Prijepolje | Top 10 in Cities of Serbia

Monastery of Mileševa

One of the most significant Nemanjić and Serbian medieval monasteries is located about 6 kilometers southeast of Prijepolje, in the valley of the Mileševka River. It was built in 1219 as a foundation of King Vladislav, the middle son of Stefan the First-Crowned and the grandson of Stefan Nemanja. Built in the Raška style, following the example of Studenica and Žiča, Mileševa is one of the most beautiful and significant Orthodox monasteries in Europe, which, in addition to its great religious, artistic, and historical value, also has an extremely important role for tourism in the Prijepolje municipality. In the Monastery of Mileševa, the remains of Saint Sava rested until 1594 when the Ottoman Turks transferred them to Belgrade and burned them on Vračar. The tomb of Saint Sava is still located in the first narthex of the monastery church. The special value of Mileševa Monastery lies in its frescoes, and the most famous among them is undoubtedly the fresco of the White Angel, one of the most beautiful works of art of the Middle Ages, not only in Serbia but also in Europe. The significance of this fresco is evidenced by the fact that the image of the White Angel, as a universal symbol of peace, was included in the first video recording exchanged by satellite between Europe and North America. Mileševa Monastery is open to visitors every day throughout the year, with the implicit respect for the monastery's rules as a sacred place.

Mileševka Gorge

Upstream from the monastery begins the canyon valley of the Mileševka River, which has been declared a special nature reserve and a protected area of the first category due to its exceptional beauty and preserved nature. The canyon is nestled between the slopes of Jadovnik and Zlatar and is about 24 kilometers long, with cliffs reaching heights of up to 1200 meters in certain parts. The valley of this mountain river, a right tributary of the Lim River, is home to a large number of rare plant species (Pančić's spruce) and animal species (bears, chamois, griffon vultures, falcons, otters, etc.). In the Mileševka canyon, less than 3 kilometers upstream from the monastery, in the territory of the village of Hisardžik, there is a medieval fortress from the 15th century, called Mileševac. Protected as a cultural monument, the fortress offers a magnificent view of the canyon, and at its foot, there is also one of the oldest mosques in this region, where an authentic copy of the Quran dating back more than three centuries is preserved.

Sopotnica Waterfalls

Twenty kilometers from Prijepolje, in the territory of the village of Sopotnica, there is one of the most beautiful natural landmarks in this part of Serbia. These are the waterfalls of the Sopotnica River, which springs from the slopes of Jadovnik at an altitude of 1150 meters and, after only three and a half kilometers, flows into the Lim River at an altitude of 465 meters above sea level. Such a large altitude difference between the source and the mouth of a relatively short river indicates a significant drop in the riverbed, which is why its course consists of numerous cascades and waterfalls (the largest being as high as 25 meters), representing an exceptionally attractive natural phenomenon. In harmony with the surrounding greenery, old mills, and untouched nature, these waterfalls represent a unique ambient entity of southwestern Serbia. The village of Sopotnica is reached by a local asphalt road, followed by a dirt road branching off from the main road leading towards Bijelo Polje. From the village, there is a marked forest trail leading to the waterfalls.

Lim River

One of the most beautiful rivers in Serbia flows directly through Prijepolje. From Lake Plav in the Prokletije Mountains to its confluence with the Drina River in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Lim River stretches for about 220 kilometers, approximately halfway passing through Prijepolje. As a typical mountain river, it is characterized by clear and cold water with a greenish color and numerous waterfalls in its course that produce a distinctive sound. During warm summer days, it provides an ideal option for cooling off and recreational fishing, while in spring, it offers a kind of water adventure - rafting or boating. Not far from the center of Prijepolje, the Mileševka River also flows into the Lim, making this city extremely picturesque, especially in the warmer part of the year.

