Povlen Spheres | Natural Heritage of Serbia

About 35 kilometers south of Valjevo, in the area of the village Taor, or more precisely in its hamlet called Mravinjci, you can find a unique natural and geological phenomenon in Serbia, which is considered a marvel of nature in this region, to say the least.

About a fifteen-minute walk from the local road, in the gorge of a periodic stream, accessed by an unmarked steep path, there are rock formations of almost perfect spherical shape.

Well hidden from the world, among the leaves of beech forest on the slopes of Povlen Mountain, these spheres intrigue and stimulate the imagination of the locals, as well as the few visitors who are drawn to the stories about this natural wonder. For generations, myths and legends have been woven around these perfect stone balls, which would sometimes astonish even the most imaginative individuals.

Indeed, inexplicably regular in shape, the Povlen Spheres truly appear as if they were brought to this place by some extraterrestrial force or hand-carved by humans. However, their weight, geological composition, and integration into the environment clearly indicate that their creator is Mother Nature. Geologists have also explained this from a scientific perspective, stating that these forms were created as a result of complex underwater volcanism in sedimentary rocks, during the time when the Pannonian Sea existed in the Povlen area.

Such phenomena are not so rare in the world. The most famous stone balls are found in Kazakhstan, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ohio, and Australia, and there are also some in the Alps and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in Serbia, they are only found in Povlen.

The Povlen Spheres are often difficult to find, which, along with their mysterious origin, adds to their intrigue. There are no signs leading to them, and they are not mentioned in tourist brochures or guides. Intrigued visitors who come to this region for the first time must inquire with the locals for detailed directions, so as not to wander through the wilderness of Povlen.

Once found, it is impossible to remain indifferent to this masterpiece of nature. The first one among them was discovered in the 1970s, quite by accident, during tree felling when a tree, uprooting itself, revealed a rocky sphere beneath it. Over time, the erosion of the stream has done its work, and today, up to 6 spheres can be seen at this site, ranging in diameter from 0.5 to 1.5 meters. There is no doubt that there are more formations like this beneath the Earth's surface.

As is usually the case with mysterious phenomena in nature, there is a folk belief associated with the Povlen Spheres that they possess healing and curative powers. However, even the more rational individuals will surely not be disappointed by the sight.

Therefore, it is recommended to both groups, on a beautiful and dry day, to visit this site with a little navigation and witness another astonishing phenomenon in the nature of Serbia.