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War trails of former Yugoslavia
(Serbia and Bosnia)
Day 01: Arrival in Nis and sightseeing tour
(Sofia – Nis – 165km –about 2.5h ride
Sightseeing of Nis and departure to Kragujevac- 155km , overnight in Kragujevac)
Arrival in Nis and sightseeing tour.
Visit to the concentration camp located in the district of Crveni Krst (Red Cross) is one of the few
fully preserved fascist camps in Europe. Even today, it provides authentic testimony to the perils of
the Serbian, Romani, and Jewish population, communists, numerous supporters of the liberation
movement and partisans, who were incarcerated here during the German occupation
of Serbia (1941-1945).
The camp complex occupies the surface area of 7 hectares and is surrounded by high barbed wire. It
contains two central camp buildings, two supplementary one-storey buildings, two towers, two
observation posts, two guard boxes, and a drinking fountain. The central camp building consisted of
premises in which inmates lived, premises to house guards, hearing premises, a dispensary, a
barber's room, and ten rooms for solitary confinement, with concrete floors, no windows, and a
small slit on the top for light and ventilation. One of those rooms had no ventilation whatsoever.
The building was originally constructed in 1930 to be used as a part of the military barracks in the
Red Cross, but in the beginning of the war already, in 1941, it was secluded from the barracks by a
barbed wire and turned into a camp. During World War Two, about 30,000 people passed through
this camp, of whom over 10,000 were shot on nearby Bubanj hill.
Setting aside this camp from others is the fact that on 12 February 1942 there was a massive escape
of prisoners here. Out of 147 inmates who attempted to flee, 105 managed to escape, while 82 died
along the way. After this successful escape, and another in December 1942, the camp became a real
venue of death.
On 12 February 1967, the twentyfive anniversary of the prisoner escape, the camp was turned into
the “12 February” memorial museum.
While in in Nis, we will visit The scull tower
This monument, unique in the world, was built after the Battle of Cegar. In the words of “a Serbian
hajji from Nis”, the Turks prepared the construction of the tower made of skulls. When Hursid Pasha
of Nis realized that, even though the post at Cegar hill had been taken, the battle and the explosion
resulted in 3,000 dead Serbs and at least twice that many dead Turks, he ordered that the heads of
the Serb victims be collected, skinned, and that the skulls be built into the tower. The heads were
stuffed with cotton and sent to Constantinople.
This horrific monument was built along the road to Constantinople, as a warning to anyone rising
against the Ottoman Empire. A mid 19th century written document reads that the tower was
rectangular, 4.5 meters wide and 4 meters long, that on all four sides there was a total of 56 rows,
with 17 skulls in each row, totaling 952 skulls. In time most skulls were taken or missing, so that
today the tower has only 58 skulls.
In 1938 a chapel was built around the Skull Tower to preserve it from further decay. That year, a bust
of Stevan Sindjelic, made by the sculptor Stevan Miletic, was placed in the plateau in front of the
tower entrance. There is also a bronze plate with the words of the well known French poet Lamartine
who mentioned the monument while passing through Nis in 1833: “May the Serbs keep this
monument! It will always teach their children the value of the independence of a people, showing
them the real price their fathers had to pay for it.“
Lunch in Nis. Arrival in Kragujevac in late afternoon. Overnight in the hotel in Kragujevac.
(Lunch in the local restaurant, dinner in the hotel)
Day 02: Kragujevac – Uzice(over Ovcar and Kablar gorge)-Mokra Gora
(Kragujevac to Uzice- about 120km ,Uzice to Mokragora – about 60km)
Breakfast in the hotel.
After breakfast sightseeing tour of the city of Kragujevac.
The Memorial park “21st October” is situated in the area in which German soldiers on October 21st
1941, shot a few thousands of citizens of Kragujevac, men, women and children. The cause for the
executions in Sumarice were German loses in battles with Serbian units on the road KragujevacGornji Milanovac. In memory of these victims, the whole area of Sumarice was turned into the
memorial park, on more than 352 acres. It was founded in 1953. By the monument to shot students
and teachers, the manifestation “Veliki skolski cas” is being organized every year.
