Lešnica Лешница (Serbian) | |
|---|---|
   Lešnica | |
  Lešnica | |
| Coordinates:44°39′09″N19°18′36″E / 44.65250°N 19.31000°E /44.65250; 19.31000 | |
| Country |  Serbia |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 3,818 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Lešnica (Serbian Cyrillic:Лешница,pronounced[ˈlɛʃnitsa], meaning "a place of hazels") is avillage in westernSerbia. It is located in the municipality ofLoznica, in theMačva District. Lešnica's current population is 4,731 (2002 census).
The village is one of the oldest inSerbia, with records dating back to the 10th century AD. It is one of a few old settlements there which was not based on aRoman dwelling, but was started bySerbs.
Lešnica is located on theDrina River and between the towns ofŠabac andLoznica. The Jadar River also runs through Lešnica. The rivers provide amplefishing opportunities, being rich withcarp,barbel, stuka, and zelenjara. The opposite end of the village is bordered by the Vidojevica Mountain, which is relatively low (approx. 190 m (623 ft)above sea level), but itsoak andbeechforests providepicturesque beauty.Pheasant hunting is popular, and the hunters' club of the same name maintains the animal populations diligently. Lešnica is part of the Маčva district, close to the Bosnian border. The main attraction is Lešnica's Orthodox church located in the middle of the village.
The village is aneconomic andbusiness center to the surroundingvillages, and the main street is part of the route fromBelgrade toSarajevo. On Saturday mornings there is amarket behind the fire house, where everything can be bought, fromfarmcheese,eggs, andlivestock, toclothing,tools,electronics andNike shoes. This is not the only opportunity to shop in Lešnica. There arebutcheries,grocery shops, fishmongers,bakeries, and many other shops. The bakeries of the village (of which there are many) have a reputation for their excellentpastries, probably a result of the competition between them.
There is an eighth grade primary school (Petar Tasić), achestnutwoodedpark, and many shops, of which the barber shop in the main street is the oldest. In fact, it is the oldest in the country, where the same family of barbers have worked for generations. Across the road from the park and diagonally from the school is the beautiful 19th-century church ofSt. Peter andPaul. The church was partially destroyed by theNazis during their occupation, but was rebuilt to provide a spiritual home for the villagers and a magnificent floodlit vista at night. The other side of the park is the location of a late 19th-centurymanor built by the Pejić family, who were thelandlords of the settlement. It belongs to the descendants of the family, but it lies almost in ruin, as it has not been in use since the 1950s, when it was used as school after being confiscated byCommunist rulers. There has been recent interest in reviving this once grand building.
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44°39′09″N19°18′36″E / 44.65250°N 19.31000°E /44.65250; 19.31000
