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59-744: The Ralja originates in the northern part of the Kosmaj mountain, north of the village of Velika Ivanča , in the Sopot municipality of the City of Belgrade . Almost from the source, the river valley is a route for the Belgrade- Niš railway. At the villages of Popović and Mali Požarevac , the Ralja turns straight to the east for the rest of its flow and also from this point, the Belgrade-Niš highway joins

118-427: A population of 10,533 in 1961 and 10,673 in 1971. Brđani, in 1977, and Bošnjaci, in 1979, were abolished as a separate statistical entities, becoming part of the village of Ripanj again, which, since then corresponds to the area and population of the former municipality. Ripanj is still statistically classified as a rural settlement (village). Population has been stagnating for the last several decades, according to

177-553: A project of naturally cleaning the lake water using floating islands , through the process of phytoremediation . The process was tested for the purposes of cleaning the highly polluted Topčiderka river, but was applied for the first time at Trešnja. First group of floating islands was placed on the lake surface in May 2019. They were removed in September 2019 and replaced with the new group of 50 plant islands in 2020. Constant testing of

236-677: A survey ceasing decision. The explored area was the Babe-Ljuta Strana survey field, spreading in three municipalities (Barajevo, Sopot and Voždovac), and surveyed ores included lead, zinc, copper, silver and gold. Except Mladenovac (23,609 inhabitants by the 2011 census of population) on the south-eastern slopes, other settlements, though numerous, are smaller, barely exceeding 2,500 inhabitants. They include Rogača (953), Drlupa (532), Dučina (729), Ropočevo (2,628), Sopot (1,920), Nemenikuće (1,992), Stojnik (567), Babe (348), Guberevac (535), Ralja (2,933), Parcani (619) (in

295-503: Is "awaiting the reconstruction". The Pavlovac monastery was built by despot Stefan Lazarević, sometime between 1415 and 1419, with some sources claiming 1425 as the correct year. Serbian Orthodox Church officially adopted 1417 as the construction year and in July and August 2017 celebrated monastery's 600th anniversary. In the vicinity of the monastery are remains of the Roman cemetery, and

354-480: Is 150 m (490 ft) long, 30 m (98 ft) wide and up to 5 m (16 ft) deep and populated with the Prussian carp , common carp and asp . One side of the lake is surrounded with the oak wood and the other with the conifers. Popular among the visitors in the 1970s and 1980s, Trešnja is largely neglected today. A motel on the shore was burned in a fire in the late 2000s and left in ruins. The shore

413-453: Is also named Kosmaj. It is a low, island mountain, the second northernmost in Šumadija region (after Avala). Until 600,000 years ago, when the surrounding low areas were flooded by the inner Pannonian Sea , the Kosmaj was an island, just as the neighboring mountains (Avala, Fruška Gora to the north, etc.), thus earning its geographical classification. The Kosmaj remains an island mountain as

472-426: Is completely red in this section. Kosmaj Kosmaj ( Serbian Cyrillic : Космај, pronounced [kɔ̌smaːj] ) is a mountain south of Belgrade . With an elevation of 626 meters, it is the highest point of the entire Belgrade City area and is nicknamed one of two "Belgrade mountains" (the other being the mountain of Avala ). The Kosmaj, is located 40 kilometers south-east of Belgrade. Entire area of

531-413: Is divided in two levels of protection, II and III. The Kosmaj is touristically well prepared for hiking , cycling and touring historic and religious landmarks. It has a hotel, mountaineering camp, villas, etc. Proximity of Belgrade and mountain's gentle slopes, glades and woods are a basis for the touristic economy. Latest addition, since the mid-2000s is a modern, vast resort complex of "Babe", near

590-528: Is located in Ripanj. A small camping ground, it is situated on the slopes in the Avala mountain. As a large and elongated settlement, stretched along the road and railway (there are five railway stations within the Ripanj area), it developed outer boroughs or comprised the formerly separate settlements. Some of the largest are: Trešnja is the easternmost settlement of Ripanj, a popular picnic area located north of

