Bjelašnica ( sr-Cyrl, Бјелашница, ) is a mountain in the
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps (), also Dinarides, are a mountain range in Southern Europe, Southern and Southcentral Europe, separating the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia ...
in central
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. It is to the southwest of
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
, bordering Mount
Igman
Igman ( sr-cyrl, Игман, ) is a mountain plateau in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. Geologically, Igman is part of the Dinaric Alps and formed largely of secondary and tertiary sedimentary rock, mostly Limestone. It is located southwest of S ...
. Bjelašnica's tallest peak, by which the mountain group got its name, rises to an elevation of . Other notable peaks are Krvavac (), Mali Vlahinja (), and Hranisava (). The Bjelašnica range is bordered by the
Rakitnica Rakitnica may refer to:
* Rakitnica (Neretva), a tributary of the Neretva river in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Rakitnica, Trnovo, a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Rakitnica, Ribnica, a village in Slovenia
* Rakitnica, Demir Hisar, a village in No ...
in the south, the
Neretva
The Neretva (, sr-Cyrl, Неретва), also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four Hydroelectricity, hydroelectric power plants with Dam, large dams (higher than 15 metres) provide flood ...
in the west, Mount Igman in the north-east and Mount Ivan in the north-west. Only at 20 minutes distance of Sarajevo, it is a tourist attraction for
hiking
A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time.
"Hi ...
and
skiing
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...
.
Bjelašnica was, in certain areas, the site of extensive combat during the 1992–95
Siege of Sarajevo
The siege of Sarajevo () was a prolonged military blockade of Sarajevo, the capital of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the ethnically charged Bosnian War. After it was initially besieged by Serbian forces of the Yugoslav People's Arm ...
and particular areas pose a high mine risk. There are numerous trails set up and maintained by local mountain clubs that lead to the bald peaks higher up. The mountain is also visited by
mountain bikers and has become a base for some
paragliders
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness or in ...
.
Etymology
The mountain's name stems from the root ''bijel'', which means "white".
Geology
Geologically, Bjelašnica is part of the Dinaric Alps and formed largely of secondary and tertiary sedimentary rock, mostly limestone and dolomite.
Climate and vegetation
The white snow cupola of Bjelašnica is a familiar sight from the higher points in Sarajevo from mid-October until early June. Bjelašnica's base is largely forested with mostly
beech
Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...
. However, there are no trees above the 1,500 metre tree line.
Bjelašnica has an
alpine tundra climate
The tundra climate is a polar climate sub-type located in high latitudes and high mountains. It is classified as ET according to the Köppen climate classification. It is a climate which at least one month has an average temperature high enough ...
(
ET) with long, cold winters lasting for most of the year and short, cool summers. During winter, snowfall is extremely heavy and very constant, falling on most winter days.
Weather station
Bjelašnica summit is easily recognizable from a distance by the structures that have been erected on top of it. After the
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
occupied
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
following the
Congress of Berlin
At the Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878), the major European powers revised the territorial and political terms imposed by the Russian Empire on the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of San Stefano (March 1878), which had ended the Rus ...
in 1878, the Austrians installed almost immediately the first
meteorological station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include tempera ...
on the summit in 1878, creating the first meteorological station in the whole area of the
Balkans
The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
. This structure was replaced in 1894 by a more advanced meteorological
observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed.
Th ...
with an all-year around manning. The observatory is still there, has been repaired of the damage sustained during the
Bosnian war
The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...
, and still functions as an important chain-link in the meteorological survey of the Balkans. The communications centre with its landmark tower that used to stand next to the observatory was destroyed in 1993. The remains of the destroyed tower were removed in 2006.
1984 Winter Olympics
During the
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games (Serbo-Croatian language, Serbo-Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: ; ) and commonly known as Sarajevo '84 (Serbian Cy ...
, Bjelašnica hosted the men's
alpine skiing
Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel Ski binding, bindings, unlike other types of skiing (Cross-country skiing, cross-country, Telemark skiing, Telemark, or ski jumping) ...
events, where brash
Bill Johnson (
USA) won the
downhill after boldly predicting victory, overtaking Swiss ski legend
Peter Müller who took silver. The American twins
Phil
Phil may refer to:
* Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names
* Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil"
* Phil, Kentucky, United States
* Phil (film), ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film
* -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as ...
and
Steve Mahre took gold and silver in the
slalom at Bjelašnica. Switzerland's
Max Julen surprisingly took the gold in the
Giant Slalom
Giant slalom (GS) is an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding competitive discipline. It involves racing between sets of poles ("gates") spaced at a greater distance from each other than in Slalom skiing, slalom but less than in Super-G.
