Today's look of Kraljevo is unique in comparison with other Serbian cities. What makes it special is its urban plan made at the beginning of the 19th century - main, circular square with parallel streets, with another two gravitating to it. The Serbian Warriors Square, a round gathering point, serves as sort of a ‘compass' to a guest who has just arrived. The bronze soldier (called Milutin), monument to Serbs fallen in the wars between 1912 - 1918, is the most favorable historical monument of Kraljevo. It is in the middle of the most beautiful walkway, children' games, various events: concerts, open theatre performances, exhibitions and fares, celebration of all important documents and ceremonies. On the north of the square there is another square, called Jovana Sarica Square, which unifies the administrative-business center of Kraljevo.
Kraljevo is a city of the young and sports. Its chivalric glory has been carried through the world by many individuals and teams. Kraljevo today has a lot of hope and trust for the sports glory: volleyball players of ‘Ribnica', basketball players of ‘Sloga' and ‘Mašinac', Women Basketball Club and the check players are all in the first league, while the football club ‘Sloga' is competing in the second league. Apart from numerous courts, the popular basketball and football are also played on every loan. In Kraljevo, there is one real race track for motor and car races. The Sports Center ‘Ibar' takes care of maintenance of sports courts on the territory of the city (the sports hall, the athletic stadium, city swimming pool, open sports courts on the bank of the river Ibar.
Sports hall has stands for 1500 viewers, and its dimension is 32 x 20m. It is open for 17 hours every day, mainly for basketball and volleyball practices, but other events also take place there.
City open pool is used 75 days for citizens' relaxation and after that for swimmer and polo players' trainings. The pool has stands for 1000 viewers and light beams for night swimming. One of the city's priorities is construction of a closed swimming pool, for which required documents have been prepared.
Athletic stadium has a track, a grass football field, stands for 1000 viewers and four-lane automatic bowling room and a gym under the stands.
All these facilities, as well as tennis and volleyball courts, are concentrated in the very center of the city, along the bank of the Ibar River.
35 clubs and ports organizations are members of the Sports Association of Kraljevo, and the Football Association has 45 clubs from Kraljevo and the surrounding area.
Leisure programs, sports and pre-school activities
Several touristic and sports events take place in Kraljevo, some of them being:
"Happy Regatta″ down the Ibar River has been taking place since 1990, now having international character. The Regatta starts from the foot of the medieval town of Maglic, 25 km from Kraljevo, down the ‘Valley of Centuries' towards Mataruska Spa and Kraljevo.
"Silver Cauldron" is a n event that has been taking place for more than 15 years on the central city square gathering experienced chefs, but also culinary school students competing in preparation of the famous Serbian dish - beans.
"Expedition to Narcissi" is an event led by the mountaineers of the club ‘Gvozdac' from Kraljevo to the top of the Stolovi Mountain for more than fifteen years, picking blooming narcissi on the way there.
"Car-Motor Races - Race for the Kraljevo Award" takes place on the race track Beranovac and is organized by the Car-Motor Society of Kraljevo.
Mountaineers' Gathering and many other events. Preschool activities on the territory of the city are implemented by the Preschool Institution ‘Olga Jovičić - Rita'. Within these activities, the Preschool Institution organizes:
- Football Days in cooperation with the FC ‘Bubamara' on the city athletic stadium, as well as Football Days in cooperation with the School of Football ‘Todorovic' in Grdica;
- Spring Cross with children of preschool preparatory program at the athletic stadium;
- Cycling through the streets of the city of Kraljevo for preschool children, in cooperation with local cycling clubs and the Red Cross;
Events on the occasion of the Children's Week and the Day of the Institution.
National library ‘Stefan Prvovenčani' was founded in 1945. In 1990, it added to its name the name of Radoslav Vesnić, a resident of Kraljevo with very rick personal and creational biography. The library has very developed cultural and educational activity. It organizes literary evenings, promotions, lectures, exhibitions and children's programs, and it is also involved in publishing. Since 1971, the library has been publishing the literature, culture and art magazine ‘Povelja'.
