Zaječar District: Museums, Roman Heritage and Nature

The National Museum in Zaječar is located in the city center at 2 Dragoslava Srejovića Street. It includes departments for archaeology, history, art history and ethnology; permanent exhibitions are set up in the museum building and in the Radul-Begov Konak. The museum houses around 15,000 objects, including mosaics, sculptures and architectural decorations from Felix Romuliana. The Radul-Begov Konak was built at the end of the 18th century and preserves traditional Turkish architecture. An exhibition about old Zaječar is located on the upper floor of the Konak.

Felix Romuliana is a fortified late Roman palace and memorial complex dating from the late 3rd and early 4th centuries; in 2007, Felix Romuliana was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Bastions of Zaječar formed a ring-shaped military fortification system around the city and were built in the 19th century. One of Zaječar’s oldest buildings is the Turkish Watermill, which ground wheat for the residents and villages of the Timok region for two centuries. The Historical Archive “Timok Region” in Zaječar organizes exhibitions about its archival work and the importance of archival materials to the public. Since its establishment, the Historical Archive has organized more than 130 exhibitions in total. The Historical Archive’s gallery is open for exhibition visits from Monday to Friday during the institution’s working hours.

The Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Zaječar received its original icons from Georgije Bakalović of Karlovac. The “Zoran Radmilović” National Theater of the Timok Region has borne the actor’s name since 1991 and is now considered a cultural center of eastern Serbia. The Days of Zoran Radmilović is a traditional theater festival held at the theater named after the actor. The Days of Zoran Radmilović takes place in October, lasts several days and brings together theater performances from Serbia and abroad.

The Zaječarska Gitarijada has a festival tradition spanning more than five decades and includes competition and concert performances. The Zaječarska Gitarijada has hosted foreign bands and has been held, among other venues, in the sports hall and at the Timok Stadium. The Outhide Festival is a young music festival in Zaječar that has established itself as a well-known brand and is considered an event worth attending year after year. At Gastro Karavan, visitors can sample various flavors and aromas of Serbia’s culinary traditions.

Popova Plaža is a five-minute walk from Zaječar’s immediate city center, directly on the Crni Timok. A footpath runs along the entire length of the riverside promenade on the Timok at Popova Plaža. Kraljevica is a park forest near the center of Zaječar, used by athletes, people seeking recreation and those who want to enjoy the forest air. Kraljevica has the 1,000-meter-long “Sunčana staza” fitness trail with five exercise stations, each equipped with three pieces of training equipment.

Zaječar’s ski slope is 500 meters long and has an elevation difference of 82 meters. Zaječar’s ski slope is illuminated for night skiing, has artificial snowmaking facilities and features a lift with a capacity of 1,173 skiers per hour. Lake Rgotsko was formed in 1978, when water began filling a former sand quarry; the quartz sand contributes to the clarity and transparency of the water. Gamzigradska Banja offers electrotherapy, phototherapy, kinesiotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Suvodol Monastery lies in the valley of the Selačka River and is one of Serbia’s oldest endowments. Suvodol Monastery is a convent in the wider Zaječar region, visited by people from all over Serbia for prayer. On September 21, 2015, Zaječar celebrated the patron saint’s day of the cathedral church and the city festival of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God with religious gatherings and numerous cultural offerings. The main branch of the “Svetozar Marković” Library is located in the former private house of the merchant Marko C. Petković Plovak, built in 1935.

Gola Planina, Mala Ježevica and Maglen are named mountains in the area around Zaječar. Latin-Grad is a named archaeological ruin site in the immediate vicinity of Zaječar, and Hajdučki Kladenac is a named spring in the immediate vicinity of Zaječar. Sveti Stevan is a named monastery in the wider Zaječar region. Svrljig Grad is a named archaeological ruin site in the wider Zaječar region. Kojin Krst is a named place of worship in the wider Zaječar region.

Sokobanja, Zaječar, Velika Jasikova, Koprivnica, Kalna, Gamzigrad, Janja, Boljevac, Knjaževac, Balta Berilovac, Ćuštica, Rtanj, Jalovik Izvor

For the broader travel overview: Central Serbia.