Durmitor

Durmitor (Montenegrin: Дурмитор, or ) is a massif located in northwestern Montenegro. It is part of the Dinaric Alps. Its highest peak, Bobotov Kuk, reaches a height of .
The massif is limited by the Tara River Canyon on the north, the Piva River Canyon on the west, and by the Komarnica River Canyon on the south. To the east, the Durmitor opens to a high plateau, called Jezerska površ (Plateau of Lakes). The Sinjavina mountain is located to the east of the Jezerska površ plateau. The Durmitor is for the most part located in the Žabljak municipality.
The massif gives its name to the national park that comprises it. Durmitor National Park was founded in 1952, and designated as a World Heritage Site in 1980.
Peaks
The massif has 48 peaks above . Highest peaks are:
Bobotov kuk
Bezimeni vrh (Nameless Peak)
Šljeme
Istočni vrh Šljemena (East Peak of Sljeme)
Soa / Đevojka
Milošev tok
Bandijerna
Rbatina
Lučin vrh
Prutaš
Minin bogaz
Planinica
Kobilja glava
Savin Kuk
Šupljika
Lakes
Durmitor features 18 glacial lakes, scattered over mountain massif and Jezerska Površ plateau. The lakes add significantly to the beauty of the mountain, and have been nicknamed Gorske Oči, or "mountain eyes".
Black Lake
Veliko Škrčko Lake
Malo Škrčko Lake
Zeleni Vir
Jablan Lake
Valovito Lake
Vir u Lokvicama
Srablje Lake
Modro Lake
Suva Lokva
Zminje Lake
Barno Lake
Pošćensko Lake
Zabojsko Lake
Vražje Lake
Riblje Lake
Zminčko Lake
Sušičko Lake
Name
One theory of the name Durmitor is that it is derived from Balkan Romance-Vlach, meaning 'sleeping place' (cognate with English dormitory). There are similarly named mountains, such as Visitor (cf. visător 'dreamer') and Cipitor (cf. aţipitor 'sleeper') across the former Yugoslavia.
Another theory is that the name was given by the Celts, and the meaning would be anything from 'water from the mountain' to 'ridged mountain'. Considering the duration of time that the ancient Celts spent around these part and the Tara River (Tara is a Celtic goddess, as well), its name being of Celtic origin, it is very possible that Durmitor is a name of similar origin. Zeta river also has a Celtic origin name ("Loved one").
National park
Durmitor National Park, created in 1952, includes the massif of Durmitor, the canyons of Tara, Sušica and Draga rivers and the higher part of the canyon plateau Komarnica, covering an area of . It is the largest protected area in Montenegro, and it was inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1980.
At long and deep, the Tara River Canyon in Durmitor National Park is the deepest gorge in Europe.
Tourism
Durmitor mountain is the centre of Montenegrin mountain tourism. The tourist facilities are concentrated around the town of Žabljak. In winter, the main activities on Durmitor are skiing and snowboarding. In summer, the activities shift to hiking, mountaineering and recreational tourism. Water sports are also practiced in the area. Some of the most prominent attractions of Durmitor mountain are 18 glacial lakes, the best known of which is the Black Lake and the mountain peak Stožina.
Gallery
References
External links
Official National Park Site
UNESCO World Heritage Site profile
UNEP-WCMC World Heritage Site datasheet
SummitPost: Useful information (Camping, routes, weather etc.)
Photogallery Durmitor and Bjelasica
Dinaric Mountains mixed forests
Mountains of Montenegro
National parks of Montenegro
Protected areas established in 1952
Two-thousanders of Montenegro
World Heritage Sites in Montenegro