Zlakusa

The village of Zlakusa

Zlakusa is a village in western Serbia, in the valley of the Djetinja, at the foot of Dreznicka Gradina and halfway between Uzice and Pozega. It is known for pottery inscribed on the UNESCO list — but there is more here than the craft: an ethno-park, the cave with the tallest entrance in Serbia, a 931-metre viewpoint and some sixty kilometres of marked trails.

District
Zlatibor, City of Uzice
Elevation
482 m
Population
610 (2022 census)
From Uzice
about 13 km
From Pozega
about 11 km
From Belgrade
about 200 km

What Zlakusa is known for

For the unglazed earthenware made here for centuries: clay blended with ground calcite, shaped on a hand-turned wheel and fired on an open fire. Eighteen to twenty households live by the craft today, with some forty people involved. The potters' association protects the work with a trademark, so a genuine piece can be told from an imitation.

The raw materials do not come from one place: calcite is brought from Rupeljevo, the clay from Vranjani near Pozega. That is why the protected area of the craft covers the surrounding villages too, not only Zlakusa.

What to see in the village itself

  • Potters' workshops — vessel-making on a hand wheel, live
  • Terzica Avlija ethno-park — a farmstead museum near the centre of the village
  • Dreznicka Gradina (931 m) — viewpoint, paragliding launch site, stone pyramid
  • "Vesala" memorial park — to the eighteen killed in the Second World War
  • Marked trails — about 60 km, past fish ponds, old watermills and the Petnica waterfalls

What to see nearby

  • Potpec Cave — in neighbouring Potpece, with the tallest cave entrance in Serbia
  • Zlatibor — about 35 km
  • Mokra Gora and Drvengrad — about 55 km
  • Tara — about 60 km

When to come

The workshops work year-round and receive visitors. If you are coming for a festival, there are two main dates: the International Art Ceramics Colony in early August, and Loncarijada, the pottery fair held within Autumn in Zlakusa.

Getting there

Zlakusa lies on the Uzice—Pozega road, close to the turning for Bajina Basta and Tara. It is most easily reached by car, and the workshops are signposted in the village. Uzice has a railway connection, from where local transport or a taxi covers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Zlakusa?

In the Zlatibor District, within the City of Uzice, in the valley of the Djetinja — about 13 km from Uzice and 11 km from Pozega, at 482 metres above sea level.

Can you watch the pottery being made?

Yes. Workshops in the village receive visitors and the work can be watched on the wheel. It is best to arrange a visit in advance: these are family households, not museums.

How long is needed for a visit?

Half a day covers the village and the workshops. Adding Terzica Avlija, Potpec Cave and the climb to Dreznicka Gradina fills a full day, and easily two.

Is there accommodation in the village?

There is rural tourism, and the Terzica Avlija ethno-park offers accommodation too. Uzice and Zlatibor are close by, so Zlakusa is often visited as a day trip.