Vrnjačka Banja (Serbian Cyrillic: Врњачка Бања) is a town and municipality located in the Raška District of central Serbia. The population of the town is 9,252 inhabitants, while the population of the municipality is 25,065 inhabitants (2022 census).
Vrnjačka Banja is known as the spa town, on account of the many hot springs here with temperatures measuring exactly that of the human body (37.5 degrees Celsius). The town is located near the Goč mountain.
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Settlements
Aside from the town of Vrnjačka Banja, the municipality includes the following settlements:
Demographics
According to the census done in 2011, the municipality of Vrnjačka Banja had 27,527 inhabitants. Population density on the territory of the municipality was 115.2 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Ethnic groups
Most of its population are ethnic Serbs (96.2%) and 36.6% of the municipality's population is urban. The ethnic composition of the municipality:
Economy
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2022):
Tourism
Situated in a great park full of trees with particularly charming houses, Vrnjačka Banja is the most celebrated and most popular spa town of Serbia and at same time, a very attractive recreation center. Surrounding Vrnjačka Banja are UNESCO protected medieval buildings. Other nearby landmarks include the first court of the Serbian Archbishop, the Žiča Monastery and Sopoćani Monastery which both date back to the thirteenth century and the twelfth century Studenica Monastery all of which are located in Ibar River Valley.
It owes its reputation to its therapeutic effects known already to the Roman troops in the second century AD. It was upgraded by the Czech Baron Herder in 1835 after Prince Miloš Obrenović wanted it to be like Karlovy Vary, it has since received people from all of southern Europe, who came to rest or for treatment. Summers are pleasant, and the winter is mild. Natural springs can be found on five mineral water sources well positioned in the park. The warm water (36 degrees Celsius) is ideal for massage and cool (17 degrees Celsius) sufficiently reviving.
There are seven mineral springs +1 Legend in Vrnjačka Banja, from which first four are used for medical treatment:
Topla voda (36.5°C)
Snežnik (17°C)
Slatina (24°C)
Jezero (27°C)
Beli izvor
Borjak
Vrnjačko vrelo
The hotels are numerous and have swimming pools and halls for games. In winter, it is convenient for skiing on the Goč, just a few kilometres away. In the summer, Vrnjačka Banja is transformed into one of greatest cultural centres in Serbia: literary soirées in a city library, classical concerts under the column capitals and the festival of the cinema scenario. The restaurants are often on the border of a water current and offer terraces under the trees of the park.
The largest Opanak in the world, in the Guinness World Records since 2006, is the 3.2m shoe, size 450, weighing 222 kg (489 lb), made by opančar Slavko Strugarević, from Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia.
Bridge of Love
One of the famous landmarks of Vrnjačka Banja is the Bridge of Love.