Avala
Encyclopedia
Avala is a mountain in Serbia
, overlooking Belgrade
. It is situated in the south-eastern corner of the city and provides a great panoramic view to Belgrade, Vojvodina
and Šumadija
, as the surrounding area on all sides is mostly a lowlands. It stands at 511 metres (1,677 ft) above sea level
, which means it enters the mountain category just by 11 meters.
, with eastern slopes being in the municipality of Grocka
, and southernmost extension in the municipality of Sopot
. It is possible that in the near future entire area of Avala will create a separate municipality of Belgrade, named Avalski Venac
.
, though it is actually the northernmost mountain in Šumadija
. Until 600,000 years ago, when the surrounding low areas were flooded by the inner Pannonian Sea
, Avala was an island, just as the neighboring mountains (Kosmaj, Fruška Gora
, etc.) , thus earning its geographical classification. However, the Avala remains an "island mountain" as the area around it, Pinosava
plateau of the northern Low Šumadija, is low and mostly flat. In the north it extends into the woods of Stepin Lug
.
Mountain is built of serpentinite
, limestone
and magmatic rocks, which are injected in the shape of cone
(laccolith
). Other peaks include Ladne vode (340 meters), Zvečara (347 meters), Sakinac (315 meters). The Avala had deposits of ore
s, most notably lead
and mercury
's ore of cinnabarite but mining activities which can be traced to the pre-Antiquity
times, ceased in the 1960s. Avala is also a location where the mineral avalite, named after the mountain, was found. AA greenish mineral, chromian
, magnesian
or potassic
alumosilicate (variety of the mineral illite
), it was discovered by Serbian chemist Simo Lozanić who established its formula. Optically examined by the Israel
i mineralogist Tamir Grodek who classified it as a member of the mica
mineral group.
Despite being only mountain in the area, the Avala is not a source of many rivers. The Topčiderka river, originating in the woods of Lipovička šuma
on the south-west, flows on the western slopes of Avala, while river Bolečica
flows on the eastern slopes. Other minor flows include the Vranovac, a tributary to the Bolečica. Small artificial lake near the village of Pinosava is created on the western slope of the mountain. The settlements in the area are notorious for problems with shortages of drinking water during summer.
, the town of Žrnov
or "Avalski Grad" (Avala town) was located on top of Avala. In 1442. it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks
, which built a new town in Žrnov's place as a counter-fortress to the Belgrade city fort, and renamed it "havale", which originally comes from Arabic
and means "obstacle" or "shelter".
The mountain has been protected since 1859 as a "monument of nature", or, by the modern standards, "sight of the exquisite values". That year, Prince Miloš Obrenović of Serbia issued an order for the Avala to get fenced and protected that way. Remains of the medieval Žrnov were removed in the 1934 to make a way for the Monument to the Unknown Hero
. In the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, the mountain was declared a national park
, in 1936. In 1946, by the ukaz of the Presidium
of the National Assembly of Serbia
, Avala was reduced to the status of the "public property of general benefit" and placed under direct management of the Government of Serbia
. In 1965, a 202 m high Avala TV Tower
was constructed, one of the tallest structures in the Balkans
, by the architects Uglješa Bogunović, Slobodan Janjić and M.Krstić. It had a restaurant-look out on 120 meters. The tower was destroyed during the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. Its total reconstruction began in 2006 and it is to be completed by the end of 2008. The new tower is almost the exact replica of the destroyed one, including the unique three-feet base. Belgrade's General Urbanistic Plan (GUP) for the 2001-2021 period defines the mountain as a sports and recreation area.
(on the south, the largest one, with a population of 28,360 by the 2010 census of population), Pinosava
(on the west, 2,839), Zuce
(on the north-east, 2,024), Beli Potok
(on the north, 3,417), all in the municipality of Voždovac, and Vrčin
(on the east, 8,667), in the municipality of Grocka. A motion is in the process of creating a new municipality called Avalski Venac, which would include all these settlements and possible few others, but Zoran Alimpić, the acting mayor of Belgrade from September 2007 to August 2008, stated that new municipalities will probably not be formed before 2011 or 2012.
and Topčider
to be added next. Protected areas of Avala spread over 489,13 hectare
s.
