During our recent visit to Zlatibor, we passed by a village called Mokra Gora (Wet Mountain) to experience a trip back in time. Mokra Gora is located on the slopes of the Zlatibor mountain and is popular today because it is home to the authentic narrow railway called Sargan 8 and ethno village, Drvengrad (Timber Town).
Our first stop was on board the historic train “Chira” which was built in 1924. The train operated on a narrow railway which linked Belgrade to Sarajevo and Dubrovnik at the time. I was quite fascinated how this railway was constructed as the terrain is quite mountainous and includes a lot of tunnels. (The width of the track gauge is only 760 mm whereas the standard width today is approximately 1,500mm – so imagine how it feels! 🙂 ). Today it only operates for tourism purposes and the name behind Sargan 8 is symbolic of the route which forms a large 8 once seem from above.
The train itself is very well preserved and is as authentic as it was back in time. My father made me smile because he reminisced when his father took him to Dubrovnik on this very train over 40 years ago – what a precious memory <3. The train ride is approximately 2 hours with stops in Sarganski Vitasi and Jatare before returning to Mokra Gora. The main stop in Sarganski Vitasi has a lovely cafe built into the mountain (which my father took advantage of and enjoyed a beer). Mum and I however climbed to the top of the mountain to admire the forest and views; there is also a picturesque waterfall located next to the train.
The journey itself is for nature and history enthusiasts as the views are simply to die for, and a commentary is played to explain the history of the train, railway and a bit of history of the region. This is definitely an experience I would recommend – please have a look at our collection of photos taken to go with this experience.
Our second historical experience was a visit to Drvengrad (Timber Town) built by our famous film director Emir Kusturica. The village is also known as Mecavnik (named after the town which the village is located in) or Kustendorf (which is a play on words merging his nickname Kuste and dorf which means “village” in German). The impressive facility is built in a traditional village style and facilities include the Ivo Andrić Library (named after our famous author), an artist gallery, a cinema, accommodation for staying overnight, recreational facilities, a restaurant and cake shop, a souvenir shop; and, a Church dedicated to St. Sava.
A very interesting and creative aspect of the village is that the streets are named after key individuals whom Kusturica is fond of including: Nikola Tesla, Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Diego Maradona, Ivo Andric, Novak Djokovic and many more.
Surrounded ideally by the majestic mountains of Zlatibor, Mokra Gora is an ideal place to step back in time, appreciate history and tradition, and more than anything, take a moment to breathe in the fresh air.
xo,
Marina
Visit Information:
Disclaimer: All views are my own and all photographs are © My Sweet Escapes.
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