649-428: Is located in the afforested valley, rich in big game ( mouflon , roe deer , fallow deer ), which was turned into an official fenced hunting ground which spreads between the altitudes of 200 to 300 m (660 to 980 ft). The surrounding area, which covers an area of 117 ha (290 acres), comprises a small artificial pond, two cold water springs, a restaurant, weekend-settlement and a car camping park. The pond

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708-697: Is source of several rivers. Turija river (and several of its tributaries, including Sibnička reka ), which springs right below the mountain and flows to the west into the Kolubara River . Other originate below the Parcanski vis: Lug (or Veliki Lug) which flows to the east into the Kubršnica , Ralja also flows to the east into the Jezava , outflow of the Velika Morava , and Topčiderka which flows to

767-520: Is sponsoring several cultural and artistic festivals, including "Under the linden trees of Tresije monastery", "Days of Milovan Vidaković and Frula festival. Tre%C5%A1nja Ripanj ( Serbian Cyrillic : Рипањ ) is a suburban settlement of Belgrade , Serbia . It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac . It has a distinction of being "the largest village of Serbia" taking in account its number of population, but also because it has

826-589: Is unkempt so as the access paths to the lake while the quality of water hasn't been tested for years, though a crayfish , known to live only in the non-polluted waters, lives in the lake. The lake is still visited by the fishermen and has a reputation of a lover's lane . One of the classical works of Serbian filmmaking, The Marathon Family by Slobodan Šijan , was partially filmed on the lake in 1981. Public transportation line, bus No 408, connects Trešnja with Belgrade. In order to make water less polluted, Belgrade administration and Forestry Institute jointly organized

885-580: The Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos . Within the complex, the log church was built from 2013 to 2017. Walls are made of silicate bricks , coated with white pine wood. The church covers 100 m (1,100 sq ft) and contains two thrones made of cooked walnut wood . Both host icons, of the Bogorodica Trojeručica, and of Saint Maria Gatchinska  [ ru ] . One of only three officially designated campsites in Belgrade by 2018

944-531: The Ralja river , on the northern slopes of the 310 m (1,020 ft) high Koviona hill, along the Belgrade- Kragujevac road. It is 32 km (20 mi) south-east of Belgrade and closer to Vrčin in the municipality of Grocka than to Ripanj and the village of Mala Ivanča is just south of it. Parts of the settlement, forest and the lake belong to Mala Ivanča in the municipality of Sopot. It

1003-571: The Serbia Zijin Bor Copper company has been surveying the mountain for possible mining. Due to the bad image of the company regarding pollution, this caused public furor, especially due to the ongoing ecological protests . Zijin immediately backed off, saying they are stopping the surveys and that they inherited the 2012 survey rights and partial permits due to the purchase and ownership changes in some other companies. The government confirmed that on Zijin's official request, it issued

1062-589: The 21st century, group picking of the plant on the mountain was organized in the early 2020s, and the Bear's garlic festival was founded in 2023. Altogether, 551 plant and 300 fungi species inhabits the mountain, including the endangered larkspur ( Delphinium phissum ) which is on the Red List . Some 150 plant species are medicinal or edible and 5 are under the strict protection. Additionally, there are 30 relics, 10 sub-endemics, 25 endangered taxa and 60 species under

1121-555: The Avala mountain ended in the second half of the 20th century. The village got its first school in 1824, the same year when the first church was built. The small, wooden church ( crkva-brvanara ) was later replaced with the large Church of the Holy Trinity in 1892. There was a spring of mineral water in the village. The water was sour ( kisela voda ). It was located in the Tupovac locality which doesn't exist anymore. The spring

