RITAM SRBIJE / RHYTHM OF SERBIA
THE TASTES AND SCENTS OF ŠUMADIJA In the spirit of grapes and tradition The Oplenac Grape Harvest isn’t only a celebration of wine, but also a festival of unity, joy and tradition. And therein lies the history of Serbia, which is preserved by Topola and Oplenac that rises above the town
When October colours the vineyards in golden and burgundy tones, the town of Topola, at the very heart of Šumadi- ja, provides the setting for one of the most beautiful events in Serbia. The Oplenac Grape Harvest, marked by a wine fair, traditions and good music, has been gathering winemakers, local hosts and guests from all over the world since the 1950s. The aroma of roasted chest- nuts, the sound of tamburica music and the joyful dance of the kolo transform this small town at the foot of Oplenac in- to a great celebration of life. This year’s harvest runs from 10 th to 12 th October and includes everything that a real au- tumn festival should offer: exhibitions of wine and rakia, competitions in making the best plum rakia, stalls offering local wares, handicrafts and food that tempts both the eyes and the tastebuds. A spe- cial atmosphere is created by processions of participants in folk costumes, folklore ensembles, horse riders, carriage drivers and jolly winegrowers with baskets full of grapes. Nature lovers can walk the tailored for- est trails of Oplenac, which offer views of Šumadija’s rolling, vineyard-covered hills. You shouldn’t miss out on the chance to tour local wineries – where each bottle contains a story about the soil, the sun and the people who create it. Topola’s outstanding geographical po- sition – on the slopes and foothills of Oplenac, occupying a crossroads of tradi- tional strategic importance, with beauti- ful views of the neighbouring hills of Šu- madija and the fertile clearings of the Morava River Basin in the distance – provided the perfect preconditions for this small town to become the politi- cal and administrative centre of the lib- erated part of Serbia during the time of Karađorđe.
When King Peter I came to power in 1903, the original hometown of the Karađorđevićs experienced a new period of prosperity, and the king soon devoted himself fully to realising his parents de- sire to construct a large temple in Topo- la that would serve as a royal mausoleum for all Karađorđevićs. Oplenac Hill, tow- ering over the town, was seemingly made for the realisation of this lifelong dream. The foundation stone was laid in 1907, when the founding charter was also signed and the foundation of the future Oplenac Church of St. George was conse- crated. It was five years later, on the eve of the outbreak of the Balkan Wars, that Archbishop Dimitrije consecrated the church, the construction of which was al- most completed. And King Peter found himself on the battlefield just a few days later. Upon returning to his liberated homeland, King Peter didn’t get to see his endowment finally completed. He died on 16 th August 1921, and the endow- ment’s completion was personally over- seen by his successor, King Alexander I Karađorđević. Places of honour in the church are occupied by the mortal remains of Karađorđe himself, with his relics hav- ing been transferred from his endow- ment church in Topola in 1930, while opposite his remains are those of his grandson, King Peter I.
Also located nearby is the fortress of Karađorđev Grad – complete with the house where the great leader lived and worked, which has today been convert- ed into a museum. There you can expe- rience the spirit of the First Serbian Up- rising, but also discover details from the lives of the ordinary people of the peri- od. Karađođe Petrović, leader of the Ser- bian revolution of 1804, was born in the neighbouring village of Viševac and re- located to the nearby hamlet of Krćevac in the build up to the uprising. Once he became the Supreme Leader, Karađorđe made Topola his capital and the centre of state life in the newly liberated Serbia. A fortified town, complete with a sur- rounding moat and three-storey towers and ramparts, was built in the period be- tween 1811 and 1813 in order to directly defend Topola and support military ma- noeuvres.
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