Kuršumlija

Infobox Serbia municipality
native_name = Куршумлија|official_name=Kuršumlija
image_shield = Blason de Kuršumlija.jpg
district = Toplica
mayor = Zoran Vučković
area_km2 = 952
population_total = 13639 | mpop=21608
latd = 43| latm = 09|longd = 21| longm = 16
code = 27
settlements = 90
plates = PK
postal_code = 18430
website = www.kursumlija.org.yu

Kuršumlija (Serbian Cyrillic: Куршумлија) is a town and municipality located in the south of Serbia, nearby the rivers Toplica, Kosanica and Banjska, on the southeast of mountain Kopaonik, and northwest of Radan Mountain.

Geography

Kuršumlija sits on the area of 952 km² and administratively is in Toplica District. Its borders the municipalities of Brus, Blace, Prokuplje, Medveđa, Podujevo (Kosovo), and Leposavić (Kosovo). Its southwest border (105km) is with Serbian province of Kosovo, currently under UN administration. [http://kursumlija.pondi.hr/id4.htm KURSUMLIJA MAP]

Population

Kuršumlija Municipality include one urban and 89 rural settlements. According to the 2002 census there are 21,608 inhabitants in the municipality, 35% of that number are rural. Ethnic groups in the municipality (2002 census):
*Serbs = 20,718 (95.88%)
*Roma = 317 (1.47%)
*Montenegrins = 119 (0.55%)
*others = 454 (2.3%).

Ethnic groups in the town (2002 census):
*Serbs = 13,061 (95.76%)
*Roma = 207 (1.52%)
*others.

History and culture

In the same location where Kuršumlija is now located, a Roman military base used to be in the 3rd century A.D. called Ad Fines. There are also remains of churches from the Byzantine period. The Serbian medieval state started to develop here. Stefan Nemanja, a Serbian lord (župan), and the founder of Nemanjić dynasty, built his residence here, as well as the two monasteries of St. Nicolas and the Holy Mother of God (before 1168).

There are a lot of historical sights in Kuršumlija from that era: Mara Tower, Ivan Tower, and many medieval churches. The name in that period was Bele Crkve (White Churches) and Toplica. After the invasion by the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century, the Ottomans gave the town its current name, simply by translating the old name, Bele Crkve (White Churches). Since 1878, Kuršumlija has been a part of the modern Serbian state.

Features

Kuršumlija is known by the natural monument by the Radan Mountain, the so called Đavolja Varoš (Devil's Town), unusual natural formations from earth and stones. There are three spas: Prolom Spa, Kuršumlija Spa and Lukovo Spa. Famous Prolom water is produced in Prolom Spa.

Notable people

*The Great Župan Stefan Nemanja established his first capital, Bele Crkve, near the location of today's Kuršumlija in 1166-1172. His wife Ana died and was buried here as the nun St. Anastasia.
*Sultania Mara, daughter of Despot Đurađ Branković, later wife of the Ottoman Emperor Murad II, and step mother of Emperor Mehmed II also at the end of her life came to live here as a nun in monastery of Holy Mother of God, where she made a fortress called Mara Tower. She died in around 1487.
*Kosta Pećanac, a notable Serbian soldier in the First and Second World War. His house is protected of by the municipality.
*Dragoljub Mićunović (born in 1930. in Merdare, Kuršumlija), professor of philosophy at the University of Belgrade. He was a dissident during the Communist period, and the first president of the Democratic Party. He was the first president of parliament of State Union of Serbia & Montenegro.
*Rade Vučković, a famous composer of popular music from 70s until today. His greataest hits are: Isidora, Sneg je opet Snežana, Nisam te se nagledao, Ja sam dete Kuršumlije, Viki Viki Violeta and many others.
* Žarko Dragojević, director, born in Kuršumlija, professor at the Faculty of Drama at the University of Belgrade. He is director of several notable films: Kuća pored pruge (House by the tracks), Noć u kući moje majke (Night in my mother's house). He also directed many documenataries, among them series on Serbian monasteries for the Serbian national broadcaster (RTS).

ee also

*Toplica District
*Subdivisions of Serbia
* [http://kursumlija.pondi.hr kursumlija site]