Zvecan Rural Tourism accommodation
The Zvečan Municipality is located in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, in the valley of the Ibar River, the area called the Ibarski Kolasin, which is surrounded to the south-east with the extinct volcano of Zvecan, Mali Zvecan, Sokolica and Majdan Mountain. The Zvecan Municipality is encircled by steep and rocky slopes of several gigantic mountains – Kopaonik Mountain-National Park, Mokra Gora Mt and Rogozna Mountains, which all provide various outdoor activities. The emerald-green artificial lake of the Gazivode has been built in 1977 within the river system Ibar – Lepenac, and features total volume of 370 mio sq m, and the surface of 27 sq km, making the favorite adventure and excursion destination for nature lovers, fishermen, and water sport adventurers. The Ibarski Kolasin terrain configuration, climatic conditions, geological features of the Ibarski Kolasin area, as well as the mountainous rivers created diversified vegetation of sub-Mediterranean and the Alpine flora that provide exceptional conditions for various outdoor activities and amazing adventures – sky-running, free climbing, hiking, mountaineering, gliding, mount biking, kayak and canoe ride, fishing…. On the mountains surrounding Zvecan, there are thick coniferous forests, mostly of pine, fir, spruce…
Ibarski Kolašin in terms of geography and ethnicity belongs to the Central Balkan area or the Raska are, where in the Middle Ages was the center of the Serbian Medieval State called Raska. The Ibarski Kolašin designates the area which spreads along the Ibar River, in north of Kosovo and Metohija, and to the south of the Raska region. The largest settlement of the Ibarski Kolašin is the small town of Zubin Potok. Jovan Cvijić points out that the Serbs of Kolasin settled here from the Montenegrin Kolasin on Tara River, and this is how they named this area as the Stari Kolašin. Contrary to this opinion, there are some records testifying that the Kolasin in Montenegro was founded by the Serb population which settled there in 1690 after the Great Migration of population from this area of Kolasin on the Ibar River. The population moved in that historical period to Montenegro and Herzegovina, and after some time they returned to their homeland, during the 18th and the 19th century. Later the name of Ibarski Kolasin was applied, for the reason to distinguishes it from the Kolasin settlement in Montenegro, which remained in use until the present day.
Various personalities marked the history of the Ibarski Kolasin area, by construction and establishment of numerous monasteries, structures and monuments of culture. Among them is the most famous Queen Helen of Anjou, a wife of the Serbian king Stephen Uroš I who reigned from 1243 until 1276, and had founded the First women’s school in Serbia in the Brnjaci fort where girls were taught the hand craftsmanship, and after finishing their education the queen provided them with a dowry as an incentive. There is also the Saint Joannicius and Saint Peter of Korisa, whose holy relics are kept in the Crna Reka Monastery.
All the village of Ibarski Kolašin region are famous for hospitable and friendly locals, who produce and offer visitors healthy and tasty vegetables and fruits, smoked meat and bacon, dairy products, corn bread, “filia” and hominy, all prepared in traditional way. The homemade sljivovica – plum brandy or brandy prepared of wild pear go best, and visitors feel as at home.
Zvečan is the significant Roman, Byzantine and Medieval town and fortified stronghold in Kosovo and Metohija, close to the settlement of same name, north of Kosovska Mitrovica, that was regarded as the strongest fortification of Nemanjic Kingdom. Zvečan Fortress is located near the mouth of the Sitnica River into Ibar River, on the top of the extinct volcano vent that rises for 800 meters above the Ibar River. An extraordinary panorama spreads from towers of the Zvečan fortress, to the Ibar River Gorge, Kopaonik Mountain, Rogozna Mountain and the plain of Kosovo, while during the clear day it is possible to view the Metohija area, surrounded with show-peaked Šar planina. Thanks to its location on the rocky hill, Zvecan Fortification dominates the valley in which once important caravan roads used to cross – towards Kosovo and Metohija to the South, along Ibar River to the Valley of Morava River towards the North and to Bosnia towards the West, with the aim to protect Mines of Trepca.
In this mountainous, pretty hidden valley /zhupa/ of the Ibarski Kolasin there are some 60 small villages, settled with highly dynamic and tough population, whose highlanders language is well-preserved in the structure of clear Serbian language of the „ijekavica“ dialect expression.