Aside from the rich animal life, the Avala is known for its diverse plant life, despite not being a tall mountain. There are over 600 plant species living on the mountain. Some of them are protected by the law as a natural rarities, like certain types of laburnum
or box tree
. The area is also abundant in medical herbs. High woods mostly consist of durmast oak, Turkey oak
, hornbeam
, beech
, linden
, black pine
, black locust
and other trees.
Avalski drum ("Avala road") is an extension of the Boulevard of the Liberation, which directly connects the mountain to downtown Belgrade (via neighborhoods of Selo Rakovica
, Jajinci
, Banjica
, Voždovac, Autokomanda
, Karađorđev Park and Slavija
). On the mountain, Avalski drum divides in three:
Sub-Avalan settlements are directly connected to Belgrade by the bus lines of the city's public transportation, with terminus in the Belgrade's neighborhood of Trošarina
.
The Belgrade–Niš highway
, a section of one of the major European roads, European route E75
, runs east of the mountain, through Vrčin. North of the mountain runs Kružni put, the most important road in the southern outskirts of Belgrade, which connects all the southern sections of the city. It is also a projected route of the future Belgrade beltway which would continue through the Bolečica river valley and the projected Vinča
-Omoljica
bridge over the Danube into Vojvodina.
Railroads also run on both sides of the mountain. Eastern branch is a section of the Belgrade-Niš railroad. It runs through the tunnel under the Avala at Beli Potok and then through Včrin. Western branch runs through Ripanj and the long "Ripanj tunnel" (though not under the Avala), and continues into western Serbia and further into Montenegro
, as part of the Belgrade–Bar railway.
Special attractions of the Avala are several monuments. They include:
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, overlooking Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. It is situated in the south-eastern corner of the city and provides a great panoramic view to Belgrade, Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
and Šumadija
Šumadija
Šumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
, as the surrounding area on all sides is mostly a lowlands. It stands at 511 metres (1,677 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, which means it enters the mountain category just by 11 meters.
Location
Avala is located 16 kilometers south-east of downtown Belgrade. The entire area of the mountain belongs to the Belgrade City area, majority of it being in the municipality of VoždovacVoždovac
Voždovac is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...
, with eastern slopes being in the municipality of Grocka
Grocka
Grocka is a suburban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...
, and southernmost extension in the municipality of Sopot
Sopot, Serbia
Sopot is a town and municipality in Serbia. It is part of the wider region of Belgrade, located south of Belgrade at , 177.38 m above sea level. Its name is the old Slavic word for spring which is today replaced in Serbian by the word 'извор'.Sopot is near the mountain Kosmaj...
. It is possible that in the near future entire area of Avala will create a separate municipality of Belgrade, named Avalski Venac
Avalski Venac
Avalski Venac is a proposed municipality of the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Movement :Movement for creation of the municipality began in 1996 and was enhanced since 2002 and successful campaigning for the re-creation of the municipality of Surčin, which split from the municipality of...
.
Geography
Avala is a low, type of the Pannonian island mountainPannonian Island Mountains
The Pannonian island mountains is a name for mountains located in the southern Pannonian Plain, in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. They include Fruška Gora and Vršac Mountains...
, though it is actually the northernmost mountain in Šumadija
Šumadija
Šumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
. Until 600,000 years ago, when the surrounding low areas were flooded by the inner Pannonian Sea
Pannonian Sea
The Pannonian Sea was a shallow ancient sea located in the area today known as the Pannonian Plain in Central Europe. The Pannonian Sea existed during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, when three to four kilometres of marine sediments were deposited in the Pannonian Basin.-History:The Pannonian Sea...
, Avala was an island, just as the neighboring mountains (Kosmaj, Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora is a mountain in north Syrmia. Most part of the territory is located within Vojvodina, Serbia, but a smaller part on its western side overlaps the territory of Croatia...
