School
Built in the late 19 th century next to the Gymnasium,
based on the design of an unknown architect. It is an inter-
Raj ko vi ć Mansion
It is situated at the
beginning of Ni ko la
Pa ši ć Street. It consists
of the ground
floor with shops and
three floors, ending
in an attractive roof
terrace. Façade front
is stretched vertically,
in strictly symmetrical
order, and the exterior
finishing is of
artificial stone with
stylish decoration
specific for 1920’s.

HERITAGE
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esting architectural solution in Neo Renaissance style. Central
part is dominant, and the main entrance is in its basis.
Over it there are thee large window openings, and two symmetrical
wings left and right.
This building today houses the Elementary School “Desan
ka Mak si mo vić”. The building was reconstructed in early
w21st century.
1
2
3
4
City administration
Artillery barracks
District
administration
Building in Pro te
Ma te je Street
District Office
It is located in the strict city centre, at the Liberation
Square. The building was built between 1906 and 1911, based
on the design of Belgrade architect Pe tar Po po vi ć.
It consists of an elevated ground floor and the first floor.
The main characteristic of this building is perfectly rhythmical
arrangement of its windows, interrupted by façade pilasters.
The façade is lavishly decorated with wreaths, pilasters,
tympanums in the “style of eclectic Renaissance”.
96
Municipality Hall
Built on the Liberation Square and partly in what is today
the Street of General Gam be ta. The main façade has symmetrical
composition, with accentuated entrance area. The
building has ground floor and the first floor.
House in Prote Ma te je Street
This family building from 1926, not far from the city centre,
is a unique example of lavishly decorated middle-class
houses from that period. It is built as a ground floor building,
with a basement and a roof protrusion in the form of a loft.
The dominant detail that draws attention immediately is an
elevation in the shape of a cube with ornamentally shaped
end and a decorative spike on top.
Building in Đu re Sa la ja Street
Built in 1937/38, as a free-standing yard building with
a basement and elevated ground floor. The exterior appearance
of this attractive building, covered with industrially
shaped ceramide, indicates influences of traditional building
construction. However, the arrangement of windows on
the main façade and shape of the entrance porch with pillars
and arches is closer to the elements of Serbian-Byzantine
architecture.
The building is surrounded with lavish park vegetation.
Artillery Barracks
The building of artillery
barracks from
the beginning of 20 th
century is situated
at the complex of
military facilities in
the western part of
town, alongside Za ječar-Bo
lje vac highway.
It was built as an
independent facility
with a symmetric
basis. It consists of a
ground floor and one
floor, and the symmetry
is emphasizes
by a tower-shaped
camber, which gives
it a romantic feature.
Façade in plaster is
tilled in the spirit
of the early
Renaissance.

HERITAGE
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98
SACRAL HERITAGE OF ZA JE ČA R
CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES
Church of the Nativity of Holy Mother of God, Za ječar.
Until 1830, there was no Christian Orthodox church in
Zaječar. Not a single one. And them, Turkish commander Ferad-aga
permitted construction of a small church, equipped
only with what was really necessary for religious service. The
same happened in other parts of Timočka krajina. Church
situation was bad. It could not have remained unnoticed by
perceptive eye of Duke Mi lo š, when he came to the newly
liberated areas, in the summer of 1833. And the wise duke
knew how important church was for people who just came
out of the darkness of a long-time slavery. That is why he immediately
ordered to build a new church in Zaječar, a big and
beautiful one, and to establish an episcopacy.
“The building of the Church of the Nativity of Holy
Mother of God began in the spring of 1834, with committed
support from Duke Mi lo š, who ordered the authorities
to provide all conditions for emergency building of a church
(people, materials and others)”, says the official Episcopal
historian, our main source for this chapter. “Already in October
1834, the construction was finished, and the temple was
consecrated on December 23.”
A belfry was built next to the church. It had five bells,
cast in Kra gu jev ac in 1899. Four of them were donated by
the city, and one was donated by Jo ta Pa šić, a merchant from
Zaječar.
Until today, this has been the main temple in Zaječar,
and one of the symbols of the city.
Monastery of the Nativity of Holy Mother of God, Suvo
dol. It is located in the far southeastern part of the territory
of the city of Za je ča r, in Se lač ka district, on a plateau cut into
mountain Ma na stir ska gla ma. According to a legend, as told
by bishop Me len ti je Vu jić (1891-1911), it is connected with
the holy duke Lazar, which puts this monastery among the
oldest sacral endowments in Serbia. However, since the rich
monastery archives were burnt during Serbian-Turkish wars
in 1876-1878, and then during Serbian-Bulgarian War, it is
difficult to say with certainty when the church was built.
The first preserved data on this monastery is provided by
Felix Kanitz, and this is not joyful data. Staying in this ter-
1
Monastery of the
Nativity of Holy
Mother of God,
Su vo dol
Mi li sav
Wherever you go
throughout Zaječar
county or throughout
the entire Ti moč ka
Krajina, in whatever
chronicle or church
art review you peep,
you will come across
his name. His holy
pictures look at our
fragility and ephemeris
from the walls
of local temples,
from the preserved
iconostases. They
radiate an aerial
golden light into the
darkness of time. In
loud silence, they
remind us who we
are, where we came
from and where we
are heading.
He, Mi li sav Mar ko vić
from Knja žev ac, is incomparably
the most
fruitful iconographer
of Ti moč ka Krajina in
19 th century.

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ritory in 1860, Ka nitz testifies of the Turkish merciless destruction
of the monastery “after one battle against Serbs”.
Unlike the older church, the foundation of which was in
the shape of a cross, the layout of the reconstructed church
resembles of Žiča Monastery. “Just like in Žiča, two domes
rest on a narrow narthex, and the main area without domes
ends with three apses in the shape of a clover, and is scarcely
lit with a small number of windows”, describes the account.
Botanist Jo sif Pan čić visited the monastery in 1863 and
wrote that “the entire interior of the church is covered with
frescoes from the life of Jesus Christ and the saints”.
In 1865, the church cracked in the altar part. For this
reason it was demolished and a new church was built on its
foundations. This construction was finished in 1869, during
the reign of duke Mi la n Obre no vi ć, and an inscription on the
church is a testimony to this.
“The present church is a single-dome rectangular building,
a harmonious and representative architectural unit”,
says the Episcopal historian. “Frescoes in the church are
more recent. On the neo-classical a large number of icons,
from the second half of the 19 th century, are a valuable art
work. Among them are icons by Mi li sa v Mar ko vi ć from Knjažev
ac, one of the most prolific icon painters in Timočka krajina,
made in 1892.”
People in this area say that bishop Ev ge ni je Si me o no vić
(1865-1880) placed in the altar of the temple in Suvodol,
during the construction, a chest with relics of St. Pan te lejmo
n, the great healer. Some people use this to explain such a
large number of pilgrims from across Serbia who come here
to pray and ask for help.
Su vo dol today is a female monastery.
Monastery of St. Peter and Paul, Gr li šte. In the territory
of the village of Gr li šte and on the shore of the local
lake, 14 kilometers from Za je ča r, this monastery is dedicated
to two best known holy apostles. It was built in the
Middle Ages, but it is difficult to determine the exact date of
construction and the name of the donor. Inscription above
the entrance indicates that, in 1804, refurbishing and construction
of adjoining facilities was conducted here by priest
Ra do sav Živ ko vić, one of the leading rebels in this area. It
was in the time when this monastery, just like other monasteries
in Krajina, was not only sacral centre, but also centre
of rebellion.
100
1
2
Interior of the
temple in Su vo dol
monastery
Church in Gr li šte
First Bishop
The citizens of Zaje
čar were fortunate
with their first bishop
Do si te j (which was
not the case vice
versa). Chroniclers
recorded that the
bishop used to
finance libraries,
schools, the Grammar
School. This
educated man, a
member of Serbian
society of scholars,
had, undoubtfully, a
significant cultural
influence on citizens,
even greater than the
spiritual one. This is
indicated by the fact
that he moved the
seat of the Eparchy
to Negotin in 1839,
because, it is said,
he was not satisfied
with the number of
citizens who attended
the liturgy.

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102
“It is a smaller church, with rectangular foundation,
with narthex, porch and a dome. Two wide pilasters near the
northern and southern wall of the naos are separating the
altar area from the central part of the naos, and a smaller,
judging by the exterior appearance octagonal dome, rises
above them. The iconostasis is the work of unknown painter
from the late 19 th century. Next to the church, on the northeastern
side, there are priests’ tombs. The oldest tombs date
back to the first half of the 19 th century.”
TI MOK EPARCHY
As we have already mentioned, upon the order of Duke
Mi lo š Obre no vi ć, the eparchy was founded in newly liberated
Timočka krajina in 1834, the same year when the new
church in Zaječar was built. Until then, the church administration
was divided between Vi din Metropolitanate, and Niš
and Belgrade eparchy.
The (pre)history of Timok eparch was turbulent, just like
the history of these territories. During the time of great migrations,
this area was under the reign of the bishop whose
seat was in Aquae on the Danube, a lost city that used to be
located somewhere in the territory of today’s Pra ho vo. Since
the 11 th century, the accounts further say, the territory became
a part of Ohrid Archbishopric. Afterwards, it was under
the rule of Constantinople, Peć and Tr nov ska patriarchies.
At the time when Austrians pushed back the Turks and took
control over northern Serbia in 1718-1739, this area was
under the rule of Vršac Eparchy, within the Belgrade-Karlovac
Metropolitanate. When Peć Patriarchy was abolished
in 1766, this area comes under the rule of Vi din Eparchy,
within the Constantinople Patriarchy.
During the First Serbian Uprising (1804-1813), here was
the seat of Belgrade Metropolitan, Grk. Since in 1831 Duke
Miloš managed to negotiate the independence of Serbian
Metropolitanate from the Constantinople Patriarchy, as soon
as Ti moč ka kra ji na was liberated from Turks it was decided
to establish a new Serbian eparchy for this district.
From then and until today, in almost 180 years, ten biships
have ruled over the Timok Eparchy. In the period from
1886 to 1890 it was abolished, and on several occasions, according
to the accounts, it was administered by bishops from
neighboring eparchies.
Below is the list of all Timok bishops, and you can find
their short biographies on the Eparchy’s website (www.epar-
1
2
Seat of Timok
Eparchy and
Episcopal residence
Interior of the
Church of the
Nativity of Holy
Mother of God
in Za je čar
Near the End of the
Second Century
For 177 years of the
existence of Timok
Eparchy, it was led by
ten bishops. The seventh
bishop, Emi li jan
Pi per ko vić, stayed
for the longest period
of time, for even 48
years (1922-1979)!
The first and the
fifth bishop, Do si tej
No va ko vić (1834-
1854) and Me len ti je
Vu jić (1891-1911),
stayed for 20 years,
respectively. Current
bishop Ju stin Ste fano
vić is approaching
that number, he has
been the Head of the
Eparchy since 1992.
The sixth and the
fourth bishop, Iri nej
Ći rić (1919-1921)
and Moj si je Ve re sić
(1880-1893), stayed
for the shortest period
of time.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
hi ja-ti moc ka.org). Through those biographies, in a certain
way, one cab also read about the history of the Eparchy itself.
BISHOPS
Do si tej No va ko vić, the first Timok bishop (1834-1854).
Ge ra sim Stoj ko vić, the second Timok bishop (1854-
1865).
Ev ge ni je Si me o no vić, the third Timok bishop (1865-
1880).
Moj si je Ve re sić, the fourth Timok bishop (1880-1883).
Me len ti je Vu jić, the fifth Timok bishop (1891-1911).
Iri nej Ći rić, the sixth Timok bishop (1919-1921).
Emi li jan Pi per ko vić, the seventh Timok bishop (1922-
1970).
Me to di je Mu žde ka, the eighth Timok bishop (1970-
1977).
Mi lu tin Sto ja di no vić, the nineth Timok bishop (1977-
1992).
Ju stin Ste fa no vić, the tenth Timok bishop (1992).
1
1
2
Reading and
contemplating:
a priest in
Vra žo gr nac
Church of the
Nativity of Holy
Mother of God
in Zaječar, built
in 1834.
Goj ko
Just before the World
War II, Goj ko Stojče
vić, who was later
to become Bishop of
Raška and Prizren
and Serbian Patriarch
Pa vle (1914-
2009), served the
army in Zaječar. He
was a graduate from
Theological Faculty
when he was drafted
in August 1940. He
used to remember
later: “I served for six
months. Theologists
were entitled to that
if they would become
priests or monks
within two years;
otherwise, I would
have served the entire
military service.
I was a soldier in the
military hospital in
Zaječar.”
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106
MOUNTAINS
Tu pi žni ca is situated on the southern rim of Zaječar
basin. Except in the territory of the city of Za je ča ra, it
also spreads over municipalities of Knja že vac and Bo ljevac.
People also call it La so vo Mountain, after the village
of La so vo, which is located at its foot. It belongs to the
group of younger limestone mountains and it runs in the
direction of the meridian. On the western side it ends with
high rocky ridge called La so vač ki ka men (on the altitude
of 1,162 meters).
Since it is mostly made of limestone, practically all carst
reliefs (sinkholes, caves, etc.) can be found on this “island
mountain”. The forest vegetation is very scarce, especially on
higher altitudes. On the side toward La so vo, there is a range
of steep slopes that can be great challenge for mountaineers.
It is much more accessible from the Knjaževac side, because
a road was built on the mountain up to the television relay.
There are several marked tracks for mountaineers on this
mountain, and in the past fewyears it has attracted a large
number of paragliders, cyclists and hunters.
De li Jo van. Again on the rim of Zaječar basin, on the
opposite side from Tu pi žni ca and on the border with municipalities
Ne go tin iand Bor, there is mountain De li Jo van.
It stretches in the direction north-south and belongs to the
group of Carpathian-Balkan mountain system. According
to the legend, the famous rebel Sta ri na No vak used to hide
here. Today it is visited by mountaineers and hunters. On
the Negotin side of the mountain there is hunting grounds
of Public Company “Sr bi ja šu me”. The
highest peak on this mountain is Cr ni vrh
(1,141 meters).
Sta ra pla ni na (Old Mountain). It
practically starts at Ne go ti n, then stretches
in a moderate slope to the east from Za ječa
r, Knja žev ac and Pi ro t, and then further
east through Bulgaria, almost to the Black
Sea. The highest peak on this mountain is
Bo tev in Bulgaria (2,376), and in Serbia it
is Mi džor (2,169). There are no high peaks
on the Zaječar part of Sta ra pla ni na, bbut
the area above Pr li ta, Vra tar ni ca and Mali
Iz vo r is very attractive for hunting. It
could also be interesting for trekking.
1
Images from
the area below
Tupižnica: Po br đe,
house guardian,
St. John’s Wort,
cherries, squirrel
Caves
Ledenica, situated
on Tupižnica, at the
foot of Lasovac peak,
closer to the western
side of the mountain,
is the most famous
of all caves from
Zaječar county. It is
26 meters deep, and
the explored pitch
canals are 63 meters
long. Davidov propast
(Da vi d’s chasm) is
the deepest known
cave on Tupižnica so
far (81 me ters). After
the vertical entrance,
there is a steep shelf
and “a magnificent
hangar which is more
than 50 meters deep,
20 meters wide and
40 meters long.”
There are at least
three caves interesting
for speleologists
near Suvodol monastery.
Tomina pećina
(Toma’s cave), where
there are beautiful
cave ornaments, is
also situated in the
rocky ground of
Rgot ina.

SUMMITS
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
108
RIVERS
Three Ti mo ks. Cutting the Zaječar basin, downstream
from the city, the Black and White Ti mok merge and create
the Ti mok, sometimes also called the Big Ti mok. The spring
of the Black Ti mok is below Ma li nik Mountain in Bo lje vac
municipality, and White Ti mok is created by merging of Trgo
vi ški and Svr lji ški Ti mo k. In addition to these three rivers,
there are several of their tributaries running through the
city of Za je ča r (Ma la Ša ška, Avra mič ka re ka, Lub nič ka, Leno
vač ka, La so vač ka, Gor nja be la re ka...).
The Black and White Ti mok reach their maximum water
level March and April, when snows on Stara planina and Kučaj
ske planine are thawed and during spring torrents, and
the minimum water level is typically in September. Both the
Black and White Ti mok, although they sometimes flood and
create damage, in the vegetation period have small quantities
of water and are not sufficient base for irrigation. For
this reason, extensive works were conducted in 2010 on the
construction of embankment on the White Timok almost
from the confluence of the Lub nič ka River to the bridge on
the road Za je čar – Ve li ki Iz vor.
On the Black Timok there is one power plant, in Gamzigradska
Banja, built in 1909. In 1948, hydro power plant “Soko
lo vi ca” was built on the Big Timok. based on the data from
cadastre of smaller power plants, it is possible to build them
on the Black Timok near Zve zda n, on the Big Timok near Trnav
ac, Ta ba kov ac and Čo ko nja ra, on the Gr li ška River within
the accumulation Gr li šte, on the Ne ga li ca creek, upstream
from the village of Le nov ac and on the Upper River, one kilometer
upstream from the village of Gor nja Be la Re ka.
GORGES
Vratarnica Gorge connects the Knjaževac basin in the
south with Za je čar basin in the north. It starts just below the
Vratarnica hamlet of Zmi ja nac, and ends a few hundred meters
upstream from the confluence of the Gr li ška and White
Ti mok. It is about five kilometers long, 170 to 190 meters
deep and 200 to 500 meters wide. According to the available
data, the first explorations of the gorge were conducted by
the well known Serbian geographer Jo van Cvi jić. It was also
mentioned as the Vratarnica Gorge for the first time in Cviji
ć’s article published in 1954, posthumously, in Anthology of
Works of the Faculty of Science and Mathematics.
1
2
Summer hangout:
“Po po va pla ža”
in Zaječar
Waterfall Near
Monastery
In Za je ča r county
there is only one
significant waterfall
situated on the
tufa layered on top
of lime. It is situated
at the spring of
Selačka River, not
far away from Suvodol
monastery. The
water drained from
a powerful spring
falls in cascades
from the height of
38 m over rubs and
several smaller stairs.
The main stream is
divided by thick vegetation
(moss) into
one big and several
smaller currents. Being
quite beautiful,
the waterfall is registered
as an important
natural heritage of
Serbia.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
It is assumed that in Neogene Knjaževac and Za je čar basins
were lakes and that they were connected by a river, later
called the White Ti mok. Running to the north and gradually
deepening, the river created a gorge through which the
lake water has expired. The lake terraces that exist today are
mentioned as evidence of this theory.
Ba ba Jo na Gorge, 22.5 kilometers long, starts downstream
from the Boljevac village of Su mra ko vac and ends a
little upstream from the Za je čar village of Zve zdan. It is actually
not a gorge, in the strict sense of that word. There are
sharp recesses between hills near Gam zi grad ska Ba nja and
the tunnel on the road Za je čar-Pa ra ćin, and in the remaining
part, on one or the other side, there are valleys in between
hills. In addition to the said road, even today it is possible to
recognize in this gorge the route of the former narrow gauge
railroad Za je čar-Pa ra ćin.
So ko lo vi ca Gorge is situated on the place where the Big
Ti mok cut the basin between hills on the stretch from Tr navac
to Čo ko nja r. Hydro power plant “So ko lo vi ca” was built in the
gorge. The so called “Belgian Railroad” used to run through it,
connecting the “Vr ška ču ka” mine with the port in Ra du jev c,
and today railroad Za je čar-Pra ho vo runs through it.
Canyon of the Bor ska River. The bed of this river, cut
into Rgot ski stone two and a half kilometers long, has characteristics
of a true gorge. It sedges are almost vertical and very
inaccessible. Railroad Za je čar-Bor runs through the canyon.
On the top of Rgot ski stone there are remains of an ancient
building, probably from the Roman period.
THREE LAKES
There are no natural lakes in the territory of the city of
Za je ča r, but there are three artificial ones: Gr li ško, Rgot sko
and So vi nac. All three are very interesting for sport fishermen,
swimmers and nature lovers, and represent a significant
and still underdeveloped tourist potential.
Gr li ško je ze ro was built in order to secure sufficient
quantities of healthy drinking water for all settlements in
the territory of the city of Za je ča r. It is situated on the Grli
ška rivedr, about ten kilometers to the south from Za je ča r
and about ki lo me ter upstream from the village of Gr li šte.
The dam was built in the Ždre lo gorge, in the vicinity of the
Monastery of St. Peter and Paul. Surface area of the lake is
about 100 hectares, the deepest point is about 20 meters. It
is populated with fish. It has bream, carp catsish, grass carp,
perch, sunfish, bleak, chub, silver carp...
110
1
2
Canyon of the
Borska River
Swimming in the
Gr li ško Lake
Black River of
Yellow Color
Connoisseurs and
fans of the canyon,
those who have an
eye and sensibility
for it, say that
the one made from
Rgotina stone by Bor
River is the one of
the most beautiful
in Serbia. “Surreally
white cliffs rise
upwards vertically,
directing our view
straight to the sky.”
However, dead water
is crawling at the bottom
of the canyon!
The Bor River has
been bringing to the
Timok huge amounts
of pyrite contaminated
waste soil from
the existing mine for
a long time. Wells,
fields and people are
endangered. Each day
of delaying the actual
solution becomes
inexcusable.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
112
Since the main purpose of the lake is to supply Za je ča r
and surrounding villages with drinking water, the regime of
its use for any other purpose is under strict control of competent
authorities.
The So vi nac Lake was created near the major road Za ječar-Ne
go tin, in order to secure sufficient quantities of water
for irrigation of the complex of Agriculture Estate “Sa laš”.
Surface area of the lake is about 12 hectares, and it is about
12 meters deep. Because of its muddy bottom, it is almost
always turbid, although water in it is safe. It is good for sport
fishery for catfish, perch, pike, carp, grass carp and various
white fish.
Near the lake there is a mo tel with restaurant and a terrace
overlooking the lake. Next to the motel there is camping
grounds, par king and several fields for small sports. It is the
favorite destination of boy scouts from Za je čar, sport fishermen
and picnickers.
The Rgot sko Lake was created on the abandoned surface
mine from where quartz sand used to be exploited and
where water from underground springs later accumulated.
Bottom of the lake is sandy, and water is exceptionally clear,
because of which the lake is interesting for swimmers and
divers. The lake is populated with fish, but conditions for
fish reproduction are quite poor, because of the lack of surface
tributaries.
Because of the quartz sand, the water heats easily, and in
the summer there are many swimmers from Za je ča r and villages
surrounding the lake. Unfortunately, there is no facility
that provides hospitality or other similar services. There
is a project of company “Ju go ka o lin” to build such a facility.
THE WATER THAT WAITS
Two kilometers from the centre of Ni ko li če vo, on the
Wright bank of Banj ski po to k, there is a small spa popularly
known as Ni ko li čev ska ba nja.
Its medicinal springs were first described by M. Živ ko vić
in 1893, when he studied tertiary creations in the Zaječar
basin. In the second half of the 20 th century they are also
mentioned by Dr Mar ko Le ko in his book Medicinal Waters,
saying that the village of Ni ko li če vo has three thermal water
springs, that one of them gives 3 liters of water per minute at
temperature of 34 o C. However, even in the Turkis times people
knew about the medicinal qualities of Ni ko li čev o springs,
and probably even before that. According to the legend, wa-
1
2
The So vi nac Lake
The Rgot sko Lake
Si ma Lo za nić
Besides the writer
Ma ta vu lj, another famous
Sima attended
Zaječar Grammar
School and was a
professor there for a
while: a scientist Loza
nić (Belgrade, 1847
– Be lgrade, 1935),
later the President of
Serbian Royal Academy
and the first
Rector of Belgrade
University. He was
the one who conducted
the first scientific
analysis of thermal
water in Gamzigrad
Spa in 1889, and
he discovered its
healing properties.
Everything done
afterwards regarding
the development
of Gamzigrad Spa
and health tourism
of Zaječar county
is based upon the
foundations Lo za ni ć
had set.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
114
ter from these springs was transported by horses to Vidin,
for Vidin pasha. In Ti mo ča ni nu from October 2, 1891, Jo van
Ka me no vić announces “to the local population and everybody
who needs Ni ko li čev ska ba nja” that he had found the
main spring on his property, “so that now there is plenty of
water and that two-three people can bathe at the same time”,
and that he began, independently and at his own expense,
“to repair and develop, to make it comfortable for ill people”.
He informed the people that he would not charge anything,
but he called everybody to help him with donations to realize
his idea, everybody in accordance with their means.
In her book All This is Life, professor wrote that in Ni koli
če vo, in 1930’s, a man named An ta had a tavern and, next
to it, built a long building for accommodation of guests who
were using medicinal springs. The building had nine separate
rooms, furnished with beds, night stands and chairs, and
guests were bringing their own linen. He also built a kitchen
with a large stove, where they cooked. All that was gone after
his dfeath.
Dr Ni ko la Mi lo je vić, professor at the Faculty of Mining
and Geology, made the greatest contribution to the exploration
of water in Ni ko li čev ska banja. Thanks to him, chemical
analyses and reconnaissance of the terrain were conducted,
and was determined that water from Ni ko li čev ska banja belongs
to the group of alkali hydro-carbonated waters at the
tem pe ra tu re of 31 o C. Based on the decision of the Ministry
for the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment,
from February 24, 2003, reserves of oligomineral waters of
Ni ko li čev ska banja are 2.85 liters per second.
It is planned to build a hotel complex here, on surface
area of 10 hectares, with wellness and spa centre, indoor
swimming pools, aqua park and sport fields. The extent in
which the local people are counting on this water can be seen
in the fact that some of them are already offering categorized
rooms to guests.
HEALTH FROM THE DEPTH
In Serbia today there is not a single city that has so many
artesian fountains as Za je čar. Although today there is a contemporary
water supply system and a water treatment plant
with world class equipment, many people from Zaječar are
still drinking water from Mar ko ‘s and Tac ko ‘s fountain, the
one from “Ostr vo”, near “Je din stva”, or another fountain.
Very few people today know that artesian fountains
used to be built from practical and not really pleasant rea-
1
2
Ni ko li čev ska ba nja,
in the early
20 th century
From one of about
forty fountains
in Zaječar still
operational today
Healing Properties
In the opinion of
Dr. Mi la n Bo ja ni ć
form the Faculty of
Medicine in Belgrade,
mineral waters
from Ni ko li čev ska
Spa belong to the
category of oligomineral
sulphidic
homeotherms. They
can be used as basic
or additional means
for treatment of
the following, often
chronic, rheumatic
diseases: chronic
inflammatory rheumatism,
degenerative
rheumatism (artrosis
and spondylosis), as
well as for extraarticular
rheumatism
(fibrositis, myosistis,
panniculitis).