1180-775: The Play of Black Horses statues in front of the House of the National Assembly of Serbia and buildings of Belgrade Cooperative , Elementary School King Petar I , Cathedral Church of St. Michael the Archangel and Main Post Office Building . As the buildings began to deteriorate in time, city authorities showed interest in the quarry, not only for the repairs but also for the future construction. For now, when some deteriorated kersantine feature has to be replaced,

1239-471: The area and discovered many mining necropolis, centered around the villages of Babe, Stojnik and Guberevac. It is estimated that there are some 100 ancient mining shafts on Kosmaj, which go 2 km (1.2 mi) below the ground and are 25 km (16 mi) wide. After the Roman period, mining activities ceased, only being revived in the Medieval Serbia . In February 2022, it was announced that

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1298-520: The area was the favorite hunting ground of despot Stefan. The monastery is dedicated to the Translations of Relics of Saint Nicholas . It was named after the nearby creek of Pavlovački Potok and, today non-existing, village of Pavlovci. The village and the monastery were mentioned in the letter which despot Stefan sent to the Republic of Ragusa on 21 November 1424. As the monastery was situated on

1357-432: The artificial stone is used (as in the case of the pedestal of the Play of Black Horses). Geologists suggested to the city to obtain the ownership over the land on which the pit is located and to reopen it. City government announced in 2012 that it will unilaterally explore the pit until it gets reopened and inspected it in 2013. They found still existing large amounts of already cut kersantite and that locals illegally extract

1416-754: The circle of the protected green areas of Belgrade. The Kosmaj remained highly forested, over 70%, mostly by the deciduous ( beech and oak ), and to the lesser extent, coniferous woods. While the beech and oak forests are results of the natural, spontaneous growth, the patches of conifers were planted by humans. Forests cover steeper slopes of the mountain, while the gentler slopes are grass-covered. Foothills are covered in orchards and arable fields. Self-grown plants used for human consumption include bear's garlic , woodland strawberry , blackberry and cornelian cherry . As bear's garlic ( sremuš or medveđi luk ) became more and more popular in Serbian cuisine in

1475-534: The connection to the ancient mountain-dwelling Slavic pagan deity Kozmaj/Kasmaj, the protector of woods, animals and the cosmos. The mountain has never been known under any other name, until it was forcefully molded by the Romans into "Casa Maias", house of Maia , in order to promote worship of their goddess of spring among the locals. The mountain is 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) kilometers long and built of flysch , serpentine , and magmatic rocks . The highest peak

1534-474: The entire Pashalik of Belgrade . It was rebuilt in 1709 by the brethren of the Rakovica monastery , but was demolished already in 1738. At the end of the 18th century, it was demolished and the reconstruction began in 1936. It was not finished due to World War II , and after the war, new Communist authorities took the materials from the monastery to build a hotel "Hajdučica" in the vicinity. Construction of

1593-469: The hollows of the walls were filled with the trpanac stone, smaller rock pieces. The style of the entire complex is the mix of the local style and the maritime style from the Adriatic ( Kotor and Dubrovnik ). The monastery was declared a cultural monument . The Tresije monastery was built by the king Stefan Dragutin in 1309. It was dedicated to the archangels Michael and Gabriel and named after

1652-487: The large rock in the vicinity, called Ripa. Slopes of the Avala were already inhabited in Neolithic . The location is an old mining area as it is known that already Romans were extracting mercury and silver and the tradition was later continued by the medieval Saxon miners. One of the major Serbian industrialists in the early 20th century, Đorđe Vajfert , also owned several mining fields. The mercury extraction from

1711-594: The largest area of all rural settlements in the country. Ripanj is located some 25 kilometers south of Belgrade, on the southern slopes of the Avala mountain, in the valley of the Topčiderka river. It is the southernmost settlement in the municipality, on the northern side of the Lipovica woods, near the tripoint of the municipalities of Voždovac, Barajevo and Sopot . It is believed that settlement got its name from