"Kraljevo National Theatre" was founded in 9 August 1949. After several changes of its name and status, in1996, by the decision of the Municipal Assembly of Kraljevo, the theater re-acquired the status ‘professional', entitled "Kraljevo Theater". The theatre has one stage and a hall with 226 seats, where performances both for adults and children take place. Performances of this theater have been declared the best on many festivals and it has been awarded a large number of acting awards. Since 2000, the "Stage" drama school has been working actively in the Kraljevo Theatre, gathering talented children aged 7 to 18.
National Museum of Kraljevo deals with the protection of cultural heritage, research and scientific work. Valuable and representative exhibits are located within the historical, ethnological, archaeological and artistic collections. In the museum gallery, in addition to representative exhibitions, concerts of classical music also take place. The National Museum in Kraljevo was established in 1950.
Organized protection of archives is implemented by the Historical Archive, which has about 280 funds and five collections: books of births, marriages and deaths; cartography; photos, posters and documents, and documents and archival material about the labor movement and National Liberation Struggle. This institution has a rich library, which enables successful work as to the employees of the Archive so to those using archive materials in their scientific research.
Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Kraljevo includes 26 municipalities and it is one of the largest in the state. Its main activities are protection, restoration of cultural - historical monuments, scientific research and presentation of cultural heritage.
Contribution to fostering and developing the culture is also provided by Cultural Educatonal Community, the Literary Club "Kraljevo", the Association of Artists "Vladislav Maržik", Cultural Center "Ribnica", Multimedia Center "Kvart" and others.
Cultural activities (events, celebrations, festivals, parades, ceremonies, concerts)
Regardless the season, there's always something going on in Kraljevo because it is a city of creative people in artistic, scientific and sporting terms. Along with traditional hospitality and lodging, a traveler in Kraljevo can expect a wide range of events, from cultural happenings at the round Square of Serbian Warriors, through exquisite theater repertoire, dynamic concert program in the acoustic hall of the National Museum, permanent and very vivid literary concept in the library of ‘Stefan Prvovencani', to music shows from the earliest period to modern art. Variety of important cultural events is held in Kraljevo:
Lilac Days - Every year in the beginning of May, Kraljevo remembers the event when king Uros I, for the love of French princess Helene d-Anjou, future Serbian queen, and in honor of her arrival, ordered the whole valley up the Ibar River be planted in lilacs so her new country could remind her of her homeland.
Centuries-old friendship of the Serbs and the French, whose roots date back to the medieval times, was crowned fifteen years ago in Kraljevo with an unusual and interesting cultural and tourist event called the "Lilac Days".
Thematically rich cultural-artistic program is organized in Kraljevo and in the monasteries of Zica and Gradac, memorial of St. Helene d' Anjou, and the central event takes place in the medieval fort of Maglic.
Assembly of National Creativity of Children of Serbia in Ratina is a traditional event that brings together children's ensembles from Serbia and abroad, representing traditions and customs of their people. The Assembly is held in May, where firstly all participants of the Assembly gather on the Square of Serbian Warriors, and then the central part of the event is held in Ratina. Within the festival, held are also theater performances, children poets meeting, the assembly of small flute players, and exhibition of children's works.
Summer Spiritual Academy of Musical Youth of Serbia, Studenica, is a traditional event, whose concept consists of choral singing, building on lectures, liturgical singing, composer portraits and visiting choirs' concerts.
Art Colony "Studenica", organized by the Tourism Organization of Kraljevo has been traditionally held for 34 times. The colony has an international character, and the Arts Council selects the participant artists. The colony is supported with other content as well - sometimes by a literary evening, other times a film screening or something else, and a trip to St. Sava's hermitage and a visit to cultural and historic monuments in the Valley of Centuries (monasteries: Gradac, the Traits of St. George, Sopocani...) is organized every time;
Zica Spiritual Assembly "Transfiguration"- Kraljevo Cultural Summer is known for the Zica Spiritual Assembly. Program of the Assembly provides for a number of literary events, scientific conferences, exhibitions and music events at the National Museum and the Library "Stefan Prvovencani". The closing ceremony takes place in the dining room of the monastery Zica, where on the Transfiguration day, the prestigious poetry award "the Zica's Chrysobull" is awarded. Aim of the Assembly is to promote creativity and spirituality.
Graduation dance - Within the "European Quadrille Dance Festival" graduates from Kraljevo also dance to the sounds quadrille. This unusual event has been organized since 2005.