FACTS
The town of Žabljak is situated in the northwest of Montenegro, in the heart of the Durmitor region, at an altitude of 1450 meters above sea level and is highest urban settlement in the Balkans. It is situated at the foot of Durmitor and surrounded by 22 mountain peaks over 2200 meters, with 18 mountain lakes and the Tara canyon, the deepest in Europe. Žabljak with nearby mountain villages has about 4500 inhabitants. It is popular tourist place to enjoy winter sports like skiing and snowboarding.
In 1991. Montenegro has been declared as first ecological state in the world, while Žabljak was selected for its ecological Capital city.
NAME
The first name of city of Žabljak was “Varezina water”, probably due to strong sources of fresh drinking water, around which the villages were formed. Later, it was called by the Inns (“Hanovi” or originally “Anovi”),from the Ottoman period,which were used to shelter travelers and their caravans.
The present name Žabljak gets official in 1870. At the same day when the construction of churches, schools and captain’s home began. In the war days the old buildings were completely destroyed.
DURMITOR
In 1952 Durmitor with its surface of 39.000 ha was declared as a National Park, and since 1980 is officially listed as UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage. Its highest peak is Bobotov Kuk with altitude of 2.525 m above sea level, which makes it the highest peak in Montenegro.
Durmitor is decorated with 18 glacial lakes called “mountain eyes”. At this area is located as well the Tara river canyon, which height is 1.600m above the level of the river, and makes it the largest in Europe. It includes 1,500 species of plants and 130 species of birds. Canyon was declared a World Ecological Reserve.
On Durmitor is represented the diversity of flora and fauna, with many endemic and relict species. The fauna is mostly mountainous and high mountainous type. The area of park is rich with 130 species of birds, 1325 species of plants, 122 are endemic and 150 are healing, while the 40 species of mushrooms are edible. There are numerous sites of cultural heritage: necropolis, Greek and Roman cemeteries, churches and tombstones, as well as the traditional architecture (pastures and shepherds huts, mills).
GORSKE OČI (MOUNTAIN EYES)
Looking at the colorful panorama of Durmitor area, a man cannot escape to think about the origin of this dramatic landscape and influence of powerful natural forces that participated in its creation. A special feature of its clear, green blue shades of the lakes, as is inevitable in all its impressiveness, peace and quiet are entered into a space dominated by rocky cliffs, sharp turn to the sky peaks, gorges, canyons, meadows and pastures.
The basis for the scientific research of Durmitor lakes, Serbian geographer and ethnologist John Cvijićbrought in far 1899. In large part, according to him, the lakes on Durmitor are recognizable element of this mountain, because nowhere in such a small area, you won’t encounter such a large number of lakes. Each of those lakes, which this great scientist called mountain eyes, have their own identity, different according to the origin, size, according to the amount of water in form and beauty of the landscape that surrounds them.
Each of Durmitor’s lake is consider to be an”eye of the land”, and together, they make MOUNTAIN EYES. Staring at them, we measure the depth of our soul.
There are 18 lakes around Durmitor area, and some of them are Vražijelake, Riblje lake, Modro lake, Zminje lake and others.
At three kilometers southwest of Žabljak, connected by asphalt road, largest and most famous Lake of Durmitor is situated – the Black Lake.