1770-837: The members of the Timok Division, who defended Belgrade in 1914. The other monument was built on the Mali Vis peak in 1971. It commemorates the soldiers of the Partisan Kosmaj Partisan Detachment  [ sr ] from World War II . Since the 2010s, village tourism developed in the mountain's villages, so as the weekend and excursion tourism due to the proximity of Belgrade. There are also lake and hunting ground Trešnja and public swimming pools "Verona" in Rogača and "Izvor" in Stojnik. Apart from

1829-602: The monasteries (" Mount Athos of Despot Stefan Lazarević "), touristic objects on the mountain include the Sopot Khan and the Old Žujović House  [ sr ] . Numerous annual festivals are organized in the villages, dedicated, among other, to frula , fiacres , goulash or health food . There were seven monasteries on the mountain, but three survived until today: Kastaljan, Pavlovac and Tresije. Historically, or in folk mythology, they are all in some way connected to

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1888-550: The more common hares , roes , pheasants , foxes , squirrels , hedgehogs , partridges and quails but also in Serbia rare, Red Listed corn crake . Wolves , once living on Kosmaj, are extinct from the mountain. In 2005, a landscape of outstanding features "Kosmaj" was declared. Protected area covers 3.5145 hectares (8.685 acres) and spreads in the municipalities of Mladenovac (villages Amerić, Koračica and Velika Ivanča) and Sopot (Rogača and Nemenikuće). The protected terrain

1947-568: The mountain belongs to the Belgrade City area, majority of it being in the municipalities of Mladenovac and Sopot , with eastern slopes being in the municipality of Grocka , and northern and north-western extensions in the municipalities of Barajevo and Voždovac . It is speculated that the mountain was named after the Celtic word cos meaning forest, and maj pre- Indo-European word meaning mountain. Alternative explanations suggest

2006-474: The mountain's downhill: Tresije, Kastaljan (in ruins) and Pavlovac, all over 600 years old. There is a mineral spa on the southern slopes, near the village of Koraćica ( Koraćička banja ). There are two monuments on the top of the mountain. One is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of World War I . It is situated at the Beli Kamen locality, just below the wooden tower. It is a memorial ossuary dedicated to

2065-452: The municipality of Sopot), Amerić (835), Koraćica (1,989), Velika Ivanča (1,532), Pružatovac (859) (in the municipality of Mladenovac), Barajevo (9,158) and Lisović (1,054) (in the municipality of Barajevo). Together with the Avala, the island of Veliko Ratno Ostrvo and the wood of Stepin Lug (and with forests of Košutnjak and Topčider to be added soon), the Kosmaj is a part of

2124-544: The nearby stream of Tresije. It was demolished and rebuilt several times. It was rebuilt soon after the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was restored in the 16th century. It had 10 monks, which was a rarity at the time, and despite the Ottoman rule, the monastery managed to preserve its relics and was quite distinguished. In the mid-16th century, Ottoman census mentions the monastery as having the largest brethren in

2183-650: The new konak , planned before the war, began in 1991 and the foundation stone , brought from the Mount Athos, was placed by Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia . In 2009 a celebration of the monastery's 700 years was held. The monastery is dedicated to the Holly Archangels. Tresije became somewhat of a sensation after the local population started claims that the image of Mary, mother of Jesus began to appear on church's outer wall. The image allegedly appeared for several years before it disappeared. Monastery

2242-516: The new sports complex in Babe, a spring was discovered in the valley of the Pruten creek. The new Pruten spring has a capacity up to 40 L/s (1.4 cu ft/s) and by 2011 a waterwork was constructed which supplies the villages of Babe, Stojnik and Ropočevo, so as the complex itself, with the water from this spring. Moreover, during the excavation, a hidden entry into the vast complex of Roman mines

2301-528: The north, into the urban center of Belgrade. In Roman period, Kosmaj was an important mining center, but today the mining activities ceased completely. Evidence suggests that the iron ore was extracted even in the pre-Roman period. In Medieval Serbia mining began in c.1420, after the Law on mines was issued by the Despot Stefan Lazarević in 1412. In July 2000, during the excavations for

