Baraјevo

Baraјevo lies 30 km from Belgrade along the Ibar road, or 27 km down the Belgrade-Bar railroad. The first settlements on the territory of the Barajevo municipality appeared five thousand years ago, during the Neolithic. Barajevo was first mentioned in the cadastre census of the Turks in 1536, as an alternative name for Baraj (recorded in 1528).

 Barajevo had a tempestuous past. The most renowned person of the First Uprising is certainly Prince Sima Marković from Veliki Borak. Prince Sima Marković was a great military commander, uberprince of the Belgrade district, the first minister of the national treasury of the Insurgent Serbia (finance minister). Milisav Ćamhija from Veliki Borak is remembered as the first insurgent to enter the gates of Belgrade (Town Gate) during its liberation.

 The National Assembly of the Insurgent Serbia was held at Veliki Borak in 1805. The “Praviteljstvuјušći sovјet srpski” (Administrative Council of Serbia), the first executive authority in Serbia, was elected at this assembly. Mateja A. Nenadović was elected as president of the Sovjet, while Pavle Popović from Vranić was elected as a sovjetnik (council member). The first post office in Serbia during the First Serbian Uprising was operating in Veliki Borak.

 The Barajevo region retained the original sights and the ethnographic authenticity of the rural settlements. Attractive hunting grounds are rich with diverse wildlife, preserved nature, clear streams and tranquil hillsides, infinite forests and lakes teeming with fish. The largest preserved stretch of forest is the Lipovica forest complex, spreading across 1200 hectares, located merely 20 km away from Belgrade and providing excellent conditions for a pleasant recreational weekend.

 The Duboki Potok accumulation lake is located 2 km from the centre of Barajevo. It is bound by a thick forest crisscrossed with numerous streams. The lake extends over a surface area of around eight hectares and is regularly seeded with fish, thus becoming the favourite destination of numerous nature enthusiasts, particularly fishermen. The lake contains a well kept beach, thus a large number of bathers seek refreshment in the clear waters of this lake during the summer.

 The municipality of Barajevo is also famous for the numerous restaurants, especially along the Ibar road, such as the “Lipovička šuma” motel, the “Kod Momčila” and “Srbija” restaurants, the “Era i sin” motel, the “Kneževina” lodge, “Kod Brace” restaurant, etc. All these restaurants are famous for their cuisine, and lately they are becoming renowned for their quality accommodation in high class rooms and apartments.

 Vranić is a village near Barajevo where numerous facilities of great architectural value can be found, such as the Adobe Church from the 18^th century, the primary school building erected in 1848, House of Matić from the end of the 18^th century, restored in 1977 and now located in the church port. The church treasury contains a number of exhibits from the archaeological finds in the area, such as old coins, weapons, icons and church books, ethnographic materials, documents and photographs. The treasury holds the cross of Hadži Ruvim, the Prior of the Bogovađa monastery, created in 1796 and donated to the church in Vranić in 1800. It is also home to a diverse collection of book-archive materials encompassing the period between the 16^th and 20^th century, as well as a library housing approximately 10,000 books.

 Events

 Days of Budimir Buca Jovanović, Iliјa and Miliјa Spasoјević and Radomir Mitrović Baraјevac at Guncati, mid-July – Folk Song Festival

Days of Prince Sima Marković in Veliki Borak, August

Assembly in Vranić, August 2 – Folklore Festival

 More information at www.barajevo.co.rs