Ozren (Sokobanja)
Ozren | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 1,178 m (3,865 ft)[1] |
Coordinates | 43°35′02″N 21°50′41″E / 43.58389°N 21.84472°E |
Geography | |
Location | Eastern Serbia |
Ozren has an elevation of 1,178 m (3,865 ft). Ozren is well-forested and attractive as a picnic ground for visitors to the Soko Banja.
Plant life
For the most part, the mountain is heavily forested.[1]
Medicinal and aromatic wildly grown herbs picked on the Ozren and the mountain Rtanj, which is on the opposite, northern side of Sokobanja, account for the majority of the Serbian export of these commodities, which in 2018 reached €3.3 million.[3]
Hydrology
The mountain is rich in creeks and streams. The short river of Gradašnička reka springs on the mountain and flows into the
Features
Near Ripaljka are the Grudonje watermill and the Church of the Margaret the Virgin (Ognjena Marija), built on the foundations of a much older church. There is a stone monument at the church with the inscription "3 P N S", dating from the period of Ottoman rule. Local chronicles, who claim that the numeral inscriptions at that time were written using Old Slavonic letters instead of the numbers, say that it represents number 1648, but historical records can't confirm that it was the date when the church was founded. Allegedly, the watermill and the surrounding 2.5 ha (6.2 acres) of land were bought from some local Turk for two pairs of oxen. The watermill is still operational, but can be used only during the high waters, in spring and autumn.[1]
Jermenčić Monastery is located on the mountain and is the oldest surviving object on the mountain. According to tradition, it was built by the group of Armenians (Serbian: Jermeni, hence the name) who fled the Ottoman army during the
An annual folk festival, dedicated to the Archangels, is held annually near the monastery, on 26 July. Next to the monastery is a spring and an inscription dating the spring to 1874. Above the monastery there are caves and graves, including the 580-metre-long (1,903 ft) Ozren Cave. It has one hall and five galleries while the pottery from the Neolithic has been discovered inside.[1]
Folklore
The region of Ozren is known for the rich, magical folk tales and customs. Watermills have important place in the stories as it was believed that the impure spirits inhabit their vicinity. If someone would remain in the watermill until midnight, he would have to spend the entire night inside. In the early morning, the visitors would first check if there is a
Tourism
Due to the clean mountain air and the beneficial wind rose it was recognized a long time ago as the air spa, with the specialized sanatorium for the lung diseases. ("Ozren" Hospiral). Hence the development of Sokobanja as a town and spa center (Serbian for "hawk's spa").[1]
Since the mid-2010s, Ozren became the popular paragliding location.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Slobodan Petrović (15 October 2017), "Reka "ripa" i pravi slap" [River jumps and makes a waterfall], Politika-Magazin, No. 1046 (in Serbian), pp. 20–21
- ^ "Ozren 2" (in Serbian). Tourist centre of Sokobanja. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ Dragoljub Stevanović (21 April 2019). "Lekovito bilje kao posao - Nanu i kamilicu najviše kupuju Nemci" [Medicinal herbs as business - Germans are the major buyers of mint and chamomile]. Politika-Magazin, No. 1125 (in Serbian). pp. 3–5.