2360-478: The official censuses of population: Ripanj is still largely agricultural settlement. The electrotechnics factory "Elektrosrbija" is located in Ripanj, so as the three "Minel" factory departments. Ripanj is located in the northern, low Šumadija and the neighboring plateau is named after the settlement (Ripanj plateau), south of the Pinosava plateau. A railway Belgrade- Niš (both parallel lines) passes next to

2419-493: The one of several arms of the Jezava at Smederevo 's suburb of Radinac . The Ralja drains an area of 310 km² , belongs to the Black Sea drainage basin , and is not navigable. In July 2021, city announced that project for flash flood warning system is being applied on several rivers and streams on the territory of Belgrade, including the watershed of Ralja. Hydrological stations and rain gauges will be placed to monitor

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2478-499: The plateaux around it are low and mostly flat. In the north it extends into the direction of Trešnja , the southernmost extension of the Avala, while in the north-west it extends into Parcanski vis (" Parcani rising"), 408 metres (1,339 ft) high ending section of the Kosmaj, which extends into the woods of Lipovička šuma . There are three peaks on the mountain, each with descriptive name: Mali Vis (little one). Goli Vis (naked one) and Rutavi Vis (hairy or bushy one). The Kosmaj

2537-462: The railroad. As it flows next to the Belgrade suburbs of Dražanj , Umčari and Živkovac , the Ralja divides the Podunavlje region from the Ralja region of the low Šumadija, and leaves the City of Belgrade area at the village of Malo Orašje. After the villages of Binovac, Kolari , Vrbovac and Ralja, the river separates from the highway turning north at the village of Vranovo and empties into

2596-723: The road leading to Belgrade it was often damaged by the advancing armies. After the collapse of the Serbian Despotate in 1459, it was razed by the Turks . The monastery is mentioned in the 1536 census of the villages in the Belgrade Nahiyah , sub-division of Sanjak of Smederevo . One of the last services, held by the fleeing Serbs from during the Great migration of Serbs before crossing the Sava and Danube into Austria ,

2655-529: The ruler Stefan Lazarević (1377-1427), who died while crossing the mountain. With the Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul in the village of Nemenikuće, Church of Saint Elijah with Stefan Lazarević's cenotaph and several other objects, the Kosmaj's religious and memorial complex is colloquially called "Kosmaj's Mount Athos ", a usual moniker in Serbia when a number of religious objects is clustered on one location. The marble pillar-like cenotaph with inscription

2714-457: The settlement and the tunnel south of Ripanj is named the "Ripanj tunnel". Former mine, Crveni Breg ("Red Hill"), is located in the northernmost section of Ripanj. Lead, zinc, silver and gold were extracted from the Roman period until 1953 when the mine was closed. It has seven levels, out of which four are flooded, and the stalactites are being formed inside. By 2009 upper level was prepared for

2773-500: The square based narthex , which can be classified as the representative of the Morava architectural school . Surrounding the church were the konak , the dining room with the monastic cells and the kitchen, all in ruins today. Of the konak, in the northern part of the monastery ground, only foundations survived, and the restoration is planned. The church was built in an unusual way, from the large slabs of stone positioned vertically while

2832-507: The stone and crush it to cover the roads with it. After the political change in Belgrade in the late 2013, the motion was dropped. In the hamlet od Drobnjaci, there is a new monastery  [ sr ] dedicated to the Bogorodica Trojeručica . Construction began in 2012 and the foundations were consecrated on 1 April 2015. Monastery is built from wood and since 2016 it hosts a copy of the Bogorodica Trojeručica icon, sent from

2891-439: The strict control of use and trade. Of fungi species, 80 are edible, 17 are medicinal and 11 are poisonous. Cleared areas are mostly used as pastures or are being cultivated as orchards and vineyards. There are 17 newly discovered species of clearwing moths and it is believed that this is their only habitat in Serbia. Animals inhabiting the mountain include 13 amphibian, 11 reptilian, 51 mammal and 96 bird species, including

