Kosmaj (Serbian Cyrillic: Космај, ) is a mountain south of Belgrade. With an elevation of 626 meters, it is the highest point of the entire Belgrade City area Statistical Yearbook of Belgrade 2007 - Topography, climate and environment and is nicknamed one of two "Belgrade mountains" (the other being the mountain of Avala).
Location
The Kosmaj, is located 40 kilometers south-east of Belgrade. Entire area of the mountain belongs to the Belgrade City area, majority of it being in the municipalities of Mladenovac and Sopot, with eastern slopes being in the municipality of Grocka, and northern and north-western extensions in the municipalities of Barajevo and Voždovac.
Etymology
It is speculated that the mountain was named after the Celtic word cos meaning forest, and maj pre-Indo-European word meaning mountain.Serbian Wikipedia article on Kosmaj Alternative explanations suggest the connection to the ancient mountain-dwelling Slavic pagan deity Kozmaj/Kasmaj, the protector of woods, animals and the cosmos. The mountain has never been known under any other name, until it was forcefully molded by the Romans into "Casa Maias", house of Maia, in order to promote worship of their goddess of spring among the locals.
Geography
The mountain is kilometers long and built of flysch, serpentine, and magmatic rocks.Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije; Svjetlost-Sarajevo; The highest peak is also named Kosmaj. It is a low, island mountain, the second northernmost in Šumadija region (after Avala). Until 600,000 years ago, when the surrounding low areas were flooded by the inner Pannonian Sea, the Kosmaj was an island, just as the neighboring mountains (Avala, Fruška Gora to the north, etc.), thus earning its geographical classification. The Kosmaj remains an island mountain as the plateaux around it are low and mostly flat. In the north it extends into the direction of Trešnja, the southernmost extension of the Avala, while in the north-west it extends into Parcanski vis ("Parcani rising"), high ending section of the Kosmaj, which extends into the woods of Lipovička šuma.
There are three peaks on the mountain, each with descriptive name: Mali Vis (little one). Goli Vis (naked one) and Rutavi Vis (hairy or bushy one).
The Kosmaj is source of several rivers. Turija river (and several of its tributaries, including Sibnička reka), which springs right below the mountain and flows to the west into the Kolubara River. Other originate below the Parcanski vis: Lug (or Veliki Lug) which flows to the east into the Kubršnica, Ralja also flows to the east into the Jezava, outflow of the Velika Morava, and Topčiderka which flows to the north, into the urban center of Belgrade.
Human history
In Roman period, Kosmaj was an important mining center, but today the mining activities ceased completely. Evidence suggests that the iron ore was extracted even in the pre-Roman period.
In Medieval Serbia mining began in c.1420, after the Law on mines was issued by the Despot Stefan Lazarević in 1412.
In July 2000, during the excavations for the new sports complex in Babe, a spring was discovered in the valley of the Pruten creek. The new Pruten spring has a capacity up to and by 2011 a waterwork was constructed which supplies the villages of Babe, Stojnik and Ropočevo, so as the complex itself, with the water from this spring. Moreover, during the excavation, a hidden entry into the vast complex of Roman mines was discovered, too, being obscured for centuries. There are evidence of the extraction of silver, iron and lead. In the 3rd century AD, the Kosmaj mines were one of the most important in the Roman Empire, and were administered by the Roman procurator Babenius, whose name is preserved in the name of the Babe village. In the 1970s and 1980s, experts from the National Museum in Belgrade explored the area and discovered many mining necropolis, centered around the villages of Babe, Stojnik and Guberevac. It is estimated that there are some 100 ancient mining shafts on Kosmaj, which go below the ground and are wide. After the Roman period, mining activities ceased, only being revived in the Medieval Serbia.
In February 2022, it was announced that the Serbia Zijin Bor Copper company has been surveying the mountain for possible mining. Due to the bad image of the company regarding pollution, this caused public furor, especially due to the ongoing ecological protests. Zijin immediately backed off, saying they are stopping the surveys and that they inherited the 2012 survey rights and partial permits due to the purchase and ownership changes in some other companies. The government confirmed that on Zijin's official request, it issued a survey ceasing decision. The explored area was the Babe-Ljuta Strana survey field, spreading in three municipalities (Barajevo, Sopot and Voždovac), and surveyed ores included lead, zinc, copper, silver and gold.
Settlements
Except Mladenovac (23,609 inhabitants by the 2011 census of population) on the south-eastern slopes, other settlements, though numerous, are smaller, barely exceeding 2,500 inhabitants. They include Rogača (953), Drlupa (532), Dučina (729), Ropočevo (2,628), Sopot (1,920), Nemenikuće (1,992), Stojnik (567), Babe (348), Guberevac (535), Ralja (2,933), Parcani (619) (in the municipality of Sopot), Amerić (835), Koraćica (1,989), Velika Ivanča (1,532), Pružatovac (859) (in the municipality of Mladenovac), Barajevo (9,158) and Lisović (1,054) (in the municipality of Barajevo).
