Gradnulica

Gradnulica (Serbian Cyrillic: Граднулица) was a former village near Veliki Bečkerek (Zrenjanin) until the 18th century. Today, it is one of the biggest city quarters of Zrenjanin, Serbia.

History

Gradnulica was formed in Medievial period on the banks of Begej river. Most of the population was Serbian. There is a story about monastery which was on the spot of today's "Vavedenska" Orthodox church. Name of the monastery was "Drenovac" (Serbian Cyrillic: Дреновац) and it was surrounded by a deep forest. One of the most famous monks was Rafailo of Banat ("Рафаило Банатски" or "Rafailo Banatski"), a misionary from Chilandar monastery, in Holy Mountain. His grave is in the chapel nearby Orthodox church, and it is a place of pilgrimage for many Orthodox believers. This place, where is "Vavedenska" church, was and still is a historical center of Gradnulica.

Name

There are many theories about the name. Historians believe that a word "Gradnulica" comes from two words; first is "gradna" from "gradina" which means "cliff" and second word is "ulica" which is Serbian word for "street". That implicates that "Gradnulica" could mean "street on the cliff" because Gradnulica used to be on peninsula, surrounded by Begej river, until the beginning of the 18th century. Also, today's main street of Gradnulica, "Cara Dušana" or Цара Душана (Tsar Dušan street) is located at the highest point of Gradnulica, in the middle of the former peninsula.

Churches

There are two churches in Gradnulica:
*"Vavedenska church" or "Hram vavedenja Presvete Bogorodice" (Church of the Virgin Entrance to the Temple), Orthodox church, built in 1777.
*"Slovak evangelic church", Protestant church, built in 1837.

Both churches are located in "Cara Dušana street".

See also

*Zrenjanin