Golija

Golija (, ) 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 .
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 .
The highest peak is Jankov Kamen . It was named after Sibinjanin Janko, Serbian romanticized version of Hungarian medieval knight John Hunyadi. According to local myths, when he was returning back to Hungary after the Second Battle of Kosovo in 1448. He placed a stone on top of the mountain to mark his presence, hence the name which is Serbian for "Janko's stone". The highest peak is followed by Radulovac (), Bojevo Brdo () and Crni Vrh (). The peaks offer sightseeing to Golija's forests and pastures, as well as the peaks of nearby Kopaonik, Komovi and Prokletije mountains. On a clear day, even a distant mountains, like Durmitor in Montenegro or even Kosmaj, close to Belgrade, are visible.
There are over 100 water springs on Golija. 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 , and several cascades. There are also several lakes. At the altitude of there are the Košanin Lakes. A natural phenomenon, where the water rescinds during the rain, and the water level rise in dry periods.
Climate.
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.
Biodiversity.
Nature park Golija-Studenica covers and area of . Golija's plants account for 25 percent of Serbia's flora. There are recorded 1091 plant species in the 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. There are also 225 medicinal herbs. Records show that Golija's herbs were used in 1207, in the first hospital in medieval Serbia, which was founded in the Studenica monastery.
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.
In September 2001, the UNESCO declared part of the Golija-Studenica nature park as the Serbia's first biosphere reserve.
Human history.
The reserve contains Studenica Monastery. Built in 1196, it is a cultural World Heritage site since 1986, and a popular tourist destination. Some away are two hermitages, built by Saint Sava after his return from the Mount Athos in the 13th century. Known as the Upper and the Lower Sava's Hermitages, they are located on the steep cliff, several hundred meters above the Studenica river. The Gradac Monastery, finished in 1282, is also located on the mountain. The monasteries of Sopoćani, Stari Ras and lie at the outskirts of Golija.
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. Main agricultural products are potatoes, raspberries and buckwheat. The area is known for the local cuisine, which includes buckwheat pie, sirene, kaymak, "tubošak" (curdled milk before all whey is removed), "jurdum"(salted thick sheep's milk) and trout dishes, from the fish caught in the local streams.
Tourism.
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.
There are hunting grounds in Čemernica, Grabovica, and Golija with roe deer, boar, and hare.
At the Daićko Lake, there is a memorial drinking fountain, dedicated to the forestry pioneer on Golija, Vlastimir Parezanović. It holds a carved inscription: "If every man would know which tree is his own, he would never cut it".
External links.
Golijainfo - Tourist center