Two very different aspects of Vrelo can be identified through specific details: the Church of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas and the Ždralovica wetland. The church was built in 1848 and is designated a cultural monument. Ždralovica covers 15 hectares, lies near Vrelo and Sovljak, and is fed by springs from Vrelo. This places sacred architectural and artistic history alongside a water-shaped landscape when choosing a destination.

Church, Art and Patron Saint’s Day

The church was built by Todor Todorović. Its iconostasis is considered one of the finest works by the painter Lazar Krdžalić. An iconostasis is a partition decorated with icons between the altar and the nave. It is therefore both part of the church’s spatial layout and an example of sacred visual art: architecture and painting come together in this piece of church furnishing. The cultural monument also houses a gold-embroidered church funeral shroud that received an award at the World’s Fair in Paris.

The church celebrates the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas as its patron saint’s day; a celebration took place on 23 May 2026.

Further Traces of Local History

The sacred heritage also includes the remains of demolished churches in Vrelo. Sport offers another historical point of reference: in the summer of 1939, a football match between Vrelo and Brezovica was played in the Čanić meadows. The church remains point to earlier sacred buildings; the match records a specific moment in local sporting history. The three dates refer to different things: 1848 dates the church’s construction, 1939 the football match, and 2026 a celebration of the patron saint’s day.

Wetland and Watercourses

Ždralovica is covered with marsh plants and remains lukewarm in winter; it does not freeze over. This seasonal characteristic adds a distinct landscape quality to the area’s size and spring-fed water supply. For travellers who consider nature when choosing a destination, the winter aspect is a distinctive feature of the wetland.

Jezava adds a different hydrological aspect to the landscape. In the area around Vrelo and Sovljak, it is an oxbow through which water drains during floods. Ždralovica and Jezava therefore have different characteristics: a spring-fed wetland on the one hand, and a floodwater channel on the other.

Settlement and Travel Decisions

The parts of Vrelo branch off from the main spring area of Rašća; Staro Vrelo is considered the oldest part of the settlement. This provides two different points of reference: Rašća for the layout of the settlement’s parts, and Staro Vrelo for their historical context.

The difference between these themes is useful when deciding where to travel: the church and historical traces lead to sacred architectural and local history; Ždralovica and Jezava draw attention to wetlands and flooding. Vrelo is therefore worth considering if cultural history or a water-shaped landscape is among your interests.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Popadić, Rakari, Berkovac, Mionica, Osečina, Ćelije, Slavkovica, Gornja Toplica

For the regional travel overview: Kolubara District.