Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Serbia Mokra Gora Drvengrad

Drvengrad

An idyllic traditional timber village on a picturesque hill was built for a film.

Mokra Gora, Serbia

Added By
alexplorer
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Drvengrad.   White Writer / CC BY-SA 3.0
Drvengrad wooden houses.   Fortunato32 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Drvengrad.   PANJAVISION / CC BY-SA 4.0
Saint Sava wooden church.   tamburix / CC BY-SA 2.0
Drvengrad.   Dickelbers / CC BY-SA 3.0
Drvengrad ‘town jail’.   Dickelbers / CC BY-SA 3.0
Drvengrad.   DjordjeMarkovic / CC BY-SA 4.0
Drvengrad souvenirs.   Dickelbers / CC BY-SA 3.0
Drvengrad.   Dickelbers / CC BY-SA 3.0
Nikola Tesla Square, Drvengrad.   DjordjeMarkovic / CC BY-SA 4.0
Drvengrad scuplture.   Dickelbers / CC BY-SA 3.0
Drvengrad bird sculpture.   Miljan Simonović / CC BY-SA 4.0
Drvengrad.   Ванилица / CC BY-SA 4.0
Drvengrad from the distance.   Ant83 / Public Domain
Drvengrad   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Drvengrad   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located in western Serbia, this traditional village was built by the film director Emir Kusturica for his award-winning movie Život je čudo (Life is a Miracle). Known as Drvengrad (which translates to "Timber Town"), or Küstendorf, the village was built at the meeting point of the Zlatibor and Tara mountains (Mokra Gora).

The town's main landmark is the Church of Saint Sava, which is built in the manner of Russian wooden churches. Scattered around the main square of the village are authentic log cabins and timber houses that were relocated from other parts of Serbia and Republika Srpska.

The village streets are named after famous people from culture and science. The main street is named after the Nobel prize winner Ivo Andrić, and other streets and squares named after Argentine Marxist and Cuban revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentinian football player Diego Maradona, the film directors Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman, the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, and the scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla. 

You can find an art gallery, library, hotel underground cinema, Stanley Kubrick theater, traditional pastry shop and restaurant among the attractions in Drvengrad. The village also hosts the international Küstendorf Film Festival, which was established by Emir Kusturica. The festival is intended to be a meeting point of young film creators, directing students, and established actors and directors. A special event of the festival is the famous "movie burial" on the Bad Movies Cemetery. The festival has been visited by a number of famous actors, including Johnny Depp in 2010, when a statue dedicated to him was unveiled.

Related Tags

Villages Film Locations Cinema Film Festivals Churches Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

Drvengrad can be reached from various directions from Belgrade, Zlatibor or Višegrad (Bosnia and Herzegovina). While visiting, don't miss taking a ride on the old "Ćira" train on Šargan eight railway that ensures a spectacular view on the most beautiful landscapes in Serbia.

More information on how to reach the village and accommodation can be found on the official website.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina

Traverse the beauty and history of the Balkans through locals' stories.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

alexplorer

Edited By

J Ginsberg, Zaratenian, vasilisapremudra, Ingrid Vertessen

  • J Ginsberg
  • Zaratenian
  • vasilisapremudra
  • Ingrid Vertessen

Published

February 27, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drvengrad
Drvengrad
E761
Mokra Gora
Serbia
43.795989, 19.507437
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic Bridge

Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Drina River House

Bajina Bašta, Serbia

miles away

Kadinjača Memorial Complex

Zlatiborski okrug, Serbia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Serbia

Serbia

Europe

Places 126
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic Bridge

Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

miles away

Drina River House

Bajina Bašta, Serbia

miles away

Kadinjača Memorial Complex

Zlatiborski okrug, Serbia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Serbia

Serbia

Europe

Places 126
Stories 3

Related Places

  • The Sanctuary Adventist Church.

    Hi Vista, California

    Sanctuary Adventist Church

    The "Kill Bill Church" was transformed into a place of worship after a long Hollywood history.

  • City Methodist Church

    Gary, Indiana

    City Methodist Church

    This stunning gothic ruin was a casualty of the Indiana steel industry crash.

  • “You’ll Float TOO!!”

    Bangor, Maine

    The Sewer Drain from “IT”

    This is the sewer drain that was the inspiration for the opening scene of Stephen King’s classic novel “IT”.

  • Pizza Generation, in real life.

    Seoul, South Korea

    Sky Pizza

    Visit the real-life site of the fictional pizzeria in Bong Joon-Ho's film Parasite.

  • Los Angeles, California

    Site of Charlie Chaplin Studios

    The Hollywood home of Kermit the Frog and Yoda used to be Charlie Chaplin's film studio.

  • The La Ciotat station in 2010, commemorating the film.

    La Ciotat, France

    Gare de la Ciotat

    This little train station is forever immortalized in film history.

  • East Haddam, Connecticut

    Johnsonville Village

    This picturesque Victorian ghost town was once a thriving mill community.

  • Still the same.

    Los Albaricoques, Spain

    Los Albaricoques

    This small Spanish village still pays homage to the Spaghetti Western films that were shot there in the 1960s.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.