Regional Museum of Župa

Thanks to the efforts of the Collegium historicum Župa, a student group, at the Aleksandrovac High School and history teacher Milosav Bondžić, decades of work on collecting, preserving, and presenting the cultural and historical heritage of Župa led to the establishment of the Regional Collection at the Cultural Center, and later to the creation of the present-day Regional Museum of Župa. The museum was officially opened on January 27, 1991, on Saint Sava’s Day, in the house of Priest Marko.

The Regional Museum of Župa comprises archaeological, ethnographic, and historical exhibits, as well as a library and a photo archive. The archaeological collection features remarkable artifacts spanning a wide chronological range, from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Among the most notable items are four Vinča figurines from the Vitkovačko polje site, which, due to their significance and excellent preservation, have been exhibited in France, Italy, and Japan. Additionally, the collection includes a bronze axe and a Roman warrior’s belt from the Ivković House site.

The museum has a long tradition of organizing various exhibitions, concerts, and literary evenings. It is also distinguished by its fieldwork, focusing on the collection, processing, and presentation of Župa’s cultural treasures. Of exceptional value is the ethnographic exhibit, which faithfully replicates life in the wine-growing settlements of Poljane, unique to this region.

The museum is also known for hosting the Koznik Knight City event each August at the medieval town of Koznik, built in the late 14th century on the slopes of Kopaonik. Additionally, in collaboration with the Ethnographic Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), the museum launched the project Research of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Župa. Since 2012, it has been publishing the Župa Anthology, aimed at publishing scholarly works primarily related to Župa and the Rasina District.

The primary goal of this important Aleksandrovac institution is the preservation and promotion of Župa’s cultural heritage, both locally and beyond. For this reason, the Regional Museum of Župa stands as a must-visit historical landmark of the region.