Djerdap gorge

Djerdap – natural and historic phenomenon

The most beautiful part of the Danube river is where the river and the Panonian sea broke through the Carpaths. Perhaps it was that this influx of water into the Black Sea brought huge water mass through Bosforos and the Dardanels and created the myth of Atlantis. About 100 km long and winding Djerdap gorge is the proof how hard and long was the effort of the river to make its way through the rocks.The first settlers in the gorge were fruit gatherers 9000 years ago in Lepenski Vir, Vlasac and Padina.

Roman emperor Trajan spent much time in the gorge during his conquests in the east and his battles against the Dacians and only after he had made a road through the gorge and a bridge across the Danube, he managed to defeat them. It took two years to construct the bridge 1133 m long which was a great achievement of the time. Only the settlement Lepenski Vir and Trajan's plaque with a part of the road near it were saved from floods. Traces of Roman and Byzantian culture are still present.

This place is also connected with a great Serbian hero Milos Obilic who used to hunt in Miroc mountain where he met prince Lazar. It is said that Milos built monastery Tuman in the vicinity of Golubac.

Four gorges and three valleys form Djerdap gorge beginning with the Upper gorge and followed by Gospodjinski Vir, Veliki and Mali Kazan and Sipski canal. Between the gorges are vast valleys Ljupkovska, Donjemilanovacka and Orsavska. At the entrance into the gorge there is the old town of Golubac and Babakalj rock. It is said that the Turks kidnapped a girl Golubana and took her to a harem. The girl couldn't accept the fate to be a harem beauty so the Turks tied her on Babakaj rock where she died and the town on its steep slope was called Golubac.