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Aleksandrovac (Municipality, Serbia)

Александровац

Last modified: 2023-04-22 by rob raeside
Keywords: aleksandrovac |
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[Flag] image by Ivan Sache, 8 May 2022

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Description of the flag

The Municipality of Aleksandrovac uses a vertical flag/banner in red/wine color with a white version of the municipal emblem. Two photos are provided (photo 1, photo 2).
Aleksandrovac has 12 local communities, but none of them have any kind of symbols.
Valentin Poposki, 20 February 2022

The municipality of Aleksandrovac (26,522 inhabitants in 2011, 6,476 in the town of Aleksandrovac; 38,500 ha) is located 40 km south-west of Kruševac.

Aleksandrovac was originally known as Kožetin; the name change was decided on 19 June 1882 by King Milan I (1854-1901, r. 1882-1889) upon request of the town's inhabitants.
Kožetin was the site of a Celtic temple established on a hill, subsequently replaced by a church. The place was first mentioned in the founding charter of the Studenica monastery granted in 1196 by Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja (1113-1199, r. 1166-1196).
https://www.aleksandrovac.rs
Municipal website

The emblem recalls that Aleksandrovac is the center of one of Serbia's main wine-growing regions, Župa of Aleksandrovac.
The word "Župa", of Slavic origin, refers to an administrative region, a shire, a group of villages ruled by a "Župan". Gradually, the meaning of the term has evolved, so nowadays this term in the Serbian language denotes any region with mild micro-climate, an area protected from winter frost, cold winds and snowy clouds.The most famous Serbian "župa" is Župa of Aleksandrovac, widely known as"“Župa", a historic wine region that has the continuity of Serbia’s wine-making tradition for centuries.
The moderating factors affecting the local climate are the mountains surrounding the area, including Kopaonik (2017 m), Željin (1785 m) and Jastrebac (1130 m), which affect air currents as well as diurnal temperature variations. The area around the rivers affects the microclimate and airflow, and consequently improves the process of photosynthesis, pollination and fertilization.

Material evidence indicates that wine seemed an important element of daily life in Župa even in the Roman times. However, the first written records about Župa and its vineyards date from 12th century. Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja, the founder of medieval Serbian state, donated several villages in Župa (Kožetin, Popovac, Raklja, Velika Kruševica) and their wine cellars to Studenica monastery. All these villages were obligated to supply the monastery with wine when needed. All this was stated in the Studenica Charter (1196).
In 19th century, the village of Kožetin became the town of Aleksandrovac, which quickly earned its reputation as one of the main hubs for supplying wine across the Balkans. There were specialized shops in Belgrade and other cities for sale of Župa wines. Phylloxera arrived in Župa in 1882 and it devastated local vineyards within a period of four years. Fortunately, Serbia set up state-owned vine nursery in Aleksandrovac in 1891, which helped recovery of Župa vineyards on resistant stock.
At the beginning of 20th century, a few wine-making families from Župa owned cellars whose capacity exceeded a million liters. Wine and grapes were the primary source of income for many families in Župa. However, wars in the 20th century brought further development of wine-making in Župa to a halt. After the Second World War, the local cooperative was nationalized; the law prohibited wine-makers to produce wine for commercial purpose. Instead, they could only grow and sell their grapes to large industrial wineries which dictated the purchase price.
At the beginning of the 21st century, a group of pioneer winemakers appeared with the strong intent to utilize their hard work and efforts in the vineyards and cellars to restore the former glory of Župa. Awards for Župa wines won at international competitions confirm that invested efforts weren’t wasted.

Župa still guards unique temporary wine-makers’ lodges grouped together to form "poljana". They used to be constructed by owners of vineyards from villages scattered across Upper Župa hills so that they could reside close to vineyards in the months when there is extensive work in the vineyards instead of commuting on a daily basis. Poljana first appeared in the Middle Ages, although vast majority of present-day poljana lodges originate from end-19th century or the beginning of 20th century. Architecturally, these are winegrowers’ lodges grouped closely together, divided by narrow lanes and a small central square. Wine cellars are made of mud, stone, unbaked bricks, or on rare occasion made of wood. Poljana lodges surround from all sides the town of Aleksandrovac. Twenty-four poljana lodges have been preserved till present day. The most famous ones are poljana of Lukarevina, Kruševica (whose origins are associated with Prince Lazar, 14th century), Ježevica and Botunje.
http://www.vinopedia.rs/en/post/tri-morave
Vinopedia, 23 January 2019

Ivan Sache, 8 May 2022


Municipal emblem

[Flag]   [Flag] images by Valentin Poposki, 20 February 2022

Both yellow and white versions of the municipal emblem are found.

Valentin Poposki, 20 February 2022