When you come to Kragujevac for the first time, the first your hosts will say is the following:

"Kragujevac is the heart of Šumadija and Serbia."

"Kragujevac has always been first in everything!"

However, you should not think that it is a matter of host who can boast! Here are some interesting facts about the city you will be welcome.

Kragujevac is situated in the central part of Serbia on the banks of the Lepenica River, between the flanks of mountains Rudnik, Crni vrh and Gledićke planine. The area covers 835 square kilometres at an altitude of 173 - 200 metres. The geographic centre of Serbia is 8 kilometres northwest of the city centre.

Kragujevac is the fifth largest city in Serbia (after Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Priština) with around 190,000 inhabitants and is recognised as the driver of the industrial, economic, cultural and educational development of Šumadija and Pomoravlje.

In the area of ​​Kragujevac, there are numerous material remains from prehistoric period. Illyrians, Romans, and later Slavs significantly affected the development of this region. The town was first recorded in the Ottoman population census (defter) in 1476 as Kragujfoča, a former square with 32 houses (although some other sources included different names – Kragujevdž and Karagovindža). In the early XVII century, the Ottoman geographer Hadzi Kalfa mentioned Kragujevac as Karađfoča, a big town (kasaba). The city was founded as the seat of the Ottoman feudal authorities with several retail shops and craft shops and inhabited mainly by the Ottoman population.

The name of Kragujevac is connected with the bird “kraguj” – a species of the hawk used for hunting.

Serbia’s tumultuous history defined the growth and development of the city. During the Austro-Ottoman wars, Kragujevac was twice under Austrian rule (1689-1690 and 1718-1739). The first plan for construction and the spatial arrangement was initiated during that period, and the fortification of the then Šanac Kragujevac was built according to European principles. The Treaty of Belgrade concluded in 1739 returned the Ottomans to Serbia and Kragujevac continued to develop as an Ottoman town – kasaba. The town was twice liberated from the Ottoman Empire, in the First Serbian Uprising on April 5, 1804, and finally in the Second Serbian Uprising in 1815.

Since then, Kragujevac has been developing as a political centre of restored Serbia. On May 6, 1818, at the Assembly of National Elections in the Monastery Vraćevšnica, Kragujevac was elected the capital. During the next period, Prince Miloš Obrenović accelerated the building of a new city centre in the area of ​​the existing National Museum and the Old Church following the standard urban regulations. As early as 1832, the town had 600 houses and more than 2,000 inhabitants. Many institutions were built, private houses were covered with tile roofs according to Prince Miloš's order, and the streets were cobblestone and illuminated. Three wooden bridges and the first stone bridge were erected over the Lepenica. That was a period without wars, so everything was a sign of building progression and prosperity. Kragujevac became the administrative, political, cultural, educational, health and military centre of the Principality of Serbia.

Before the relocation of the capital to Belgrade, Kragujevac evolved as the first cultural and educational centre. Thus, in 1807 was established the elementary school which was attended by male children; the Gymnasium followed in 1833; Licej (the forerunner of Belgrade University) started in 1838; the General-craft School opened in 1845; the Military-craft School began its work in 1845 and the Teachers' Training School was established in 1870. The College for females was founded in 1891, and in 1903 the Teacher’s Training School for females was opened.

For the first time in the history of the Serbian state, a whole set of institutions were established in Kragujevac. The first judicial institution, the Court of Kragujevac, was established in 1820. The first newspaper, "Novine srbske", edited by Dimitrije Davidović, started to be published there when the bookbinding and typefoundry were moved from Belgrade to Kragujevac in 1834. During this period, a Slavo-Serb writer Joakim Vujić established the theatre in Kragujevac – Knjaževsko-srpski teatar – in 1835, and then, as the musical program accompanying the main event, the choir – Knjaževsko-srbska banda – appeared under the leadership of the chapel-master, Josip Schlesinger. The first pharmacy was opened in Kragujevac in 1836, as well as a library, a painting gallery and a museum.

In 1830 and 1835, two charters (haticheriffs) were set out in Kragujevac, and Serbia became an autonomous principality under the Ottoman rule and protection of Russia. The assembly was held and the Constitution was adopted on the day of the religious holiday Sretenje, on February 15, 1835.

After the stagnation due to the relocation of the seat of the government to Belgrade, the development of Kragujevac was revived in 1851 by relocating the cannon foundry – Topolivnica – from Belgrade (from which the Military Technical Institute was developed), and already in 1853 the first cannon was cast there.

The first workers’ protests known as the "Red Flag" – Crveni barjak – were organized here on February 15, 1876.

During the First World War, Kragujevac was once again the capital city where the Regent Aleksandar Karađorđević resided as well as the Supreme Command of the Serbian Army led by the general Radomir Putnik. The famous battles of Cer and Kolubara, which have been studied at military academies all over the world, were planned in Kragujevac.

As an important strategic centre, Kragujevac was frequently demolished in both wars. In the Second World War, in the mass shooting of the civilian population on October 21, 1941, the Germans killed about 7,000 people residing in Kragujevac, including 300 pupils and fifteen children aged 8-12 years. The city was freed on October 21, 1944. The commemorative event "Great School Lesson" – Veliki školski čas – was held for the first time in the Memorial Park of Šumarice in 1957. The Memorial Museum “20st October” – 21. oktobar – dedicated to the victims of Kragujevac was built in 1976.

In the post-war period, Kragujevac has been rapidly evolving. The licence-based agreement with Fiat was signed on August 12, 1954, and the first car – "Fića" – was assembled in the car factory "Zastava" in 1955 when the industrial development of the city commenced, along with the rapid increase in the number of inhabitants, the establishment of the University, and the development of other important institutions.

The first faculties in Kragujevac were founded in the early sixties. The Faculty of Science, as a department of the Faculty of Science of the University of Belgrade, was founded on October 16, 1972, and became an independent institution on April 15, 1976. The University of Kragujevac was established on May 21, 1976.

The NATO aggression against Serbia in 1999, as well as all historical, social, political and other changes that affected Serbia, have all left serious consequences on the functioning and development of Kragujevac. In some areas, the city has further developed, in others – it stagnated.

After all, the history is made up and development of every city is enhanced by people. So, the present inhabitants of Kragujevac proudly tell their guests about famous people who lived and worked here: Radomir Putnik, Atanasije Nikolić, Đura Jakšić, Radoje Domanović, Jovan Ristić, Svetozar Marković, Živojin Mišić, Sima Marković, Andrej Mitrović, Svetolik Ranković, Dragoslav Srejović, Ljuba Tadić, Mija Aleksić, Milovan Ilić Minimaks, Olja Ivanjicki, Bora Dugić, Vidosav Stevanović, Gorica Popović, the rock band Smak ...

However, we do not live in the past! People in Kragujevac are hard-working and creative. They endeavour to achieve the results worthy of their history. We host numerous international events and festivals: Domestic-script based festival of the best Serbian theatre performances – Joakim Fest; International Small-scene Theatre Festival – Joakim Interfest; International Music Festival – OKTOH, International Jazz Festival – OF, International Festival of Antiwar Caricature; International Chamber Choir Festival; International Puppet Festival – Zlatna iskra; International Art Photography Festival – Fotorama; music festival – Arsenal Fest; Theater Encounters of Serbian Gymnasiums...