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115

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
sons. After liberation from Turks, sanitary conditions in
Zaječar were very poor. People were first drinking water
from the Black Timok, and later from shallow wells and
springs. Stomach infections were spreading, typhoid fever
among them.
Smart people with medical background realized that
these illnesses could not have been uprooted without providing
safe drinking water. They used the already existing
knowledge that Za je čar was built on the terrain with many
underground waters and proposed to resolve the problem by
building artesian fountains, which was realized in the second
half of the 19 th century. Since then and until today, about
sixty of them have been built, and about forty of them are
still in use. Many of them represent important monuments
of life in this city.
1
Memorial fountain
in Za je ča r city
centre, dedicated
to soldiers killed
for liberation from
Turks in 1833 and
in Serbian-Turkish
War from 1876-
1878, reconstructed
in 1994.
116
Mar ko’s fountain is located at Ku ma nov ska Street, next
to Central Library “Sve to zar Mar ko vić”. The water, at depth of
212 meters, was found on November 24, 1934. The fountain
has the following inscription: “Endowment of Mar ko C. Petko
vi ć, merchant from Za je ča r”. Next to the inscription there
was a photograph of the donor, but it was later removed.
Tac ko ‘s fountain was built next to two former taverns
“Tac kova” and “Ne ško va”, which are long gone. Initially,
water from the Kra lje vi ca was distributed to this fountain,
and later, in 1935, artesian well was drilled. The fountain has
the following inscription: “This fountain was built in 1935,
under president Goj ko Ni či ć, and under the management of
engineer Jo va n Jo va no vi ć. Water depth is 193 meters.” It was
reconstructed at the end of the 20 th century.
Mi ško vi ć’s fountain is located in the vicinity of silo of
“Ži to pro me t”, in front of the former furniture factory “Jedin
stvo”. It was built by Sve ta Mi ško vić, an industrial from
Zajecar, for the Leeds of its tanning plant. The original
fountain was built on a base, but was later moved several
times. It was given its current appearance in 1937. The water
comes from the depth of 134 meters. A part of the water
is taken for the fountain that is located within the “Je dinstvo”
factory.
Jan ko vi ć’s fountain, typically, embedded in the wall of
the building of Za je čar Cinema. The following is inscribed in
a granite plate: “The fountain is endowment of the sons of
Mar ja n Jan ko vi ć to their contemporaries, as a token of ap-
Je re mi ć Fountain,
more familiar as the
fountain of “Dva
brata” (Two Brothers)
is situated at
present Karađorđe
circus. It was built
during 1930’s on the
area between former
“Vanjina pivara”
(Vanja’s Brewery)
and “Shell” petrol
station. It was first
placed in the park of
the present lumber
camp “Timočke
šume” (Timok Forests),
and was later
moved near the facility
of calvary police
(alongside the present
Historical Archive
“Ti moč ka Krajina”),
and, in the late 60’s,
it was transferred to
the present location.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
preciation, and to future generations as an example. Depth
is 188 meters. It was discovered in September of 1930.” The
fountain originally had two pipes and the picture of donors
used to be on it, but was later removed.
Pa ji ć’s fountain used to be located near Pa ji ć’s wool
factory and mill. The following inscription was on this fountain
which had two pipes: “Built in 1928. Depth 116 meters.
Under administration of Municipality President Ni ko la Stamen
ko vi ć”. This fountain was destroyed, and a new one was
built on the same place in 1984.
1
2
Za je čar fountains
bring refreshment
to everyone,
even pigeons
Bans and violations:
fishing at the Black
Timok in Zaječar
Fountain on the corner of Haj duk-Velj ko va Street
and Iva na Mi lu ti no vi ća Street: elderly people in Zaječar
remember it as the Fountain near “Po sled nji gro š” or Beef
Market, and young people know it as the Fountain near
“Ostr vo”. According to the preserved accounts, it was built
in 1928, under administration of President Ni ko la Sta menko
vi ć, and its depth was then 104 meters. In mid 1980’s it
went dry. A new well was drilled and the fountain was built in
1987, under administration of President Mir ko Mla de no vi ć.
Quality of water from the fountains is regularly controlled
by the Institute for Public Health “Ti mok” in Zaječar.
In addition to rare occurrence of iron and sedimentations, it
is typically safe and with very good quality. According to one
research of the Faculty of Geography, underground waters in
Zaječar are on the same level as those from Pro lom Ba nja.
1
Fish
All larger waterflows
in Zaječar county are
more or less rich in
fish. It is applicable
for three local lakes
as well (Gr li ško,
Rgot sko, So vi nac),
which have been additionally
restocked
with fish. Experts
claim that there are
bream, carp, catfish,
grass carp, zander,
moderliechen, nase,
chub, bighead carp,
and various kinds of
white fish… However,
they add that the
significant sports and
touristic aspect of
Zaječar, as well as so
many other things in
Serbia, “are yet to be
exploited in a serious
manner”.
118

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
RURAL SETTLEMENTS IN
THE TERRITORY OF ZA JE ČA R
1
A house in Ma li
Iz vo r, formerly
a private house
There are forty one villages scattered around Zaječar
valley and on the slopes of the surrounding mountains. For
many of them it is difficult to say when they were founded,
how many times they were extinguished and recovered
again in wars, proving the primordial vitality of the local
population and its commitment to domestic life.
Just a little more than two centuries ago, some villages
in Zaječar were larger and more advanced than they are
today. According to records of monk called Franz Xaver
Pokorny , who explored the Timočka Krajina in the late 18 th
century, Vražogrnac had 40 houses , Rgotina 50, Jelašnica
20, Koprivnica 30, Brusnik 20, Grljan 120, Great Source
250, and Zaječar only 15 houses.
However, thanks to the geographical position of
Zaječar, at the crossroads of all major roads, it developed
much faster than any other village in the region. The industrialization
of the country, in line with the principles
valid at the time of socialist Yugoslavia, literally erased
many villages in this region. (According to the 2002 census,
the entire population of Timočka Krajina compared to
the previous census was lower in only two villages: Zvezdan
near Zaječar and Novi Sip near Kladovo. The census
also showed that, unfortunately, the population in some
Zaječar villages, in comparison to the census of 1948, was
reduced to a quarter.) People from Zaječar do as much as
they can to revive the village. In the past few years they
have rebuilt, renovated or constructed cultural centers in
the villages of Mali Jasenovac, Veliki Jasenovac, Glogovica,
Mala Jasikova, Velika Jasikova, Dubočane, Grljan, Gamzigrad,
VrareaAreanica, Grlište, Vrbica, Nikoličevo, Metriš,
Veliki Izvor, Lubnica and Zvezdan. A lot has been done
to improve the illumination and arrangement of streets,
and to renovate and reconstruct other buildings. A fund
was created to provide financial resource to solve vital
communal problems in the village. For every penny the
village extracts from rents, another one goes into the village’s
account in the city budget. Improvement of roads
and village roads has been announced, and a large amount
of funding is required.
Bridge
Although England
supported Turkey
in Serbo-Turkish
War (1876-78), a
manufacturer from
Manchester, John M.
Thompson, financially
supported the
restoration of Ve li ki
Iz vo r immediately
after the retreat of
Turks. He gave the
amount of 5,150
pounds, which was
used for building
about hundred of
houses in the village,
construction of a
road towards Zaječar
and for the bridge
on Be li Ti mo k River.
Thompson’s employees,
Dr. Sandwich
and Becker, coordinated
the works. The
inhabitants named
the new bridge English
Bridge.
120

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
BOROVAC
Borovac is one of the smaller Zaječar villages, some 23
kilometers away from the city. There are no written records
of it before the beginning of the 19 th century. It’s unknown
whether it was named after a creek called Borovac, or the
pine trees that grew around the village. The village is on the
left side of the White Timok, which flows to the east side of
the village. The village occupies an area of 1,167 hectares.
According to SANU Ethnographic Institute research,
residents moved there from the Knjaževac village of Jakovac.
According to the 2002 census, the village had 74 households
with 167 inhabitants, almost four times smaller than
in the census of 1948.
1
2
Reconstructed old
house in the village
of Bo ro vac
There is always a
way out: an image
from Bru sni k
122
BRUSNIK
First mentioned in the 17 th century, and according to
tradition, built on the former site of a village called Selište,
depicted on Epšelovic-Langer military map in 1718. Because
of Turkish oppression, it was displaced by 1739. Part
of the population fled to Wallachia and part to Bulgaria.
Today’s village was founded in the mid 18 th century, by immigrants
from Kosovo, which is mentioned in some Austrian
documents. In 1846, it had 151 houses.
In the “Latin Cemetery”, as the old Brusnik cemetery
at the Kućaća site is called, various objects (rings, gold and
silver coins) and the skeletons of people much taller than
today were found. Like Negotin village Rajac and Rogljevo,
Brusnik had its wine cellars. Wine produced was exported,
together with other Krajina wines, to France during the late
nineteenth and at the beginning of the 20 th century.
The village occupies an area of 2,372 hectares. According
to the 2002 census, there were 218 households with 456
inhabitants in 2002. It is 37 kilometers away from Zaječar.
VELIKI IZVOR
Four kilometers away from Zaječar, this village is situated
in a valley where the streams Stamenski and Duboki,
joined, forming the river local people named Bara. The area
occupies 6310 hectares. Rivers White Timok, Timok, Bezdanica
and Vlaški do flow from its edge.
Stone axes excavated at the Bačište site (during the
construction of primary schools) originate, presumably,
from the Neolithic period. Traces of aincent history were
Horses
People from Ve li ki
Iz vo r have always
been interested in
bred horses. Hardly
was there a better-off
house without such
an animal. When
the Circle of Serbian
Riders “Knez Miha
i lo” was founded
in Zaječar in 1890,
the initiators were
exactly the people
from Veliki Izvor.
The quality of their
horses is indicated by
the fact that in 1876,
Mi ja Kal čić won the
race for the grand
prix in Belgrade with
his horse Jablan.

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123

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
found in the locations of Alapin brdo, Grozjov vrh, Donje
brdo, Košuta, Duboki dol, Belište, Pločivi do, Tursko blato
and Prvanica, but no extensive research has ever been
conducted.
According to the monograph of the Veliki Izvor, the village
was created by merging three villages: Alapina (populated
by immigrants from Kosovo), Izvor (populated with
Timok natives) and Stupanj (populated with Tetevenci
natives). It’s unknown when the merger occurred. On a
Friedrich von Epšelovic map from 1718, there is no Veliki
Izvor, but the villages Halapino and Stupen were mentioned.
Austrian intelligence Pokorni visited Veliki Izvor 66
year’s later (in 1784) and recorded that the village had 250
houses, over hundred more than Zaječar!
Numerous data indicate that Veliki Izvor was an advanced
village of ancient times. In 1839, a primary school
was opened at home of Genče Andrejević, and the first
teacher was Antonije Popović. In the 1852, a new school
was built of stone and timber. It perished during the 1876-
1878 war, and was later revived, again in a private in house.
A new school building was built in the 1905, by the efforts
of Đorđe Genčić, a well-known industrialist and politician
from the Veliki Izvor. In 1889, the first primary school
for girls was opened, and the first teacher was Mileva
Marković. The first library in the village, at school, existed
up to seventies of the 19 th century. In 1925, there already
was a serious drama club, music and, since 1928, a singing
troupe society. A Shooting Club in Veliki Izvor was founded
in 1921, and a year later the first soccer ball was brought to
the village. The same year, a bicycle was ridden for the first
time along the dusty village streets ... A Credit Cooperative
was established in 1930, a beekeepers cooperative in 1935,
and a wine cooperative in 1937...
Today, people from Veliki Izvor are considered the best
vegetable producers in Zaječar area, and a big city supplier
of milk. According to 2002 census, the village had 754
households with 2684 inhabitants.
VELIKI JASENOVAC
Village is situated 27 miles northeast of Zaječar and it
occupies an area of 1,176 hectares. There is no information
on when the village was founded. What is known is that the
church was built in a period between 1919 and 1930, and
that it is consecrated by Bishop Emilian Timok.
124
1
Votive cross
from Mali Izvor
Crosses of
Covenant
“Every village in
Serbia celebrates a
particular day (usually
during summer,
between Easter and
Peter’s fast).” On that
day, people visit special
cultural places,
usually on an elevation
above the village
or at the outskirts, or
at large intersections,
where a religious service
and rituals are
performed. Besides
the covenant, usually
a large oak three with
abundant treetop,
special crosses of covenant
are mounted
at that place. The
crosses, as well as the
saints they are dedicated
to, are believed
to protect the village
and provide a good
harvest and family
wealth. There used to
be many such crosses
in Zaječar county,
and many of them
still exist.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
In 1948, the village had 1,050 inhabitants, and according
to the 2002 census, Veliki Jasenovac had 148 households
with 370 inhabitants.
VELIKA JASIKOVA
Velika and Mala Jasikova once used to be a single village.
At the beginning of the 18 th century, the village was
displaced to unknown places. While they were both still
a single village, there was a small church made of planks,
which was in 1817, moved to Velika Jasikiva. The present
church was built in 1868, and was consecrated the same
year by the Bishop of Timok. For raising the church, dedicated
to venerable mother Paraskeva, the most credited is at
the time the mayor, Jovan Dinulović. According to church
protocols, starting from 1837, the oldest parish priest was
Jordačija Radulović (served 1837-1860).
A School in Valika Jasikova was functional in 1873-74.
The village occupies an area of 3462 hectares. According
to the 2002 census, the village (connected with Zaječar
with 30 kilometers of asphalt road) had 258 households
and 998 inhabitants.
1
2
Old and new:
Images from
Vra žo grn ac
VRAŽOGRNAC
Seven miles north of Zaječar, on both sides of Bor River,
the village Vražogrnac spreads over 2837 hectares. The first
written document mentioning the village was 1455 Turkish
census counting six households. According to legend, it was
the estate of Ljutica Bogdan.
The first wooden church in the village Vražogrnac existed
before the liberation from the Turks. At the initiative
of Pope Milenko Rašić, a church dedicated to the Holy Trinity
was built in 1893, the project of Svetozar Ivačković, in
neo-Byzantine style. Icons for neoclassical iconostasis were
painted by Milisav Marković from Knjaževac. There is also
the Pogorevac monastery built in 1959, but without any
great architectural significance.
After liberation from the Turks, Vražogrnac dynamically
evolved. One of the water mills that had been used
for grinding ever since the Turkish rule, became the property
of Prince Miloš Obrenović. Later, two more were built:
Gojić’s and Mrkšić’s, both with three grinding wheels. An
agricultural credit cooperative was established in the village
in 1895, ceased operations during the First World War,
and was restored in the 1930, when a purchasing agricul-
126
After Old Woman
or Patrimony
According to one version,
village Vra žo grnac
was named after
an old woman who
cured illnesses by
“vračanje” (witchcraft),
and according
to the other, it was
named after a large
bush on the bank of
Timok River which
was called “Vražiji
grm” (Devil’s bush).
However, the name
originates from
village Vra žo grn ci
near No vi Pa za r,
from where its
inhabitants came.

