Topola & Oplenac

Town Topola lies on the slopes of Oplenac hill, 80 km from Belgrade.According to the legend, town Topola got its name after a large poplar tree (topola) with wide spread branches that grew on a place where four roads intersected. Topola has important place in Serbian history because in this place Serbian duke Karadjordje was elected as leader of the First Serbian Uprising.

In close vicinity of Topola stands Oplenac, which is famous after the Church of St. George, the temple and mausoleum of the royal family Karadjordjević. The church is rich with valuable mosaics and frescoes and has crypt with 42 tombs, of which 22 are of the Karadjordjević family.
Topola and Oplenac surroundings have always been known as a quality vine-growing and wine-producing region. Suitable moderate continental climate with regular temperature fluctuation and specific terrain configuration, mostly exposed to the east and south, influenced the earliest local population to grow vine.

The King’s Winery also contains archive wines, which are certainly the oldest national wines in Serbia. Among others, Oplenka, Žilavka and White Burgundy from 1931, in uniquely shaped bottles with the Royal coat of arms, and Prokupac, Hamburg and Plemenka from later vintages. After World War Two, Oplenac vineyards were neglected until 2000. After their renovation, the first harvest took place in 2006, and from the following year on, wines from the King’s vineyards are once again served all over the world.

A little bit closer to Belgrade, approximately 70 km away from Oplenac, you will find historic place of Orašac. In 1804, in this village was organized the First Serbian Uprising against the Turks. Orašac has museum dedicated to the First Serbian Uprising and a monument to the Karadjordje, leader of the Uprising.