Golija
Golija (Serbian Cyrillic: Голија, pronounced [ɡǒlija]) is a mountain in southwestern Serbia, between towns of Ivanjica and Novi Pazar. It is part of the Dinaric mountain range. The mountain is heavily forested with significant biodiversity. It contains the Golija-Studenica Biosphere Reserve, the first UNESCO-MAB registered biosphere reserve in Serbia. It is also a small ski resort, with several historical monuments and monasteries. The highest peak is Jankov kamen at 1,833 m.
Golija | |
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![]() Jankov kamen peak | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 1,833 m (6,014 ft) [1] |
Coordinates | 43°20′16″N 20°16′36″E |
Geography | |
![]() ![]() Golija Location in Serbia | |
Location | Western Serbia |
Parent range | Dinaric Alps |
Geography
Golija stretches in north-south direction, in an S-shape between Novi Pazar and Raška on south and Ivanjica on the north. It covers an area of about 750 km². The highest peak is Jankov kamen (1,833 m), followed by Radulovac (1,785 m), Bojevo Brdo (1,748 m) and Crni Vrh (1,725 m). The peaks offer sightseeing to Golija's forests and pastures, as well as the peaks of nearby Kopaonik, Komovi and Prokletije mountains.
The Moravica and Studenica rivers of have their headwaters at this mountain. Studenica breaches through the mountain, in its deep valley with several shorter gorges. The Izubra tributary has three waterfalls of total height of around 20 m, and several cascades.
The Golija area has a population of 6,600 within the 42 dispersed rural communities characteristic of these mountainous regions. The main economic activities are livestock raising, farming, and collection of forest products such as mushrooms and medicinal herbs.[2]
The reserve contains Studenica Monastery, a cultural World Heritage site and a popular tourist destination. The monasteries of Sopoćani, Stari Ras and Klisura lie at the outskirts of Golija.
Climate
![](../I/Golija_borba_svetlosti.jpg.webp)
Golija has three distinguishable climate areas, valley climate below 700 m altitude with moderate continental climate, transitional (700–1300 m) with short sharp winters and heavy snowfall, and the mountainous area (over 1300 m) with severe winters and short summer.[3]
Biodiversity
Nature park Golija-Studenica covers and area of 538.04 km2 (207.74 sq mi). Golija's plants account for 25 percent of Serbia's flora.[4] There are recorded 1091 plant species park, including 117 types of algae, 40 species of mosses, 7 lichens and 75 species of fungi. Many of the species are relict and endemic. The Heldreich's maple is the symbol of the mountain , which constitutes deciduous and mixed-type forests, some of the best preserved in Serbia.[3][5]
Golija is one of important mountainous European ornithology reserves, with 95 registered bird species. The 22 mammal species include the rare and protected wolves, brown bears, least weasels, dormice, red squirrels and water shrew.[3]
In September 2001, the UNESCO declared part of the Golija-Studenica nature park as the Serbia's first biosphere reserve.[2][4][5]
Tourism
![](../I/Golija12.jpg.webp)
The mountain has several skiing facilities, with two hotels built on the mountain itself and several resorts in the vicinity of Ivanjica and Novi Pazar.[6] There are hunting grounds in Čemernica, Grabovica, and Golija with roe deer, boar, and hare.[3]
See also
References
- Jovan Đokić. "Katalog planina Srbije". PSD Kopaonik Beograd. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011.
- "Golija-Studenica". UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006.
- "Planina Golija" (in Serbian). Tourist organization of Ivanjica municipality.
- "UNESCO declares Mount Golija Yugoslavia's first biosphere reserve". SerbiaInfo, news site of Government of Serbia. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006.
- Aleksandra Mijalković (18 June 2017), "O očuvanju naše prirodne baštine: najbolja zaštita u naconalnim parkovima", Politika-Magazin (in Serbian), pp. 3–6
- "GOLIJA - Ivanjica" (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 4 May 2013.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golija. |
External Link
Golijainfo - Tourist center