A seven kilometers long circular road goes through this Memorial complex. The visitors can see
locations of more than 30 mass graves and mounds, ten of which are artistically shaped:
“Monument of pain and spite”, Ante Grzetic, 1959
“Monument to shot students and teachers”, Miodrag
Zivkovic, 1963.
“Crystal flower”, Nebojsa Delja, 1968.
“Stone sleeper”, Jelica I Gradimir Bosnic, 1969.
“Monument to resistance and freedom”, Ante Grzetic, 1966.
“Table for one”, Nandor Glid, 1980.
Memorial of the people of Croatia “Circles”, Vojin Bakic,
Silvana and Josip Sajls, 1981.
“Against the evil”, Miguel Romo, 1991.
“Monument to shot Serbs and Jews”, Milorad Zorbic, 1991.
“Monument to friendship”, Anton Stojku, 1994.
For interested guests we organize visits to the Memorial park. At the entrance to the park there is an
impressive building- Museum “21st October” which architecture accents the symbolism of the city’s
tragedy.
The museum was opened on 15th of February 1976. The task of the museum is to researches,
collects, preserves and presents the memory on this tragic event and to permanently cherishes the
memory of shooting innocent citizens. Although the museum building in the functional sense is a
museum, it is also a kind of monument with a lot of symbolism. Red brick is associated with loss of
blood, 33 towers of different or the same height symbolize the connection of 30 graves in Šumarice
and three tombs in the surrounding villages. The museum has no windows which symbolically depicts
the hopelessness of the situation in which they find these people, brutally condemned to death. The
basis of the museum or its foundation, was done in the form of a cross, the Christian symbol of
suffering.
Possibility of visiting other historical places:
On the territory of the park there are also some monuments dedicated to the fallen victims of the
World War One and other wars fought on the territory of Kragujevac.
After the visit departure toward the city of Uzice.
Among other monuments around Uzice, one in particular is worth seeing - Memorial on Kadinjaca
(14 km towards west from Uzice). The memorial is dedicated to the troops of Workers Battalion from
Uzice, the Posavec and the Orasans, who scarified their lives on 29th November 1941. by protecting
the retreat of the main partisan troops from Užice towards Sandžak.
As a memory on their resistance in 1952 the memorial was unveiled - the pyramid under which is the
crypt where the remains of the majority of fallen soldiers who lost their lives on Kadinjaca were
placed.
In 1979 a new memorial was unveiled, when the Workers' battalion was given the medal of Order of
The National Hero. The authentic situation of the battle on Kadinjaca, the idea of the memorial
monument and the building of the Memorial Home were given by the sculptor Miodrag Zivkovic and
the architect Aleksandar Djokic from Belgrade.
Within this memorial, at about 15 acres, there is a memorial home where visitors can get information
on the monument and the battle on Kadinjaca. There is a permanent exhibition taking place in
memorial home "Workers' Battalion and the Battle on Kadinjaca" at the area of about 150 m2 with
more than 300 exhibited items.
In one of the rooms for exhibitions there is an exhibition "Uzice Region in NATO Aggression Against
Yugoslavia".
After the visit departure to Mokra gora (Mecavnik)
Overnight on Mecavnik, in the famous ethnic village known as “Wooden city” - a town like style
with a small wooden church, a square paved with wooden cubes and surrounded by wooden houses.
The wooden houses are authentic, and they were brought from various parts of Serbia and Bosnia.
There is also a gallery of paintings, library, cinema called “Underground”, a cake shop with domestic
cookies, a national restaurant, ashop of local handcrafts.
Arrival on Mokra Gora in the late afternoon. Accommodation and dinner in the hotel.
Lunch in the local restaurant on the way from Kragujevac to Uzice or in local restaurant in
Kragujevac.
Day 03: Mokragora – Visegrad – Sarajevo
(Mokragora – Visegrad – about 30km ,Visegrad- Sarajevo- about 120km)
Breakfast in the hotel.
After breakfast optional ride on Shargan’s eight train.
