Big Prerast
45 m long.
DJUKI — CC BY 3.0 · Anja Ignjatovic — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Danuberiverchild — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Гаврило - Гојко — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Vratna Gates are three natural stone bridges on Miroč mountain in eastern Serbia, two near the medieval Vratna monastery and the third deeper in the Vratna river gorge, about 39 km northeast of Bor in a straight line. The Serbian word «prerast», meaning «outgrowth», is the local name for these rock arches. Stone bridges like these are rare: there are about a dozen in all of Serbia, three of them in the Vratna valley, and they were declared a protected natural monument in 1957. The Little Prerast, about 200 metres upstream of the monastery, is 15 metres long with an opening 22 metres wide and 34 metres high. The Big Prerast, about 100 metres further, is 45 metres long, 23 metres wide and 26 metres high, and the river flows under both. Huge limestone arches bend over the narrow river like giant stone gates, framed by towering cliffs and thick forest that turns gold and orange in autumn, with light falling through the openings to the gorge floor. Visitors walk the gorge path from the monastery to the two arches and cross the river on stones; reaching the third arch takes a longer hike. Wear shoes that grip on wet rock.
45 m long.
Cliffs and forest.
Golden colours.
Vratna river gorge, Miroč mountain, Serbia
Easy to the first two arches.
Autumn.