Oplenac

The church of Saint George on Oplenac hill was built between 1910 and 1912 as the mausoleum of the Karađorđević dynasty, in white marble in a Serbo-Byzantine manner, and its interior is the point: every surface is covered in mosaic, some fifteen thousand square metres of it, copying frescoes from around forty medieval Serbian churches, so the building functions as an anthology of the country's medieval painting assembled in one place. The crypt holds the dynastic tombs. Around the church are King Peter's house, a museum, and vineyards planted by the family that still produce wine. Topola below has Karađorđe's fortified compound from the early nineteenth century. The hill is a short trip from Belgrade and one of the more visited monuments in central Serbia.

What you actually see

• The mosaic interior - copies of frescoes from forty medieval churches.
• The dynastic crypt - the Karađorđević tombs beneath the church.
• King Peter's house - the residence and museum in the grounds.
• The vineyards - royal plantings still worked below the hill.

When to go

April to October for the grounds and the vineyards; September for the vintage. The church is open year round. Weekends bring coach parties and the crypt gets crowded.

Honest expectations

The mosaics are copies, made in the twentieth century, not medieval originals, which some visitors do not realise. The complex is spread out and the combined ticket covers several buildings, so allow time. Photography inside the church is restricted.

Nearby

Aranđelovac lies west; Belgrade is north.