Rtanj

Rtanj rises to 1,565 metres at Šiljak, its summit an unusually regular triangular peak that looks pyramidal from several directions, and that shape has attracted an extraordinary amount of speculation: claims about buried structures, energy fields and mystical properties circulate widely and were amplified by the 2012 end-of-the-world stories, when people gathered here expecting the mountain to protect them. Geologically it is limestone and the shape is erosion. What is real is the walk: a steady climb of two to three hours from Vrmdža or the northern side through beech and then open rock to a bare summit with a ruined chapel and a wide view over eastern Serbia; the chapel, dedicated to Saint George, was built in 1932 by Greta Minh in memory of her husband Julius, who had opened a mine on the mountain. Rtanj tea, a wild herb from the slopes, is sold in the villages below.

Highlights

• The pyramid summit - the bare triangular peak of Šiljak.
• The ruined chapel - the remains of a small building on the top.
• Open limestone slopes - grass and rock above the beech woods.
• Rtanj tea - the wild herb gathered and sold in the villages.

When to go

May to October for the climb; the summit is exposed and dangerous in wind or storm. Autumn gives the clearest views. Winter ascents need proper equipment as the upper slopes ice up.

What to expect

The climb is steep and the upper section is loose rock with no shade or water. Weather changes fast on an isolated peak and lightning is a genuine risk in summer storms. The mystical claims attached to the mountain have no basis, whatever the signage and souvenir stalls suggest.

Nearby

Sokobanja lies south; Lazar's Canyon is northeast.

Key facts