Giant sl ...
, while the silver went to the
Yugoslav favorite
Jure Franko. Major investment was done by the Yugoslav authorities in order to accommodate the Winter Olympics. The Babin Dol area was developed for the necessary construction and a long main ski lift was built from Babin Dol up to the Bjelašnica summit. In preparation of the Games, a road was constructed across the Igman plateau connecting Sarajevo through Hadžići to the Malo Polje, Veliko Polje and Babin Dol venues. The Babin Dol area has several structures dating from that time, including the renowned Maršal (then: Famos) Hotel and most of the skiing facilities in the area.
FIS World Cup events took place on 18 January 1983 and 21–22 March 1987. In
1983
1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
it was only the downhill (winner:
Gerhard Pfaffenbichler, before
Steve Podborski
Stephen Gregory Podborski (born July 25, 1957) is a Canadian former World Cup and Olympic downhill ski racer.
Racing career
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Podborski started skiing at the age of two and a half at Craigleith Ski Club in Craigl ...
and
Franz Klammer
Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. He dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975– 78). He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, ...
) that was done. In
1987
Events January
* January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency.
* January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade.
* January 3 – Afghan leader ...
contests were done in Men's Slalom (winner:
Grega Benedik) and Giant Slalom, Men's (winner:
Marc Girardelli
Marc Girardelli (born 18 July 1963) is an Austrian–Luxembourgish former alpine ski racer, a five-time World Cup overall champion who excelled in all five alpine disciplines.
Biography
Born in Lustenau, Austria into a family originally from ...
) and Women's (tied victory:
Maria Walliser and
Vreni Schneider)
Other
FIS events have taken place and are still taking place at Bjelašnica.
Bosnian War (1992–95)
The strategic value of Bjelašnica summit, overlooking the Igman plateau, had already been recognized by the
JNA and Yugoslav leadership headed by
Marshal Tito. A large
radar
Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
site was constructed on a subsummit of the Vlahinja ridge, while a communications centre and tower was constructed next to the weather station on the nearby Bjelašnica summit.
Bjelašnica was throughout the course of the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...
an area of major strategic importance as part of the
Siege of Sarajevo
The siege of Sarajevo () was a prolonged military blockade of Sarajevo, the capital of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the ethnically charged Bosnian War. After it was initially besieged by Serbian forces of the Yugoslav People's Arm ...
. The territory covered by the Bjelasnica range and the Igman plateau between
Konjic
Konjic ( sr-Cyrl, Коњиц) is a List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, city located in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in no ...
and the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
-controlled
Sarajevo Airport was from the outset of the conflict controlled by the
ARBiH. By mid-1993, the central plateau of Igman came under increased Serb military pressure, when the suspicion became stronger that the area had become a major logistical artery of the besieged city, as a result of the construction of the
Sarajevo tunnel
The Sarajevo Tunnel ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Sarajevski tunel, Сарајевски тунел, label=), also known as the Tunnel of Salvation ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Tunel spasa, Тунел спаса, link=no) and the Tunnel of Hope, was a tunnel constructed bet ...
.
A major
VRS offensive started in July 1993 that led to the fall of
Trnovo, and on 4 August 1993, Serb forces captured the Bjelašnica summit and part of the Igman supply road. The VRS advance was stopped under threat of
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
airstrikes. After tense negotiations the VRS retreated from the Bjelašnica summit, but not without blowing up the communications tower first. French
United Nations Protection Force
The United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR; also known by its French acronym FORPRONU: ''Force de Protection des Nations Unies'') was the first United Nations peacekeeping force in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav War ...
(UNPROFOR) units were stationed on Bjelašnica, and the Igman area was declared a
Demilitarized Zone
A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between states, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or boundary ...
(DMZ) by the UN.
The situation around the frontlines in nearby
Treskavica and around Babin Dol, remained explosive with violent exchanges of hostilities between VRS and ARBiH units. The villages on the southern slopes of Bjelašnica, like
Umoljani and
Lukavac
Lukavac ( cyrl, Лукавац) is a city located in the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the urban centre has a population of 12,061 inhabitants, with 44 ...
were not in the frontline, but sustained heavy damage from shelling. Discussion about real or alleged use by ARBiH forces of the Igman DMZ was an issue of constant contention, between UNPROFOR Commander
General Michael Rose, ARBiH
General Rasim Delić, and VRS Commander
Ratko Mladić.