The Sargan Eight is a narrow gauge tourist railway in Serbia, running from the village of Mokra Gora
to Sargan Vitasi station. It is located in gorgeous scenery of Mokra Gora between three Serbian
mountains - Tara, Zlatibor and Sargan - is one of the most beautiful railways in the world.
Sargan Eight is the one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Serbia.
Drive to Visegrad.
Višegrad is mentioned for the first time in 1433 when it belonged to mighty ruling house of Pavlovid,
who as well ruled the middle age city of Dobrun. On top of hill and just near Drina bridge one can see
traces of the old city or so called Pavlovina (after the Duke Pavle Radenkovid). The ruins itself are
located at two locations and are called "Gornji grad" and "Donji grad". At the bottom of the stari
grad, and on top of rocks difficult to approach above Drina stands a tower called by people "The
Tower of Kraljevid Marko", that was used as an observation post. It was written by famous Turkish
traveler Evlija Čelebija, that Mehmed Paša constructed the Višegrad town around the year 1577, but
as there was also a settlement above that one, the city was named Višegrad.
The city is well known of The bridge on the Drina which is a heritage of the great vizier Mehmed
pasa Sokolovic (in Turkish Sokollu Mehmet Paşa, 1505. or 1506-1579). He is one of the great Osman
war generals by origin from Bosnia. He was born in the village of Sokolovidi near Rudo in 1505. or
1506, and was a child of Orthodox parents.
At that time there was a tradition known as Devširma, or „The
contribution in blood”. Serbian children would be taken away by
force to Turkey where they would be converted in Islam and
taught in their military schools to become Janissaries, the elite
soldiers of the Turkish Empire. So was Bajica Sokolovic taken as a
child from the surroundings of Višegrad and given the name
Mehmed.
Later on he would become the officer of the Osman army for his
skills, and on top of his rule he became a great vizier, which equal
to the Prime Minister according to the standards accepted today.
At the highest peak of his rule, he orders to build the bridge on
Drina at Višegrad that no other bridge looks alike.
After the First World War Višegrad is becoming part of The
Kingdom of Yugoslavia, as part of Bosnia and Hercegovina.
The city was completely ruined during the First and Second World
War, with most buildings heavily damaged, including the
Višegradbridge.
At present time Višegrad is part of RepublikaSrpska as a part of wider and independent country,
Bosnian and Herzegovina.
Visit to Andrictown (Andridgrad), which is a tourist, cultural, administrative and educational
complex. It is situated on a peninsula between the rivers Drina and Rzav in Visegrad.
Andridgrad is a project of a famous film director Emir Kusturica, the stone town inspired by the
literary works and characters of Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andric. It’s architecture is a mix of different
eras and styles that passed throughout Visegrad history: the Byzantine style, the Ottoman period, the
Renaissance, the Classicism.
Some of the main objects of Andridgrad are: Ivo Andric institute with a centre for Slavic languages,
Fine arts Academy, Town hall, renaissance theatre, multiplex cinema, accommodation objects and
much more.
After the visit drive to Sarajevo. Accommodation in the hotel, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Lunch in the local restaurant in Visegrad or in Adrictown.
Day 04: Sarajevo
Breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast start of sightseeing tour of Sarajevo.
World War II Trails tour
History class on in Vrace by the monument of Fashizm victims of World War II and by the monument
of Mr. Vladimir "Valter" Perid (1919 in Prijepolje – April 6, 1945 in Sarajevo) was the resistance leader
in Sarajevo during Second World War.
Valter was born in Prijepolje (present-day
Serbia) in 1919. After completing his
economics degree, he began to work in a
Sarajevo bank in 1940. During this time, he
joined the Communist Party Committee for
the city of Sarajevo. During the war, he
stayed in Sarajevo until 1942, when he
escaped to the liberated territories
controlled by Partisans. He subsequently
became a deputy commander of the Zenica
Partisan detachment. Later on, he became the commander of a battalion in the 6th Eastern Bosnian
brigade. In 1943 he was ordered to return to Sarajevo and to take command of an underground
partisan group which was tasked to drive out any Axis powers from the city.
Valter was killed by a mortar grenade in the fighting on the day of Sarajevo's liberation, April 6, 1945.