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127

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
tural cooperative was also founded. According to written
documents, in 1838/39 Vražogrnac had five inns. There
was also the Mileta Stanković dyer shop bojadzija) and the
weaving shop (mutavdžija) of Gmitar and his five partners
dating from 1861. According to the 1881 census, 33 artisans
worked in Vražogrnac. It is certainly worth mentioning
that in 1932 the first modern cooperative dairies were
established in the valley of Timok, with devices for pasteurization
and a cream separator.
The school in Vražogrnac was founded in 1845, and the
first teacher was Ilija Licački. As it was inadequate, a new
one, with a clasroom and housing for the teacher was built
in 1860. This school was destroyed during the 1876-78 war,
and revived in a house on Živan Popovića, until the 1883,
when a new school was built.
In 1921, Vražogrnac had a choir, a year later the Vražogrnac
Singing Society, a drama club (that later became
Theatre “Đido”), in 1928 a violin society ... This tradition
continues with Cultural-Artistic Society “Sloga”. Since
1971, Vražogrnci has hosted a tourist and cultural event
“Vražogrnački točak.” According to the 2002 census, the
village had 469 households and 1340 residents.
1
2
One of the most
Beautiful in the area
of Zaječar:: the Holy
Trinity Church in
Vra žo grn ac from
1893, based on the
design of Sve to za r
Ivač ko vi ć, in
Neo-Byzantine style
128
VRATARNICA
The village is mentioned for the first time in the
1454/55 summary register of Vidin sandžak, as “Vratarnica”.
The name is associated with the gorge into which it
is nested, and serves as a kind of gate between Zaječar and
Knjaževac basin.
On the local site Gradište, in 1909, during the construction
of the Zaječar-Knjaževac railroad, a precious Iron Age
bracelet was discovered. Recently, in a cave in Toplik, remains
of pottery from the Neolithic period were also found,
and various traces of the past have been found sporadically
throughout the Vratarnica (occupying an area of 3948
hectares).
Since its establishment on the wide windward side, the
village was conquered by the Romans, various barbarian
tribes, the Turks, Austrians, Bulgarians ... As is the case
with other villages in this region, except for lists from the
period of Turkish rule; there are no other reliable ancient
testimonies about life in Vratarnica. There are no records
even during the first decades after the liberation from the
Turks (1833). The 1867 census is the first that shows than
Augustus’ Passage
During the Roman
Empire, the present
Vra tar ni ca, known as
Pas sus An gu stus, was
strategically important
place on the
road from Niš to the
Danube. Travelogue
writer Fe lix Ka nitz
recorded Vratnica
Canyon as Augustus’
Passage, and Serbian
travelogue writer
Mi lan Đ. Mi li će vić
recorded it as Pas so
Augu sto.

VILLAGE
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2
129

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Vratarnica had become a municipality (until then it was a
part of the municipality Zagrađe) and the 874 census shows
that it had 214 houses with 1,229 inhabitants, out of which
67 were literate. (The school in Vratarnica was established
in 1873/74).
The church in Vratarnica was built in 1893, and it is
dedicated to Archangel Gabriel. The church tower has three
bells, cast in Timisoara. The first bell was a gift to Vratarnica
municipality, the second is a gift from Stefanovic,
merchant Živan Petković and Rajko Donović, and the
third one is from Prvan S. Bivolarac, his wife and sons.
Next to the church there is a memorial with the names of
130 Vratarnica inhabitants who did not return from World
War One.
Chronicles record that about 1905 Vratarnica was shaken
by a gold rush. Research has shown that a local cubic
meter of sand has 640 milligrams of gold. The concession
for the exploitation from Minićevo to Grljan was given, in
1906, to Jorne Ebree, a banker from Paris. That same year,
the Vratarnica mine was is mounted, and the following year
began exploitation, but not for long since the concessionaire
went bankrupt.
The village’s farming and purchasing cooperative
was opened in 1922, an agricultural credit cooperative in
1926, and a dairy cooperative in 1932. From 1921 to 1941,
10 craft shops were registered although the number of
craftsmen must have been much higher, but not all were
reported.
After World War Two, the construction of the village
hall dragged on from 1949 to 1969, and two water supply
systems were built in 1976. Vratarnica inhabitants on the
left bank of river Timok drank water from the Vrbanski
kladenac trap, and those on the right bank from the karst
spring near the church.
The territory of this village, 15 kilometers away from
Zaječar, occupies an area of 3948 hectares. The occurrence
of lead ore and graphite has been registered there in an
amorphous form. According to the 2002 census, it had 234
households with 570 inhabitants.
VRBICA
According to tradition, this is the oldest village in the
Timok valley. It was named after the numerous willows
around the River Vrbička and the White Timok, on the left
130
1
2
“Vra žo gr nač ki
to čak”; the well
known event was
named after it
Cultural Centre
in Vra tar ni ca
The Thunderer
According to the
available records,
there had been a
church in Vrbica even
before it was liberated
from Turks. The
church was demolished
in 1891, when
the present temple
dedicated to the Holy
Prophet Elijah was
built. Inhabitants
from villages Vr bi ca,
Bo ro vac and Dre novac
built the church
together.

VILLAGE
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2
131

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
132
bank of which it is situated. According to an Austrian report
from 1784, the village, at that time, had 30 Christian
houses.
In 1900, an agricultural credit cooperative was established
in the village, agricultural procurement and sales
cooperatives in 1906, and a shooting club in 1901. At the
beginning of the 20 th century, Vrbica got a library.
Cooperative for agricultural credit was established on
December 7, 1927 and on that occasion 150 members enrolled.
The date of establishment of the dairy cooperative is
not known, but Vrbica folks claim that it is older than the
one in Vražogrnac (which is usually considered the beginning
of the industrial milk processing in Zaječar area).
A primary school in Vrbica was opened in 1853, and
the first teacher was Aleksandar Anđelković. Miraculously
saved during the war of 1876-78, the school was burned
down by Bulgarians in1915. A new school was built in 1928,
with three classrooms and two teachers’ apartments.
The village of Vrbica occupies an area of 1285 hectares.
According to the 2002 census, the village had 134 households
with 313 inhabitants. The village is 28 kilometers
away from Zaječar.
GAMZIGRAD
The village is on the right bank of the Black Timok, 14
km from Zaječar, and the village occupies an area of 2175
hectares. Although it is not mentioned on Turkish lists, the
settlement clearly existed in ancient times, and probably is
older than the Galerius royal palace.
It is known to be inhabited by Ungurjan Vlachs who
celebrate St. Nicholas and Petkovica.
A primary school in Gamzigrad began working in 1895,
and the first teacher was Lazar M. Jović. The village was advanced,
which is indicated by the fact that Paul P. Jovanović
had obtained a threshing machine in 1928, and Dimitrije B.
Ilić in 1937. The village is now almost merged with Gamzigradska
Banja. It included in the physical plan of the archaeological
site “Romuliana” and it has enviable conditions for
tourism development.
According to 2002 census, it had 278 households with
945 inhabitants.
GLOGOVICA
South of the Deli Jovan, 35 kilometers from Zaječar, is
the village of Glogovica. It occupies an area of 1,020 hect-
1
A church in the
village of Vr bi ca
Ham za
A riot and civil war
occurred in Turkish
Empire at the
beginning of 20 th
century. Some
aristocrats from
Timočka Krajina tried
to take advantage
of the situation and
raised the uprising.
Having not believed
that it was the right
moment, having no
confidence into the
ones who summoned
them to battle, the
people chose to stay
away. The rebels
were defeated in the
Battle of Temska and
the uprising ceased.
A Turkish chief
rebelled then, certain
duke Hamza, but he
was shot in 1413.
It is assumed that
the famous present
Gamzigrad was named
after that Hamza.

VILLAGE
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
ares. Prior to the formation of the current place (app. in
1811), along Glogovica river there were more settlements
with similar names: Glogodoče, Glogovo, and Velisavac.
The name apparently comes from the hawthorn, very widespread
in this region, and the population moved frequently
due to Turkish oppression.
The present church in Glogovica, dedicated to Assumption
of St. Anna, was built in 1910-1912, and consecrated in
1918. It was built by Đorđe Vajfert, industrialist. A primary
school for male and female children in Glogovica already
existed in 1873-74.
In late 19 th century Glogovica was known for its gold mine
“Rusman”, which worked until the Balkan Wars. Gold was
again mined in the village since 1932, when a “Glogovica-
Neresnica” gold mine was opened, owned by King Aleksandar
Karađorđević until his death in Marseilles in 1934. The
villagers then worked in a coal mine near the village Sikole.
After World War One, an agricultural purchasing cooperative
was established in Glogovica, and it worked continuously
until 1958, when it merged with the agricultural
farm “Salaš”.
According to the 2002 census, the village had 137 households
with 487 inhabitants. It is one of the villages where
the population has been substantially reduced. The population
is engaged in animal husbandry, and near the village
copper ore was discovered.
GORNJA BELA REKA
On the northeast side of Tupižnica and the right bank
of the Lasovačka River, 21 kilometers from Zaječar, there
is the village of Gornja Bela Reka. It is named after the Bela
Reka River which flows into the Lasovačka over the village.
Even in 1880 it had a school and the first teacher was
LJubomir Radmanović. The agricultural credit cooperative
was founded in 1889, and since 1917 mechanical threshers
were used, and in 1922 there was a reading room.
After World War Two, the village was electrified in
1945, a village hall was built in 1950, and a public bath was
built, but never used.
The village occupies an area of 2,961 hectares. According
to the 2002 census, Gornja Bela Reka had 96 households
with 185 inhabitants, five times fewer than in 1948..
A recent phenomenon noted is that some wealthy people
from Zaječar are buying abandoned houses in this village.
134
1
Delicacies: Za je čar
area is one of
gastronomically
the most interesting
areas in Serbia
Wine Cellar
Upon the initiative of
Ni ko la V. Ni ko li ć, the
Viticultural Cooperative
was founded
in 1931 and it was
purchasing and processing
grapes. There
was an initiative to
build a large wine
cellar in Vrbica at the
beginning of 1940.
A detailed study
was performed, the
Ministry of Economy
granted 350,000 dinnars
for the purpose,
however, the war
broke out in the
meantime and everything
was lost.

VILLAGE
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
136
GRADSKOVO
Traces of Roman buildings in the vicinity of Kraku
Liliječ testify that people were living here for centuries.
However, there is little data about the origin and life in
the village from its liberation from the Turks until World
War Two. It is known that in 1925/26 an agricultural cooperative
was founded, and three years later also the agricultural
cooperative credit. The church dedicated to
the holy Great Martyr George, was erected in 1907, a bell
tower in 1926, during the reconstruction of the church.
Today, Gradskovo is a village of hardworking shepherds and
a fresh air spa. The most important event in the village is a
festival of children’s creativity Međuokružna DENS.
According to 2002 census, it had 216 households with
667 inhabitants.
GRLIŠTE
Grlište lies at the foot of the Tupižnica mountain, 14
kilometers southwest of Zaječar, and it been mentioned
as early as the 15 th century. Situated on the banks of the
Grliška River, one kilometer downstream from the “Grlište”
dam and reservoir, and four kilometers upstream from
where the river empties into the White Timok, The village
occupies an area of 2,861 hectares. In Grlište there is the
Monastery of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, during the
Middle Ages the spiritual center for the whole area between
the Tupižnica, Rtanj, Black and White Timok. According
to a nearby inscription plaque, it could be concluded that
it was built in the time of Emperor Uroš the Weak (Uroš
Nejaki) (14 th century). It is known that the church was
renovated in 1804. The school in Grlište began working in
1846; agricultural credit cooperatives in 1906, a Falcon and
Shooting Club in 1926. The same year Grlište had a library
with 100 members and 500 books.
Residents of Grlište today are engaged in agriculture
and animal husbandry, and a number of them work in
Zaječar. The village occupies an area of 2,860 acres. Unexplored
reserves of bentonite clay have been registered are.
According to the 2002 census, the village had 308 households
with 857 inhabitants.
GRLJAN
It was first mentioned in the 1560 Turkish census. The
name is probably derived from the name of the village
1
2
3
View over the
Gr li ško Lake
Entrance and
imperial gates of the
church in Gr li šte
Gr li š Monastery
The church is a
domeless edifice
in the Gothic style,
4.5 meters tall and
wide, and 13.5
meters long. It is not
painted in frescoes.
All monastery icons
were burned during
Serbo-Turkish War
(1876-78). The holy
throne is made of
sandstone rock and is
mounted on a single
pillar. The monastery
was severely damaged
during wars
between 1912 and
1918. In 1924-25, it
was roofed, painted
inside and outside,
the foundations were
strengthened, the
floor concreted and it
was supplied with the
holy books. Merchants
from Zaječar,
Mi li sav and Če da
Mar ko vić, raised a
concrete fountain
which is still in use.

VILLAGE
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2 3
137

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Gurle in Karavlaška, where from its residents originated.
The area of the village occupies 3537 hectares. Two rivers
run through it, the White Timok and the Lubnička River, as
well as the streams lower Rašov and upper Kukov, and it is
surrounded by the hills Vodeničarska kosa, Trešnjevo brdo,
Kukov vrh i Parajankul. The village is of compact type, situated
on the left bank of the White Timok, four kilometers
from Zaječar.
The remains of Roman structures can be found in
Manastirište. A Roman hoard was also discovered, with
66 coins (dener and antoniana) forged from 193 to 314. In
1889, a mine “Vrška čuka” was opened and many residents
changed professions and became miners. Many went to
work in Wallachia.
Grljan’s elementary school was opened in 1842, the
first agricultural and purchasing cooperative was established
in 1898, the Holy Trinity Church was built in 1899
(the consecration was attended by King Milan and Aleksandar
Obrenović). Metal processing started in 1923, involving
the mines “Srpski Balkan”. In 1926 the village was
electrified, thanks to Boža Kuzmanović, who built the electric
turbine in Grljan.
The village hall was built in 1930, two years later also
the municipal home, in 1930 the village had a choir, and
the FK “Soko” was founded in 1932...
Today, Grljan is village of diligent hosts, with many
characteristics of city life. The locals are employees of
numerous Zaječar companies, as well as exemplary farmers
and ranchers whose animals have won prizes at many
fairs and exhibitions. There is a kindergarten in the village,
meaning that there are a lot of young people. The
main cultural and tourist event is the Soloist convocation
of flute players, with a tradition of nearly three decades.
The village is eight kilometers away from Zaječar. According
to the census of 2002, it had 888 households with 2839
inhabitants.
DUBOČANE
Austrian maps from the 1723 record this village as
Duboko. According to legend, the villagers fled to Bulgaria
because of Turkish oppression, but the village was inhabited
again, and in 1866 it had 172 houses. The people are
engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry in particular.
Near the village there is a sheep farm “Salaš”.
138
1
Iconostasis in
the Holy Trinity
Church in Gr lja n,
built in 1899.
Gr ljan Rebellion
Grljan Rebellion is
certainly one of the
most interesting occurrences
from the
history of Grljan. It
took place on 13 th
March 1883, just
before the famous
Timok Rebellion. The
reason was dissatisfaction
and suspicion
concerning the tax
lists. There were riots
and clashes with
soldiers. However,
unlike Timok Rebellion,
it ended without
bloodshed. Men from
Grljane did not take
part in Timok
Rebellion.

VILLAGE
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
The area of the village occupies 3228 hectares. According
to 2002 census, Dubočane village has 123 households
with 455 inhabitants. The village is 45 kilometers away
Zaječar.
1
Window and a
part of plastic in
the Holy Trinity
Church in Gr lja n
ZAGRAĐE
Zagrađe is fifteen kilometers from Zaječar, away from
busy roads in the Timok River valley. According to tradition,
it was founded around 1600, and the name derives
from ancient walls, behind which it was situated (outside
the city). Until 1895, when the Church of Ascension of the
Lord was built, there are no surviving written records on
this village.
The first school opened in Zagrađe in 1853, and the
Church of Ascension of the Lord was built in 1895. The first
residents moved to Zagrađe from Kosovo, and later from
other parts of Serbia, as well as from Bulgaria and Macedonia.
After World War Two, about fifty people moved in,
mostly from eastern Serbia. Today’s population is engaged
in agriculture and animal husbandry. According to the 2002
census, Zagrađe had 108 households and 241 inhabitants.
The village occupies an area of 1,771 hectares.
ZVEZDAN
Ina part of Zaječar basin, four kilometers from the city,
the Zvezdan village area spreads over 3,456 hectares. The
village is built on both banks of the Black Timok, downstream
from the end of the Baba Jona gorge, which begins
in the district of Bor, the village of Šarbanovac.
The current village was formed by immigrants from
Kosovo around 1690. According to legend, during the
Great Migration of the Serbs under the Patriarch Arsenije
Čarnojević, nine families came to the area of Zvezdan; they
liked the place, and decided to settle there.
According to the 1837 census, the village had 124 houses,
and only five years later, in 1842, 150 houses. Black
Timok operated mills (one of them being bought from the
Turks by Prince Miloš who later donated it to the church),
produced clay pottery in the area of Bare, and there was always
a lot of work for carpenters, cartwright, blacksmiths,
and painters.
Industrialization began with the opening of coal mine
“Zvezdan” in Timočište. Later on, a mine “Zvezdan II” was
opened in the Gnjilak area. At one time there was a lift
140
Za nje vac Church
In The Journey of
High School Cadets
throughout Serbia in
1863, the following
lines have been written
about Zanjevac
church in Zve zda n:
“The church was of
the shape unknown
to us. The foundation
was a square-shaped
cross, the sides of the
cross were constructed
as semi-arches on
which there was a
round tower with a
dome. The dome and
arches were slightly
broken. The frescoes
were beautiful and
adhered well onto the
high walls…”

VILLAGE
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141

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
transporting coal to Lubnica. Thanks to coal, a power plant
was built near the village. After the World War Two, a thermo-technical
device factory was built in Zvezdan (FMT),
which still operates, and a communal slaughterhouse was
also opened in the village.
The cooperative was founded in Zvezdan in 1898; a village
hall with a reading room was built in 1933, and the
current one in 1952. The school was opened in 1855.
Up to 1939, there was no village church, and then a temple
dedicated to the holy prophet Elijah was built. However,
near the village there are the remains of Zanjevac church
(its unknown who built it, or when, or to which saint it was
dedicated, so afterwards the church took its name from
the hill where it is situated). According to the 2002 census,
Zvezdan had 538 households with 1675 inhabitants, 80
more than in the 1991 census.
1
2
3
4
A church in Zve zda n
Monument to
Serbian soldiers
from Gr lja n
Inscription on
the Holy Trinity
Church in Gr lja n
Inscription on
the church in
Vra žo grn ac
KLENOVAC
48 kilometers from Zaječar, on the right side of the road
towards Negotin, there is the village of Klenovac. From Klenovac
to Negotin is only 18 kilometers. It is assumed that it
was founded by Serbs from Kosovo at the beginning of the
18 th century. The village was firstly called Lužani, and from
1924 its current name comes from the maple, a common
tree in this district.
According to the 2002 census, the village had 102
households with 250 inhabitants. The village occupies an
area of 1,060 hectares.
KOPRIVNICA
There is reference to Koprivnica in the 14 th century.
The village was founded by settlers from Old Serbia and
Kosovo. According to the census of 2002, it had 181
households with 532 inhabitants. The area of the village
occupies 3,408 hectares. Koprivnica is 25 kilometers
from Zaječar.
An old church, dedicated to the holy Apostles Peter and
Paul, was small and insignificant. The inscription at the
church door reads: “The St. Apostles Peter and Paul temple
in the village of Koprivnica was built 70 years ago, and was
repaired by the Council and President in 1890 “. In addition
to that church, a new one, of hewn stone was built in
1933, to mark the 100 th anniversary of the liberation from
the Turks.
142
Je la šni ca
It is known that it
was named after the
river which flows
through it, and that
Serbian refugees
from Kosovo inhabited
the village in 17 th
century. According
to the census from
2002, Jelašnica had
67 households and
153 inhabitants. The
village area surfaces
738 acres, and chalcedony,
a variety of
agate, can be found
there according
to the publication
Jewelry minerals by
DProf Mi lo je Ili ć.
It is situated at 24
kilometers distance
from Zajačar.

VILLAGE
1
3
2
143
4

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
The village has had a primary school since 1842. The
famous tribune Adam Bogosavljević was born here, and in
the memory of him, every year in Koprivnica, on May 2,
cultural-tourist festival “Days of Adam Bogosavljević” are
organized.
1
2
Lasovo
Le no vac
LASOVO
In the far south of Zaječar valley, 28 kilometers from
the city, there is the village Lasovo. The areaAreaArea of
this village on the western slopes of Tupižnica occupies
an area of 4,745 hectares, in the three local governments
(Zaječar, Boljevac and Knjaževac). This is one of the oldest
villages in the Zaječar area. It is mentioned in a Turkish
census of the 15 th century, under the name Lašva or
Lasovo. At the time it had 12 households, and in a 1884
census 87 houses with 582 inhabitants were listed. According
to some data it was populated by people who fled from
modern day western Macedonia, which later mixed with
the indigenous people in Crna Reka. The village is situated
on four waters: Mitrovska reka, Bratinski and Sevski creek
that meet here to form the Lasovačka River. It was Lasovo
where Hajduk-Veljko started his night hit of the Ćor Soliman
blockhouse in Vrbovec and won the first major victory
of the insurgents in Crna Reka.
The school in Lasovo began working in 1870. Before the
construction of the present church, consecrated in 1890 by
the Bishop of Timok Emilijan, there was a village chapel.
Residents of Lasovo, previously often called Planinci, are
engaged in agriculture, and many of them have a home in
Zaječar. Near the village there are certain reserves of copper,
but apparently not profitable to exploit. According to
the 2002 census, the village had 154 households with 358
inhabitants.
LENOVAC
Lenovac was mentioned in a Turkish census of the 15 th
century. It is situated in a narrow valley, on both sides of
the Lasovačka River, mostly on the left bank. Not far from
the village, the Lasovačka River flows into the lake Grliško.
According to research, people from Lenovac are originally
from the vicinity of Prizren and belong to the same
group of immigrants from Kosovo who moved to the villages
of Zvezdan, Rgotina and Koprivnica.
144
Inscription
The Church of The
Holy Ascension in
Zagrađa, with narrow
and tall windows, had
a panel left from the
entrance with the
following inscription:
“This holy temple of
the Holy Ascension
was built in the year
of our Lord 1895,
with the labour and
sacrifice of villagers
of Zagrađa during the
reign of King Aleksan
dar I of Serbia,
and it was consecrated
on 18 th May 1896
by the blessing from
the Bishop of Timok
Me len ti je. Priest
Mi lan Po po vić.”
Undoubtfully, Mi li sav
Mar ko vić from Knjažev
ac painted the
iconostasis.

