THE BEAUTY OF PODRINJE |
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Podrinje’s beauty is difficult to express in words, but is a source of delight for the soul.The Drina river, which is one of the longest and well-plenished rivers of the Balkan peninsula, meanders between Macva and Semberija plains. The Drina is especially rich in aquatic treasures. At the source of the river one can catch trout, and downstream, carp.
Gucevo is the wooded mountain which borders Banja Kovijaca on its southern side. It extends from the northwest to southeast, from Banja Koviljaca to Boranja mountain for 15 kilometres. The highest summit at an altitude of 779 metres, is called Crni vrh (Black summit). In world war history, the first battle in the trenches took place there. Geologists have established that Gucevo Mountain has been formed from different types of rocks, mostly limestone and sandstone. In ancient times, erosion brought about the existence of thermomineral waters. Gucevo is rich with cool, clean drinking water. A crypt dedicated to those who died in the battles on the mountain was built at the top of Gucevo in 1914. The hill surrounding the crypt is famous for sightseeing. Walkers and visitors are left with unique impressions while following the narrow shadowed paths of the Gucevo Mountain.
Trsic village, situated nine kilometres southeast of Loznica, is the birthplace of the scholar and great lecturer of Serbian literature and culture, Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic. An ethnographic park with a memorial house containing various objects illustrating the national architecture of the time, is open to visitors. The entire ethno park is situated in the valley of the Zeravija River. At the centre of this unique ethno park is a house dedicated to the memory of Vuk Karadzic, which has been reconstructed with the support of his family using farmyard buildings characteristic of 19th century architecture
The Middle Age monastery Tronosa is situated four kilometres from Trsic. It was built in 1317 under the patronage of Katarina, wife of Dragutin, who was a great-grandchild of Stefan Nemanja (a founder of Nemanjic dynasty which ruled Serbia from 1168 to 1371). The monastery was reconstructed in 1599, and it was there that the monk Josif wrote Tronosa’s annals of which a copy has been kept at the monastery and the original in Vienna.
St. Nikolai monastery at Soko grad is situated at the intersection of three municipalities (Ljubovija, Krupanj and Mali Zvornik). It was built in year 2000, in the vicinity of Soko grad, the Middle Age town from 15th century and known for having been the last Turkish fortification in Serbia. The area surrounding the monastery is very beautiful, benefiting from a wild natural habitat, and overlooked by hills and waterfalls. |
