Rudnik

Rudnik, whose name means “mine,” lies in the mineral-rich mountains of central Serbia. Silver, lead and copper brought wealth to Serbian rulers and made the settlement a centre of mining, crafts and trade. Saxon miners and merchants from Dubrovnik established communities here, while the nearby fortress of Ostrovica watched over the surrounding country.

The medieval settlement flourished during the fourteenth and the first half of the fifteenth century. Rudnik grew in importance after the Ottomans took the great mining centre of Novo Brdo in 1441, and mining continued under Ottoman rule. Its fortunes later rose and fell amid epidemics and hardship. During the war between the Habsburgs and Ottomans in 1688–1690, Rudnik was devastated and many inhabitants were killed or left the town.