Javor Mountain

Javor Mountain is the most curative and the most ecological Mountain in Serbia. The whole area of Javor Mountain is covered with gorgeous violet flower Crocus sativus which is right sign that the environment is extremely pure, clean and intact. Javor Mountain is also historically important since it marked the border between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire until 1912. Legend says that wounded hero Boško Jugović came to Javor Mountain from Kosovo Polje /Kosovo Field where tragic Kosovo Battle took place/ to recover and treat his wounds. He new that Javor Mountain is rich in clear streams and cures the heaviest illnesses with help of its medicinal herbs.

Javor Mountain spreads along 16 km of the north-eastern border of Nova Varoš Municipality. To the East Javor Mountain leans on the western slopes of the Golija Mountain-beauty while to the west it borders with the limestone massif of Murtenica Mountain.The eastern part of Javor Mountain is slightly rolling surface of vast meadows scattered with small forests, mostly beech forests that spreads along the course of North-est towards South-East for 3,5 km and the width of about 2 km. The altitude of this part of Javor Mountain is from 1300 to 1350 meters. The surface is surrounded by numerous mountainous peaks among them is Vasilin Vrh/ Vasila’s Summit 1519 m, below which there is the Monument to the Major Ilic, the hero of the Javor War/ to the West which is the highest peak of Javor Mt, and nearby Jankov vrh high /Janko’s Summit 1492 meters/. In 1907 people of the region built the monument dedicated to the Mayor Ilic. In local celebrations and feasts they glorify heroic struggle and sing about this hero from Jagodina, commander of the Second Uzice Brigade, who is famous for his refusal of the order of commander Ilija Colak-Antic to retreat from the border points and continue to fight against Turks in Prilike village, or before Pozega, of even on Jelica Mountain…. Both peaks and the space between them come from Mesozoic limestone of considerable purity and thickness, so provide typical karst hydro-graphy. Javor Mountain has significant number of various natural features and anthropogenic motifs on the relatively small space. Gentle terrains comprising meadows rich in vegetation are very suitable for winter sports and summer recreation while numerous springs and streams of clear crystal water passing through colorful scenery of meadows, pastures, clearings and forests enable unique freshness and true destination for recovery and rejuvenation. The most interesting parts of Javor Mountain are “Duboki potok”/ Deep stream/ with steep sides of canyon and “Doline” /Valleys/ where 13 large and several small caverns were formed. The strong springs of Korićansko, Štitkovačko and Trudovačko are karstic features as well as the underground stream of Kalipoljska reka River. The northern side of Javor Mountain is surrounded with summits : Dijelo /1415 m/ and Troglav /1419 m/, and to the south-east Boljetin /1415 m/, Šabanac /1402 m/ and Gobeljića krš /1444 m/.

Waterproof rocks and convenient precipitation order generated existence of numerous springs that have formed number of streams and small rivers that are situated on the northern and the eastern slopes. On the north-western space of Javor Mountain there is the point “Cesta vrela’ which is one of the most beautiful parts of the mountain where 8 small waterfalls formed the source of Tisovica River and on the north side 6 streams form the source of Bradića reka River. Nošnica river starts between Javor and Golija Mountains which join Moravica River by the village of Međurečje and flows up to town of Požega and ends in Djetinja River. All rivers and streams on Javor Mountain feature gorgeous scenery and various shapes of relief and flora and crystal clear waters rich in trout and other kinds of fish. Javor Mountain is covered with lush forests with prevailing breech forests while there are also other kinds of wood.

The largest surface covered with breech forest spreads along the northers slopes of Javor Mountain. Eastern and south-eastern slopes are covered with the mix forests of pine, spruce and beech. Very interesting hiking trail goes from the Kušići village up to the Vasilijin vrh peak and back, and is most frequented, as also the hiking trial towards the Canyon of the Uvac river and the habitat of griffin vultures, and the one which goes along the Zečko polje to the Štitkovo village. Gentle slopes of Javor Mountain provide excellent conditions for winter sports. Parts of Javor Mountain/Cesta Vrela and Studena reka/ are also well-known for wild game /fox, wolf, bear, rabbit/.

Javor Mountain and its surroundings are popular for numerous historical events from the Serbian-Turkish War 1876-1877 and the First Balkan War and the First Serbian Uprising. Javor Mountain keeps the memory on The Battle on Kalipolje which happened on the 24th June 1876. People from Javor Mountain gather on Saint Vitus Day which is traditional way of local cultural festival. Nearby worth-visiting Stitkovo authentic village represents well preserved way of life and unique cultural inheritance. Besides Stitkovo village, there are numerous interesting spots to explore on Javor Mountain.