He has since become something of a city icon, having the film Valterbrani Sarajevo (Valter defends
Sarajevo) named after him.
While in Sarajevo we will have the visit of Sarajevo highlights as well.
Sarajevo is one of the most historically interesting and varied cities
in Europe. It is a place where the Western & Eastern Roman Empire
split; The city is historically famous for its traditional religious
diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and
Judaism coexisting there for centuries. The travel guide series,
Lonely Planet, listed Sarajevo as one of the top ten cities to visit in
2010. In 2011, Sarajevo became the only city outside the European
Union to be nominated for the European Capital of Culture in 2014.
Highlights:
Gazi Husrev-bey's mosque popularly known as the „Bey's mosque“, is
a superb example of the 16th Islamic architecture. It was built during
the governorship of Gazi Husrev-bey (in 1530/31).
Ali Pasha’s Mosque- The mosque was built by Hadim Ali-pasha, the
governor of the Budapest administrative district (Budim begler-beg) in
1560. It was designed in reference to classic Istanbul mosques.
Sahat Kula- Clock tower- was built during the Ottoman rule to mark
prayer time (five daily prayers).
The Bridges in Sarajevo have been built for ages, even before there is
real written data about this city.
The most famous bridges are: Kozja cuprija- Goat’s bridge, SheherChehaja Bridge, Latinska cuprija- latin Bridge.
Return to the hotel in the late afternoon, free time at leisure, dinner in
the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel. (lunch in the local restaurant)
Day 05: Sarajevo – Valjevo - Belgrade
(Sarajevo – Srebrenica – about 140km, Srebrenica – Belgrade – about 175 km)
Brekfast in the hotel. After breakfast departure to Belgrade over Valjevo.
Visit to the city of Valjevo.
In the city center, on the right
bank of the Kolubara river, there
is an old bazaar from Turkish
times called Tešnjar, originating
in the 17th century, but the
present appearance dates from
the late 19th century. The oldest
preserved building in Valjevo is Muselim's konak from the 18th century. Dukes Aleksa Nenadovid and
Elijah Birčanin were held in “konak” before their execution in February 1804. This event is known in
Serbian history as the "slaughter of the dukes", and have speed up the uprising against the long
Turkish occupation. Now days Muselim's konak presents the Museum of the First and Second
Serbian Uprising.
The hill above the city center is dominated by the
Nenadovic tower from 1813, which was used as the
powder magazine at that time, and was rebuilt in 1836
by Prince Milos Obrenovic. The tower has been restored
as a unique cultural monument.
The recent history of Valjevo is associated with
movements for national liberation and the world wars.
Valjevo was the first major city liberated in the First
Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire on March
the 20th , 1804. This day symbolizes the aspiration of Valjevo for freedom and is considered as the
beginning of the development of the city in European style ) architecture and town spirit). Therefore
this day is celebrated as the Feast of the City.
In the vicinity of Valjevo in the Great War (WWI) in 1914, played the Battle of Kolubara, commanded
by General Zivojin Misic, in which the Serbian army heavily defeated Austro-Hungarian troops.
After a great battle the whole city was transformed into a war hospital, which was described in the
famous painting "Valjevo Hospital" by Nadezda Petrovic.
The Second World War had a deep impact on
Valjevo region. The first meeting of the partisans
and the leader of the Communist Party of
Yugoslavia- Josip Broz Tito was in September 1941
in the village of Robaje, near Valjevo. At the same
time, on Ravna Gora, the General of the army of
Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Dragoljub Mihajlovic
formed the Chetnik movement, which was loyal to
the monarchy. On the Vidrak hill, above Valjevo is
a monument dedicated to the revolution in the form of Stjepan Filipovid, a communists hanged in
Valjevo 1941.
Arrival in Belgrade in the late afternoon. Check in the hotel, dinner in the hotel and overnight.
(Lunch in the local restaurant in Valjevo)
Day 06: Belgrade
Breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast sightseeing tour of the city.
Visit to the National Museum of history of Yugoslavia.
