Smederevska Palanka

Infobox Serbia municipality
native_name = Смедеревска Паланка|official_name=Smederevska Palanka
image_shield = Grb palanka.jpg
district = Podunavlje
mayor = Nenad Milojicic
area_km2 = 422
population_total = 26100 | mpop=56011
latd = 44| latm = 23|longd = 20| longm =54
code = 26
settlements = 18
plates = SD
postal_code = 11420
website = www.smed-palanka.co.yu

Smederevska Palanka (Смедеревска Паланка,Romanian : Cetatea Semendrica) is a town and municipality located in Serbia at 44.37° North, 20.96° East. Its name means "A hamlet near Smederevo" in Serbian. In 2003 the municipality (town itself plus surrounding villages) had a total population of 59,605.

Mineral Water Spring

Smederevska Palanka has a natural mineral water spring which has allegedly been used since the times of the Romans, and has been used by the surrounding peoples since at least 1719. On the 22nd of April 1907, the water from the mineral springs was awarded the golden medal for quality at the London 'Balkan Fair'. The town's mineral water was taken to London by Mr. Marco T. Leko.

According to some researchers, the town's mineral water is the 3rd best in Europe, primarily due to the natural selenium it contains.

Churches

There are currently three Serbian Orthodox churches in Smederevska Palanka, the oldest having been built in 1827. It is one of the oldest wooden churches in Serbia, dedicated to St. Elijah. The Cathedral Church was built in 1902. St. Petka's was built most recently, in 1997.

chools

In the town of Smederevska Palanka there are four elementary schools
*Vuk Karadžić
*Hero Radmila Šišković
*Hero Ivan Muker
*Olga Milošević

and three high schools
*Palanka's Gymnasium
*Goša Technical School
*Žikica Damjanović Chemical and Medical School

In Smederevska Palanka, there are currently five kindergartens.

The Railway

Smederevska Palanka lies in corridor 10 (Belgrade-Niš connection) of the oldest trans-Balkan railway system, which was built in 1884.

Media

Smederevska Palanka has two working radio-television stations; "Jasenica" and "Dević". RTV "Jasenica" united with former TV "Goša", while the radio station "Progres S" has since stopped broadcasting.

Famous people from Smederevska Palanka

Some of the most famous people of Smederevska Palanka are:
*Stanoje Glavaš, First Serbian Uprising hero
*Miloje Popović Đak
*Vujica Vulićević
*Milutin Obradović, mathematician
*Miroslav Nikolić, a basketball coach
*Perica Ognjenović, a football player
*Polenek Igor a basketball Coach
*Radmila Milentijević
*Pera Todorović, journalist
*Nenad Ristić , RTS journalist

Anniversary

In 2021, Smederevska Palanka will celebrate it's 1,000 year anniversary. The town was first mentioned in a written document that is currently preserved in St. Catherine's monastery in Egypt's Sinai peninsula.

Art colony

Before the civil war in ex Yugoslavia the town of Smederevska Palanka and the town of Škofja Loka from Slovenia had art colony Groharijeva kolonija led by the teacher of art from elementary school Olga Milošević . Today,after the split of SFR Yugoslavia,the two town became twin citis.

Twin cities

*flagicon|Slovenia Škofja Loka, Slovenia

External links

* [http://www.smed-palanka.co.yu Official site]
* [http://spalanka.com Smederevska Palanka - information]