, etc.) , thus earning its geographical classification. However, the Avala remains an "island mountain" as the area around it, Pinosava
Pinosava
Pinosava is a small town and a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.- Location :...
plateau of the northern Low Šumadija, is low and mostly flat. In the north it extends into the woods of Stepin Lug
Stepin Lug
Stepin Lug or Gaj is a park-wood and, for the most part, non-residential suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipalities of Voždovac and Zvezdara .- Location :Stepin Lug is located on the south-eastern outskirts of Belgrade...
.
Mountain is built of serpentinite
Serpentinite
Serpentinite is a rock composed of one or more serpentine group minerals. Minerals in this group are formed by serpentinization, a hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle...
, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and magmatic rocks, which are injected in the shape of cone
Cone (geometry)
A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base...
(laccolith
Laccolith
A laccolith is a sheet intrusion that has been injected between two layers of sedimentary rock. The pressure of the magma is high enough that the overlying strata are forced upward, giving the laccolith a dome or mushroom-like form with a generally planar base.Laccoliths tend to form at relatively...
). Other peaks include Ladne vode (340 meters), Zvečara (347 meters), Sakinac (315 meters). The Avala had deposits of ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
s, most notably lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
's ore of cinnabarite but mining activities which can be traced to the pre-Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
times, ceased in the 1960s. Avala is also a location where the mineral avalite, named after the mountain, was found. AA greenish mineral, chromian
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
, magnesian
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
or potassic
Potassium
Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K and atomic number 19. Elemental potassium is a soft silvery-white alkali metal that oxidizes rapidly in air and is very reactive with water, generating sufficient heat to ignite the hydrogen emitted in the reaction.Potassium and sodium are...
alumosilicate (variety of the mineral illite
Illite
Illite is a non-expanding, clay-sized, micaceous mineral. Illite is a phyllosilicate or layered alumino-silicate. Its structure is constituted by the repetition of tetrahedron – octahedron – tetrahedron layers. The interlayer space is mainly occupied by poorly hydrated potassium cations...
), it was discovered by Serbian chemist Simo Lozanić who established its formula. Optically examined by the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i mineralogist Tamir Grodek who classified it as a member of the mica
Mica
The mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
mineral group.
Despite being only mountain in the area, the Avala is not a source of many rivers. The Topčiderka river, originating in the woods of Lipovička šuma
Lipovicka šuma
Lipovička šuma is a forest in the outer, metropolitan area of Belgrade, Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipalities of Voždovac and Barajevo .- Location :...
on the south-west, flows on the western slopes of Avala, while river Bolečica
Bolecica
The Bolečica is a short river in north-central Serbia, a 12 km-long right tributary to the Danube. During its entire flow it runs through the suburban section of Belgrade and despite being short it flows through the three Belgrade's municipalities, next to the half dozen of suburbs of Belgrade ...
flows on the eastern slopes. Other minor flows include the Vranovac, a tributary to the Bolečica. Small artificial lake near the village of Pinosava is created on the western slope of the mountain. The settlements in the area are notorious for problems with shortages of drinking water during summer.
Name and human history
In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the town of Žrnov
Žrnov
Žrnov or Žrnovan was a Serbian medieval fortress located on the highest top of Avala, at , in Belgrade, Serbia. At the top Ancient Romans built the outpost, and later the Serbs expanded it into a fortress. Ottomans occupied fort, and expanded and strengthened it for preparations of the attack on...
or "Avalski Grad" (Avala town) was located on top of Avala. In 1442. it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
, which built a new town in Žrnov's place as a counter-fortress to the Belgrade city fort, and renamed it "havale", which originally comes from Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and means "obstacle" or "shelter".
The mountain has been protected since 1859 as a "monument of nature", or, by the modern standards, "sight of the exquisite values". That year, Prince Miloš Obrenović of Serbia issued an order for the Avala to get fenced and protected that way. Remains of the medieval Žrnov were removed in the 1934 to make a way for the Monument to the Unknown Hero
Monument to the Unknown Hero
The Monument to the Unknown Hero is located atop Mt. Avala in the south-east Belgrade perihpery, and was designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović.Memorial was built on the location of Žrnov fortress....