By mid-1995, the military situation became very tense again, and in August 1995 the VRS launched another offensive, forcing UNPROFOR from the Bjelasnica ridge and advancing through Babin Dol towards Veliko Polje. However, after the second
Markale shelling, on August, 30, NATO started
Operation Deliberate Force
Operation Deliberate Force was a sustained air campaign conducted by NATO, in concert with the UNPROFOR ground operations, to undermine the military capability of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS), which had threatened and attacked UN-desig ...
, in which NATO aircraft engaged VRS Command & Control facilities and other targets. Also the VRS-held radar station on Vlahinja ridge was completely destroyed during these air strikes that lasted until 14 September 1995, when the air strikes were suspended to allow the implementation of the withdrawal of VRS heavy weapons from the Sarajevo exclusion zone, effectively ending the Siege of Sarajevo.
Mine risks
Extensive
de-mining activities have taken place around recreational areas and especially around the existing ski runs, which can be considered safe by all means. The largest part of the Bjelašnica range remained largely spared from warfare and the mine risk is therefore minimal within the area west of the Bjelašnica summit and east of the Hranisava mountain.
Gallery
File:Bjelasnica summit seen from Josipova Staze.JPG, Bjelašnica summit as seen from Josipova Staze
File:Bjelasnica, View from Krvavac summit.JPG, View from Krvavac summit
File:View from Hranisava summit.JPG, View from Hranisava summit
File:View on the Bjelasnica main ridge from the trail above Rakitnica Canyon..JPG, View of Umoljani and the Bjelašnica main ridge from the trail above Rakitnica Canyon
File:Mount Bjelašnica (snowy peaks).JPG, Mount Bjelašnica (snowy peaks) view from Sarajevo
Bjelašnica Olympic Mountain Ski Centre
The
Bjelašnica Olympic Mountain Ski Centre and its facilities are all located on the eastern slope of Bjelašnica main summit. There are 6 lifts, with one modern three-seat carrier lift departing from Babin Dol, three anchor lifts and two remaining single saucer lifts. Next to the original 3100 meter Olympic Downhill run and the Giant Slalom run there are four more pistes varying in length between 3200 and 550 meters and covering all difficulty levels between blue-red-black. A lot of investment has been done to develop the Ski Centre and the Babin Dol area since the era directly following the
Dayton Agreement
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement or the Dayton Accords ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Dejtonski mirovni sporazum, Дејтонски мировни споразум), and colloquially kn ...
, with another peak during the last couple of years. New hotels, apartment complexes and restaurants have turned this area into a modern ski resort. The latest redevelopment has seen the replacement of the old ski lift with two modern ski lifts and a state of the art snow production system, ready to operate for the 2017/2018 ski season. This was done as part of the preparations for the
2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, which was hosted by
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
and
Istočno Sarajevo in February 2019.
Hiking
The Bjelašnica range consists of basically three
ridge
A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...
s, the Vlahinja ridge, the Strug ridge and a more southern ridge parallel to the Rakitnica and separated from the other ridges by a wide valley called Dugo Polje. A number of hikes exist in these mountains. One trail approaches the Bjelašnica main summit (2,067 m.) from the north and is called Josipova Staza after its most famous hiker:
Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...
. From the main summit a ridge walk leads north-east towards the summit of Mala Vlahinja (2,055 m.). The last summit of this ridge in the west is called Hranisava (1,964 m.) and can be better ascended to by a trail starting in the hamlet of Lokve, between Hadžići and Pazarić. This offers a hike towards a view from this most western summit of the Bjelašnica range. Another hike departs from Dugo Polje and leads via a difficultly retrieved trail through thick shrubs of
Pinus Mugo
''Pinus mugo'', known as dwarf mountain pine, mountain pine, scrub mountain pine, Swiss mountain pine, bog pine, creeping pine, or mugo pine, is a species of conifer, native to high elevation habitats from southwestern to Central Europe and Sou ...
the summit of Krvavac (2,061 m.). One of the hikes leads parallel to the Rakitnica Canyon, departing from
Umoljani and ending at
Lukomir, known to be the last all-year-through inhabited semi-nomadic settlement at this altitude in the Balkans. There is quite a number of well equipped mountain huts to be found within this mountain group. Stanari P.D. (1,540 m.) is an excellent base for hikes in the central-western part of the mountain range. There are other mountain huts at Sitnik, Umoljani and Lukomir that might require prior reservation.
[Listing of mountain huts at ww.behremplaninar.com]
See also
*
Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
References
Bibliography
History
*
Alpinism bibliography
*
External links
Summitpost page on BjelašnicaBjelasnica.ba- official site
History page of the website of the Hydro-Meteorological Service of the BiH Federation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bjelasnica
Venues of the 1984 Winter Olympics
Olympic alpine skiing venues
Mountains of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ski areas and resorts in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Two-thousanders of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina