Elevate August 2019 | Air Serbia

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(St. Nicholas), Blagovještenje (Annunciation) and Ilinje (Elijah). In the gorge itself is the Kađenica cave-church refuge and Savinje Chapel – ded- icated to Saint Sava. This is why the gorge that separates Kablar and Ovčar is known as the lit- tle Serbian Holy Mountain. Legend has it that Saint Sava himself actually lived in the Savinje Chapel during one period, and that the water that springs up there has healing properties. It is believed that the water under the stone will only be found by people who are without sin, while sinners will be left thirsty. On the right bank of the river is Kađenica Cave. It is also considered a sacred site by the people. Many written documents testify to Ovčar Spa having been Serbia’s largest and most fa- mous spa in the Middle Ages. Turkish travel writ- er Evliya Çelebi noted in 1662: “In the vicinity of this settlement, in mountains with rich trees, there are baths in the village of Banja. Back dur- ing the era of Christian kings, on these healing waters were erected a magnicent high dome, a large pool, numerous coolers, bathing rooms and changing rooms. Here each year, during the time of watermelons, gather forty to fty thou- sand souls, who trade. It is a magnicent resort and place of enjoyment”. And from the top of Kablar extends a beau- tiful view of Ovčar Spa and the meanders that are formed by the Western Morava as it winds for some 16 kilometres between the vertical walls of the mountains. Many consider this the most beautiful observation point in Serbia. For those who fear heights, the view of the natural beauty of the Ovčar-Kablar Gorge is more beautiful from the water. While the catamaran slides across Medjuvršje Lake, the colourful pic- tures shift from mountain landscapes and the monasteries nestled along the slopes of Kablar and Ovčar. It is said that these places of worship were built on steep slopes and in inaccessible plac- es so that the Turks would not notice them, which is why most of them are reached via the river.

A s vrha Kablara pruža se prekra- san pogled na Ovčar banju i meandre koje pravi Zapadna Morava dok viju- ga nekih 16 kilometara između oko- mitih planina. Za mnoge, to je naj- lepši vidikovac u Srbiji. Onima koji se plaše visine, po- gled na prirodne lepote Ovčarsko-ka- blarske klisure lepši je s vode. Dok katamaran klizi jezerom Međuvršje, promiču živopisne slike planinskih pejzaža i manastira načičkanih po pa- dinama Kablara i Ovčara. Kažu da su bogomolje pravljene na strmim i ne- dostupnim mestima da ih Turci ne bi primetili, pa se do većine dolazi s reke. Siva čaplja (Ardea cinerea) jedan je od simbola Ovčarsko-kablarske klisure. Retka vrsta, ima ih najviše 70 The Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is one of the symbols of the Ovčar-Kablar Gorge. A rare species, only a maximum of 70 are still in existence

CENTENNIAL PINE ACCESSED WISHES

Respite at Nikolje Monastery, the oldest church in this area, which can be reached by road or by boat via the river, will enrich the soul of every traveller. It is not well known that Petar Obrenović, son of rstborn Prince Miloš, was bur- ied in the churchyard of this monastery. Chroni- clers noted that after the failure of the First Serbi- an Uprising, the prince brought Princess Ljubica and his children to Nikolje Monastery, to get them away from the Turks. Hiding from the enemy in various mountain refuges, Miloš’s then ve- year-old son fell ill and died. A small tombstone in the entranceway of Nikolje Monastery testi- es to this event. There is a belief that those who visit the cen- tennial pine in the yard of this church and say a prayer will have their wish granted. But only if that wish is truly honest.

STOLETNI BOR ISPUNJAVA ŽELJE

Predah u manastiru Nikolje, naj- starijoj crkvi u tom kraju, do koje se može doći putem ili brodićem s reke, oplemeniće dušu svakog putnika namernika. Malo je po- znato da je u dvorištu manastira sahranjen Petar Obrenović, prve- nac kneza Miloša. Hroničari su za- beležili da je knez nakon propasti Prvog srpskog ustanka u Nikolje doveo kneginju Ljubicu i decu da

bi ih sklonio od Turaka. Krijući se od neprijatelja po planinskim zbe- govima, Milošev tada petogodiš- nji sin razboleo se i umro. O tom događaju u porti Nikolja svedoči mala nadgrobna ploča. Postoji verovanje da se onome ko obiđe stoletni bor u dvorištu ove crkve i izgovori molitvu ispunjava želja. Ali samo ako je ta želja zai- sta iskrena.

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