VILLAGE
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2
145

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
In the mid 20 th century, Lenovac had 400 households
with about 2,000 residents, a coal mine, post office, creamery,
narrow-gauge railroad, cooperative, cultural center,
mill, church, two pubs, elementary school, library, water
supply system. The village church was built in 1896, in
memory of Hajduk Veljko Petrović, a famous Karađorđe
duke and hero of the First Serbian Uprising, born in Lenovac.
In memory of this hero, traditional event “Hajduk-
Veljko days”is being held in Lenovac.
Lenovac, which occupies an area of 3,556 hectares, is
19.5 kilometers away from Zaječar. According to the 2002
census, the village had 122 households with 204 inhabitants.
By comparison, in 1948 it had 1,380 inhabitants.
1
2
3
“Grateful offspring
of Haj duk-Velj ko to
avengers of Ko so vo,
killed soldiers from
Le nov ac”, 1912.
Memorial plate to
Haj duk-Velj ko in his
home in Le nov ac
An image from the
village of Le sko vac
LESKOVAC
A small village on the shore of the Grliško Lake, 17 kilometers
away from Zaječar has 63 households and 128 inhabitants.
According to tradition, the village existed in the Turkish
times, and it had two water mills. It had a chapel built
of stone in 1846, which was used for weddings, funerals,
baptism and cutting the St. Day cake. The church dedicated
to Saint Father Nicholas was built in 1896, and was consecrated
the same year by Bishop of Timok, Melentije.
After World War One, a purchasing-consumer cooperative
was established in Leskovac. There was also a youth
fire department. For a while, the village mining railway was
connecting with the one of Zaječar-Niš. Today, the village
is connected to Zaječar by asphalt road.
LUBNICA
It is situated six kilometers southwest of Zaječar, between
the hills Stupina, Tolaj, Osojno, Oberštur, Kuratura
and Lubničko. The village is divided into smaller communes
(or regions) should be, Valera, wide field, Kravarnik, Fažet,
Oberštur, Soča, Mrtvina, Lice and Miner’s settlement. The
rivers Planinička and Lubnička flow through the village,
and unite near the village Šljivar. Smaller streams are Husein
and Jona stream.
The Turkish census of 145455 mentions the village as
Lubinče. In the census of 1586, there is a reference to two
settlements: Vlaški Potok (Donja Lubnica) with 15 households,
and Srednja Lubnica, with 10 households. On the
origin of the village and its inhabitants there is no infor-
146
Ma li Ja se no vac
The village is situated
30 kilometers away
from Zajačar. Its area
surfaces 1,176 acres.
According to the census
from 2002, it had
117 households and
254 inhabitants.
The church in Ma li
Ja se nov ac was built
in 1913. A wooden
chapel built in 1870
had been used
before that.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
mation other than Radovan Ganić telling that his ancestors
originally were from Romania.
According to yet unpublished chronicle of the village,
Lubnica got a three class primary school in 1853, and in
1856 it had two priests.
Studies on the possible exploitation of coal began in
1908. They were financed by the French Company Bor
Mines, which gave the right to further research, in 1909,
to the mining engineer Dušan Jovanović. According to a
list of the Ministry of the Economy for that year, it can be
concluded that Jovanović began to dig coal. The same list
mentions purchasing-consumers and credit cooperatives,
two bars, shops, a mill belonging to the Zaječar industrialist
Uroš Milošević and four craftsmen. The village had a
reading room and Shooting Club.
Today it is a mining and agricultural settlement. According
to the 2002 census, it had 370 households with 1052 inhabitants.
The village occupies an area of 2,918 hectares. In
addition to coal, which has long been exploited, bentonite
clay reserves have been registered.
MALI IZVOR
The village is mostly situated above the road from
Zaječar to Knjaževac, at the foot of the Vetren Mountain,
facing south and west. The village is divided into four quarters:
Brešnjak, Beli Potok, Krčeta and Graničak. The village
is depicted on a map drawn in Austria in 1718, after the
Požarevac peace. It is 23 kilometers away from Zaječar, and
it occupies an area of 3,906 hectares.
According to legend, it was named after the spring below
the Vetren. It was established by seven lineages, from
Venovac and Selište, by people who fled from Turkish
oppression to the village of Omarica. After the liberation
(1833) inhabitants have returned and established a village
at the present location.
Apart from the indigenous population, there are residents
who have settled in from the surrounding villages
and from Bulgaria. According to the 2002 census, Mali Izvor
had 191 households and 454 inhabitants.
METRIŠ
At 46 kilometers from Zaječar, on the road to Negotin,
there is the village of Metriš. It was established by immigrants
from Kosovo and Old Serbia, though it is not known
148
1
2
3
In the centre of the
village of Le sko vac
In Le skov ac,
on a small lake
A shop in Mali Izvor
Ma la Ja si ko va
Here, 24 kilometers
away from Zaječar,
there are numerous
traces of early settlements.
The village
appears under the
name of Jasikovac
in Turkish censuses
from 15 th and 16 th
century. It is supposed
to have been a
conjoint settlement
together with Velika
Jasikova. According
to some records, it
was divided in 1784.
The area surfaces
1,253 acres. According
to the census
from 2002, the village
had 84 households
and 332 inhabitants.
Ores of lead and
barite can be found
in the area.

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for certain when. According to the 1846 census, it had 89
houses. The area surrounding the village is very suitable for
growing vines.
According to tradition, the church in Metriš (dedicated
to Archangel Michael) was built in 1780, and according to
records of Metropolitan Mihailo it was built in 1837. The
oldest priest remembered is Josif Veselinović, who served
in Sikola, then moved in 1733 to Salaš, but catered Metriš
too. The school exists since 1873.
The village occupies an area of 2677 hectares. According
to the 2002 census, it had 165 households with 392 inhabitants,
mostly farmers and herders. In the area of the
village there are reserves of copper, but as it seems, they
are insufficient for exploitation.
1
2
On a road
in Mali Izvor
In a wine cellar
in Ni ko li čev o
NIKOLIČEVO
In a Turkish census from the 15 th century, the village is
mentioned for the first time as Nikoliče. According to legend,
the village even at that time had an Orthodox church,
which indicates that it was one of the more advanced in the
area of Timok and Crna Reka. However, according to 1455
census, the village was deserted.
The area of the village occupies 2685 hectares and it
is mostly hilly. Two points are particularly interesting. Hot
springs in the Misljenovac stream are credited with medicinal
properties. According to tradition, the water from
Nikoloč was carried to Vidin, the center of Sandžak at the
time, where the Turks used to drink it chilled. Another interesting
place is the hill Kopita, with the graves of Russian
volunteers (three lieutenants’ and three Lt.) killed in the
Serbian-Turkish wars of 1876-78.
It is known that before the ill-fated war Nikoličevo had
a shop, five mills and three artisans. The school was opened
in 1873, and cooperative in 1927.
Today, Nikolić, 13 kilometers away from Zaječar, can be
reached from two directions: over the Beli breg (the most
attractive landscape) and by modern Zaječar-Bor road. According
to the 2002 census, Nikoličevo had 223 households
with 833 inhabitants.
PLANINICA
It was first mentioned in the 1454 Turkish census, listing,
in fact, two villages: Gornje and Donje Planinčelaninc,
150
Ma ri no vac
It is mentioned in
censuses from 15 th
century to be situated
at the foot of Tu pižni
ca, 25 kilometers
southeast from Zaje
ča r. Legend has it
that the inhabitants
originated from Svrljig
and Pirot county,
and some of them
were immigrants
from Bulgaria. Marinovac
had a scool
even in 1900.
According to the
census from 2002,
the village had 112
households and 305
inhabitants, mainly
cattle breeders. The
area of the village
surfaces 2,811 acres.
There is also a hamlet
called Stu bal at 31
kilometer of distance
from Za je ča r.

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with 17 households. It is not quite known who were the
first inhabitants, but it is known that in 1737 a number of
Serbs from Kosovo moved in, fleeing Turkish oppression.
About a hundred years later, Planinica had 83 houses and
535 residents.
Situated next to the regional road between the two cities,
Planinica is 17.5 kilometers away from Zaječar and
14.5 kilometers away from Boljevac. In 1929, an open
steam bath with six showers was opened in Planinica, as
a gift from the Hygienic Institute in Niš. For the first several
years its use was free of charge and pupils from the
Boljevac villages Osnić and Vrbovac were frequent visitors.
Today the bath building is a monument under protection of
the Institute for Protection of Monuments of Niš.
A school opened in Planinica in 1871. The first teacher
was Radivoje Milojković, and the first student was Raja
Paunović, son of Paun Vasiljević, the former mayor of Planinica.
From the 1873/74 school year, both boys and girls
were enrolled in school.
Although Planinica was heavily damaged in the Balkan
and World War One, the village recovered relatively quickly.
In addition to the aforementioned baths, it is distinguished
by the establishment of cooperatives, raising monuments
and a memorial for Planinica villagers killed and deceased
during the 1912-1918 wars, the opening of a library with
a reading room in 1920, founding of the “Soko” company
in 1923, a cooperative pharmacy, a butcher shop, and two
privately-owned dairies. Interestingly enough, Planinica
had its fair, founded in 1924, abolished after World War
Two. The village was electrified in 1947, by bringing the
electricity from the direction of Lenovac. An ambulance
was established in 1964.
Planinica folks are hardworking people, farmers, ranchers,
fruit growers. According to the 2002 census, the village
had 136 households and 305 inhabitants. Its area extends
to 2564 hectares.
PRLITA
The village lies just below Vrška čuka, on whose top
there are remains of some ancient buildings about which
no data is available. In the 19 th century, coal mining started
in the village, and many residents gave up agriculture for
mining.
152
1 A mine in Pr li ta
2 How to survive
in Pr li ta Do nja
Cooperative
and Church
Cooperative in
Planika was founded
in 1897, and was
operating well. Cooperative
established
a department for
procurement of food
for their members
in 1901. King Pe tar
I Ka ra đor đe vić visited
the village later,
having inquired,
among other tings,
about cooperative’s
operations and bookkeeping.
The village
church, dedicated
to St. Saviour in
1900, is a small
Byzantinesque edifice
with one dome. It
was built by artisan
Jo van ča N. from Babu
šni ca, and painted
in frescoes by Mi lisav
Mar ko vić from
Knja žev ac. Until
that time, the village
used to have a chapel
dedicated to St. Archangel
Michael which
possessed several
icons.

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At the beginning of the 20 th century, the famous Serbian
poet Vladislav Petković Dis was a teacher in Prlita. He tried
to get his BA degree in Zaječar, failed, but later became a
teacher in Prlita. He worked well and received high marks
from his school supervisors.
The village occupies an area of 1,568 hectares. According
to the 2002 census, Prlita had 71 households with 142
inhabitants. It is 14.6 kilometers away from Zaječar.
1
2
Railway station
in Rgo ti na
Under a white rock,
in golden wheat: an
image from Rgo ti na
RGOTINA
Upstream from Vražogrnac, on the banks of the Bor
River, 17 kilometers north of Zaječar, there is a village of
Rgotina. It is connected to Zaječar by an asphalt road and
railway line. On the edge of the village there is the Rgotsko
Lake, a popular beach for many Zaječar people, formed by
the excavation of quartz sand.
From the unidentified remains of a Roman fort, the mill
of Stevo Najdanović was once built. According to some legends,
it was the ancient city of Argos, later lost from sight
and from cartography.
The village was previously just upstream from its current
location, near the gorge that the Borska River carved
through Rgotski kamen. immigrants from Kosovo and the
surroundings of Sjenica lived in it.
Rgotina had a primary school in 1845 and added a reading
room in 1866. Exploitation of quartz sand near the village
started in the 1919. The first agricultural cooperative
was established in 1900, it had 523 cooperatives, and the
village hall was built in 1927.
The village occupies an area of 4,786 hectares. According
to the 2002 census, Rgotina had 584 households with
1,721 residents.
SALAŠ
Until 1965, Salaš was the center of the municipality
bearing the same name, and consisting of the villages of
Brusnik, Velika Jasikova, Glogovica, Dubočane, Jelašnica,
Klenovac, Koprivnica, Mala Jasikova, Metriš, and Tabakovac,
Čokonjar and the villages Popović, Sikole and Trnjane
which now belong to Negotin municipality.
The village certainly existed at the time of the Austro-
Turkish boundary settlement in 1717. The only testimony
about life before that are stone axes and tools made
154
Se lač ka
It is situated at the
slope of the Balkan
Mountain, 25 ki lo meters
from Za je ča r and
14 from Knja žev ac.
People moved a lot
under Turkish oppression,
and thus it
got its name. Suvodol
monastery is near
the village, as well as
beautiful waterfall on
the Selačka River. According
to the census
from 2002, the village
had 115 households
and 275 inhabitants.
The village occupies
an area of 2,100
acres.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
156
of copper from prehistoric times, and the remains of
“Latin paving” from the Roman period.
The elementary school in Salaš was opened in 1862,
its women’s department opened in 1875, a ambulance
service began in 1907, a pharmacy in 1921, and the St
Trinity Church was built in 1899. Until then, there was a
small chapel; a church in Sikol was also used. There is an
inscription about the church building at the inside door:
“To the glory of the saints, and inseparable Trinity, the
church is erected in 1899, and it was decorated with frescoes
under the government of HM King Peter I and the
Serbian Bishop of Timok Melentije, by effort and expense
of the village of Salaš under the supervision of tutor and
proxy Mita Pavlović, priests of St. Račić and mayor Đ.
Rajčić. Painted and decorated by Milisav Marković from
Knjaževac in 1904. “
Salaš occupies an area of 2,876 hectares. The presence
of lead ore has been registered. According to the 2002 census,
the village had 359 houses and 962 inhabitants. The
village is connected to Zaječar by 30 km of asphalt road.
TABAKOVAC
The village was first mentioned in 1811. According to
the 1846 census, it had 39 houses. The village was founded
by the Serbs who, according to tradition, have been living
in the village of Brusnik ever since. Remains of old buildings,
most probably from the Roman period, can be found
on the hills surrounding Tabakovac.
The area is situated on 734 acres and thus is the smallest
in the Zaječar area. According to the 2002 census, the
village had 56 households with 208 inhabitants. It is 54 kilometers
away from Zaječar.
TRNAVAC
The village of Trnavac is situated on the left bank of
the Timok, 13 kilometers from Zaječar. It occupies an area
of 1,354 hectares, and it was named after the thorns the
first inhabitants had to pass through. An Orthodox chapel
was built in 1878, and the church (dedicated to the Holy
Trinity) in 1899. According to the unpublished chronicle
of Trnavac, the first village school was in 1887, and
an agricultural and purchasing cooperative was established
in 1921. Its first president was Milan Anđelković.
Trnavac had the misfortune to be located downstream from
1
In Tr nav ac:
“To the soldiers
killed for liberation
and unification,
in 1912-1918...”
Agricultural Estate
Sa laš, one of the most
developed villages in
the former Yugoslavia,
was famous for
its estate of the same
name. Agricultural
Estate “Sa laš” used
to have a complex
of more than 2,500
acres of arable land,
a breeding farm for
7,000 cattle, a farm
for 4,000 sheep,
poultry farm containing
two million
heaters and 50,000
egg-laying hens, fodder
factory and the
system for irrigation
of 900 acres, a part of
which was artificial
lake So vi nac. After
the breakup of Yugoslavia,
crises and
wars, Italian company
“Agrisol” from
Belgrade bought
the estate.

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the Bor River mouth in Timok, which is part of the land covered
with pyrite mullock from Bor mines; the majority of
rural wells are polluted. Today, the village is supplied with
water by the city water supply system.
According to the 2002 census, Trnavac had 155 households
with 474 inhabitants.
1
2
At the fountain
in Su vo do l
At a mountain creek
HALOVO
A monograph written by Bogdan Merkašević reminds us
that the village of Halovo is situated 15 kilometers northeast
from Zaječar, on a plateau at a mile distant from the
Timok. In addition to the neighboring Zaječar villages, to
the east it borders with the Bulgaria. According to tradition,
the village is named after “čuma” who lived in the area
of present-day village, and the name, it is said, is derived
from the word “alino” or “halino”.
It is assumed that the village was inhabited by the early
17 th century. According to a survey by the Ethnographic
Museum in Belgrade, the family Ungurjanović, considered
the oldest in Halovo, moved from the Brežane, in the Homolje
area. Two families arrived from the Bulgaria, and
there have been some immigrants from Romania. Today’s
population is mainly Vlach. They are engaged primarily in
agriculture and animal husbandry. The area spreads over
2,517 hectares. According to the 2002 census, there were
241 households with 856 inhabitants.
ŠLJIVAR
The village Šljivar lies on the Zaječar-Lenovac road,
eight kilometers south of the city. It is mentioned in a Turkish
census of the 15 th century, making it one of the older
settlements in the area of town Zaječar. It was built in an
area with visible traces of an older settlement, but no one
knows which one. It is known that in 1898 the village had a
primary school. The village is of a dispersed type. The village
and the Lubnička River, as well as Trešnjevo brdo, Bratujevac
and Markov potok are clearly divided. The Šljivarski
creek, which dries up in summer, flows through here.
The population of the village is Vlach, but there is no
information where they came from. The village celebrates
the Holy Trinity Day. According to the 2002 census, Šljivar
had 93 households with 329 residents (82 fewer than in the
1991 census). The villagers are engaged in agriculture, and
part of them is employed in Zaječar.
158
Ši pi ko vo
During Turkish occupation,
the village
was a part of Vidinski
sandžak, and later of
Bulgaria. It has been
a part of Serbia since
1918. One part of its
area remained behind
the border between
Bulgaria and Serbia.
The church was built
in 1905, and consecrated
in 1907. The
area surfaces 1,597
acres. According
to the census from
2002, the village had
188 households and
511 inhabitants. It is
situated at 36 kilometers
of distance from
Zaječar with which
it is connected via
regional road.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
TOURIST POSSIBILITIES
OF ZAJEČAR AND KRAJINA
SKETCHES FOR ACTION
1
2
City swimming
pool in Zaječar
Ski track
on Kra lje vi ca
160
For decades, tourism has been a major part of the development
strategy in Zaječar. After “Felix Romuliana” was
added to the list of world cultural heritage, that commitment
obtained a firmer base. Hope is also encouraged by the commitment
of Serbia to build cross connection of the “Corridor
10” and “Corridor 4” on the line Paraćin - Vrška Čuka, and
the Bulgarian promise to make a better road in the direction
of Vrška Čuka - Vidin - Kalafat. The need to complete the airport
in Bor has been repeatedly mentioned. There is a huge
need for investment in accommodation facilities, as well as
to better organize connections with tourist facilities of other
cities in the region. On the whole, Timočka krajina has facilities
to offer at least seven days of quality.y activities, which
is an opportunity that should be better exploited.
Gamzigrad Spa is undoubtedly the backbone of tourism
in Zaječar. The benefits of this Spa will be presented
by the experts in a separate chapter (Presentation).
SKIING, “POPOVA PLAŽA”, ETHNO
Serving Zaječar tourism, two soccer fields near the City
Stadium and at the foot of Kraljevica were constructed, but
in addition to these two complexes, the town has received
two more attractive facilities: Ski path Kraljevica and the
sports and recreation complex “Popova plaža.”
Zaječar is trying to increase a currently modest accommodation
capacity of 724 beds in 27 facilities (part of which
is certainly not interesting for fastidious guests, especially
foreign ones). Soon, the Imperial Palace in Gamzigrad
should complete an attractive ski resort, and the construction
of more contemporary approaches to the site from the
road Zaječar-Paraćin has finally started.
Great opportunities in this region in the field of ethnology
and involvement of tourism in a number of traditional
events are yet to be clearly defined and made operational.
We should not forget Nikoličevska banja (spa), or the artificial
lakes, the forest park Kraljevica and the surrounding
mountains.
About
Gamzigrad Spa
“A shelter has just
been made from
leafy branches over
a spring above the
river, so everyone
who wants may bathe
there. – As for the
landscape surrounding
this Spa, it is inexpressibly
beautiful,
much more beautiful
than Brestovac Spa,
not so big, though. It
is in a way a hidden
place, sheltered by a
green mount from all
sides, and alongside
the Timok, one
overlooks gorgeous
green harbors and
hills.” (The Journey
of High School Cadets
throughout Serbia,
July 18th 1863)

TOURISM
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
162
ZAJEČAR HEALTHCARE
REMINDER
Before 1838, there is no mention of an organized health
service in Zaječar. The first doctor who walked into this city
was Gregory Rybakov, who by the order of Prince Miloš came
in 1835 to visit the sick Timok prince Simo Nikolić. A native
of Constantinople, Rybakov completed Medical Sciences in
St. Petersburg, but had no documents in that regard. Prior
to comong to Zaječar, he had a practice in Veliko Gradište
and Požarevac. He spoke Serbian, Russian, German, Latin,
Greek, Turkish, Albanian, Arabic, and Vlach.
The first permanent doctor in Zaječar arrived in 1843,
after Negotin and Knjaževac. He was Demetrios Kaparis,
born in Epirus. He claimed to have graduated from “Greek
School and five doctorial seminaries, that is Anatomy, Physiology,
Pathology, and Pharmacology and Semiology ...”, but
had no documents to prove it. As a district doctor he came
to Zaječar on September 16, 1843 and stayed until January
9, 1847, when he was appointed a physician in Ćuprija. On
June 12, 1849, Joseph Streser, a graduate surgeon originally
from Hungary, arrived as the district doctor for Crna
Reka and in 1851 a surgeon Joseph Maslo, who remained in
Zaječar until 1860. No one knows who treated the Zaječar
population until 1870. Doctor Dušan Petrović is mentioned,
and on his insistence was begun the digging of artery fountains,
which ended the practice of drinking unhealthy water
from polluted and uncovered fountains. The authorities and
citizens obviously listened to him and it had beneficial effects:
since then, the number of cases of typhoid fever was
significantly reduced.
After a lengthy correspondence with the authorities in
Belgrade, a hospital was founded in Zaječar in 1868. It was
first in the house of Lalović family, near “Vanja’s Brewery,”
and later in a rented house of Cvetko Miladinović. It was noted
that the rent was 1400 dinars per year. Initially simpler,
and later more complex surgeries were performed in the
hospital. In the last decade of the 19th century they were
performed, on an honorary basis, by military surgeon Dr
Čeda Đurđjević.
Although it was poorly equipped, there are records indicating
that 125 patients were treated in the hospital in
1872/73, and about 600 (of which 200 were soldiers) during
1
2
Hospital in Zaječar,
built in 1912
Healthcare Centre
in Zaječar
Ma čaj and
After Him
Physician Ste van Mačaj
came to Za je čar
in 1872 and had been
serving there until
May 1886, when he
was retired. He died
in Belgrade on 11th
October 1889, having
acquired a reputation
for life of a hero of
Serbian medicine and
culture. The position
of a physician was
vacant for three years
after him, when Dr.
La za Ilić (transferred
to Niš) and Dr. Radi
vo je Vu ka di no vić
took turns on that
position for a short
period of time. Dr.
Ilić came back to Zaje
čar later and stayed
there until 1918. He
left an indelible trace
in medicine and in
memories of citizens
of Zaječar.

