Ljig

Infobox Serbia municipality
native_name = Љиг|official_name=Ljig
image_shield = Grbljig.jpg
district = Kolubara
mayor = Miroslav Maksimović (independent)
area_km2 = 279
population_total = 2979 | mpop=14629
latd = 44| latm = 13|longd = 20| longm = 11
code = 14
settlements = 27
postal_code = 14240
plates = VA
website = www.ljig.co.yu

Ljig (Serbian Cyrillic: Љиг) is a town of 3,000 residentsref|town in central Serbia. It is surrounded by a municipality of the same name, which has a total of 14,629 residents.ref|census

Ljig is an underdeveloped region of Serbia, surrounded by Mount Rajac and Mount Rudnik. It was striken by an earthquake in 2003 and a drought in 2004.

Municipality

The town of Ljig is the economic and cultural center of the municipality with a primary school founded in 1907, a high school, a public library with a cinema, a health center and a post office.

The other settlements of Ljig municipality are Ivanovci, Kozelj, Lalinci, Velisevac, Babajic, Ba, Kalanjevci, Kadina Luka, Jajcic, Liplje, Moravci, Stavica, Gukos, Milavac, Brancic, Poljanice, Latkovic, Slavkovica, Paleznica, Belanovica, Bosljanovic, Donji Banjani, Dici, Cvetanovci, Zivkovci and Sutci.

History

The recorded history of the Ljig settlement begins in 1911, when a railroad was built between Lajkovac and Gornji Milanovac. The ruins of the Vavedenje monastery, however, include impressive sarcophagi dating from the 15th century, believed to belong to the Serbian despots Stefan Brankovic and Djuradj Brankovic. According to legend, Djuradj's wife, Jerina, was buried there as well.

An early reference to "Ljig" can be found in the 17th century records of Evlija Celebija, which describe "LIGmehri" (the Ljig River) rising from Kara Dag in the village Baht (today's Ba) and flowing into the Kolubara River near Valjevo. No settlement in the area was known to the Austrians when they occupied Serbia from 1717 to 1739. By 1818, however, the nearby settlement Gukosi had grown to 50 homes.

A railway station was built in 1917 near the present-day center of Ljig. This lower area under the Gukosi hill includes a small settlement with a municipal court, school, inn, two stores, two textile mills, three tailors and several houses, and when still part of Gukosi had been referred to as the area "on the Ljig River."

During World War I, the Battle of Kolubara was fought nearby, making this area significant in history of Serbia and of war, and in military science. A monument memorializing the battle has been erected on Rajac Mountain.

Ljig separated from Gukosi in 1922, and by 1930 a school, health center and church were built. Prior to that time, Ljig residents had worshipped in Moravci.

References

# [http://www.ear.eu.int/publications/main/news-a1a2b3bi4.htm "Plum brandy, the Internet and the world"] , European Agency for Reconstruction press release on Ljig
# [http://webrzs.statserb.sr.gov.yu/axd/Zip/eSn31.pdf 2002 Serbian National Census]

External links

* [http://www.ljig.net/engleski/ljig.html www.ljig.net] (in English)
* [http://www.ljig.net www.Ljig.net] (in Serbian)
* [http://www.serbia-info.com/enc/history/medieval.html History of Serbia: Medieval Serbia]
* [http://www.museum.org.rs National Museum in Valjevo]
* [http://www.valjevozavas.net Valjevo for you - tourist guide]