Topola and Oplenac

Topola is a small town only 75 km away from Belgrade. The town got its present name in XVIII century, but before that time it had been known as Kamenica. This town of Duke Karadjordje, recognized as a town-like settlement in 1882, had grown into the political and strategic center of Sumadija during the First Serbian Insurrection. What remained of Karadjordje's town are only the two towers on the south part of the town with a residence building located between them, as well as parts of the north and south walls of the town fortification. The towers have got openings for accommodation of cannons. Karadjordje's church, built from 1811 till 1813 is a single-nave edifice with a bell tower on its west wall. The frescoes on its walls, the work of Petar Moler, a painter from the times of the insurrection, have been preserved. Karadjordje's residence is a stone building comprising several rooms, a cellar and a porch. It was one of the biggest buildings in Serbia of Karadjordje's times. In the yard of the residence building, there is a monument dedicated to Karadjordje, designed by Petar Pavlicanin, raised after W.W.I. Near the town of Topola, on the wooded hill of Oplenac, there stands a big five-nave church dedicated to St. George, all in white marble, the endowment of Karadjordje's grandson - King Petar I. Building of the church began in 1930. It was designed as a synthesis of the outstanding features of Moravska School of architecture, with copies of most beautiful frescoes from Studenica, Zica, Mileseva, Sopocani, Gracanica, Decani, the Pec Patriarchy Church and other middle age Serbian monasteries. Numerous portraits of Serbian rulers from XII till XV centuries, as well as of Karadjordje and King Peter I, represent a unique gallery of mosaic portraits.