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the following ten years. The most common diseases were the
fiery fever, neck swelling, heart diseases, scarlet fever, rheumatism,
typhoid, smallpox and syphilis. Richer Zaječar inhabitants
were treated at their own expense, and poor were
treated at the expense of the sanitary fund.
Construction of the new hospital building began in the
first decade of the 20th century, and was completed in 1912..
According to the testimony of contemporaries, it was one of
the most beautiful and the best arranged hospitals in Serbia.
It had specialized departments, large windows and toilets.
When the Balkan Wars started, there were seven doctors
in Zaječar, two midwives and two pharmacies. However,
when the wars began, only Dr Laza Ilić remained in the city,
while other were doctors mobilized. Few of them returned.
After World War Two, the House of Public Health was established
in Zaječar, with three new buildings. In addition to internal
medicine, the hospital had oral, pediatric, gynecological
and infectious department. As soon as in 1930, hospital’s
first X-ray machine was installed.
Today’s Health Center in Zaječar is a large, modern and
respected health care institution. The health of citizens is
taken care of by more than 200 physicians, more than 600
nurses and almost 250 non-medical professionals. There are
15 stationary services, 12 outpatient ambulances, eight diagnostic
and seven non-medical services.
The Public Health Institute has grown into a modern institution
whose task is primarily to help prevention and the
protection against infective diseases. It has modern equipment
and the necessary certificates for laboratory testing of
water, food, air and other factors that may affect health in
different ways.
Over the past years so-called private sector health care
has greatly developed. There are many quality private ordinations,
from those in the field of general medicine, to internal
wards, ophthalmic, dental and other...
PHARMACIES
The first pharmacy was opened in Zaječar in 1880. The
first chemist was a Czech, Francis Vavriček . His pharmacy,
called “The Royal Serbian Pharmacy of Vavriček Francis,”
was located on Hajduk Veljkova Street, and later moved to the
corner of Pašićeva and Svetozar Marković Street. Vavriček’s
son-in-law Michael Tuner took over his pharmacy in 1910,
164
1
Keeping up with
time, technology
needs: from Zaječar
hospital
First Category
The hospital was severely
damaged again
in the World War II.
However, after the
liberation, Zaječar
health care used to go
upwards continuously.
Zaječar hospital
became the hospital
of „the first category”
by a decree issued
by the Ministry of
Health 1952, and
the former sanitary
and epidemiological
station became an
independent institution
named Sanitary
Bureau (present
Institute of Public
Health). Once again,
new Health Centre
was opened in 1980.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
and was followed by his sons. The first Zaječar pharmacy,
founded by Vavriček, worked until World War Two, when it
burned down.
Another Zaječar pharmacy, owned by Sava Dimitrijević,
was opened at the beginning of the 1897. This pharmacy
supplied drugs to the hospital in Zaječar. When he retired
from business in 1914, Branko Paunović took over the pharmacy
until 1925, when it was sold to Siniša Jovanović. The
pharmacy since then operated under the name “Pharmacy
of St. Nicholas”.
The third pharmacy in Zaječar was opened in 1925 by
Đorđe Ivković from Zemun. He worked until 1937, when
the pharmacy became the property of Đorđe Tufegdžić. The
fourth pharmacy was opened by Miodrag Todorović in 1938.
It was located near Zaječar church, in the vicinity of the socalled
“church shops”.
After the war and the establishment of Communist
rule, all pharmacies were, by Law, nationalized on May 27,
1949. Later on pharmacies were merged, two into one, so
in 1963 Zaječar had two pharmacies. Afterwards these two
were again merged into one, which moved into premises
it still uses. At the time, indeed, they looked much more
modest, because over the past decades the Pharmacy institution
“Lek” invested heavily in equipping the main
pharmacy and pharmaceutical units at the Green Market
in Kotlujevac.
1
1
2
3
Waiting room in
the reconstructed
Zaječar hospital
A church and
a pharmacy
in Kra lje vo Se lo
A pharmacy
in old Za je ča r
Medicines in
Ancient Times
During archeological
researches in “Felix
Romuliana”, medical
and pharmaceutical
instruments from
second and third
century A.D. have
been found. Made
from bronze and
stone, they represent
the oldest preserved
traces of application
of drugs, medical
and pharmaceutical
instruments in the
region of Timočka
Krajina.
166

HEALTH
2
3
167

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
SPORTS, ATHLETES, SOCIETY
THE BEGINNINGS
The first written records about organized physical culture
activities in Zaječar date from 1882. At one of the first
sessions of the Belgrade Association for gymnastics and
fighting, a letter from Zaječar was read. The letter reads
that, at the initiative of 16 Zaječar garrison officers, in April
1882 a society for gymnastics and fencing was established in
Zaječar, and that the elected president was Matija Optrkić.
Just a year later, physical education became mandatory
in Zaječar high school. The first teacher was Ilija Blagojević.
Lacking expected interest and support, the Zaječar Society
for gymnastics and fencing was abandoned within a couple
of years, but physical education in schools survived.
Thanks to the material and spiritual revival of late 19 th
century Zaječar, people’s attitude towards sports associations
changed. In 1890 were founded the Society for gymnastics
and fighting, the horseback rider’s society “Prince
Michael” and a Shooting Club. The shooting range was in
the city park, and weapons and ammunition was provided by
the Zaječar garrison.
The Balkan Wars and World War One stopped the development
of sports in Zaječar, because the athletes and sports
officials were mobilized. However, once the war ended,
Zaječar sports began to grow on the old foundations.
FOOTBALL
According to available information, the first ball was
brought to Zaječar by Duško Vučković, upon his return from
school in France. At his initiative, a sports ground was built
(near Zaječar hospital), and it was in use until 1965, and
a society established that later became the “Timok” sports
society. Just a year after the first soccer ball was rolled at
the foot of Kraljevica, three new clubs: “Adria”, “Vardar”
and “Soko” were established. Due to financial difficulties,
“Adria” and “Vardar” united into “Srpski mač,” which after
a year took the name “Hajduk Veljko”. “Soko” was closed
in 1923. Two years later, the Club “Hajduk Veljko” changed
its name to “Mladi radanik” and bore that name until 1929,
when, after the Sixth of January dictatorship, the club was
prohibited. Prohibition did not last long, so the club revived
under the name “Yugoslavia”.
168
1
2
Stadium and
complex of sports
fields on Kra lje vi ca
From the game
of FK “Ti mok”
Ball
Having returned
from France where
he went to school,
Du šan Vuč ko vić
brought the first
ball for football to
Za je čar. First football
field was built at site
of the present Health
Centre and had been
there until 1965.
The ninetieth anniversary
of football
in Zaječar took place
in 2009.

SPORT
1
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169

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Founded earlier, the student-workers’ club “Stanković”
later united with “Yugoslavia,” into the club “Jedinstvo”.
Some time later two new clubs were formed: “Železničar”
and “Pobeda.” Thus, in the eve of World War Two, Zaječar
had four football clubs: “Timok”, “Jedinstvo”, “Železničar”
and “Pobeda.”
Immediately after the war in the city there were two football
clubs: “Dinamo” (formerly “Timok”) and “Železničar”.
There were also several factory teams. Although occasionally
in the same league as as “Timok”, they never gained
popularity that club had with Zaječar. “Timok” entered the
Second Federal League of Yugoslavia twice, and won a series
of victories that are remembered, especially in the Cup
matches. At the stadium at the foot of Kraljevica in those
years even the teams such as Belgrade “Partizan” and Zagreb
“Dinamo” failed.
FK “Timok” is even today a leading Zaječar football club,
a stable and regular Serbian league candidate for higher
ranking competitions. Thanks to local government, in addition
to the main court (built in 1959) four extra quality
courts were built. The plan is to reconstruct the main court,
which would increase its capacity and to bring lighting for
night games.
HANDBALL
According to the results achieved, the handball team
“Zaječar” today is a leading local sports collective, without
equal. The Women’s Handball Team, consisting almost exclusively
of team members of Serbia and neighboring countries,
has no worthy rivals in the Superior League. The Men’s
team has also recorded solid results in the first division. But,
this will be dealt with in a separate chapter of this book (the
presentation).
EQUESTRIAN SPORTS
People from Zaječar proudly emphasize that they were
engaged in organized equestrian sport immediately after Belgrade,
Šabac, Kragujevac, Niš and Kragujevac. According to
the magazine “Timočanin” of July 26, 1890, the initiative was
launched by the retiree Miroslav Kurtović from Šabac and
a writer from Belgrade, Svetozar Gavrilović. The first race,
with an exhibition, was held on 21 May 1891, the day of the
170
1
2
Sport s-Recreational
Centre “Po po va
pla ža”: At the game
of mi ni-gol f
On hippodrome
in Za je ča r
Club
In 1920, a year after
forming of ball section
of Sokol movement,
two football
clubs were founded
in Zaječar – “Var dar”
and “Adri ja”. Shortly
afterwards, those two
clubs merged into
one – “Srpski mač”
(Serbian Sword). The
club closed several
years later, immediately
after which club
“Hajduk” was founded.
The club of Young
Communists “Mladi
radnik” (Young Workman)
operated for a
short period of time
until it was banned.
Upon that, clubs „Jugoslavija”
and „Obilić”
were formed (1927) in
order to merge into a
club of pupils “Jedinstvo”
(Union) in 1930.
From 1935 until the
World War II, there
had been four football
clubs in Za je ča r:
“Ti mok”, “Je din stvo”
(Union), “Po be da”
(Victory) and “Že lezni
čar” (Railroader).

SPORT
1
2
171

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
172
Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena. The races and the
Circle of Serbian rider’s general work give a visible contribution
to the development of horse breeding in the Zaječar
area, where people, especially in the village of Veliki Izvor,
have been cultivating good race horses since ancient times.
The Wars of 1912-1918 temporarily stopped the activities
of the Circle of Serbian riders. Then, due to a difficult
financial situation and exhausting wars, development of this
sport was further delayed. The first inter-war race was held
in 1928, at the track at the foot of Kraljevica, which (aside
from prescribed path) had seats for about 1,000 spectators.
Equesterian sports and horseman have been particularly active
from 1937 to 1939, when they won numerous awards in
competitions in Belgrade, Požarevac and Niš ...
After World War Two equestrian sports slowly disappeared
from the region: gone is the racecourse at the foot
of Kraljevica, which during the occupation was transformed
into a German airport. In the last decade of the 20 th century
an effort were made to restore equestrian sports. The Equestrian
Club “Timok” was established to continue the tradition
of Circle of Serbian Riders “Prince Michael”. A Hippodrome
was built with four stables (for 75 horses) as well as a galloping
track 1200 meters in length and nine meters wide, and
other auxiliary facilities. Unfortunately, the club is facing
great financial difficulties.
VOLLEYBALL
As noted by chroniclers, as early as 1930 the so called
“Sokol” organization in Zaječar included a new discipline
in their supplemental program: volleyball. Equipment and
balls were purchased in the Czech Republic by the sons of
Mihailo Tuner, president of Sokol Society. The game was
demonstrated at a makeshift court in the city park, and was
quickly accepted by the miners of “Vrška čuka” and “Lubnica”.
At the time, there were no official competitions.
The Volleyball Club “Timok” today numbers 52 athletes
in several categories. The Senior team competes in the Regional
League. There is also a Youth Volleyball Club “Zaječar”
with about eighty members. That Senior team also competes
in the Regional League.
GYMNASTICS
By the end of the 19 th century, a Gymnastic Society
was formed in Zaječar and a board was elected headed by
1
2
3
4
5
Skateboard centre
on “Po po va pla ža”
From the game
of RK “Za je čar”
Tennis courts
on Kra lje vi ca
Recreation in the
vicinity of the city:
a cyclist in sunset
Chess
First chess club in
Zaječar was founded
in 1929, at the meeting
held at Hotel
“Kruna” (Crown
Hotel), but it did
not have achieved
significant results
until the World War
II. After the war, it
continued operating
with variable success.
Nowadays, its senior
team competes in
the Central Serbia
League, and the
club has successfully
been organizing
open tournaments,
especially for women.
The club gave several
distinguished talents,
such as Ste fa ni ja Milu
ti no vić and Jo va na
Mi lo še vić.

SPORT
1
2 3
4
5
173

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
the district veterinarian Tomo Milošević. The Society was,
of course, immediately confronted by problems, especially
with the lack of adequate space for exercise.
In late 1907, at the initiative of the Soko societies in Niš
and Zaječar, the Zaječar gymnastic society “Soko” was established.
Gymnasts were given the school gym of the local
high school. The society was headed by Lt. Col. Medical Officer
Čeda Đorđević. Simultaneously, there was the gymnastic
society “Dušan the Mighty”, and in 1910 those two societies
merged into one, which it seems, did well. In “Sveslobvenski
slet” held in Prague in 1912, Zaječar gymnasts won an extraordinary
11th place.
During the 1912-1918 wars, the society ceased its activities.
The Gymnasts were reunited in 1920. The newly established
society was quite active, so in 1920 Timok Falcon
Timočka parish was established in Zaječar, which rounded
up the Falcon Societies of Knjaževac, Paraćin, Negotin,
Požarevac, Prahovo, Bor and Svilajnac. Members participated
in rallies throughout the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Today, the Gymnastic Club “Zaječar” has about fifty
members, some of which are registered members of the
Gymnastics Federation of Serbia.
BASKETBALL
According to the memories of older fans, basketball
has been played in Zaječar since 1947. At that time, the
Sports Society “Dinamo” established a basketball section,
the only one in the Timok area, and it soon grew into a club
on its own. Although they started with no equipment, facilities
or expart staff players, Zaječar basketball players
succeeded , in April 1950, just a fortnight after the club
was formally established) to qualify for the Serbian league
with “Železničar” from Niš. The same year “Dynamo” won
the first place of “Serbia proper” and qualified for the final
Cup of Serbia.
During 1953, the club was run by the instructor Eftim
Eftimovski, who significantly improved it. At the time, the
men’s team had fifty members, and women’s team had twenty
members. Since 1954 the club bears the name “Mladost”,
and currently is competing in the First Serbian league. One
curiosity is that Zoran Radmilović a prominent Serbian actor,
was also a former member of this club.
174
1
More than a game,
more than sport:
A skater on
“Po po va pla ža”
Federation
Within Za je ča r Sports
Federation, having
won numerous
medals, Karate Club
“Zaječar” is very
successful at present.
There are also Aiki do
Club “Ti mok”, Boxing
Club “Ti mok”,
Kickboxing Club
“Za je čar”, Archery
Shooters Association
“Ti mok”, Athletic
Club “Mla dost”
(Youth), Table tennis
Club “Ti mok”, Climbing
Association “Dragan
Ra do sa vlje vić”,
Climbing Association
“Lju ba Ne šić”, Sports
and Recreation Club
of the Blind and
Visually Impaired
“Olim pik”, Rowing
Club “Ti mok”, Powelifting
and Strongmen
Club “Za je čar”,
Club for Recreation
of Invalids
“Za je čar”...

SPORT
1
175

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
176
TEH MEDIA SCENE
“CENTERS OF THE EAST”
Media life in Zaječar began in 1889, with the publishing
of the “Timočanin”, owned by the Radical Party. “That
year, on June 20, the news that a local newspaper had appeared
spread like fire all over the city. The newspapers
were tailored to the taste and needs of the people, and to
the extent of the founder.” At first the newspaper was published
out once a week, and later on Thursdays and Sundays.
From 1891 on it became the official journal of the Crna Reka
district. The first editor was Radovan Micić, a Zaječar high
school graduate educated in Russia and Vienna. The newspaper
immediately had 900 subscribers. At one time it was
also successfully edited by Professor Svetislav Simić, who
later became “Associate Deputy Minister at the Serbian Embassy
in Sofia”.
Three years later, in 1892, the newspapers “Seljački glas”
and “Zaječarac” emerged, but survived on the media stage
only for a year, the same as “Timočki gflasnik”, the official
journal og Crna Reaka district, which was published ad hic,
and signed by the editor Stevan D. Šumkarac. Interestingly,
on May 21, 1891 the first and only issue of “Vitez” was published,
which was to be the medium of the Serbian rider’s
society. This issue was edited by Miroslav P. Kurtović.
From 1892 to 1900 there was a lull, and then “Duhovna
zrnca” (Spiritual cells) appeared, whose owner and editor
was a priest Hadži Vidojković. The newspaper “Timočki
odgovor”, the voice of independent Radicals, appeared in
the 1905. It was published on Thursday and Sunday, and it
was edited by Jeremija Živanović, and the owner was Milutin
Stojanović. The same year the newspaper “Timočka krajina”
was also published, the voice of Timok Radicals. The
editors were Dr Toma Milošević, Mihajlo Cakić, Marinko
Stanojević, Miro Delević and Vasa Franičević. It was published
until 1908.
In 1912, the Sokol society “Dušan the Mighty” launched
the newspaper “Soko”, edited by Petar Milivojević. It was
published monthly. The District Shooting Union took the
same path and launched “Timočki strelac” in 1913. The editor
was Ljubomir Nikolić.
Then the Balkan Wars and World War One, followed and
the newspapers were not published. Almost five years af-
1
Cover page of
“Ti mo ča ni n”,
no. 3, Thursday,
July 6,1889
“Za je ča rac”
and Ja go di nac
As written in the
book From old Za je ča r
by Ste van Velj ković,
the founder
of publishing in
Zaječar was Mi li sav
Ni ko lić Ja go di nac.
His small printing
office was the first
to print forms, office
daybooks, advertisements,
posters and
invitations. The first
major enterprise happened
in 1885, when
the almanac Za ječa
rac was printed.
Ni ko li ć’s son-in-law
Mi loš Jo va no vić Lese
dre nac, who got the
printing office as his
wife’s dowry, showed
even greater ambition.
He continued
the business and
expanded it significantly.
Thus, besides
manuals, first books
appeared in Zaječar.
There was only one
step from that to the
appearance of first
newspapers.

