| Vrnjačka Banja | |
| Native Name Lang: | sr |
| Settlement Type: | Town and municipality |
| Coordinates: | 43.6236°N 20.8936°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Serbia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Šumadija and Western Serbia |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Raška |
| Parts Type: | Settlements |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | 14 |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Boban Đurović |
| Leader Party: | SNS |
| Area Blank1 Title: | Town |
| Area Blank1 Km2: | 19.06 |
| Area Blank2 Title: | Municipality |
| Area Blank2 Km2: | 239 |
| Elevation M: | 217 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population As Of: | 2022 census |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Town |
| Population Blank1: | 9252 |
| Population Density Blank1 Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Municipality |
| Population Blank2: | 25065 |
| Population Density Blank2 Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 36210 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | +381(0)36 |
| Blank Name: | Car plates |
| Blank Info: | ВБ |
Vrnjačka Banja (Serbian: 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.
Aside from the town of Vrnjačka Banja, the municipality includes the following settlements:
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.
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:[2]
| Ethnic group | Population | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 26,482 | 96.20% | |
| Roma | 334 | 1.21% | |
| Montenegrins | 107 | 0.39% | |
| Macedonians | 33 | 0.12% | |
| Yugoslavs | 30 | 0.11% | |
| Others | 541 | 1.97% | |
| Total | 27,527 |
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2022):[3]
| Activity | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 171 | |
| Mining and quarrying | 28 | |
| Manufacturing | 1,498 | |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 51 | |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 259 | |
| Construction | 536 | |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 1,109 | |
| Transportation and storage | 269 | |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,074 | |
| Information and communication | 56 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 78 | |
| Real estate activities | 87 | |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 237 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 130 | |
| Public administration and defense; compulsory social security | 397 | |
| Education | 555 | |
| Human health and social work activities | 513 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 172 | |
| Other service activities | 224 | |
| Individual agricultural workers | 53 | |
| Total | 7,497 |
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:
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 222kg (489lb), made by opančar Slavko Strugarević, from Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia.
A number of modernistic buildings inspired by Art-Nouveau by architect Mihajlo Mitrović can be found in Vrnjačka Banja.[4]
One of the famous landmarks of Vrnjačka Banja is the Bridge of Love.