Location of the municipality of Ivanjica within Serbia
Coordinates: 43°35′N 20°14′E
Country     Serbia
District     Moravica
Settlements     49
Government
 - Mayor     Radomir Ristić (independent)
Area
 - Municipality     1,090 km2 (420.9 sq mi)
Population (2002 census)[2]
 - Town     12,350
 - Municipality     35,445
Time zone     CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST)     CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code     32250
Area code     +381 32
Car plates     IC
Website     www.ivanjica.rs

Ivanjica (Serbian Cyrillic: Ивањица, pronounced [ǐʋaɲica]) is a town and municipality located in the Moravica District of Serbia. Ivanjica is 233km away from Soko Banja spa. In 2002, the population of the town was 12,350, while population of the municipality was 35,445.

The town is known for being the birthplace of the World War II Chetnik leader, Draža Mihailović, in 1893 in the Kingdom of Serbia.


Geography

Ivanjica lies in the southwest of Serbia. It lies at the bank of the Moravica River. It is surrounded by the mountain ranges of Golija, Javor, Mučanj, Čemerno and Radočelo and it is placed in a picturesque valley.

The municipality to the Moravica District together with the municipalities of Lučani, Čačak and Gornji Milanovac. With an area of 1090 km², it is the sixth largest municipality in Serbia. Ivanjica got the status of a town in 1866 through the Prince Mihailo Obrenović’s decree, thus becoming one of the first towns in the region.

Mountains are the dominant form of relief in this area and they belong to the Dinaric range. They are rich in forests, clearings, pastures, cold springs, clear rivers and clear air, wild fruit, medicinal herbs and various game.

The river system of the municipality and its neighbourhood is made up of clear, clean and unpolluted fast mountain rivers: the Moravica, the Studenica and the Nošnica which, together with their tributaries, curve down the Moravica mountains. There are and two small lakes: Nebeska Suza and Tičar Lake.

History of Moravica Region

The name Ivanjica was first mentioned in the Middle Ages, in the year of 1505. Moravica region was inhabited in the ancient past. Various objects from those times made of stone were found, as well as numerous metal objects that are now kept in different Serbian museums.

The first peoples to inhabit this area were the Dardans. They were driven and pushed this way by the Thracians, who were pushed by the Illyrians who lived in these lands for a long time. They were conquered by the Romans who ruled this area for long. There is a big number of archaeological localities, but they are not sufficiently explored.

The old Slavs inhabited this area at the end of 6th and at the beginning of 7th century. They were industrious, hardworking, good-natured and peace-loving. They were engaged in cattle breeding, agriculture, beekeeping and hunting.

Those Slavic tribes which inhabited around the Moravica, Studenica and Uvac rivers were mutually related. In the tribe system, tribes were governed by chieftains.

Mainly Serbs, but members of other nations as well, have been living in these areas in mutual harmony and understanding since the first mentions until the present days. This region was the territory of the first Serbian state – Raška.

Numerous wars have been fought in this area, always for liberation from enemies: Serbian -Turkish wars, First and Second Balkan Wars. The people of this region are freedom-loving, hospitable and honourable.

Today, after all the wars, suffering, displacing and migrations, Ivanjica is a modern little town and the municipality with around 35,000 citizens. It is the economic, cultural, administrative and health care centre of the municipality. It is rapidly developing with the accent on the development of agriculture and tourism as two main bearers of prosperity.[4]
[edit] Demographics(2002 census)
City Ethnic Composition (2002 census)
Ethnic group     Population
Serbs     12,259
Roma people     26
Others     65
TOTAL     12,350

Economy

Ivanjica is the small economically developed part of Serbia. The economy of Ivanjica Municipality is typified by the processing industry, lumber processing, production of textile products and production of raspberry and potato. Coverage of imports by exports is 92%.

According to the data of the National Bank of Serbia, there are 365 active enterprises in Ivanjica Municipality. Small enterprises, followed by middle sized enterprises that make almost 5% of the total number of enterprises, make 94.2% of their total number.[5]

Tourism

The beginnings of the development of tourism in Ivanjica Municipality are connected with the 1930s when Ivanjica was proclaimed to be a spa and a climatic place.

Tourist charm of Ivanjica Municipality is based on its rich natural and cultural resources, long history and tradition, specific identity of numerous sites and cordiality of Ivanjica’s hosts. Ivanjica has numerous possibilities for the development of all kinds of tourism: medical, village, sports, hunting and fishing, excursion, congress, and festival and event tourism. This municipality was proclaimed to be the first air spa in Serbia in 2000, while Golija Mountain is Biosphere reserve under the UNESCO protection. As far as the available accommodation capacities are concerned, the municipality has around 1000 beds in classified facilities and around 200 beds in village households, in the town and in the suburbs.

The biggest Health Care Center in Ivanjica is The Institute for Specialized Rehabilitation operates as a state institution which has both medical and tourist character. Its basic activity is medical rehabilitation and provision of services based on recreational medical tourism.

Culture

The bearers of cultural development in the Municipality of Ivanjica are numerous institutions and organizations. The leading role among them belongs to the Ivanjica Culture Centre and the Svetislav Vulović Library.

Some of Cultural events are: Hunters’ Fair and Wolf Hunt, Parade of Folk Creative Work - Sounds of Golija, Motorcycle Meetings in Ivanjica, Most Beautiful Love Poem Competition, If May Were All the Time, Parade of Reciters and many others.

In 2010, cultural event "Nušićijada" is renewed by initiative of Cultural Artistic Society "Dom Kulture" from Ivanjica.[7] This is specific cultural Festival inwrought with humor, entertainment, old town spirit returns to the scene after 40 years.
[edit] Sport

There are 28 sports clubs in the Municipality of Ivanjica. The dominant sports are football, basketball, volleyball, archery and winter sports. According to their results, the most successful sports clubs are FK Javor Ivanjica and Putevi Volleyball Club, members of the first leagues. FK Javor Ivanjica was founded in 1912.[8]

On the territory of Ivanjica Municipality there are 6 football fields, 2 indoor swimming pools, 2 outdoor swimming pool, 3 gyms, one air rifle range, 29 outdoor fields for recreation, one athletics track, one chess hall and 2 sports halls.

Notable residents

    Draža Mihailović, leader of Chetnik movement
    Petar Stambolić, Serbian politician
    Ivan Stambolić, Serbian politician
    Vladica Kovačević, Serbian footballer
    Srboljub Krivokuća, Serbian footballer
    Petar Krivokuća, Serbian footballer
    Miljan Mutavdžić, Serbian footballer
    Milovan Milović, Serbian footballer
    Tomislav Ladan, Croatian essayist
    Đorđe Milosavljević, Serbian screenwriter
    Kirilo Savić, Serbian engineer

Text source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanjica

Photo: Panorame Srbije