A pyramid-shaped summit
Šiljak is the highest peak of Rtanj, 1,565 metres above sea level. Seen from the valley it is an almost perfect pyramid, which is why Rtanj is called the pyramid mountain. The summit is bare limestone, so the view opens in every direction.
On a clear day the summit looks over a large part of eastern Serbia: valleys, villages at the foot and a line of mountains to the horizon.
The chapel on the summit
On the very top stand the ruins of a chapel dedicated to St George. Greta Minh built it in the 1930s in memory of her husband Julius Minh, owner of the Rtanj mine. It was built by the miners of the Rtanj mine.
The chapel was damaged after the Second World War, and in the second half of the century treasure hunters blew it up several times, believing legends of gold hidden in its walls. Today stone walls and a cross remain, and the spot is the goal of almost every hike.
How to reach Šiljak
Marked trails lead up from the north, from the old mining settlement of Rtanj, and from the south, from the Sokobanja side. The climb takes three to four hours one way, and the last stretch below the summit is steep and rocky. The best time to arrive is at dawn, for the sunrise.
Before you go
- carry enough water, there are no springs on the ridge
- it is windy at the top even in summer, bring a jacket
- Rtanj is a special nature reserve: do not pick plants and take everything back down
- do not climb the open ridge in fog or thunderstorms