. In the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, the mountain was declared a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
, in 1936. In 1946, by the ukaz of the Presidium
Presidium
The presidium or praesidium is the name for the heading organ of various legislative and organizational bodies.-Historical usage:...
of the National Assembly of Serbia
National Assembly of Serbia
The National Assembly of Serbia is the unicameral parliament of Serbia. It is composed of 250 proportionally elected deputies elected in general elections by secret ballot, on 4 years term. The National Assembly elects the President of the National Assembly who presides over the sessions...
, Avala was reduced to the status of the "public property of general benefit" and placed under direct management of the Government of Serbia
Government of Serbia
Officially the Government of the Republic of Serbia is the executive branch of government in Serbia.-Current government:The current government was elected on 7 July 2008 by the majority vote in the National Assembly of Serbia and restructured on 14 March 2011...
. In 1965, a 202 m high Avala TV Tower
Avala TV Tower
The Avala Tower is a tall telecommunication tower located on Avala mountain in the periphery of Belgrade. It was destroyed in NATO bombardment of Serbia on 29 April 1999. On 21 December 2006, the reconstruction of Avala Tower commenced and the tower was officially opened at a ceremony on 21 April...
was constructed, one of the tallest structures in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, by the architects Uglješa Bogunović, Slobodan Janjić and M.Krstić. It had a restaurant-look out on 120 meters. The tower was destroyed during the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. Its total reconstruction began in 2006 and it is to be completed by the end of 2008. The new tower is almost the exact replica of the destroyed one, including the unique three-feet base. Belgrade's General Urbanistic Plan (GUP) for the 2001-2021 period defines the mountain as a sports and recreation area.
Settlements
Settlements near the mountain are not much populous. They include RipanjRipanj
Ripanj is a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac...
(on the south, the largest one, with a population of 28,360 by the 2010 census of population), Pinosava
Pinosava
Pinosava is a small town and a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.- Location :...
(on the west, 2,839), Zuce
Zuce
Zuce is a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.- Location and geography :...
(on the north-east, 2,024), Beli Potok
Beli Potok
Beli Potok is a small town and a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.- Location :...
(on the north, 3,417), all in the municipality of Voždovac, and Vrčin
Vrcin
Vrčin is a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Grocka.- Geography :...
(on the east, 8,667), in the municipality of Grocka. A motion is in the process of creating a new municipality called Avalski Venac, which would include all these settlements and possible few others, but Zoran Alimpić, the acting mayor of Belgrade from September 2007 to August 2008, stated that new municipalities will probably not be formed before 2011 or 2012.
Wildlife
Despite being officially protected for almost 150 years, it was only in 2007 that a preservation plans for the mountain were made. That way, Avala entered a circle of protected green areas of Belgrade, which also include the mountain of Kosmaj, the island of Veliko Ratno Ostrvo and the woods of Stepin Lug, with the forests of KošutnjakKošutnjak
Košutnjak is a park-forest and urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is divided between in the municipalities of Čukarica and Rakovica .-Location:...
and Topčider
Topcider
Topčider is a forest park and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is divided between in the municipalities of Čukarica, Rakovica and Savski Venac...
to be added next. Protected areas of Avala spread over 489,13 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s.
Aside from the rich animal life, the Avala is known for its diverse plant life, despite not being a tall mountain. There are over 600 plant species living on the mountain. Some of them are protected by the law as a natural rarities, like certain types of laburnum
Laburnum
Laburnum is a genus of two species of small trees in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, Laburnum anagyroides and L. alpinum . They are native to the mountains of southern Europe from France to the Balkan Peninsula...
or box tree
Box Tree
Box Tree is a restaurant located in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England. , the restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Guide.- External links :*...
. The area is also abundant in medical herbs. High woods mostly consist of durmast oak, Turkey oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris, the Turkey oak is an oak native to southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of Quercus sect. Cerris, a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and acorns that usually mature in 18...
, hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
, beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, linden
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
, black pine
European Black Pine
Pinus nigra, the European Black Pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across southern Mediterranean Europe from Spain to the Crimea, in Asia Minor and on Cyprus, and in the high mountains of the Maghreb in North Africa....
, black locust
Black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known as the Black Locust, is a tree in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States, but has been widely planted and naturalized elsewhere in temperate North America, Europe, Southern Africa and Asia and is...
and other trees.
Transportation
Avala is well connected with the Belgrade and other parts of Serbia via roads, highway and railroads.Avalski drum ("Avala road") is an extension of the Boulevard of the Liberation, which directly connects the mountain to downtown Belgrade (via neighborhoods of Selo Rakovica
Selo Rakovica
Selo Rakovica is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac and should not be confused with the neighborhood of Rakovica in the municipality of the same name.-Location:Selo Rakovica is located in the central part of the...
, Jajinci
Jajinci
Jajinci is an urban neighborhood located in the municipality of Voždovac, in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was the site of the worst carnage in Serbia during World War II when German occupational forces executed nearly 80,000 people, many of them prisoners of the nearby Banjica concentration...
, Banjica
Banjica
Banjica is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is divided between the Belgrade's municipalities of Savski Venac and Voždovac .- Location :...
, Voždovac, Autokomanda
Autokomanda
Autokomanda is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located on the tripoint of the Belgrade's municipalities of Voždovac, Savski Venac and Vračar.- Location :...
, Karađorđev Park and Slavija
Slavija
Slavija can refer to:* Slavija Osijek, a former football club from Osijek, Croatia* Slavija , a neighbourhood in Belgrade, Serbia* Slavija , a former municipality of the city of Novi Sad in Serbia...
). On the mountain, Avalski drum divides in three:
- one section is a circular road which goes to the top of the mountain.
- second section continues to the south-west, through RipanjRipanjRipanj is a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac...
, Lipovička Šuma and BarajevoBarajevoBarajevo is a suburban settlement and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Settlements :...
, and makes a connection to the major road in the western Serbia, Ibarska magistrala. - third section goes south-east, parallel to the highway, through Trešnja and RaljaRaljaThe Ralja is a river in Šumadija region of Serbia, a 51 km-long left tributary to the Jezava, the left arm of the Velika Morava river...
and further to the south and east (where it meets the highway).
Sub-Avalan settlements are directly connected to Belgrade by the bus lines of the city's public transportation, with terminus in the Belgrade's neighborhood of Trošarina
Trošarina
Trošarina is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac....
.
The Belgrade–Niš highway
E75 in Serbia
The part of the European route E75 in Serbia spans approximately . It crosses the country from north to south, starting at Horgoš border crossing with Hungary and ending with Preševo border crossing with Republic of Macedonia...
, a section of one of the major European roads, European route E75
European route E75
European route E 75 is part of the International E-road network, which is a series of main roads in Europe.The E 75 starts from Vardø, Norway in the Barents Sea and runs south through Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Republic of Macedonia to Sitia, Greece on...
, runs east of the mountain, through Vrčin. North of the mountain runs Kružni put, the most important road in the southern outskirts of Belgrade, which connects all the southern sections of the city. It is also a projected route of the future Belgrade beltway which would continue through the Bolečica river valley and the projected Vinča
Vinca
Vinca is a genus of six species in the family Apocynaceae, native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. The English name periwinkle is shared with the related genus Catharanthus .-Description:Vinca plants are subshrubs or herbaceous, and have slender trailing stems 1–2 m long...
-Omoljica
Omoljica
Omoljica is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Pančevo municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village population is 6,518 people .-References:...
bridge over the Danube into Vojvodina.
Railroads also run on both sides of the mountain. Eastern branch is a section of the Belgrade-Niš railroad. It runs through the tunnel under the Avala at Beli Potok and then through Včrin. Western branch runs through Ripanj and the long "Ripanj tunnel" (though not under the Avala), and continues into western Serbia and further into Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, as part of the Belgrade–Bar railway.