THE MEDIA
1
177

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
ter the war, in 1923, the newspaper “Timočka krajina” was
first published. It was launched by the Timok region Radical
Party. The owner and editor in chief was Krsta Miletic.
The newspaper was published until 1928. Timok district
authorities launched the Official Gazzeette of the Timok region,
published in 1927/28 once a week, and signed by the
Marinko Stanojević. At the same time, the “Timok Radical”
was published, edited by Krsta Stojković.
In the period from 1931 to 1941, the newspapers
“Timok”(1932) were published, edited by Miroslav Paunović
and Jakov Verner, and the “Glas Eparhije Timočke” (Voice
of the Timok Diocese) (1934-1941), a religious affairs newspaper
published fortnightly. The owner was the Diocesan
Church Court, and the editor was Petar Mišić.
At the beginning of 1945, the first issue of “Reč naroda”
was published, to continue the tradition of the first
Zaječar newspaper “Timočanin”. The editor was Dragoljub
Milivojević. As early as April 24, 1945 the newspaper changed
its name to “Naš život” and by that name was published until
April 1947 and the abolition of the District People’s Committee
in Zaječar. It was revived on May 1, 1948, and since
January 6, 1951 it was published under the name “Timok”.
At the beginning of the 21st century it was privatized, the
privatization was annulled and the newspaper was bought
by the “Official Gazette” from Niš, where it is still published
on two pages.
However, it is worth mentioning that in 1945, the District
People’s Liberation Front in Zaječar launched a newspaper
“Vorba noasta” (“Naša borba” - Our struggle), in the
Vlach language. It was published until 1948 and edited by
Janko Simeonović and Dimitrije Filipović.
ELECTRONIC MEDIA
The first local radio station in Serbia after World War
Two was launched in Zaječar. The first broadcast was on December
22, 1944. With the help of improvised equipment,
a captured German radio station, a one-hour program was
broadcast, editad by Krsta Stojković, the director of radio.
It operated until 1954, when it was silenced due to lack
of money. It was revived in the summer of the 1971 and
since then it records continual ascent. Another program
was launched on December 20, 1994, and on March 23,
1995, youth radio “Spin” was firstly broadcasted. With Ra-
178
1
2
“Reč na ro da”,
no. 1, cover page,
January 10, 1945
Weekly magazine
“Naš ži vot”,
November 11, 1945
“Raz vi tak”
(Development)
The first magazine
in Zaječar after
the World War II
was called Ti moč ka
Krajina (1952), but
it ceased to exist
almost immediately.
Magazine Raz vi tak
has been published
since 1957, a magazine
that will leave
a permanent trace
on culture, art and
social life of Zaječar
in the second half of
20 th century. Most
certainly, a poet
To mi sla v Mi jo vi ć
deserves all the credit
for that, having been
its Editor in Chief for
46 years! Citizens of
Zaječar claim that
he possesses “an
uncommon power to
recognize and nurture
a talent” (such
as artist-potter Ve lja
Đor đe vi ć, poet Ada m
Pu slo ji ć or painter
Ra ša Tr ku lja).

THE MEDIA
1
2
179

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
dio Zaječar, an open bureau of Radio Television Serbia was
opened in 1977, which since 1986 has a direct link to the
parent company.
In February 1994, Timok television was established. With
strong financial support from local government, it developed
intensively and almost no time was positioned at the top of
local television stations in Serbia. Privatized on December
21, 2007, it now operates under the name “Timok television
and radio”.
Besides this one, in the town of Zaječar there are the local
television stations “Fira” and “Folk disk Salaš”. The local
radio station “Magnum” should also be mentioned.
1
2
“From new han to
Za je ča r, November
12, 1877”, in:
“In a Two-Horse
Chariot Through
Serbia”, No lit,
Belgrade, 1978.
From Za je ča r
magazines and
publications
(Archives of the
Central Library
“Sve to zar
Mar ko vić”)
1
Catalogue
After ten years of
hard work, Kar men
Gnječ Mi jo vić, the
famous librarian,
presently retired,
made a fundamental
Catalogue of Old Books
of Zaječar, among
which the colossal
books are those from
libraries of Zaječar
dating from 1836 to
1918. That testimony
of cultural history
of this town and Timoč
ka Krajina from
liberation from Turks
(1833) until the formation
of Yugoslavia
(1918) has 400 pages
gathered into 12 re gistries.
Connoisseurs
claim that it has been
used for making of 25
important appendixes
for the famous
Serbian bibliography.
180

THE MEDIA
2
181

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM ZAJEČAR
The list of famous people from Zaječar extends from antiquity
to the present day. Each of them has left a deep and
permanent mark in history, culture, economy, and politics or
as a brave man at arms. Among them are rulers of empires,
outlaws, famous generals, prime ministers, ideologues, people’s
tribunes, industrialists, rebel leaders, ministers of police,
assassins, memorable actors . About any one of them
one could write a book. Indeed. At the same time, it is impossible
to write a decent book about Zaječar without mentioning
at least some of the most famous sons of this part
of Serbia. Therefore, we enclose the fllowing pages, based
on “official chronicles” of Zaječar (www.Zaječar.info , www.
tooZaječar.co.rs ).
1
Monument to
Haj duk-Velj ko
Pe tro vi ć in the
street in Za je ča r
that carries his
name, erected on
May 1, 2008,
work of sculptor
Du brav ko Mi la no vi ć
182
Veljko Petrović
(c 1780-1813)
Haiduk, epic Karađorđe’s warrior, one of the most famous
personalities of the First Serbian Uprising against the
Turks, remembered in movies, literature, television serials,
in epic and old Vlach poems. Milovan Vitezović has written
a novel about him, about his exciting life and death, worthy
of the archetypal hero.
Born in Lenovac, a village near Zaječar around 1780 into
the wealthy family of farmer Petar Petrović, in his youth he
was a shepherd and a servant. At the age of 22, protecting
his sister, he killed two Turks, and therefore was forced to
join haiduks. He first found himself with the renegade Vidin
pasha, but conflicted with the Turks, killing two of Pazvanoglu’s
janissaries. From 1803, he was in the company of
the brigand Stanoje Glavaš, then with Duke Đuša, head of
Smederevo district, at the beginning as an ordinary warrior,
then as “buljubaša”, and later the captain and commander.
After the liberation of Belgrade in 1807, he obtained
Karađorđe’s permission to start an uprising in Crna Reka.
A series of famous victories over the Turks followed, and his
incredible courage was already the topic of songs and legends.
After the defeat of the Serbians at Čegar in 1809, he
distinguished himself in the battle to defend Sokobanja. In
mid-1810 he acted jointly with the Russian army in the liberation
of Prahova and the attack on the Varvarin. For the
bravery demonstrated in these battlesn he was awarded the
Russian war “Gold Medal”.
Haiduk
Turks, politicians and
merchants did not
like and feared Velj ko
Pe tro vi ć, the haiduk.
People loved him, his
comrades loved him,
girls loved him (“Raslo
mi je ba dem dr vo”
I Grew an Almond
Tree). Nowadays,
schools are named
after him, as well as
streets, sports and
cultural societies
and war medals. And
what is named after
those who were ready
to sell everything,
even him?

PEOPLE, TIMES, WORKS
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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
According to a decision of the “Praviteljstvujušči sovjet”
(rebel government), Karađorđe appointed him on August
11, 1811 as Duke of Negotin Krajina. Of course that was a
gesture of recognition of the great hero, but also a way to
meet the severe events that were to follow. It was known
that Negotin would soon be under siege and that there were
not many able to defend it. Surrounded by the huge Turkish
army, with only 3,000 armed rebels under his command,
he refused to leave the city, and refused to surrender. Along
with his warriors, he sang aloud and fought until the last
glimmer of light in his eye, but brought great losses to the
enemy, leaving to posterity an example that still shines.
1
2
Monument to
Haj duk-Velj ko in
Zaječar, a detail
Memorial room of
Ada m Bo go sa vlje vi ć
at the National
Museum in Za je ča r
Adam Bogosavljević
(1843-1880)
People’s tribune, a deputy, a fighter for social justice, democracy
and peasant rights, one of the founders of populist
radicalism in Serbia. Born in the Zaječar village Koprivnica,
to one of the richest families of the former Krajina district,
he attended primary school in his birth place, and later
Trade School in Belgrade, where he graduated in 1861, with
honors. However, contrary to his father’s wish for him to
become a trader, after the summer holidays he enrolled in
the fourth year of the First Belgrade Gymnasium. After completing
his high school education in the fall of 1864, he went
to the Faculty of Philosophy of the Great School in Belgrade
and was a very successful student.
This was the period of the second rule of Prince Mihailo
Obrenović. Young people at the time were overhelmed with
a romantic patriotic mood. Active in the left-wing youth
movement, Adam was repeatedly coming into conflict with
representatives of the Obrenović regime. Though a successful
student, he suddenly decided to abandon the studies and
to return to his home village, to dedicate himself to to agriculture
and educating people. However, he was deprived of
teacher’s position.
He got engaged with the Society for agriculture and
economy in Težak, in the illustrated magazine of that organization,
where he published professional articles on agriculture
until his death. In addressing the improvement and
modernization of agriculture, he advocated the successful
model of his own example. He was the first one who bought
a factory-made iron plow, showing farmers how to improve
field yields.
184
For the State
of People
Adam Bo go sa vljević
was respectful
and popular among
the people. He was
elected an MP in the
Serbian Parliament
on 1874 elections.
Even before that, and
especially afterwards,
he distinguished himself
as an incorruptible
fighter for the
rights of the people,
democracy, local selfmanagement
and for
the development of
education, management
and army. He
fought for wealthier,
more efficient and
libertarian state of
the people. The focus
of his interest and
actions were the position
and progress of
the village and farmers,
prevalent social
class of that time.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
From the very beginning a member of the opposition,
he became one of the leaders of the populist radicalism
in Serbia. From this movement, as well as from theradical
movement of Serbian socialist Svetozar Marković, emerged
the Serbian People’s Radical Party under the leadership of
Nikola Pašić.
Adam Bogosavljević did not live to see the victory of
his ideas and triumphant rise to power of Radicals,. He
was arrested, under strange circumstances, on March 17,
1880 and imprisoned in Zaječar, where he died, just two
days later, reportedly from severe pneumonia. The political,
ethical and ideological heritage of Adam Bogosavljević
is of permanent value in Serbian history of political ideas.
It is believed that he is the forerunner of the first farmers’
parties in Serbia.
1
Sve to zar Mar ko vić
Svetozar Marković
(1846-1875)
Svetozar Marković was a Radical Socialist renowned
throughout Europe, First International Correspondent for
Serbia, theorist, nationalist and federalist, politician, conspirator,
rebel, party organizer. He was also a practical revolutionary
and the originator of a Radical socialist movement,
the largest in Serbia of the 19 th century.
Born in the Zaječar village Rgotina in 1846, to a clerk’s
family, he was raised and educated in places of his father’s
service areas (Rekovac, Jagodina, and Kragujevac). He
studied at the Technical Faculty in Belgrade and as a State
alumnus was sent to Russia to continue the study of technology.
During his three years (1866-1869) in Russia he
was involved in the student and revolutionary-democratic
movements and because of his illegal political activities had
to leave Russia. He moved to Zurich, and enrolled at the
Polytechnic University. Being close to the theorists of socialism,
first of all to Karl Marx, he immersed himself in
political and revolutionary activity, completely neglecting
his studies. He became a member of the Russian section
of the First International and its consultant for Serbian issues.
Due to his antiregime articles in “Zastava” and the
total of his activities, he lost a state scholarship and in 1870
returned to Belgrade.
Back home, he continued his previous activities and
began new publishing and practical activities aiding po-
186
Last words
Although seriously
ill, having been released
from prison,
Sve to zar Mar ko vić
initiated the paper
Oslo bo đe nje (Liberation)
at the beginning
of 1875. However,
the tuberculosis
progressed severely.
He proposed Ni ko la
Pa ši ć and Pe ra To doro
vi ć for his successors,
he ceased all his
activities and went to
the seaside looking
for a cure. It was in
vain. His last words
were: “Hold back the
tears and work for
your people.”

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
litical action for the liberation and unification of Serbian
lands. In June 1871 he launched “Radenik”, the first socialist
newspaper in the Balkans . Frequently arrested, he
emigrated in 1872 to neighboring Austria-Hungary. That
year, in Novi Sad, he wrote “Serbia in the East”, his most famous
work.
In April 1873 Svetozar returned to Serbia, continuing
his theoretical and practical work. In November 1873 he
launched “Javnost”. Raids and detention and arrest continued.
Finally, he was sentenced to imprisonment in Pozarevac
and he served nine months. It was there that his health was
severely impaired and he died in Trieste, March 10, 1875, at
the age of 29.
1
Monument to
Ni ko la Pa ši ć in the
centre of Za je ča r,
erected in 1995,
work of sculptor
Dra ga n Ni ko li ć
Nikola Pašić
(1845-1926)
Nikola Pašić was a great Serbian politician and statesman,
founder and leader of the People’s Radical Party of
Serbia. He was Prime Minister during the most dramatic
moments in recent history of Serbia (1914-1918), when Serbia,
with a grand victory and incredible sacrifice, reached
its national and political peak, ending the 114 years long
Serbian revolution.
Born in December 1845, into a wealthy merchant family
in Zaječar, Nikola Pašić was educated in Zaječar, Negotin
and Kragujevac, and in 1866 he enrolled (like Svetozar
Markovic) in the Faculty of Technics in Belgrade. As an
excellent student, he became a State alumnus, according
to the decision of the Serbian government, and was sent
in 1868 to the famous Polytechnic School in Zurich. Four
years later he acquired a diploma in civil engineering and
higher professional education in geology. After a year of
practice in the construction of Budapest-Vienna railroad,
he returned to Serbia, to begin his professional, but above
all a rich political career.
As a student in Belgrade he was under the influence of
the ideas of the United Serbian Youth, and in Zurich he
joined the circle of Serbian socialist Svetozar Markovic, who
was his closest collaborator until his death.
He became a deputy for first time in 1878, then he
founded the National Radical Party in 1881; during the
Obrenović rule he was a “conspirator and firebrand” thus
went into exile after the rebellion in Timočka krajina (1883-
1889) when he was sentenced to death and pardoned. Af-
188
Ni ko la and
Yugoslavia
From present point of
view, having finally
acquired all related
experiences, Pašić’s
role in the creation
of State of Yugoslavia
in 1918 is the most
controversial one, in
the moment when
Serbia, having paid
an enormous price,
was able to assemble
its historical and ethnical
areas in a single
country, and only
then, potentially, join
larger alliances or
conglomerates. Science
and journalism
will continue to deal
with it in the years
to come, but many
important issues will
remain unresolved
for a long time.

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ter the abdication of King Milan, he won the elections and
formed his first government in 1891. He was President of
the Belgrade municipality from 1896-1897, ambassador
in St. Petersburg 1893-1894. He was in political disfavor
between 1898-1899, and, “morally and politically compromised”
during the next four years, but back onto the political
stage after the May coup in 1903 when the Karađorđević
dynasty came to power.
He was a member of the State Council, then the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, and Prime Minister (since 1904): evolving
from a disheveled national revolutionary and follower of left
wing ideologies to become an authentic Serbian national and
civic politician. From 1903 to 1918 his life and actions were
at the center of Serbian people and state. This was the time
of the Customs War with Austria-Hungary (1906-1911), the
annexation crisis (1908), the Balkan Wars (1912-1914) and
World War One (1914-1918). Besides the commonly known
mainstream of political history, he discreetly helped the Serbian
and Yugoslav actions in the Balkans, implemented the
concept of “Balkans for the Balkan peoples,” helped with
Serbian propaganda in the areas under Turkish and Austro-
Hungarian rule, and enabled Serbia to become a respectable
military force .
Contemporaries, both friends and enemies, testify that
he was “wise, pragmatic, informed, calm, persistent and
moderate in the private life”. Although they claim that he
was not eloquent, he left for posteriority some great stuff
intawoven with anecdotes and jokes.
In March 1992 the Foundation “Nikola Pasic” was established
in Zaječar and from it came the idea of shooting
a documentary about this statesman, as well as support for
holding an international conference and exhibition “Nikola
Pašić – trace of documents”, seeking to raise a monument
to him in the city center. Interestingly, the initiative to raise
the monument existed since 1927, and a committee was even
formed (headed by the Patriarch Dimitrje) to implement this
idea. However, Zaječar repaid its debt to its distinguished
fellow citizen only in 1995.
Đorđe Genčić
(1861-1938)
Đorđe Genčić was an industrialist, owner of mines and
concessions, Minister of Internal Affairs at the time of King
190
1
2
3
4
5
Monument to Ni ko la
Pa ši ć in Belgrade
Pre-election
announcement
of Đor đr Gen či ć,
September 1927
Ni ko la Pa šić
Adam Bo go sa vlje vić
Đor đe Gen čić
Weakness
Highly sensitive
towards his children,
in his recent years of
life, Ni ko la Pa šić was
“recklessly tolerant
regarding corruption
affairs of his son,
which was destroying
his reputation with
the people and multiplied
his political
opponents.” At the
reception held on
9 th December 1926,
even King Alek san dar
I Ka ra đor đe vić reproached
him sharply
for that. When he
came back home,
Ni ko la Pa ši ć felt sick.
He died of a heart attack
that same night.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
Aleksandar Obrenović, and chief of the “political wing”
in the May coup in 1903 and the assassination of the
royal couple.
Born in Zaječar villageVeliki Izvor in 1861, to arich and
respectable family, he was educated in Zaječar, Belgrade
and Vienna, where he studied economics. Later, in Russia,
he studied military science. Upon his return, he worked in
Nis as a city manager. He enjoyed vast confidence of kings
Milan and Aleksandar Obrenović. However, he strongly
opposed Aleksandar’s marriage with a “commoner and divorcee”
Draga Lunjevica, (whose married name had been
Mašin). Because of his public criticism of the marriage, he
was sentenced to seven years in prison, and served a year.
As a “political boss of the May coup” against Aleksandar
Obrenović, upon the forming of a new government,
under the Karadjordjevics, he was the minister of the national
economy. However, he soon retired from political life.
During the Balkan Wars and the World War One he was a
correspondent for the Russian military papers. Having no
children, his large estate was bequeathed to his nephew, but
after his death to the state of Yugoslavia. He died in Belgrade
in 1938.
General Nikola Colović
(1874-1939)
The commander of cavalry regiments in the Balkan
wars, and the celebrated commander of the Horse Division
in World War Two. Even today, reading about the heroism of
that division and its commander, brings tears to an honest
Serb’s eyes.
Born 1874 in Zaječar, where he received his primary
education. He attended the military school in Belgrade. The
First Balkan War inb 1912 found him as commander of the
Danube cavalry regiment. Military doctrine, brilliantly mastered
in the theory he applied during this difficult war, especially
in World War One.
As in the case of other famous Serbian commanders of
that war, after demobilization in 1920 he began his suppression
from “new Yugoslav scene.” As well as Živojin Mišić,
Čolović too clearly understood what was going on and what
would come out of it, so he returned to his hometown and
remained there for the following ten years (until 1930).
He died in Belgrade in 1939. “In time, at least not to see
his warnings fulfilled.”
192
1
2
3
4
5
6
Head of the Cavalry
Division enters the
liberated Homeland
in 1918
Highly respected
Co lo vi ć: Duke
Ži vo jin Mi šić
Cavalry Division
of Ni ko la Co lo vi ć
on Ti kve ško po lje,
1918
Ge ne ral Ni ko la
Co lo vić
Ma rin ko Sta no je vić
Fame
General Colović and
his troops displayed
enormous courage
and skill in the
famous Battle of Cer
and Battle of Ko lubar
a, boldly breaking
the front and invading
the rear lines of
the enemy. Voivoda
Ži vo jin Mi šić, who
was hardly ever
praised anyone, used
to say that Co lo vić
was “our best chevalier.”
Remarkable and
stirring operations
for the liberation
of Serbia in 1918
brought this man
from Za je čar a new
timeless war fame.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
194
Marinko Stanojević
(1874-1949)
Scientist who devoted almost entire life to anthropogeographical
and ethnological research of Timočka krajina.
Born in 1874, he graduated from the Slavistic literary
department at Great School in Belgrade and was appointed
an acting professor, and later professor at the Zaječar gymnasium.
During World War Two, he was one of the Parliament
Secretaries on the island of Corfu, attending all important
parliamentary sessions, including some that are
considered historic.
He did a lot of writing: out of numerous texts scattered
throughout newspapers and magazines he was able, fortunately,
to gather articles for a Collection of knowledge about
Timočka krajina. This collection, a sort of almanac, was published
in four volumes, starting 1937.
Marinko Stanojević died in 1949, in Zaječar.
Zoran Radmilović
(1933-1985)
True bard of the Serbian acting scene, a bitter-funny
grand master of improvisation and black comedy, a man who
was, for years, making us laugh to tears, and to made life
bearable during some gray, unbearable days.
Born in Zaječar in 1933, he took his first acting steps in
1951 at his high school acting group. In Belgrade, he started
and abandoned his law and architecture studies, but graduated
from the faculty of Dramatic Arts, the class of Mata
Milosević. In 1964, in Theatre “Atelje 212” he took over the
role of King Ubu from Ljuba Tadić, King Ubi in the production
of the famous play by Alfred Jarry (1873-1907), directed
by Ljubomir Dra ški ć. Pushing the limits of propriety on
the stage and in life, he made it his first truly immortal role.
(The monument in front of the main entrance of “Atelje 212”
in Belgrade Svetogorska Street is Zoran Radmilović in King
Ubu costume.)
He played the character of Radovan III , in the eponymous
play by Dušan Kovačević, and, thanks to his interpretation
of that role Radmilović became, indeed, a sociotheatrical
phenomenon. He was known for his “limitless
power of laughter, sad-joyful recognition, and an incredible
ease of mutual conquest between audience and actor”.
Also unforgettable is his role in the play and movie “The
Marathon Family”, as well as a series of children’s roles in
television series. “In his opus of dramatic characters, Zoran
1
Monument to
Zo ra n Rad mi lo vi ć
in the centre of
Za je ča r, erected
in 2008, work of
sculptor Mi lan ko
Man di ć
Storyteller
Zo ran Rad mi lović
loved to gather
“storytellers” around
him. He himself
loved the role of a
bohemian storyteller,
particularly
enjoying shocking
pietists, puritans
and provincials. He
told us once that his
grandfather Richard
was a though bred
foreigner who was
converted to orthodoxy
and who built
“half of Zaječar.”
He also told us that
the poet Vla di slav
Pet ko vić Dis was
his spiritual brother
and neighbor who
could not graduate
in Zaječar, and thus
became a teacher in
Pr li ta, an excellent
one. Many listeners
were rolling their
eyes in disbelief. The
readers of this book
can realize whether
Zoran was an honest
storyteller.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
196
Radmilović is the cynical man, a bit skeptical about the external
world, the sage who knows the dark side of our destiny,
but covers us in healing or destructive laughter, leaving
an opening for the hope ...”
For outstanding acting achievements and charisma he
won the “Dobričin prsten” for lifetime achievement. Overcome
by a serious illness, he died in Belgrade, 1985.
In Zaječar, the street where he was born is named after
him, just like the National Theatre in that city. In 1992 the
“Zoran Radmilović” foundation was established in order to
foster the legacy of this acting scene master.
Since 1993, the Foundation has been, together with
“Večenje Novosti”,, awarding bravura acting at “Sterija Theatre.”
In the fall of the same year, they organized the acting
festival “Days of Zoran Radmilović” bringing to Zaječar audiences,
many great performances, sometimes even before
the capital city sees them. In July 2010, as one of its main
objectives, the Foundation formulated and encouraged development
of the domestic drama, calling up competition for
the best contemporary dramatic text in Serbian language.
1
1
2
Zo ran Rad mi lo vić
with his daughter
Ana, 1977.
Monument to
Zo ra n Rad mi lo vi ć
in Zaječar, a detail
Zo ran and Mi lan
“It is hard to blame
Zo ra n Rad mi lo vi ć,
but it is equally hard
to praise him as well,
for he left such a
remarkable trace
in Serbian theatre.
Theatre and asylum
are similar institutions,
having in mind
that they both deal
with mental sanity of
people. However, you
leave an asylum if
you get better, while
you cannot escape
from theatre. So,
receive this gift from
allegedly dead Zo ra n
Rad mi lo vi ć, given by
me, allegedly alive.”
(Mi lan Gu to vić, on
the first “Zo ran
Rad mi lo vić” Award
ceremony)

