Tara Mountain
Encyclopedia
Tara is a mountain located in western Serbia
. It is part of Dinaric Alps
and stands at 1,000-1,500 metres above sea level. The mountain's slopes are clad in dense forest
s with numerous high-altitude clearings and meadows, steep cliffs, deep ravines carved by the nearby Drina River
and many karst
, or limestone caves. The mountain is a popular tourist centre. Tara's national park
encompasses a large part of the mountain. The highest peak is Kozji rid (1591 m) on the western edge of the mountain, followed by Zborište (1544 m) in the south.
mountains, in a large bend of the Drina
River. The size of the park is about 220 square km with altitudes varying from 250 to 1,500 metres above sea level. The park's management office is located in nearby Bajina Bašta
.
The national park consists of a group of mountain peaks with deep picturesque gorges between them. The most striking of these gorges is the Drina Gorge, with its sheer drops from 1000-250 metres and extensive views of western Serbia and nearby Bosnia. The area is also characterised by karst
caves, pits, springs, and breathtaking vista points.
Forests account for three quarters of this national park's area, some of them being the best preserved and well-kept in Europe
. Tara also boasts a rare endemic Tertiary
species, the Picea omorika, or Serbian Spruce
, which is now protected in a small area of the park. Because of its rarity and scientific importance, it has been placed under national protection. Locally, Tara is home to many different species of wildlife, including brown bear
s, chamois
, roe deer
, lynx
es, otter
s, wolves and others. More than 100 bird species also make their temporary or permanent homes on the slopes of the mountain: the golden eagle
, the griffon vulture
, the peregrine falcon
, the Eurasian eagle owl
, the black grouse
, among many others.
The National Park can be reached from Bajina Bašta directly (by the Bajina Bašta - Kaluđerske Bare road), from Perućac via Bajina Bašta (by the Perućac - Mitrovac road) and from Kremna
(the Kremna - Kaluđerske Bare road). The Drina gorge, which is an integral part of the park, can be toured by boat.
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...
. It is part of Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro....
and stands at 1,000-1,500 metres above sea level. The mountain's slopes are clad in dense forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s with numerous high-altitude clearings and meadows, steep cliffs, deep ravines carved by the nearby Drina River
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
and many karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
, or limestone caves. The mountain is a popular tourist centre. Tara's 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...
encompasses a large part of the mountain. The highest peak is Kozji rid (1591 m) on the western edge of the mountain, followed by Zborište (1544 m) in the south.
National park
Tara's national park was established in 1981 and it encompasses Tara and ZvijezdaZvijezda (Drina)
Zvijezda is a mountain on the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, near the town of Višegrad. Its highest peak Veliki Stolac lies on Bosnian territory and has an altitude of 1675 meters above sea level. Zvijezda lies in a large bend of Drina river, and presents a western extension of...
mountains, in a large bend of the Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
River. The size of the park is about 220 square km with altitudes varying from 250 to 1,500 metres above sea level. The park's management office is located in nearby Bajina Bašta
Bajina Bašta
Bajina Bašta is a town located in the western mountains of Serbia. The town lies in the valley of the Drina River at the eastern edge of Tara National Park...
.
The national park consists of a group of mountain peaks with deep picturesque gorges between them. The most striking of these gorges is the Drina Gorge, with its sheer drops from 1000-250 metres and extensive views of western Serbia and nearby Bosnia. The area is also characterised by karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
caves, pits, springs, and breathtaking vista points.
Forests account for three quarters of this national park's area, some of them being the best preserved and well-kept in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Tara also boasts a rare endemic Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
species, the Picea omorika, or Serbian Spruce
Serbian Spruce
Picea omorika is a rare, local spruce, endemic to the Drina River valley in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina near Višegrad and western Serbia, with a total range of only about 60 ha, between 800–1,600 m altitude...
, which is now protected in a small area of the park. Because of its rarity and scientific importance, it has been placed under national protection. Locally, Tara is home to many different species of wildlife, including brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s, chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
es, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s, wolves and others. More than 100 bird species also make their temporary or permanent homes on the slopes of the mountain: the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, the griffon vulture
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
, the peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, the Eurasian eagle owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Eurasia. It is also one of the largest types of owls.-Description:The Eagle Owl is a large and powerful bird, smaller than the Golden Eagle but larger than the Snowy Owl...
, the black grouse
Black Grouse
The Black Grouse or Blackgame is a large bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal...
, among many others.
Tourism
The main tourist points are Kaluđerske Bare on the north, close to Bajina Bašta, and Mitrovac on the south. Hotels Beli Bor and Omorika, as well as several smaller ones, are located on Kaluđerske Bare, while Mitrovac hosts eponymous children's recreation hotel.The National Park can be reached from Bajina Bašta directly (by the Bajina Bašta - Kaluđerske Bare road), from Perućac via Bajina Bašta (by the Perućac - Mitrovac road) and from Kremna
Kremna
Kremna is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, Kremna had a population of 722 people. Kremna is well known for world famous prophets Miloš Tarabić and his nephew Mitar Tarabić...
(the Kremna - Kaluđerske Bare road). The Drina gorge, which is an integral part of the park, can be toured by boat.