Nature Park "Golija" and Biosphere Reserve "Golija-Studenica"
Golija is the highest mountain of Southwest Serbia. It extends along 32 km in the form
of the Latin Letter "S". Its highest peak is Jankov Kamen (1833 m). Jankov Kamen (Pančić J.,
1898) was named after Sibinjanin Janko who left a stone as a Landmark at the highest peak of
the mountain, when he was returning from Kosovo Polje. By its beauty and landscape diversity,
as well as by the conservation of original natural and cultural values, it is one of the most
attractive mountains in Serbia, because of which in 2001, it was placed under protection as
Nature Park "Golija", with an area of 75,183 ha.
The Government of the Republic of Serbia has entrusted the State Enterprise for Forest
Management with the management of the Nature Park "Golija". SE "Srbijašume" carries out
activities for protection, development and sustainable utilization through the Park
Administration, i.e. its Forest Estates: FE "Golija" Ivanjica, FE "Šumarstvo" Raška and FE
"Stolovi" Kraljevo.
Nature Park "Golija" is placed under protection with the aim of preserving the value of
the forest ecosystems, landscape diversity and its exceptional beauty, cultural goods and their
surroundings (Monasteries Studenica and Gradac), permanence and quality of its basic natural
resources (water, soil and plant cover), biological diversity: rare endemic and relic species; geoheritage represented by unusual and attractive relief forms and numerous water phenomena
such as mountain springs, streams and peat bog lakes.
The area of Golija is bordered by the valley of the Ibar River in the East, the Raška and
Ljutska Rivers in the South, the Moravica River in the West and by the middle part of the
Studenica Valley in North and Northeast. It is characterized by the wealth of water and diverse
life. The drainage basins of the rivers Moravica and Studenica with their numerous tributaries
are the main carriers of geomorphologic processes and relief forms.
Golija is embellished by the spacious forest cover, especially by beech forests. Some
parts of these forests are of virgin character. Golija is now the mountain with the highest forest
cover percentage in the country, with the greatest and best forest complexes. Its south slopes
are overgrown with spacious meadows and pastures. In its spruce forests, peat bogs have been
preserved, as specific and vulnerable ecosystems.
In the Nature Park "Golija", whose total area make 75,183 ha, a forest cover is found on
39,528 ha (53% of the Park area), of which 18,460 ha (46,7%) are privately-owned and 21,068
ha (53,3%) are state-owned.
Together with Mt. Tara, Golija represents a refuge of the Tertiary flora in Serbia and it is
a significant centre of genetic, species and ecosystem diversity in the Balkans and in Europe.
The floristic biodiversity of Golija consists of about 900 plant taxa, of which 729 species of
vascular fungi, 40 species of mosses, 117 species and varieties of algae. The endemic and relict
species are especially significant in flora, as well as the threatened species.
Among the conserved natural rarities is the relic and endemic woody species Balkan
maple (Acer heldreichii), which is the synonym for the flora of Golija.
In Serbia, the most beautiful and best conserved communities with dense population of
Balkan maple are to be found on Golija. Except for maple, special floristic significance is
assigned to holly (Ilex aquiifolium), as well as to endemic species: Alyssum markgrafii, Alyssum
jancheni, Pancicia serbica, Viola elegantula i Verbascum adamovicin.
The species Pancicia serbica and Thymus adamovicii are local endemic and they are of
international significance for biodiversity conservation.
Botanically important localities on Golija are: Dajićko jezero, Košaninova jezera, Tresava
na Belim vodama, Palež, Jankov kamen, Ljute livade, Vlaški most, Karalići, Izubra, Bojevo brdo,
Devojačka voda, Odvraćenica, Biser voda-Vranji krš-Lisa-Borje.
Golija is a mountain massif of high biological diversity i.e. one of the important
European centres of ornithological and genetic diversity.
On Golija, there are 45 registered bird species which belong to the group of natural
rarities and about 90 candidate species are registered for the Red Book of Birds in Serbia.
An exceptional cultural-historical value of Golija is the Studenica Monastery. It was
founded in late 12th century, as the main endowment of the founder of the Nemanjić Dynasty,
Stefan Nemanja. With time, it became the most significant spiritual centre of the new medieval
Serb state, with the greatest influence on the social and cultural development of the country. It
was frequently destroyed and restored. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Monastery complex
consisted of 13 churches with supporting buildings, of which only two have been preserved
until today: Church of the Holy Virgin and Saints Joachim and Ann Church. The Studenica
Monastery is undoubtedly one of the most valuable buildings designed by the Serbian nation
and one of the most important centres of medieval events. As its value surpasses the borders of
our country, it has been on UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites since 1986.
The Gradac Monastery was founded in 1268, and it is the endowment of Queen Helen
of the Anjou, princess of French origin and King Uroš's wife. The fact that this educated Lady
spent her life in the Serbian Court had a wide influence on education and culture. She founded
the first girls' school at the Monastery where Serbian noblewomen were educated. Myth and
records testify that King Uroš I ordered the planting of Lilacs along the Ibar River in order to
beautify the landscape in honour of Queen Helen. This is how the presence of Lilacs in the
gorge of the Ibar is explained today. The Gradac Monastery, together with St. Annunciation
Church, represents a unique masterpiece of the medieval Serbian architecture. Such a
harmonious reconciliation of western-Gothic elements and eastern-Byzantine architecture has
never been seen either before or after this masterpiece.
The Monastery was built on an old sacred site, and the only remaining building from the
older period is the small one-nave Church of St. Nicolas. In 1268, the building of the central
church, monastic residence, dining room and monastery fortification with two gates was
started. There are no written documents about the Monastery, its origin and icon-painting. It
was abandoned for a long time and ruined until 20th century. The great restoration of the
Monastery began in 1962 and it has not finished yet.
The Nature Park, with all its natural and acquired values, has fully met the criteria for
being named Nature Park "Golija" and designated as the Biosphere Reserve in accordance with
the MAB Programme ("Man&Biosphere Programme"). By decision of UNESCO committee in
October 2001, Nature Park "Golija" was proclaimed Biosphere Reserve "Golija-Studenica" (area
of 53,804 ha).