The Museum of Yugoslav History is a national history museum in Serbia, located in the Dedinje
district of Belgrade. The current museum (MuzejistorijeJugoslavije, formerly known as "Museum May
25th" and "Museum of the Revolution") was founded in 1996 as a successor to two previous
institutions, the Tito Memorial Centre and the Museum of the Revolution of Yugoslav Nations and
Ethnic Minorities. The museum complex comprises three buildings with a total surface of 5253 m²,
set in a 3.2 hectare park:
*Museum "May 25th" *House of Flowers
*Old Museum
The institution goes back to a center that was established by Josip
Broz Tito during his lifetime. Much like the presidential libraries in
the United States, Tito's memorial center was intended as a
repository for preserving and making available the papers, records,
collections and other historical materials relating to his life and work
and the history of Yugoslavia.
After his death on 4 May 1980, Josip Broz Tito was buried in the
House of Flowers, set in the museum grounds. The museum has a
collection of more than 200.000 items that illustrate the history of
Yugoslavia throughout the 20th century, with the special accent on
the life and work of Tito himself. It also keeps an extensive
collection of the gifts Tito received during his many visits with
foreign dignitaries during his presidency. The exhibits further
include works of many world-notable artists, including original
prints of Los Caprichos by Francisco Goya, and many others.
For almost a decade after the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the entire
complex (the tomb and the museum) was closed to the public and the military guards were
permanently removed. The complex is now again a major tourist attraction. Many people visit the
place as a shrine to "better times", especially on 25 May (Josip Broz Tito's official birth date). The
Government of Serbia has planned to merge the museum into the Museum of the History of Serbia.
Visit to Avala mountain. – optionaly
Avala mountain is famous for the Monument of the Unknown soldier and Avala tower.
Avala mountain lies 15 km south from the city. It is place of historical and cultural significance.
Mountain becomes "alive" especially during spring and fall time, when picnic in shades of the forest
represents favorite activity of visitors.
Along the road towards the Avala peak, on the left side lies historical sight - monument dedicated to
Russian war veterans who died in an airline accident in 1964. At the very top of the mountain, there
is the Monument to the Unknown Hero. It is one of the most notable sights of Avala. Monument,
dedicated to victims of the WWI, and was built on a place of once fortress Žrnovo . King Aleksandar I
of Yugoslavia gave an order to destroy ruins of this former Roman settlement and build the
monument in 1934.
Avala Tower is symbol of Belgrade and with 205 meters, it is the highest structure in Serbia. It was
destroyed during NATO bombing in 1999, but later rebuilt and officially opened in April 2010,
marking 11th anniversary of bombing of Serbia. Avala Tower has observation deck from which you
can see most of the Belgrade surrounding.
Belgrade highlights:
Kalemegdan – the ancient fortress of Belgrade that guards the
confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers.
Kneza Mihaila Street- pedestrian zone and shopping
center,protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable
monumental complexes of the city, with a large number of
representative buildings and urban houses built at the end of
1870s.
National Theatre- built in 1869 according to the decision made by
Knez Mihailo Obrenovid. The National Theatre was declared
a Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1983, and it is
protected by the Republic of Serbia.
Old Royal Palace - The Old Palace, the Royal Palace of the
Obrenovid dynasty of Serbia, presently housing the City Assembly
of Belgrade, was built between 1882 and 1884.
New Royal Palace- The National Assembly - located in the city center of Belgrade, in front of
Pioneer's Park, on the Nikola Pašid Square. This impressive building is one of the most important
achievements of recent Serbian architecture.
The House of Flowers - dedicated to the memory of Josip Broz Tito.
St Sava Orthodox church- the largest in the Balkans, and one of the 10 largest church buildings in the
world. The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an
important figure in medieval Serbia.
Accommodation in the hotel, dinner and overnigt in the hotel.
(Lunch in the local restaurant)
Day 07: Belgrade – departure.
Breakfast in the hotel. Free time until departure. Transfer to the airport on the departure flight.
“Omniturs”
Has right to correct the price depending on the exchange rate.
This program is in accordance to Omniturs and YUTA General Conditions of travel rules.
A: Savski Trg 7, Belgrade, Serbia; T: +381 11 7610 127 W: joinserbia.com
License OTP br. 235/2010. – 11.02.2010.