Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 150,835, while its administrative area comprises a total of 179,417 inhabitants.

Kragujevac was the first capital of modern Serbia and the first constitution in the Balkans, the Sretenje Constitution, was proclaimed in the city in 1838. During the Second World War, Kragujevac was the site of a massacre by the Nazis in which 2,778 Serb men and boys were killed.

Modern Kragujevac is known for its large munitions (Zastava Arms) and automobile (FCA Srbija) industries, as well as its status as an education centre housing the University of Kragujevac, one of the region's largest higher education institutions.

The architecture of Kragujevac displays a fusion of many different styles. Historically, Ottoman (nowadays almost completely gone) and 19th century Vienna Secession style architecture have played an important role in the city's landscape.

Newer architecture dominates the city's panorama. Brutalism, as showcased in the monuments to the Kragujevac massacre as well as post-war concrete apartment blocks built during the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia period, is present throughout the city. Today, glass office buildings reflect the ambitious business aspirations of the city. Some important buildings in Kragujevac include:

• The old church of Descent of the Holy Spirit, built in 1818 as a part of Prince Miloš's court
• The Old Parliament, built in the court of the church where the first parliamentary meeting was held in 1859
• The Amidza Konak, built by Prince Miloš in 1820 as a residential house (now exhibition) and an example of regional Serbian architecture
• The Prince Mihailo Konak, built in 1860 to blend local tradition with European architectural concepts and now the National Museum
• The grammar school (gimnazija), built between 1885-87 in European style to serve as the first educational institution of its kind in Serbia, educating prominent Serbian figures such as Svetozar Markovic, Nikola Pašic, and Radomir Putnik

The Upper (Great) Park is the largest park in Kragujevac. It was established in 1898. It is covered with more than 10 hectares (25 acres) of greenery, and a dense canopy of century-old trees, renovated walkways and benches are the right place for rest, walk and relaxation. In the park and its immediate vicinity there are sports facilities for basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Lower (Small) Park is located in the city centre, within the Milos Wreath complex. At its centre there is a monument to the Fallen People of Šumadija. The Ilina Voda park, a legacy of Svetozar Andrejevic, was established in 1900. It covers an area of 7 hectares (17 acres).

There is a fountain with a small waterfall, five mini lakes connected by a small stream, and a small zoo with about 100 animals and a garden with various types of trees characteristic of Šumadija. The curiosity in the park is the largest sculpture of Easter eggs (3 metres (10 ft) high) in Europe and the second in the world; made from recycled metal, set in 2004. Scenic attractions nearby include the Arandelovac, Gornji Milanovac, Vrnjacka Banja, and Mataruška Banja, Karadorde's castle, the Church of Saint George in Topola 40 kilometres (25 miles) away, the Old Kalenic monastery 55 kilometres (34 miles) away, the resorts of Rogot (28 km (17 mi)) and Stragari (34 km (21 mi)) with the old Blagoveštenje and Voljavca monasteries.