Šar Mountains

In antiquity, the mountains were known as Scardus, Scodrus, or Scordus (το Σκάρδον ὂρος in Polybius and Ptolemy).[2] which evolved into its modern name. In the early 16th century, it was recorded that the mountain was called Catena Mundi (Latin for "the chains of the world").[1]

Sometimes the range is called Carska Planina (Cyrillic: Царска Планина, "Tsar's Mountain"), as a reference to the capitals (Prizren and Skopje), courts (Nerodimlje, Pauni, Svrčin, etc.) and monasteries (monastery of the Holy Archangels) of the Serbian Empire located in the region.[3]

In the medieval period, Serbs called the mountain Mlečni (Cyrillic: Млечани), because of the major milk production on the mountain and the vast herds of cattle, goats and sheep. In the golden bull issued by Emperor Dušan on 20 September 1349, he says: "I also bequest all of mine estates and areas around the Mlečni Mountain ("Milk Mountain"), the Durlev estates and all the metochions and all the wealth and treasure of that region". The bull is kept in the Dubrovnik Archive.[4]

The mountain borders extend from the city of Prizren, following the two rivers of the Prizren Lumbardhi and the Lepenac. In the east it passes by the town of Kaçanik through the Kačanik Gorge and into North Macedonia via the Polog valley. The border passes near the Vardar spring called Vrutok and enters near the valley of Mavrovo. There the Radika river separates the mountain massif from the higher Mount Korab. After that, the border is mounting, reaching the point of junction of three state borders: Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania. The border now follows the road to the small, mountainous, town of Restelica, the rivers of Globocica, Plava and the White Drin and finally reaches the city of Prizren.

Šar Mountains in North Macedonia.

Bogovinje Lake

Šar Mountains peak Kobilica

Wild horses at Šar Mountains

The Šar Mountains have a total area of 1600 km. 56,25% of that area is in North Macedonia, 43.12% in Kosovo, and 0,63% in Albania.[5] There are three plains Sirinić, Vraca and Rudoka.[6] The system is about 80 km (50 mi) long and 10–20 km (6–12 mi) wide.

The mountain massif was formed in the Tertiary Period. The peaks are covered with ice and snow.

It includes several high peaks:

• Titov Vrv (2,747 m or 9,012 ft)
• Mal Turčin (2,707 m or 8,881 ft)
• Bakardan (2,704 m or 8,871 ft)
• Borislavec (2,675 m or 8,776 ft)
• Great Rudoka (2,658 m or 8,720 ft)
• Bistra - east summit (Peskovi) (2,651 m or 8,698 ft)
• Bistra - west summit (2,641 m or 8,665 ft)
• Small Rudoka (2,629 m or 8,625 ft)
• Džini Beg (2,610 m or 8,563 ft)
• Lake Peak (2,604 m or 8,543 ft)
• Karabunar (2,600 m or 8,530 ft)
• White Lake Peak (2,590 m or 8,497 ft)
• Maja e zezë (2,585 m or 8,481 ft)
• Big Vraca (2,582 m or 8,471 ft)
• Guzhbaba (2,582 m or 8,471 ft)
• Isa Aga (2,555 m or 8,383 ft)
• Black Peak (2,536 m or 8,320 ft)
• Kobilica (2,528 m or 8,294 ft)
• Piribeg (2,524 m or 8,281 ft)
• Ljuboten (2,498 m or 8,196 ft)
• Maja Livadh (2,497 m or 8,192 ft)
• Zallina (2,493 m or 8,179 ft)
• Small Vraca (2,483 m or 8,146 ft) 41.8861°N 20.7375°E / 41.8861; 20.7375 (Small Vraca)
• Kara Nikolla (2,409 m or 7,904 ft) 42.0836°N 20.7942°E / 42.0836; 20.7942 (Kara Nikolla)
• Maja Koritnik (2,393 m or 7,851 ft)
• Tumba Peak (2,346 m or 7,697 ft)
• Gemitash (2,183 m or 7,162 ft) 41.9075°N 20.6808°E / 41.9075; 20.6808 (Gemitaš)
• Kalabak (2,174 m or 7,133 ft) 41.918°N 20.576°E / 41.918; 20.576 (Kalabak)[7]
• Crnkamenska Kula (2,117 m or 6,946 ft) 41.9006°N 20.6639°E / 41.9006; 20.6639 (Crnkamenska Kula)
• Šerupa (2,092 m or 6,864 ft) tri-point 41.877°N 20.595°E / 41.877; 20.595 (Maja e Ksula e Priftit)

There are 30 peaks higher than 2,500 m (8,200 ft) and 70 above the 2,000 m (6,600 ft).[1]

The Šar Mountains extend to Mount Korab (2,764 m or 9,068 ft) in the southwest, and pass into northeastern Albania with very small part (0.63% of the entire length).