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
GA LE RI US, A ZA JE ČA R-BORN
TO LEAD THE EMPIRE (293–311)
He was Diocletian’s Caesar, pacifier of Danube border,
a victor over the Persians in 297, Augustus since 305, his
dwellings were in Sirmium, then in Salonika (where there
is still, in front of an ancient palace, an arch in his honor).
However, he is primarily remembered for “Felix Romuliana”,
a palace he built in his own country and where he was
buried in 311 AD.
He was born in the mid-third-century AD on a small croft,
perhaps under the name Secuniana, in the coastal province
of Dacia. His parents settled in this area from eastern Dacia,
where they were exposed to constant attacks of the militant
Karpa. In the new land, deserted by the barbarian invasion
and the plague, the father of the family, whose name is lost
in time, was engaged in a variety of tasks necessary in a previously
neglected rural estate. His mother Romula, under
whose skirts Galerius was growing, was a dedicated devotee
of mountain deities and she exercised priestly duties.
In his youth, Galerius tended the cattle and so earned the
nickname Govedar (Armentarius), which he never gave up.
He sensed within him the nature of Silvana, forest deity revered
in rural areas, and pastoral piety of Romulus, the most
famous Roman shepherd, whose name Gallery was proud to
take after the triumph over the Persians.
Galerius military career cannot be restored with certainty.
Perhaps it was the boom generated by the sword, nonsurrendering,
accomplishment, honoring the given word,
military virtue. Even before he was declared Caesar, in 293
B.C. he was at the military top of the Diocletian’s Palace and
had already secured the eternally troubled border on the
Danube. These merits of Gallery can not be impugned by
Lactantius, who, in connection with the events of the 305
B.C., says:
“It has been fifteen years since he (Galerius) was sent to
Illyria, on the bank of the Danube, where he fought against
the barbarians, while others were comfortably managing
spacious and quiet areas.”
Military merits, and perhaps the honorable modesty of a
villager used to responsibility and obedience, recommended
Galerius to the emperor Diocletian. By establishing Tetra-
198
1
In red porphyry:
head of Emperor
Galerius, the famous
finding from
Gam zi gra d 1993,
ori gi nal at the
National Museum
in Zaječar
Por phyry
A porphyry sculpture
of Gallerius was the
next monumental
statue of an emperor
in military vestment,
holding a globe in his
hand. It expresses
the serenity of the
universal peace upon
a triumph. Victory
crowns him with a
wreath ornamented
with medallions with
the busts of four emperors
identified with
deities: Di o cletian/
Ju pi ter, Maximilianus
Herculius/
Heracles, Constatinus
Chlorus/Apo llo-Sol
and Gallerius/Mars.

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rhy, Diocletian introduced the rule of Constantius Chlor as
a Caesar in the western part of the empire, the subordinate
to August Maximianus Hercules, and with him took over
Galerius, the Caesar in the Eastern part of the Empire, at
the time significantly stronger in military, strategic and economic
terms. By such an act Galerius entered divine kind
of Jovi (with whom Diocletian equated), becoming thus the
son of Jupiter, the other Mars. When he married Diocletian’s
daughter Valeria, identified with Venus, the marriage of
Mars (Galerius) and Venus (Valeria) created the illusion of
heavenly bridal chambers worthy of deities.
THE VICTORY OVER THE PERSIANS
1
2
Ori gi nal findings
from Gam zi gra d
at the National
Museum in Zaječar
(a part of the
exhibition)
“Fe lix Ro mu li a na”,
a model at the u
National Museum
in Zaječar
200
About this time, over the eastern part of the Empire, Persian
danger was looming. Sensing a conflict, Diocletian in
296 B.C. , talked about the Persians as the enemy and moved
Galerius from Sirmium to a new residence in Thessaloniki,
closer to the scene of war. That same year Narses begins
military campaign against Rome, attacking Mesopotamia.
Diocletian, with confidence, appoints Galerius as the commander
of the eastern army, but the war started unfortunately
for the Roman state.
Galerius, with an insufficient and unprepared army,
crossed the Euphrates near Kalinkus and in the area between
the river and Kare hills faces numerously predominant
Persian army. Otherwise durable Roman foot soldiers,
faced with the unbearable heat, thirst and uncertainty, lost
their confident and winning spirit. In such circumstances,
strong enemy attacks started, especially those by heavy cavalry.
Roman lines were breached, battles were lost, and the
province of Mesopotamia fell to the Persians.
Some sources, chronologically distant from these events,
such as Eutropius and Ammianus Marcellinus speak of Diocletian’s
anger after the defeat and how he ordered Galerius
to follow his chariots for many miles on foot. It is believed,
however, that this story is not true, because Lactantius, a
contemporary of these events, gives no information on such
a humiliation of Galerius (the writer was generally unfavorable
to Galerius and would surely record and even add to
such an event).
In any case, Galerius hastened to repair the unfortunate
consequences of war and to dispel doubts about his abilities.
He reinforced his troops with the army from the Danube bor-
Hunting
A mosaic showing a
hunting scene was
discovered in the
ceremony hall of
Gallerius’ residence
in 1953. At an instant
of idolatrous ignorance,
the mosaic
was transferred to
Tito Museum “25.
maj” in Be lgrade! The
iconographic identity
of the display was
violated on that occasion...
Left side of
the composition was
partially preserved. It
displays two hunters:
one standing boldly,
holding a lasso in his
hand, while the other
is kneeling sheltered
behind a large round
shield in his right
hand, and holding a
spear pointed at an
ablaze best in his
left hand.

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202
der, proven in many trials, and with troops of about 25,000
solders, crossed the Euphrates. This time, however, instead
of being distributed in the open Mesopotamian plain, he rose
through the mountainous part of Armenia, where the population
was favorable towards the Romans and where the soil
was favorable for the action of the infantry.
Previous adversity strengthened the caution and discipline
in the Roman army, while Persians, carried away by
success, awaited clash with negligence. Gallery has surprised
their camp and fiercely spread confusion, panic and exhaustion
among enemy lines. The resistance was crushed, and so
was crushed the Persian army.
LEADING THE EMPIRE
This remarkable feat of Galerius was marked by triumphal
arch erected in front of his palace in Thessaloniki.
Gallery was hailed as a new Alexander, and his victory was
equated with the triumph of Dionysus at east.
With such a divine pledge he came in 305 B.C, to the
throne left vacant when Diocletian and Maximilian deviation
and obtained title of August. Although formally the
second in the hierarchy of power in Second Tetrarchy,
after Constantius Chlor, everyone considered him the
winner in divine gigantomania (as was perceived conflict
with the Persians), master of all decisions, a leading figure
of the Empire.
Personal vanity, ambition and power-hunger irrevocably
shattered the utopian idea of what had now become a
Tetrarchy. Realizing this, not without a certain resignation,
Galerus withdrew, reasonably abandoning idea of the universal
Empire, and devoted to personal satisfaction, but also
to useful public works. Thus, from the Pels lake (Balaton) he
moved excess water into the Danube, stabed predominantly
forest surrounding and thus endowed his subjects of Pannonia
with abundance of fertile land.
Long lasting, insidious illness marked last days of Galerius.
The Emperor’s body, swollen from excess power, was
covered with sores full of insect larvae.
In the height of his power, after brilliant victories over
Narses, Galeruis, to whom success never disquieted understanding
and anxiety before the end of inevitability,
he started, probably in 298 / 9 BC, building in Gamzigrad.
Originally, the fort was almost rectangular, with dimensions
1
2
A part of museum
exhibition on
“Fe lix Ro mu li a na”
in Zaječar
Eagle over Stake
At the elevation situated
approximately
one kilometer east
from Gam zi gra d,
there is a locality
called Ma gu ra, which
stands for burrows,
large burial mounds
in the language of
Vlachs. Two tumuluses
were found
there. One is related
to Gallerius’ mother
Romula. It has a diameter
of 30 me ters,
and its impressive
height amounts 8.5
me ters. A wooden
stake was mounted
within the enclosed
space, on which a
ritual burning of
Romula’s wax figure
was performed, and
the emperoressmother
was inhumed
in her mausoleum.
The second tumulus,
with a mausoleum,
is related to Gallerius.
Unfortunately,
the burial chamber
where the emperor’s
corpse was transferred
was plundered
long ago.

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ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
of 210m / 180 m, and with plan similar to that of Diocletian
Palace in Split, but only with two entrances, on the
east and west-eastern side, with two octagonal towers. The
corners and walls are decorated with another 12 square-based
towers.
This building, perhaps never completed, was altered by
the construction of new fortifications, larger, more powerful,
magnificent, but with the same plan, organization,
spirit and sacral religious principle coordinates. It was built
in a breath, chastely magnificent, but not self-sufficient.
It was a place for the emperor to, after voluntary deviating
after 20 years in power and learning from example of
Diocletian, “lead safe and peaceful life surrounded by impregnable
walls”.
Epithet Felix contained in a name of a place, town or
areas was not used as a simple decorative adjective, but
as a predicate of gods, kings, queens but and heroes, expressing
their holiness and eternal glory... Felix Romuliana
is Galerius sacred testament, a unique monument of triumph,
ambition, vanity, the utopian desire for eternal life in
the memory.
Prof. Aleksandar Jovanović
(SERBIA-National Review, Belgrade,
No 7, 2008, p. 48-51)
1
1
2
3
Ma gu ra in
Gam zi gra d: The
place of consecration
and mausoleum of
Emperor Galerius
and his mother
Ro mu la (a model)
Archaeological
excavations in
“Fe lix Ro mu li a na”
Ma gu ra, present
appearance
Fairy Town
Pro fe ssor Jo va no vić
is finishing his story
of Gallerius with the
poetic conclusion by
Dra go sla v Sre jovi
ć, typical for his
attitude towards the
fairy theme of Gamzi
gra d: “... One can
overlook the entire
Gallerius’ architectural
project from
top of Ma gu ra: palace
and mausoleum
with consecrative
monuments which,
actually, illustrate
Gallerius’ journey of
life, his raising to the
Caesar , via Augustus
to God. This is the
place of the existence
of the connection
between heaven and
earth, birth and apotheosis,
mortality and
immortality.”
204

PEOPLE, TIMES, WORKS
2
3
205

ZAJEČAR − CAPITAL OF SERBIAN EAST
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Area code – 019
Po li ce – 92
Fire department – 93
Ambulance – 94
Exact time – 95
Receipt of telegrams – 96
International calls – 901
Report of interferences – 977
General information – 981
Announcement centre – 985
Environmental issues – 986
Automobile society – 987
Telephone numbers – 988
Bus station – (019) 421-545, 425-428
Railway station – (019) 440-830, 425-999
Taxi – (019) 430-857, 423-722
ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC SERVICES
Za je čar City Administration
www.za je car.in fo, (019) 421-199
Mayor
(019) 421-597, 421-645
Tourist Organization
Sve to za ra Mar ko vi ća no. 2,
(019) 421- 521
www.to o za je car.co.rs,
to o za @o pen.te le kom.rs
basic Court
(019) 420-466
Po st
(019) 444-213
Traffic police
(019) 422-788
Healthcare Centre
Ra sad nič ka bb, (019) 425-811
in fozcza je car@g mail.com
206
Ve te ri nar y Station
(019) 420-767
Residential emergency interventions
(019) 425-788
Water Supply
(019) 422-041, 423-041
Heating plant
(019) 423-558
Dis patcher of Electric Power Distribution
(019) 425-555
Public communal company “Ko mu na lac Sa laš”
(019) 470-411
Public communal company “Kra lje vi ca”
(019) 444-670
Public company “Directorate for
Construction”
(019) 422-322
Public company “Ti moč ka kra ji na”
(019) 440-738, 440-352, 440-350
Sport s Centre “Kra lje vi ca”
7. sep tem bra bb, (019) 432-045
CULTURE
National Museum
Trg oslo bo đe nja bb, (019) 422-930
Historical Archives “Ti moč ka kra ji na”
Ni ko le Pa ši ća no. 160, (019) 425-490
Central Library
“Sve to zar Mar ko vić”
Ku ma nov ska no. 2, (019) 422-045,
za bi bli o @ve rat.net
Theatre “Zo ran Rad mi lo vić”
Ti moč ke bu ne no. 16, (019) 421-733,
po zo ri ste za je car@g mail.com
Cinema “Ti mok”
Sve to za ra Mar ko vi ća 19, (019) 424-101
CHURCH
Temple of the Nativity of Holy Mother of God
Ti moč ke bu ne no. 6, (019) 421-650

SERVICE INFORMATION
ACCOMMODATION
• Ho te ls
“Sr bi ja Tis”
Ni ko le Pa ši ća no. 2, (019) 422-333
sr bi ja tis @ve rat.net
“Ka strum”
Gam zi grad ska Ba nja, (019) 450-333
ro mu li a na do o @o pen.te le kom.rs
“Luks”
Sa laš, (019) 473-473
• Villas
“Konj”
Voj vo de Mi ši ća no. 14, (019) 422-004
“Grin ka M”
Pro te Ma te je no. 15, (019) 423-330
ho tel.grin ka@g mail.com
“Ta ma ris”
Lju be Ne ši ća no. 58, (019) 428-781
vi la ta ma ris @o pen.te le kom.rs
HOSPITALITY
RESTAURANTS
“Be ba”, Do bri vo ja Ra do sa vlje vi ća bb,
(019) 424-672
“Me da”, Sve to za ra Mar ko vi ća no. 56,
(019) 425-311
“Haj duk Velj kov ko nak”, Lju be Ne ši ća no.
37, (019) 424-254
“Euro klub”, Kra lje vi ca bb, (019) 430-100,
euroc lub ten nis@gmail.com
“Ze len go ra”, Haj duk Velj ko va no. 100,
(019)422-174
“Dva bra ta”, Ka ra đor đev ve nac no. 6,
(019) 424-443
“Ko njič ki klub”, Kra lje vi ca bb ,
(019) 426-552
“Ro ko”, Mi roč ka no. 30, (019) 423-706
“Ro ma”, Sve to za ra Mar ko vi ća 28,
(019) 429-427
Aj riš pab “Ri ven dall”, Voj vo de Mi ši ća no.
10, (019) 423-005
“Ga le ri ja”, Sve to za ra Mar ko vi ća no. 75, (019)
423-474
“Na po li” (ne ka da šnja “Ga li ja”),
Ko sov ska bb, (019) 441-030
“Tri ton”, Ni ko le Pa ši ća no. 4/9,
(019) 420-770
“Da ve ro”, Trg oslo bo đe nja bb, (019) 426-573
“Va roš”, Lju be Ne ši ća no. 107,
(019) 426-123, re sto ran.va ros@gmail.com
CAFES
“Lu Sa lo me”, Sve to za ra Mar ko vi ća no. 9,
(062) 1000-470
“Be la”, Lju be Ne ši ća no. 9, (019) 423-913
“Lir”, Haj duk Velj ko va no. 7, (019) 425-940
“F – ka fe”, Du bro vač ka no. 8, (019) 443-037
“Ulaz”, Trg oslo bo đe nja bb, (019) 429-901
“Lu vr”, Trg oslo bo đe nja bb, (061) 81-36-61
PASTRY SHOPS
“Ste la”, Trg oslo bo đe nja bb, (019) 426-409
“Pče la”, Ni ko le Pa ši ća no. 4/3
207

MEDICAL CENTER - ZA JE ČAR
General Hospital and Health Center
he wealthy tradition of health care in
T Zaječar has been described in the chapter
dedicated to it. Central city institution in this
field at present is certainly the Medical Centre
of Za je ča r. It was established in 1990 as a regional
medical centre which united the complete
healthcare services of all eight municipalities
of contemporary Zaječar county. Nowadays,
the primary healthcare services of the
Medical Centre of Za je ča r are provided for the
city of Za je ča r (for 65,000 citizens), and secondary
specialistic, consultative and hospital
healthcare services for the complete territory
of Za je čar municipality (for 120,000 citizens).
Beneficiary oriented, The Cen ter pays
close attention to long-term planning and
timely making of strategic decisions, taking
into consideration all the reform processes
that are in progress. The strategic plan for the
period from 2011 to 2015 is based upon two
elements – mission and vision.
Mission: General Hospital in Za je ča r
provides services of high quality policlinic
and stationary healthcare, applying modern
processes of diagnostics and treatment, team
work, continuous trainings for medical staff
and maximum utilization of available resources.
The aim: satisfied beneficiaries and
healthy population.
Vi sion: This hospital aspires towards becoming
the leading healthcare institution on
the territory of southeast Serbia in the field of
secondary prevention, diagnostics and medical
treatment.

