Smiljan, Rural settlement near Gospić, Croatia
Smiljan is a rural settlement close to Gospić in the Lika-Senj region, made up of eighteen scattered hamlets at the foot of Krčmar hill. Mountains frame this small community, where farms and houses spread across gentle slopes and meadows.
Between 1527 and the late 17th century, the area was under Ottoman rule until the Turks were expelled. Afterward, Roman Catholic Bunjevci from other regions settled here and reshaped the population.
The Tesla Memorial Complex includes exhibits, a museum, and the Serbian Orthodox church of St. Peter and Paul, preserving the legacy of scientific innovation.
The settlement sits roughly 6 kilometers (almost 4 miles) northwest of Gospić and is accessible by a small country road. Paths between the hamlets can be explored on foot, though they require some time and orientation.
Archaeological finds show continuous human settlement since the Middle and Late Bronze Age, spanning several millennia. Prehistoric tombs discovered in the area offer insight into the early cultures that once lived here.
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