Vegetation on the mountains includes crops up to around 1,000 m (3,281 ft), forests up to 1,700 m (5,577 ft), and above that lie high pastures which encompass around 550 km² (212 sq mi). The Šar Mountains are the largest compact area covered with pastures on the European continent. The dog breed Šarplaninac comes from this area.

The snowy peaks of the Šar Mountains are depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Skopje, which in turn is incorporated in the city's flag.[8]

Šarplaninac, a dog breed of the livestock guardian type named after the Šar Mountains

Big Jažinačko Lake

Brezovica ski resort

The Šar Mountains are located in the south and south-east of Kosovo, where 43.12% of the range is located. Many alpine and glacial mountain lakes are found on the Kosovar part of the Šar Mountains, especially south of the village of Dragaš, the area of Shutman and the region north of Vraca. The Brezovica ski resort, with an elevation of 900 m (2,953 ft) to 2,524 m (8,281 ft) above sea level, is located north-east of the mountains.

The mountain range in Kosovo is divided into three main zones:The zone of Ljuboten and Brezovica, the central zone of Prizren and the zone of Opoja and Gora.

The mountains border the Kosovo Plain to the north-east and the Dukagjini Valley in the northwest. Kosovo consists of the most eastern tip and the most northern part of the mountain ridge.

The Ljuboten peak and the mountain of Skopska Crna Gora create the Kačanik Gorge in Kosovo. The Šar Mountains are split from the Nerodimka Mountain by the Sirinić Valley. The Šar National Park is located in Kosovo. Villages and towns that are found near the mountain are:

• Prizren largest city located at the foot of the mountains.
• Kaçanik
• Dragaš
• Brezovica
• Štrpce

Lakes in the Kosovo part of the Šar Mountains are:

• Big Jažinačko Lake
• Small Jažinačko Lake
• Šutmansko Lake
• Lower Defsko Lake
• Štrbačko Lake
• Black Vir Lake
• Donji Vir Lake
• Blateško Lake
• Upper Defsko Lake
• Dinivodno Lake

In total, there are 70 glacial lakes on Šara.[1]

The remains of the Široko complex are located near Mušutište. The complex originates from the period between the 10th and the 7th century BC, but also has medieval remnants. In Roman period, the mountain was a tripoint between the provinces of Dalmatia, Moesia and Macedonia. The route of an ancient road crossed the Scardus from 169 BC. The road was later named Velji ("Great") or Prizren road. Lisinski road was built. Remnants of the fort on the Kradište hill, near Prizren, dates from the 2nd to the 6th century and testifies the change of civilizations in this region: it started in the pre-Roman period, then became a Roman town and later a Byzantine one. Locality of Ravna Gora, predating the 6th century, where Slavs later cremated their dead, is situated in the area. Medieval military complex of Petrič Fortress, which consists of two fortresses, Little Petrič and Great Petrič, is also preserved. Remains of the Višegrad Fort, older part of the Prizren Fortress, are located in the gorge of the Bistrica river. When King Milutin donated lands to the Our Lady of Ljeviš church, he also donated the Višegrad Fort to serve as an Prizren's defence outpost. Emperor Dušan later expanded the fort to the river and built his endowment, the Monastery of the Holy Archangels.[1]

There are 45 Serbian Orthodox monasteries on the slopes of the mountain, dating from the 12th to the 16th century. Additional 32 monasteries were damaged or demolished during the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999 and in the later years. Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the village of Gotovuša in Sirinićka Župa was built in 16th century. It was destroyed later and rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century. During the works in churchyard in the 2010s a floor mosaic was discovered from the much older church from the Byzantine period.[1]

• List of mountains in Kosovo
• List of mountains in North Macedonia
• List of mountains in Serbia
• List of mountains in Albania

• Media related to Šar Mountains at Wikimedia Commons
• Šar planina (in Serbian)