2950-652: The surviving owners, but they live abroad so the quarry is still not operational. It is the only known location of kersantite in Serbia, a worldwide rare type of greenish granite . For decades, kersantite was used for the Belgrade buildings, including some of the most representative ones. Features built with this stone include the fountain between the Novi Dvor and Stari Dvor , bordure of the Hotel Bristol , Small Staircase in Kalemegdan Park , pedestal of

3009-478: The travelers were built. The monastery, dedicated to the Saint George , is today in ruins, being demolished in the late 17th century. Excavations were conducted in the 1960s and the 1970s, when the high altar , with carved representation of a deer, was uncovered. Remains of some frescoes confirm that the monastery was painted. A liturgy among the ruins is being held every year on the Đurđevdan . The monastery

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3068-464: The village of the same name. Hunting tourism is also an opportunity, because the mountain is rich in game. Section of the mountain is organized as the hunting ground "Kosmaj", on the territory of the Sopot municipality. On the top of the mountain, a wooden tower was built and arranged as the observation point . Water spring Hajdučica is a popular tourist attraction. Several monasteries are located in

3127-409: The visitors, being cleaned and lighted for some 300 m (980 ft) but the project of turning it into the tourist attraction failed. Ripanj is location of the closed Tešićev Majdan ("Tešić Quarry"). The stone pit was privately owned, but was confiscated by the state after World War II and stopped operating before 1960. In the process of the restitution after 2000, the quarry was returned to

3186-697: The water level. Ralja is known as relatively small stream, which however floods the surroundings during the heavy rains. By March 2023 three hydrologocal stations were placed along the river, at Dražanj, Umčari and Živkovac, while the fourth was placed at the confluence of the Kamendol creek. In the lower section, Ralja is even more polluted, as there it receives the discharge canal of the Smederevo Ironworks wastewaters. Measurements from October 2021 and August 2022 showed high and prohibited levels of cadmium, lead, copper and zinc in river's mud. The water

3245-407: The water showed that the project was successful as the water in the vicinity of the island was cleaner, moving from the very bad, fourth category regarding pathogen bacteria, into the first, excellent category. The islands are made of edible canna , common reed , yellow iris , Siberian iris , common water-plantain and purple loosestrife . No chemicals are applied and the mineral wool is used as

3304-529: Was discovered, too, being obscured for centuries. There are evidence of the extraction of silver , iron and lead . In the 3rd century AD, the Kosmaj mines were one of the most important in the Roman Empire, and were administered by the Roman procurator Babenius, whose name is preserved in the name of the Babe village. In the 1970s and 1980s, experts from the National Museum in Belgrade explored

3363-453: Was erected by Stefan Lazarević's aide, Đurađ Zubović, at the location where Stefan Lazarević collapsed, fell from his horse and died during the hunting. Also called Kasteljan, it was built in the early 14the century, during the reign of king Stefan Dragutin , on the foundations of the former Roman castrum from the 2nd and 3rd century. The trade caravan route passed next to it. During the reign of despot Stefan Lazarević large konaks for

3422-517: Was held in Pavlovac in 1690. The monks remained in the monastery which was then razed and burned by the Turks, killing the brethren. Archaeological works and protection of the monastery began in 1967 and it was fully restored in 1990. That same year the monks returned to Pavlovac. The design of the monastery differs from the typical style of the day. The central object in the complex is the church with

3481-455: Was recorded in the 1892 papers published by the state government. Ripanj used to be a separate municipality which originally comprised only the village of Ripanj. It had a population of 7,475 in 1948 and 8,255 in 1953. In 1956, Brđani and Bošnjaci were detached from the settlement of Ripanj into separate settlements, but within the municipality. Ripanj was then annexed to the municipality of Voždovac, but if it had continued to exist it would have

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