St. Spruce on Kamena Gora

Twenty kilometers southwest of Prijepolje, very close to the border with Montenegro, there is a village and a plateau called Kamena Gora. At an altitude ranging from 800 to nearly 1500 meters, this mountain with its enchanting landscapes is an extremely popular destination for rural tourism, hiking, or walks in untouched nature. However, what makes it unique in the entire region, and even in Serbia, is the oldest spruce tree in these areas. The so-called Saint Spruce is between 400 and 500 years old and represents a sanctuary for the local residents, in the truest sense of the word. The tree, 13 meters high with a crown width of 18 meters, has witnessed centuries and major historical events, and before the construction of the village church, it also served as a place of worship. This sacred place of meetings, partings, and reconciliations is not only a natural phenomenon but also a monument of exceptional traditional and historical value, rightfully holding the title of an exceptional landscape.

Necropolis in Hrta

The municipality of Prijepolje can boast significant archaeological and historical heritage. A necropolis from the 14th century is located in the area of the village of Hrta, about 16 kilometers south of Prijepolje. It counts over 80 massive stone monuments (stećak) adorned with rosettes, ornaments, and various medieval symbols. Since there are no traces of writing on the stećak tombstones, archaeologists believe that it represents a family cemetery. Since 2016, along with two other necropolises in Serbia, it has been included on the UNESCO list of protected monuments. The local residents of the village, who have been growing up next to the medieval necropolis for over six centuries, take care of this rare and unique cultural monument.

Clock Tower

Perhaps the main symbol of Prijepolje, the Clock Tower is located on the outskirts of the current city park, at the corner of Vladimira Perića Valtera and Rifata Burdževića streets. It is believed to originate from the late 16th century, from the period when such structures were built throughout the Ottoman Empire, although there is no reliable information about the exact year of construction and the builder. Usually located near a mosque, the Clock Tower has clocks on all four sides, and a curiosity is that the numbers on them are written in both Roman and Arabic numerals.

Ibrahim Pasha Mosque

The oldest mosque in Prijepolje is located near the Šarampovski Bridge and was built in 1572. Its patron, Ibrahim Pasha, was the son of a Bosnian subaša and commander of the Turkish detachment guarding the bridge on the Lim River and the road to Taslidža (today's Pljevlja). During its more than four centuries of existence, the mosque has been demolished several times, with the most significant damage occurring during the Ottoman-Hungarian wars in the 18th century when the entire library and archive of this Islamic place of worship were destroyed. The nearby cemetery, where monuments dating back several centuries still stand, bears witness to the age and authenticity of Ibrahim Pasha Mosque.

Sokolica Viewpoint

At the end of 2016, Prijepolje became richer for another tourist attraction - the Sokolica viewpoint. Built at an altitude of about 680 meters above sea level, on an outlying hill west of the city, this viewpoint offers a place from which you can literally see the whole of Prijepolje, as well as the confluence of the Mileševka River with the Lim River. The blue-green tributary of the Drina divides this city into the fields of Šehovići and Hašimbegovići, while above them, the peaks of surrounding mountains rise endlessly, making the view from Sokolica spectacular. Relatively close to the city and easily accessible with a little physical effort, it would be a shame to miss it when visiting this area.

Famous People from Prijepolje

Vlade Divac (1968 - ), a celebrated Serbian and Yugoslavian basketball player, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, and one of the most successful European basketball players of all time. He started his professional career at Sloga in Kraljevo and, through Partizan, made his way to the highest quality league in the world, where he spent a full 14 seasons playing for the LA Lakers, Charlotte, and Sacramento. He has won eight gold and two silver medals with all the representative selections of Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. After his playing career, he worked as a scout and from 2009 to 2016, he was the president of the Olympic Committee of Serbia, currently serving as the general manager of the NBA franchise Sacramento Kings. As one of the most successful Serbian basketball players of all time, he has donated all his medals to the city's Prijepolje Museum.

Vladimir Perić Valter (1919 - 1945), an intelligence officer, one of the organizers of the People's Liberation War in Sarajevo, and a hero of the socialist revolution in Yugoslavia. His experiences from World War II served as inspiration for the filming of the cult partisan film "Walter Defends Sarajevo," which brought fame to the famous Valter throughout the socialist part of the world, especially in China.