Rastina is set near the Hungarian border, some 22 kilometers (13 miles) from Sombor. The geographical placing of the village is quite unfavorable since no major roads are running through it and it’s connected to Sombor through the village Gakovo.
The settlement is first mentioned in the 14th century under the name of Harasti. Until mid 19th century the village was a private land of baron Redl and in the second half of the same century it was considered to be a part of the village Stanišić. Since then until the end of Second World War it was a part of the village Riđica. It has acquired the status of an independent village just after the war was over, however the settlement itself got its shape and appearance after the First World War after many people from Herzegovina and Lika (Croatia) decided to move here.
The Castle in Rastina
Baron Redl Lajos starts building a castle on his land where a Catholic Gothic church used to be in 1900. The castle itself was inspired by the gothic style and it’s a unique architectural compound of gothic sacral building and a useful living area. Today, a primary school “Laza Kostić”, a kindergarten and a football club are located in the building. The building is declared to be cultural heritage and is not open for visitors.
The village cradles a football club and a chess club “Polet” as well as the hunting collective “Jelen” which organizes hunting excursions for tourists each year during the hunting season.
The village festivities, the village Slava, is celebrated each year on the 28 th of August on the day known as Velika Gospojina and earlier in the year, in February, an organized get together of all people from Rastina is taking place.
The main building in the village is known to be the temple of Uspenje presvete Bogorodice, built by the self contribution of the villagers. The temple is still unfinished with the fresco in the inside still missing.
