S lightly older people remember it as being Tito’s, history lovers come to see the magnificent for- tification built high on a cliff above the river, those who love nature come for the mountains, waterfalls and caves, while youngsters come for active breaks and the zipline. There are also traces of greats here, like Nikola Tesla, and treasures that have been inscribed on the UNESCO cultural heritage list. Out little mystery isn’t a difficult one to solve: it is de- scribing Užice, one of the most beautiful cities in West- ern Serbia, nestled between green slopes. This is just a small sample of the rich choices of things that you should see in this beautiful area... OLD HYDROPOWER PLANT Nikola Tesla loved science more than anything and brought the light revolution to mankind. And Serbia re- ceived part of that luminosity, just five years after the construction of the famous hydroelectric power plant on America’s Niagara River. That was the HPP “Under the Town” on the River Đetinja in Užice, which was con- structed in accordance with Tesla’s principles of poly- phase currents that had also been applied at the Niaga- ra Falls HPP. The foundation stone of the plant was laid by King Aleksandar Obrenović. The power station began operating on St. Elijah’s Day in the year 1900, producing electricity and illuminating the city. And so it was that the Užice Weaving Workshop textile factory, which had financed the plant’s construction, gained a cheap pow- er source. The bulky equipment was delivered by carts WE’RE TAKING YOU TO UŽICE City in the shadow of Zlatibor Užice combines, in the best way, the modern and the traditional, original cultural tendencies and the precious life of bygone times, all in a place that’s blessed with natural beauty
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from Vienna that were drawn by six pairs of oxen, which Serbia had never previously seen. This plant still oper- ates today and is protected as an immovable cultural as- set and a cultural monument of great importance, with a bust of Nikola Tesla in front of the facility. ĐETINJA The Đetinja is a tributary of the Western Mora- va River that originates on the southwestern slopes of Mount Tara with the merging of four smaller rivers. It has carved a picturesque gorge that begins just three kilometres from Užice town centre, forging an attrac- tive canyon in its central part that has contributed to it being declared a natural asset of great importance. The whole area is characterised by very dynamic mor- phology with a number of caves, while its numerous en- demic and relict plant species are particularly important. When it comes to fauna, the area’s butterfly life stands out as being among the richest in Serbia. The Đetinja is a true mountain pearl, alternating between rapids, cascades and whirlpools, which provide hiding places for large specimens of brown trout. The Beach on the
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