Where nature is being kept in its most beautiful form, where landscapes are painted in diverse forests, deep gorges, and the most fragrant flower meadows, there is a symbol of Kamena Gora and a silent witness of past times – The Holy Pine.
The area of Kamena gora belongs to the part of Dinaric Mountains of Stari Vlah in the far southwest of Serbia, on the territory of Prijepolje municipality, 20 km from Prijepolje. It is on the border with Montenegro and municipalities of Pljevlja and Bijelo Polje. The protected area has 7,762.33 ha.
The area of exceptional nature values was adopted by Decree on the Designation of the Special Nature Reserve by Government of Republic of Serbia in 2014 and it was placed in the second category, of regional significance. The name of Kamena Gora is compound based on landscape where place is located, and that is the forest on a rocky mountain, or forest on a stone.
The Holy Pine is located in the village of Kamena Gora, situated on its eponymous mountain, near Prijepolje. Sitting at 1,496 m above sea level, Ravna Gora is the highest point of the mountain. To be clear, this isn’t the same Ravna Gora associated with the WWII Chetnik movement associated with Dragoljub Mihailovic. That Ravna Gora is located on a different mountain further north.
The vast sloping landscape of Kamena Gora is home to vivid scenery created by the centuries-old thick forestry. Visit during spring or summer to properly experience the array of bright colors on offer and to treat your nostrils to the refreshing fragrance of mountain air. Along the way, you will witness local livestock grazing along the meadows, completing a peaceful setting. Though, allow your inner adventurer to take over and a few more exciting treats await.
Legend says that inside the pine there is a message left by former residents of Kamena Gora. In the letter are supposedly reasons why they left sealed with a vax. The old transcript has eventually ingrown to the tree, leaving behind a forever kept secret.
No matter whether the belief about the miraculous foundation was true or not, what’s obvious at a first glimpse of its thick forests and clear sources is that it is truly one of the most beautiful places in Serbia.