Mladenovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Младеновац, pronounced [mlâde̞nɔ̝v̞at͡s]) is a municipality of the city of Belgrade. According to the 2024 census results, the municipality has a population of 56,389 inhabitants, while the urban area has 22,346 inhabitants.
Its name stems from word 'youth' in Serbian. According to a legend, the emergence of the name is brought in connection with a man named Mladen, who established himself after the battle on the Kosovo in 1389 with his two brothers in this desert area. The brothers separated and the place, where Mladen had established himself, was called Mladenovac.
In the village of Kovačevac, 4.5 km (2.80 mi) from downtown Mladenovac, there is an archaeological locality Divičmeđ. It spreads on 10 ha (24.71 acres) in the valley of the Veliki Lug river and contains remains from the prehistoric and medieval periods. Medieval settlement was located under the Brest plateau, surrounding the Divičmeđ and Bunar water springs. Excavations were conducted in 1986-1987 (headed by Milica Janković) and 1995. Oldest settlement from this period is dated to the 9th century. It had shallow dug houses, with scattered clay vessels and iron arrowheads discovered, too. This settlement disappeared in c.900, but was revived in the 10th century. Apart from pottery artifacts, also discovered were jewelry, lead beads (presumably for religious purpose), soldiers' vests and square artisan furnace, cut into the wall, with the places for sitting and laying around it.
The settlement disappeared again in the 13th century but was established again in the mid-14th century. This locality yielded fine, thin ceramics, Serbian coins and ornamental, gold plated rivets, shaped like eagle heads. The settlement died out around c.1400 and was never settled again. In total, there are 250 registered archaeological localities on the Mladenovac municipal territory, 98 of which are from the Middle Ages.
Pavlovac Monastery, founded in early 15th century, is located in the village of Koraćica near Mladenovac. Alongside the church, dedicated to St Nikola, there are three more buildings from the same period, protected as a cultural monument of great importance.
Despot Stefan Lazarević died suddenly while riding a horse near the village of Crkvine in Mladenovac area. A monument dedicated to his death was placed in 1427 in the yard of the Church of Prophet Elijah. It represents one of the oldest and most significant medieval monuments of the Balkan cultural heritage.
The first official data over a settlement in this area are mentioned in the Ottoman census of 1528. The day of the urban district is 2 August, when Mladenovac was given the status of a town in 1893.
In 1971, the municipality of Mladenovac, along with Lazarevac, was annexed to the city of Belgrade.
On 4 May 2023, nine people were killed and thirteen others were injured in a spree shooting in the villages of Dubona and Šepšin.
This town, situated about 47 km (29.20 mi) in the south of Belgrade, is a part of the district of the capital city of Serbia.
Together with the suburban settlements Kovačevac, Koraćica, Markovac, Jagnjilo, Senaja, Granice, Velika Krsna, Dubona, Šepšin, Velika Ivanča, Rajkovac, Selo Mladenovac, Rabrovac, Amerić, Vrbica the municipality of Mladenovac extends over 339 km2 (130.89 sq mi) and has 53,050 inhabitants.
Kosmaj with its altitude of 628 m is the highest point in this region. A monument dedicated to Serbs (Partisans) who lost their lives in World War II fights that took place in this area sits at the top of this mountain.
A medieval monastery Tresije, built in the 13th century, is located on the way from the town center to Mount Kosmaj.
Mladenovac is also a crossing point of many trading and transporting routes such as Belgrade, Kragujevac, Aranđelovac, Smederevo, Smederevska Palanka.
According to the 2011 census results, the municipality has a population of 53,096 inhabitants.
The ethnic composition of the municipality (as of 2022):
Most of the inhabitants of Mladenovac are working in the industrial factories. The most prominent large companies are: Keramika, Progres, Minel trafo, Elektrošumadija, Cobest and Makovica.
There is a game hunting ground "Varovnica" in the municipality. Other touristic attractions in the municipality include the nearby Kosmaj mountain with its monasteries, monuments and excursion complexes, Selters Spa, lakes of Markovac and Rabrovac, and the ethno-village of Amerić.