Wildlife Plants
Together with the Avala, the island of Veliko Ratno Ostrvo and the wood of Stepin Lug (and with forests of Košutnjak and Topčider to be added soon), the Kosmaj is a part of the circle of the protected green areas of Belgrade.
The Kosmaj remained highly forested, over 70%, mostly by the deciduous (beech and oak), and to the lesser extent, coniferous woods. While the beech and oak forests are results of the natural, spontaneous growth, the patches of conifers were planted by humans. Forests cover steeper slopes of the mountain, while the gentler slopes are grass-covered. Foothills are covered in orchards and arable fields. Self-grown plants used for human consumption include bear's garlic, woodland strawberry, blackberry and cornelian cherry. As bear's garlic ( or ) became more and more popular in Serbian cuisine in the 21st century, group picking of the plant on the mountain was organized in the early 2020s, and the Bear's garlic festival was founded in 2023.
Altogether, 551 plant and 300 fungi species inhabits the mountain, including the endangered larkspur (Delphinium phissum) which is on the Red List. Some 150 plant species are medicinal or edible and 5 are under the strict protection. Additionally, there are 30 relics, 10 sub-endemics, 25 endangered taxa and 60 species under the strict control of use and trade. Of fungi species, 80 are edible, 17 are medicinal and 11 are poisonous.
Cleared areas are mostly used as pastures or are being cultivated as orchards and vineyards.
Animals
There are 17 newly discovered species of clearwing moths and it is believed that this is their only habitat in Serbia.
Animals inhabiting the mountain include 13 amphibian, 11 reptilian, 51 mammal and 96 bird species, including the more common hares, roes, pheasants, foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs, partridges and quails but also in Serbia rare, Red Listed corn crake. Wolves, once living on Kosmaj, are extinct from the mountain.
Protection
In 2005, a landscape of outstanding features "Kosmaj" was declared. Protected area covers and spreads in the municipalities of Mladenovac (villages Amerić, Koračica and Velika Ivanča) and Sopot (Rogača and Nemenikuće). The protected terrain is divided in two levels of protection, II and III.
Tourism
The Kosmaj is touristically well prepared for hiking, cycling and touring historic and religious landmarks. It has a hotel, mountaineering camp, villas, etc. Proximity of Belgrade and mountain's gentle slopes, glades and woods are a basis for the touristic economy. Latest addition, since the mid-2000s is a modern, vast resort complex of "Babe", near the village of the same name.
Hunting tourism is also an opportunity, because the mountain is rich in game. Section of the mountain is organized as the hunting ground "Kosmaj", on the territory of the Sopot municipality.
On the top of the mountain, a wooden tower was built and arranged as the observation point. Water spring Hajdučica is a popular tourist attraction. Several monasteries are located in the mountain's downhill: Tresije, Kastaljan (in ruins) and Pavlovac, all over 600 years old. There is a mineral spa on the southern slopes, near the village of Koraćica (Koraćička banja).
There are two monuments on the top of the mountain. One is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of World War I. It is situated at the Beli Kamen locality, just below the wooden tower. It is a memorial ossuary dedicated to the members of the Timok Division, who defended Belgrade in 1914. The other monument was built on the Mali Vis peak in 1971. It commemorates the soldiers of the Partisan from World War II.
Since the 2010s, village tourism developed in the mountain's villages, so as the weekend and excursion tourism due to the proximity of Belgrade. There are also lake and hunting ground Trešnja and public swimming pools "Verona" in Rogača and "Izvor" in Stojnik. Apart from the monasteries ("Mount Athos of Despot Stefan Lazarević"), touristic objects on the mountain include the Sopot Khan and the . Numerous annual festivals are organized in the villages, dedicated, among other, to frula, fiacres, goulash or health food.
Kosmaj monasteries
There were seven monasteries on the mountain, but three survived until today: Kastaljan, Pavlovac and Tresije. Historically, or in folk mythology, they are all in some way connected to the ruler Stefan Lazarević (1377-1427), who died while crossing the mountain. With the Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul in the village of Nemenikuće, Church of Saint Elijah with Stefan Lazarević's cenotaph and several other objects, the Kosmaj's religious and memorial complex is colloquially called "Kosmaj's Mount Athos", a usual moniker in Serbia when a number of religious objects is clustered on one location. The marble pillar-like cenotaph with inscription was erected by Stefan Lazarević's aide, Đurađ Zubović, at the location where Stefan Lazarević collapsed, fell from his horse and died during the hunting.
Kastaljan
Also called Kasteljan, it was built in the early 14the century, during the reign of king Stefan Dragutin, on the foundations of the former Roman castrum from the 2nd and 3rd century. The trade caravan route passed next to it. During the reign of despot Stefan Lazarević large konaks for the travelers were built. The monastery, dedicated to the Saint George, is today in ruins, being demolished in the late 17th century. Excavations were conducted in the 1960s and the 1970s, when the high altar, with carved representation of a deer, was uncovered. Remains of some frescoes confirm that the monastery was painted. A liturgy among the ruins is being held every year on the Đurđevdan. The monastery is "awaiting the reconstruction". The reconstruction started in 2025.
Pavlovac