This summer, with a group of friends, I visited Rajac, the highest peak of the mountain Suvobor, which belongs to the group of Valjevo mountains. This mountain peak has long been called "Paradise on Earth" because of the pleasant climate, beautiful forests and meadows that adorn its slopes and are a real paradise for lovers of hiking and nature walks, so it got its name – Rajac (Paradise). After a steep climb to Rajac, which we crossed by car, I enjoyed a walk in the woods and a beautiful view from the top.
Mountain Suvobor and the mountain peak Rajac are remembered for the battles that were fought in this area during the World War I. The most significant battles were fought within the Battle of Kolubara, which took place in November and December 1914 between the armies of Serbia and Austria-Hungary. The Battle of Kolubara ended with a successful counter-offensive carried out by the forces of the First Army of Serbia under the leadership of General Zivojin Misic.
As a memorial to the Battle of Suvobor, which took place on November 24 and 27, 1914, a "Monument to 1300 Corporals" and a Memorial Fountain for fallen soldiers from the World War I were made at this place. A monument to 1,300 corporals was made in memory of young, still uneducated officers, who participated as reinforcements for the First Army of the Serbian Army. One thousand three hundred corporals are a symbol of the sacrifice for the liberation of the Serbian country and people because they were made up of young men, still insufficiently ready to fight, who consciously put themselves at the disposal of General Zivojin Misic and bravely participated in the fight for freedom.
There are several caves and pits on Rajac, as well as monuments dedicated to the fallen victims of the World War II. I managed to take a photo of one pit, which seemed creepy, so I didn't dare to approach it. Next to the pit there is a monument which is unfortunately neglected, so the inscription is quite illegible, but it is certainly dedicated to the victims of the World War II.
At the foot of the mountain Suvobor, there is a small town Ljig, where battles were also fought during the World War I, so we continued the tour on a hill near Ljig. We went on this tour on foot, because the destination was not very far from the city center. We also got an unexpected guide, a little yellow dog, who was walking in front of us all the time. The locals we met along the way told us that there is a monument at the top of the road, next to which this yellow dog often sits and howls sadly.
According to the stories of the locals, this monument was made on the place where the Serbian army made trenches and resisted the enemy. When we passed beautiful meadows, orchards and vineyards, in a field at the end of the hill, we saw a monument made by the owner of this plot in 1999. It is engraved on the monument: "To all those who died in the war of 1914, whose graves are on my property and in the vicinity of the White Rocks, D. Sajić raises it." At this point, our guide, a yellow dog, really sat next to the monument and let out sad cries several times.
Before returning home, we went a little further this way and exchanged impressions and information about the Battle of Kolubara, General Zivojin Misic and the heroism of young fighters whose only goal was the freedom of the Serbian people.
Although much could be said and written about this area, this time I did not have an expert who could tell us about the details of the Battle of Kolubara and all the sights of Rajac, but I certainly enjoyed a walk in the fresh air and a beautiful view from the top of the mountain.
I hope you enjoyed the photos 🙂