Tourism
Avala is a traditional picnic resort for Belgraders, but its capacities are not being used much. In 1984 number of tourists was only 15,700 despite over 1,5 million of inhabitants in Belgrade. Some attractions and capacities on the mountain include:- Šuplja StenaŠuplja StenaŠuplja Stena is an suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.-Location:...
, a former very popular children's resort, located on the mountain's wind roseWind roseA wind rose is a graphic tool used by meteorologists to give a succinct view of how wind speed and direction are typically distributed at a particular location. Historically, wind roses were predecessors of the compass rose , as there was no differentiation between a cardinal direction and the wind...
; after the 1990s it turned into a residential place refugees from the Yugoslav WarsYugoslav warsThe Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also... - Avala Tower, landmark TV Tower that was destroyed during the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia, later rebuilt.
- Weekend-settlement on the southern slopes
- Motel "1000 Ruža" in Beli Potok
- Hotel "Avala"
- Trešnja resort, in the southernmost extension of the mountain
- Projected ethno-park above Beli Potok
- Monuments
- Mountaineering camps of Čarapićev brest and Mitrovićev dom
Monuments on Avala
- Monument to the Unknown HeroMonument to the Unknown HeroThe Monument to the Unknown Hero is located atop Mt. Avala in the south-east Belgrade perihpery, and was designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović.Memorial was built on the location of Žrnov fortress....
- dedicated to the unknown Serbian soldier from World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; sculptured by Ivan MeštrovićIvan MeštrovicIvan Meštrović was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor and architect born in Vrpolje, Croatia...
in the form of mausoleumMausoleumA mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
with 8 caryatides (columnColumnA column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s shaped like female figures, in this case each one representing a woman from a different historical region of YugoslaviaYugoslaviaYugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
), it was completed in 1938. An earlier monument was erected in 1915 at the location by the German soldiers, on the orders of Field marshalField MarshalField Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
August von MackensenAugust von MackensenAnton Ludwig August von Mackensen , born August Mackensen, was a German soldier and field marshal. He commanded with success during the First World War and became one of the German Empire's most prominent military leaders. After the Armistice, Mackensen was interned for a year...
. - Monument to the Soviet war veteransMonument to the Soviet war veteransMonument to the Soviet War Veterans is a monument located on the Avala mountain near Belgrade, Serbia. It is dedicated to members of the Soviet military delegation who were killed in an airplane crash on the Avala on October 19, 1964...
- dedicated to the members of the SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
military deputation which died in an airplane crash on the Avala on October 19, 1964. They were flying to Belgrade for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade in the World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, October 20, 1944, as Red ArmyRed ArmyThe Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
forces participated in the expulsion of GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
. Among those killed in the crash were MarshalMarshal of the Soviet UnionMarshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
Sergey Semyonovich Biryuzov, chief of staffChief of StaffThe title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
and defense minister of Soviet Union and general Vladimir Ivanovich Zhdanov. Monument was sculptured by Jovan Kratohvil. - Memorial Park – dedicated to the victims of the World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
- Monument to Vasa ČarapićVasa ČarapićVasa Čarapić, known as the Dragon from Avala was a Serbian voivode that participated in the First Serbian Uprising of the Serbian Revolution against the Ottoman Empire....
- dedicated to Vasa Čarapić, one of the leaders of the First Serbian UprisingFirst Serbian UprisingThe First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
in 1804 and liberator of Belgrade from the Turks, built in Beli Potok, his birthplace, near the mountaineers home Čarapićev brest. It was sculptured in 1991 by Dušan Nikolić.
Mountaineering camp
In the beginning of July (from July 1 until July 10) a traditional camp of Serbian mountaineers is held on the Avala. Among other mountaineering activities, there are competitions in:- OrienteeringOrienteeringOrienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
- ClimbingClimbingClimbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
(on an outdoor Climbing wallClimbing wallA climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
) - Mountain bikingMountain bikingMountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
- Mountain running