With the EU support construction of the Visitor and Education Centre "Pećina Risovača" in Aranđelovac started

A news visitor and educational centre to be built in Aranđelovac will in a modern way present the rich paleontological collection of Risovača Cave, one of the few sites of Neanderthal life in the Balkans. The new two-floor building, with a total area of ​​500 square meters, will be fully equipped and contribute to the greater valorization of this natural and cultural asset, declared a category I natural monument in 1995, which is visited annually by more than 30,000 tourists.

In addition to Aranđelovac, the project led by the Regional Agency for Economic Development of Šumadija and Pomoravlja also includes the municipalities of Rača, Knić and Topola, with the aim of improving tourism in the entire territory of Šumadijski district. Through the EU PRO Plus programme, the EU has invested over one million Euros to preserve and promote the rich cultural and historical heritage of Šumadija in these municipalities.

Thus, along with the construction of a new visitor centre in Aranđelovac, the reconstruction of the King's Winery will soon continue in Topola, while the Cultural Centre will be renovated in Borač in the municipality of Knić. The works that will soon begin in Knić will ensure that the renovated centre has a modern, equipped, modular multifunctional hall for organising exhibitions, workshops and cultural events.

In the municipality of Rača, the restoration of the ethno complex Petrovi dvori in Viševac, the native village of leader Karađorđe Petrović, was completed. The complex of houses and yard of Karađorđe's father, Petar, was built in 2004 as an authentic replica of the folk architecture of this area at that time. Thanks to the European Union funds, the damaged roofs were restored, the access stairs, fences and gates were replaced and the yard was completely landscaped, thus preserving the cultural heritage and improving the tourist offer of this historically significant site.

The CREST project -Cultural Revival for an Enriched Šumadija Tourism  is one of 18 integrated projects, derived from territorial strategies, which the European Union supports with more than 9.6 million Euros through the EU PRO Plus.  The EU support to integrated territorial development continues through the EU INTEGRA programme, which since January this year has been implemented by the Standing Conference of Cities and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. The programme funded by the EU with 15 million Euros aims to modernise local self-governments in Serbia through the implementation of European models for integrated territorial and sustainable urban development that have been piloted through EU PRO Plus.