highlights

Tara mountain lies in the western part of Serbia, along the Drina river and the border with Republika Srpska, west of Uzice. It is covered with thick deciduous and coniferous forests and vast mountain pastures. The highest peak of Tara is Zboriste, rising 1.544 meters above sea level. Tara is, among other things, interesting for its unique flora (yew, golden fern, cyclamen, fir, spruce, pine, maple) most famous of all being the endemic species Pancic’s spruce, which grows only in this mountain and nowhere else in the whole world (a narrow coniferous tree, up to 40 meters tall). Tara is a home to many villages with distinctive wooden houses with steep roofs. One of the greatest attractions is Sargan Eight, the famous train museum.

history

Due to its abundant water streams, the area of Tara national park has been inhabited since the dawn of civilisation, but due to its precarious geographical position, not many structures stand witnesses to its history.

In 1875, Josif Pancic discovered a specific conifer of distinctive look, narrow, elongated, up to 40 meters tall. It was named after him, Pancic’s spruce. This is an endemic species that grows only on Tara mountain.

getting there

You can get to Tara from three different directions: taking the Bajina Basta – Kaludjerske bare road (16 km), Bajina Basta – Perucac – Mitrovac road (27 km) or Kremna – Kaludjerske bare road (9 km).

On workdays there are eight daily buses from Bajina Basta to Kaludjerske Bare, dropping to only four on weekends.

There are three daily buses from Bajina Basta to Mitrovac.

For more detailed information: Bajina Basta bus station, phone no. 031 / 865 – 485

things to see

The biggest attraction of Tara mountain are its lush deciduous and coniferous forests. When hiking in the forest, one should pay attention to famous Pancic’s spruce which is, due to its specific look and great height, easily perceivable among other trees.

The most famous picnic grounds is Kaludjerske Bare, which is a good base for walking tours around surrounding forests, and is convenient for its cheap accommodation and good accessibility (direct bus from Belgrade).

On the mountain there is a small Zaovinsko lake, made by damming the upper part of the Beli Rzav river, located near the peak of Zboriste (1.544 meters above sea level). The lake itself lies at the altitude of 900 meters, in a very picturesque setting, and it is emptied and filled through huge pipes that come from Perucac lake, located 700 meters below. That is why the level of Zaovinsko lake oscilates up to 10 meters daily, which makes its shores a bit muddy. During the summer it is very good for swimming. Zaovinsko lake is located 6 kilometres east of Mitrovac.

Perucac is a tourist resort thirteen kilometres away from Bajina Basta, on the right side of the Drina river, next to the border with Republika Srpska. In its close proximity is a big power-plant dam where Perucac lake starts. The lake is 54 kilometres long.

Raca monastery, on the bank of the river with the same name, is located 6 kilometres away from Bajina Basta. It was built by Serbian king Dragutin, in 1276. Monastery got deserted during the great migration of Serbs lead by Arsenije III Carnojevic in 1690, when it was burned down by the Turks. In 1784, monk Melentije Stefanovic obtained, from the Turkish government, a decree allowing him to restore the monastery. Eighteen years later, the Turks burned down the monastery once again, because Melentije took part in the First Serbian Uprising. Hadji Melentije was buried in the monastery, and the following verses can still be seen inscribed above his grave: “Wait till I burn Racha on the Drina and execute Hadji Melentije”.

On the southern wall of the monastery there is a bas-relief dedicated to Hadji Melentije Stefanovic, made out of white marble with engraved figure, work of Mihailo Milovanovic from the year 1924.

The interior of the monastery is decorated with frescoes and icons, and the monastery iconostasis with two icons of Jesus and Holy Virgin is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Serbia. On the outer wall there is a memorial plaque dedicated to people killed in the wars 1912 through 1918. Bell tower with three bells, 12 meters tall, dominates the surrounding area.