Apart form the promotion of the health itself,
Health Centre of Zaječar provides preventive, diagnostic,
treatment and rehabilitation services in
the field of general medicine, pediatrics, gynecology,
occupational medicine, emergency medicine,
dentistry (general, pediatric and preventive, orthodontics,
prosthetics and oral surgery), polyvalent
patronage and health care.
Primary health care is organized within eight
services: Pre-school and School Childcare Service
with Pediatric and Youth Health Counseling Office,
Women’s Healthcare Service, General Medicine
with Centre for Disease Prevention, Occupational
Medicine, Emergency Medical Centre with medical
transportation, Home Care Service, Polyvalent Patronage
Service and Dental Service.
Secondary health care in the General Hospital
includes admission and care of emergency patients,
examinations by specialists, diagnostics, treatment
and rehabilitation in policlinics, daily hospitals and
during hospitalization from the following fields of
healthcare and specialties: Internal medicine, pneumo-phtysiology,
neurology, infectious and skin diseases,
hemodialysis, general and children’s surgery,
orthopedics, urology, otorinolaryngology and maxillofacial
surgery, ophthalmology, pediatrics, gynecology
and obstetrics (with neonatology), psychiatrics,
anesthesiology with reanimatology; biochemical,
hematological, radiological, nuclear medical,
pathoanatomic and cytological diagnostics; pharmaceutical
services (hospital pharmacy), physical
medicine and rehabilitation (sports medicine).
Within the project “Emergency Reconstruction
of 20 Hospitals in Serbia”, aided by the National
Investment Plan, three million euros have been
invested in the reconstruction of hospital facilities
and procurement of new equipment. Surgery
department has been reconstructed, Departments
of Neurology and Psychiatry have been separated,
new Internal Department and kitchen have been
built, laboratory and specialistic infirmaries have
been reconstructed, and a road for urgent admission
of patients has been constructed. Regarding
the primary health care, the access to Health Centre
and Women’s Healthcare Service have been reconstructed.
Under General Medicine Service, an

Projects
The most important projects conducted in
the Medical Centre of Zaječar are the following:
“Emergency Reconstruction of 20
Hospitals in Srbia” (aided by The Ministry
of Helath of the Republic of Serbia and
Europena Investment Bank), “Primary
Helth Care Policy in the Balkans“ (Canadian
International Development Agency),
“Enhancement of Preventive Healt Care in
Serbia” (European Agency for Reconstruction),
“Roma Health Quality Improvement”
(two projects, aided by the Ministry
of Health) “Medical Waste Managemt”
(European Agency for Reconstruction and
Ministry of Health) “Serbian Health Care
Development – Additional Finnacing”
(The World Bank), “Delivery of Improved
Local Services – DILS Project“ (Project:
“Improvement of Health Care Assesibility
to People with Disabilities in Zaječar”).
info desk has been mounted in the hall with
the aim to faciliate the communication and
the doctor selection process.
Medical Centre of Zaječar employs 1,019
workers, 184 of which are medical doctors
(133 specialists), 530 nurses, 4 pharmacists,
14 dentists, 20 dental nurses, 11 health associates,
35 administrative officers and 220 logisticians.
There are 8 employees with a Master’s
degree, 9 sub-specialists and 22 primariuses.
Since human resources are a significant
part of a health care system, the employees
are provided with the possibility of continuous
medical education and participation in
congresses and professional symposiums.
Professional education is organized by
Zaječar sub-office of Serbian Medical Association
and Association of Health Workers.
Professional symposium of medical doctors,
dentists and pharmacists “Ti moč ki me dicin
ski da ni” (Timok Medical Days) has been
gathering prominent experts from Serbia and
abroad for three decades. Medical Gazette of
Timok has been issued since 1974.
The beneficiary is in the centre of the
system. Since 2007, the opinion of employees
and beneficiaries has been monitored in an
organized manner, and the results of the regular
surveys are primarily used by the Quality
Improvement Committee.
Primary health care performs 450,000 examinations
per year (10% are of preventive
nature). Specialistic and consulting services
perform approximately 200,000 examinations
and over 500,000 services per year. Diagnostic
services perform 1,200,000 laboratory, radiology,
transfusion and pathology services.
Stationary Department, containing 430 beds,
provides approximately 100,000 days of hospitalization
per year for 15,500 people with average
duration of treatment of 6.4 days. Daily
hospital provides 9,000 days for 2,600 people
per year, within Departments of Internal Medicine,
Surgery and Psychiatry. Surgery performs
over 4,000 surgical interventions, while
100 people use 9,700 services of dialysis.
Medical Centre of Zaječar has, therefore, become
a modern highly professional healthcare
institution during the last year, being
recognizable throughout the region. It used
to be ranked highly among the healthcare
institutions in Serbia on regular basis (for
example, Zaječar Hospital was the second in
Serbia in 2006, and the third in 2008). Investments
in infrastructure and modern medical
equipment will continue. There is a new
multi-slice scanner (procured by the support
from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of
Serbia), a new mammography (support from
the Government of Japan), a new angio room
is to be opened, where coronographies and
stent installations will be performed on the
patients with acute myocardial infarction…
Ra sad nič ka bb, 19000 Za je čar
+381 19 423 301, +381 19 420 672
in foszcz@o pen.te le kom.rs, www. zcza.org.rs

PHARMACY “ZA JE ČAR”
Brand Built on Trust
As described in the chapter dedicated
to health, Timočka krajina has a long
tradition of pharmacy, too. Certainly, a long
journey was passed from the traditional
preparation of medicines in old pharmacies
to modern pharmacy.
Pharmacy “Za je čar”, the main modern local
institution in the field, consists of 14 open
pharmacies on the territory of Za je ča r, Knjažev
ac and Bo ljev ac, and of one galenic laboratory.
32 graduated pharmacists are employed
there, 5 of which are specialists, as well as 42
pharmacy technicians and 20 non-medical
workers. Special attention is paid to the magistral
galenic production of medicines, the
aim of which is to customize the treatment to
the needs of individual patients.
EMPLOYEES – MAIN
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
People are the greatest value, crucial factor
and the biggest investment of Pharmacy
“Za je čar”. The main imperative of the Pharmacy’s
management is a constant investment
into human resources and education
of the employees in order to provide high
quality services. Human resources management
is an important basis for the success
of an organization, because, what really distinguishes
Pharmacy “Za je čar” among the
competition are exactly its employees. The
satisfaction of employees reflects the success
of a company, and it is achieved through
constant motivation. The effect of invest-

ment and the satisfaction of employees are
evaluated via special survey once a year.
SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE
WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
Pharmacy “Za je čar” is constantly working
on the quality improvement of the provided
services, which implies, among other things,
professionalism and knowledge, communication
skills and suitable environment. In order
to enhance the quality of its operations,
it got the certification of international ISO
9001:2000 standards in 2008, and the authorized
organization for certification was SIQ,
an internationally recognized member of IQ-
NET. The certificate guarantees the quality of
the provided service/product, which provides
a certain security for the users. As a result of
the aforementioned, Pharmacy “Za je čar” was
positioned among first three institutions in
Serbia on the Sixth National Conference on
Ongoing Improvement of Health Care Quality
held on 29 September 2010 (organized by the
Ministry of Health), and received acknowledgement
for “The best in ongoing improvement
of quality of operations for 2009.“
Pharmacy “Za je čar” pays special attention
to public relations in professional and
user relations. The visible results are confirmed
by the “Service Users Satisfaction
Surveys”, which are conducted twice a year.
Besides surveying, evaluation of user’s satisfaction
is also done through complaint books.
It is a practical indicator whether users actually
receive what they expect in pharmacies.
In this regard, Pharmacy “Za je čar” has
founded the Regional Centre for Information
on Medicines in recent years, had web
site done, enabled the online communication
with patients, and provided premises for confidential
consultations in each pharmacy.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Great attention is paid to modernization
of occupational premises and pharmacies’
interior. During last five years, all pharma-

cies have been renovated, and thus the
visual identity of Pharmacy “Za je čar” has
been created. Pharmacy “Za je čar” is now
recognizable and it represents a brand. The
brand is not only the visual identity, but
also the opinion of the users on the Pharmacy.
The purpose of branding is to gain
the loyalty of users, which is especially important
regarding patients as customers.
The loyalty can be gained through various
types of communication with users, which
contributes to the strengthening of health
culture and awareness of personal health.
Pharmacy “Za je čar” advocates team
work, good pharmacy practice and respect
for legislation. We have created teams with
set goals, and they are dedicated to the accomplishment
of their goals. The goals are
clearly defined, measurable, realistic, applicable
and scheduled in order to be attainable.
Being a part of corporate responsibility,
business policy of Pharmacy “Za je čar”
includes environmental protection, as well
as the respect for ecological principles. The
employees are trying to influence
the affirmation of these
values with citizens.
Apo te ka „Za je čar”
Ni ko le Pa ši ća 11-13, 19 000 Za je čar
tel. (+ 381 19) 422 – 655
in fo cen tar (+381 19) 429 – 429
apo te ka za je car @o pen.te le kom.rs
www.apo te ka za je car.rs
A Word from Director
Marketing approach to business has
become business philosophy and orientation
of Pharmacy “Zaječar”, as well as its way of
thinking. In order to respond to the challenges
of the modern business world, we defined our
vision, mission, policy and goals. The vision,
i.e. a long-term strategic goal of Pharmacy
“Za je čar” is professionally educated staff, high
quality of provided services, sustainability of
corporative culture, establishment of visual
identity and introduction of new types of
services in pharmacies
The main goal of Pharmacy „Za je čar” is
customer orientation, i.e. the satisfaction of
needs, wishes and inclinations of users. In
addition, the goals are dedicated to providing
patients with professional information and
consulting, monitoring of side effects of
medicines, team work with physicians with
the aim of treatment rationalization, costeffective
prescribing of medicines and their
adequate usage, motivation and satisfaction
of employees, monitoring treatment effects,
interactions and side effects and development
of ecological awareness of citizens.
Pharmacy “Za je čar” directed its policy
of profit towards the increase of commercial
share in total turnover, which is attained by
constant market research and by the creativity
of pharmacy managers who are trying to keep
track with the time and to realize the needs
of micro markets in the best manner. Despite
negative economic tendencies, Pharmacy
“Za je čar” is continuously improving all its
crucial business indicators. This is supported
by financial results which are getting better
every year. The reason we see ourselves as a
successful and profitable institution is the fact
that we are intensively dealing with the relation
between the satisfied user of the service
provided and the satisfied employee. The proof
that the results exist is the fact that citizens of
Zaječar, Knja žev ac and Bo ljevac usually select
their pharmacist in Pharmacy “Za je čar”.
Dra ga na Bran ko vić Min čić, MPharm
Director of Pharmacy “Za je čar”

Public Health Institute
“Ti mok“, Za je čar
performs
social, medical, hygienic and ecological, epidemiological and
microbiological healthcare services. Its performs the following:
of population and providing reports for the applicable authorities
and the public.
tion.
measures and activities for protection and improvement of the
health of population.
personal health protection.
tection.
workers and associates.
of health.
fication
and resolving of health issues of the population.
ical
examinations for the production and distribution of food,
water, air, consumer goods, as well as for diagnostics of infectious
and non-infectious diseases.
care
institutions form the Network Plan on the territory of Za ječar
and Bor municipalities.
of Za je čar and Bor municipalities, as well as with applicable authorities
of local self-management and other institutions and
organizations significant for the improvement of public health.
Za je čar and Bor municipalities.
er
large disasters and emergencies
of medical waste, in accordance with the law.

Srem ska 13, 19000 Za je čar
za_ti mok@ptt.rs, www.za vod za je car.org
(+ 381 19) 422 477, faX (+ 381 19) 442 236

Special Hospital for Rehabilitation “Gamzigrad”
Gmzigrad Spa, situated 11 kilometers
west from Zaječar and 220 kilometers
southeast from Belgrade, alongside the road
for Paraćin, represents the main touristic
potential of Zaječar. The first written records
of Gamzigrad Spa date from 1835. Having
been exploring the mineral resources of
Serbia, Baron Herder pointed to the healing
springs near the village Gamzigrad. Similar
records were made by Pan či ć’s cadets from
the Lycée of Belgrade who were traveling
throughout Serbia in 1863.
Chemist Si mo Lo za nić (1847-1935), the
President of the Serbian Royal Academy and
the first Rector of Belgrade University, classified
this spa as “in di ffe rent hypertherme
with alkaline underground waters” and
started first treatments in 1890. The drainage
was conducted in 1920, and, together
with springs and pools, the construction of
facilities for the accommodation of guests
began. Only in 1954 did the planned development
of the Spa begin, and the general
spatial plan was adopted in 1965. In 1978,
Institute for Prevention and Treatment of
Peripheral Vascular Disease and Vibration
Disease, unique in Serbia, was built here.
Gam zi grad Spa has five thermal springs
whose temperature is from 32.4 to 40ºC, and
one drinking water spring whose temperature
is 17°C. Water runs at speed of five liters
per second, and contains radium and
uranium. It is classified as neutral (7.2 reaction),
and it does not influence acidity in
body. Total mineralization is insignificant,
while there is no iron, and the levels of chlorine,
calcium and sodium are high. Its healing
properties are contributed by rubidium,
barium, phosphorus, copper and fluoride, as
well as by higher temperature.
Mineral springs can be found in the riverbed
as well, (2.5-2.8 liters per second, tem pe-

a tu re 41ºC), however, they can be utilized
only when the water level is low.
– We successfully treat peripheral
vascular diseases (organic and functional
vascular disorder, diseases of lymphatic
system) and vibrational disease – says Rade
Ko stić, Director of “Gam zi gra d”. – Moreover,
we provide general rehabilitation in
case of connective tissue diseases, a form
of articular and extra-articular rheumatism,
orthopedic diseases and posttraumatic
conditions, children anomalies,
neurological and gynecological diseases.
We have two swimming pools with thermo-mineral
water, for children and for
adults, lined with impressive wall mosaics
(work of the academic artist Sr bi no vi ć).
Thermo-mineral water is also used in
mineral, Hubbard and galvanized tubs,
pearl and local baths for underwater
massage, gynecologic spraying.
– We also provide electrotherapy with
the latest devices – adds Ko stić. – For the
treatment of peripheral vascular diseases
we use special devices operating on the
pressure alteration principle. Phototherapy
is done with ultraviolet and infrared
lamps. We have modernly equipped
rooms for kinesis therapy and workout
therapy. We also provide paraffin therapy,
diagnostics, examination of peripheral
bloodstream functions, heart, lungs,
peripheral nerves and muscles.
FOR ATHLETES AND SCHOOLS
“Gam zi grad” has developed excellent
programs for athletes, regarding both
their preparation and rehabilitation. For
that purpose, there are two indoor swimming
pools with hot water (for swimmers
and for non-swimmers), training room
with a gym, and rooms for table tennis.
There are also open courts for tennis, indoor
football, handball, basketball, volleyball
and a drainage grass football field.
– Besides excellent natural and technical
conditions, throughout the stay, our
professionals take care of the health of
athletes, of their rehabilitation, organi-

It has been almost half a decade that
treatment with hundred percent oxygen
has been used in “Gamzigrad”, in a monoplace
chamber, under pressure that exceeds
the normal atmospheric pressure.
What are the effects of this hyperbaric oxygen
therapy (HBOT)?
Good oxygen supply to all fiber liquids.
Mechanical effect of increased pressure.
Elimination of carbon monoxide. Improvement
of microcirculation and decrease of
tissue edema. Antibacterial effect.
Hyperbaric chamber
Also excellent are effects of the use of
hyperbaric oxygenation in treatment of
diseases of peripheral blood vessels, acute
traumatic peripheral ischemia, peripheral
vascular diseases, diabetic foot, Ulcus
cruris, rheumatologic, orthopedic, neurological,
gynecological diseases (including
infertility).
The entire treatment here is under supervision
of superb professional team of experienced
doctors, specialists in hyperbaric
medicine.
zation of fitness trainings in the gym and
swimming pool, underwater massage, treatment
of injuries or acute diseases – says Director
Ra de Ko stić. – There is an exclusive
possibility for every athlete to have heart
stress tests performed by a specialist.
Special Hospital „Gam zi grad” pays close
attention to conditions for relaxation and
recreation and for recreational classes for
schoolchildren. There is a possibility to organize
a school for non-swimmers, special
examinations by physiatrists to determine
the correct body posture and the condition of
soles. Treatments for correction of deformities
are done in compliance with the methodology
of the Orthopedic Hospital “Banjica”
from Belgrade, and patients get special instructions
for exercises at home.
Gam zi grad ska Ba nja,
Banj ski trg 12, (+381) 19 450 444,
gam ba nja @ve rat.net
www.gam zi grad ska ba nja.org.rs

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
ZAJEČAR
019/430-803; 430-804
www.fmz.edu.rs
Study programs:
- Undregraduate studies in Management
- Ma ster studies in Management
- Postgraduate studies in:
Bussines Integration Management Systems
- Doctoral studies – Natural Resources Management
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
AND MANAGEMENT
ZAJEČAR
019/430-800; 430-801
www.vsmbz.edu.rs
Study program:
- Undrgradutae vocational studies in
Management and Business
The Faculty of Management was founded in Za je ča r in 1997, having been the first private
faculty in southest Serbia. The first private College of Management was opened only a year prior to
the foundation of the Faculty of Management. Since the beginning until today, the Faculty and the
College have been parts of ”Me ga trend“ University from Belgrade.
Since the foundation, the Faculty of Management and the College of Management and Business
have been educating students in the fields of economy and management.
The Faculty and the College are integral parts of the Higeher Education System in the Republic
of Serbia and are accredited by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia.
The Faculty possesses a Certificate of Quality issued by the American agency “AQA In ter na ti o nal“.
It is ranked amomg 1000 best faculties of management and bussines in the world by the
International Scientific Comittee “EDU I NI VER SAL OF FI CIAL SE LEC TION“. It has been awarded by
he city of Za je čar with an annual prize for its contribution to overall development of the town and
municipality.
The headquaters of the Fcaulty are situated in a bilding in forest park “Kra lje vi ca“, surfacing
1,700 m 2 . There are large amphitheatre, classrooms, computer laboratory, library and bookstore,
Student Service, students’ club, deanery, teachers’ offices, as well as all facilities necessary for the
implementation of study programs.
Having completed the studies successfully, young professionals find jobs in economy and other
occupations on this territory and contribute to the overall development by their engagement and
knowledge.

“TF KA BLE – CABLE FACTORY ZA JE ČAR”
“TF Ka ble – Cable Factory Za je čar, Ltd.” was founded in 1974. Having been a part of “RTB
Bor”, the factory was privatized in 2003 and became the property of “East Po int Hol dings Ltd.”
International company “Te le-Fo ni ka Ka ble Sp. Z.o.o. S.K.A.” from Poland has been its major
shareholder since April 2008.
The development of production of “Cable Factory” in Za je ča r:
1974 – Began the production of power cords, installation, signaling, controlling, and flexible
conductors and cables with PVC insulation and up to 1kW of rated voltage.
1978 – Capacities and range significantly increased. It started producing aluminum cables,
cables insulated with cross-linked poliethene of up to 35kW of rated voltage, cables with mask
insulated with rubber, power cords with concentric initial conductor (ce an der cables).
1994 – A new facility for the production of telecommunication cables and conductors
insulated with PVC and poliethene foam was opened, production capacity of approximately 1,500
t per year.
1999 – Range increased by the introduction of the technology for fabrication of waterresistant
non-halogen cables, and data transfer cables.
2002 – A new facility for the production of PVC granules for insulation and masking of
cables was opened. The capacity is approximately 3,000 t per year.
2005 – The process of cable production was completed by opening of a facility for the
production of wooden ambalage, capacity of 24,000 sets per year, and the facility for continuous
casting of copper wire, capacity of 6,000 t per year.
2006 - Facility for the production of rubber filling was opened, capacity of 1,500 t per year.
The Factory’s annual production capacity amounts 20,000 t of cables.
Since it produces conductors and cables in accordance with international standards (SRPS,
IEC, BS, VDE, HD, NFC, GOST, BDS...), the Factory has customers all over the world: in Germany,
Poland, UK, France, Russia, USA, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro,
FYROM, etc.
“TF Ka ble – Cable Factory Za je čar Ltd.” has quality management system in compliance with
ISO 9001 standard since 1995.
In Ju ne 2006, it was certified for the system of environmental management which is compliant
with ISO 14001 standard.
Constant development, growth and improvement, as well as continuous monitoring and meeting
of the market needs, are recognizable traits of “Cable Factory Za je čar” operations.

FACTORY OF MEASUREMENT TRANSFORMER ZAJEČAR A.D.
MORE THAN 40 YEARS WITH YOU
19000
Zaječar, Stražilovska 57
Telephone:
+381 19 3413 122; Telephone/fax: +381 19 3413 266;
Director:
+381 19 31 5555 1; Development: +381 19 31 5555 3;
Sales
Group telephone/fax: +381 19 31 5555 6;
www.fmt.rs
www.fmt.rs
Electricity
transformers up to 0.72 kV
Electricity
and voltage transformers for
indoor
and outdoor mounting up to 36 kV
Energy
transformers, power from 50 to
1600 kVA and voltage from 7.2 to 20 kV
-
Type TES -*
Support
and conductive insulators for indoor and outdoor mounting up to 36 kV

Handball Club “Za je čar”
Handball has been played in Zaječar for
more than 60 years. On 26 th July 1949, the
first match of field handball was played between
two contemporary “Železničar” clubs
form Zaječar and Niš, as a part of qualifications
for the formation of the Serbian Field
Handball League. The visiting team form Niš
won with the 11:5 score, and in the return
match that took place a week later, with 10:3
score. Thus, it entered the Serbian League,
and the team from Zaječar continued playing
in the Serbian Zone League.
Prior to field handball, a game of hazena,
women’s ball game, was played in Zaječar
for a short period of time. Hazena Club was
founded in 1926 and it was called “Mer kur”.
The team consisted of workers from textile
factory later called “Timočanka”, which also
provided sponsorship for women’s handball
team “Za je čar”.
Out of all athletes from Zaječar, men’s
and women’s handball teams played the
largest number of seasons at the level of Republic
and Federation (former Yugoslavia).
From 1984 to 1987, handball club “Kri sta l”
played three seasons in a row in the First
Federation League of Yugoslavia, and the
fourth season in 1989/90. Women’s handball
club “Za je ča r” played in the First Federation
League of Yugoslavia in 1985/86 season.
The historical success of Zaječar handball
started in 2008. In the very year, men’s
and women’s teams merged in a single club
called “Za je čar”. Next year, 2009, the Club
celebrated the anniversary of 60 years of
handball in Za je ča r. In the year of anniversary,
2008/09, women’s handball team won
the fifth place in the first season of Super
League, and earned to participate in the
European Challenge Cup. In the same sea-

son, unbeaten, men’s handball team won
the first place and became champion of
the Second League of Serbia, Group “Jug”
(South), and thus entered the First League
of Serbia.
In the following two seasons in the First
League, women’s handball team made its
greatest success: the double crown! They
won the Championship of Serbia without
losing a point, as well as the Cup of Serbia.
In 2009/2010 season, they participated in
the European Challenge Cup and in the Regional
League of East Europe. In the following
season, 2010/2011, the success was repeated:
the double crown! Za je ča r women’s
handball team participated in qualifying
tournament for Champions League held in
Poland. The opponents were “DVSC Kor vex”
(Hungary), “KIF Ve jen” (Dan mark), and the
local “SSA Lu blin” (Poland). Players from Zaje
čar won over players from Denmark and
Poland, and lost from Hungarian players
with only one goal difference. Only one goal
deprived them of the first place, so, being
second, they could not stand in the Champions
League.
They achieved amazing results competing
in the Regional League, which led to the
organization of the final tournament “Final
Four” in Zaječar in May 2011. Besides
the host, clubs with long tradition and significant
international results participated in
this sport: “Bu duć nost T-Mo bi le” from Podgo
ri ca, “Pod rav ka Ve ge ta” from Ko priv ni ca
and “Me ta lurg” from Sko pje.
Men’s handball club “Za je čar” has been
playing in the First League of Serbia for several
seasons now, and is ranked among the
best on the chart. Handball Club “Za je čar”
has always been insisting on quality work
with younger categories. Its school gave numerous
members of the national team and
players who now defend the colors of prominent
international teams.

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THE MAGAZINE OF NOBLE SERBIA

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