Šiljak
1,565 m
Serbia
Also known as ШиљакAlso known as
Шиљак
- Elevation
- 1,565 m
- Prominence
- 1,045 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The usual ascent of Rtanj's pyramid: from the former mining settlement of Rtanj (about 600–640 m) on a dirt road and forest path to the Baba pass (984 m), then open zigzags up the bare southern slope to the ruined chapel on Šiljak. About 950 m of ascent, 7 km each way; 3–4 hours up, about 2 hours down. No water on the way.
About 100% of this line is approximate (no mapped trail; drawn from the terrain). Check it against a map before relying on it.
Why? 5 check notes
- 100% approximate geometry
- DIN time down 3.04 h vs published 2.0 h (+52%)
- low confidence 0.4
- Rtanj → Baba: dem (detour, 1.9 km)
- Baba → Šiljak: dem (detour, 3.4 km)
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 5.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,059 m
- −79 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 1,565 m
- Time Up
- 4h 21m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 02m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start in the settlement of Rtanj on the south-east side of the mountain, near the 'Marinko Mitrović' mountain hut (about 640 m). The first 20 minutes follow a dirt road, then a narrow forest path climbs for about an hour to the Baba pass (984 m) on the shoulder below the Baba knoll. Above the pass the forest ends and the remaining 3.5 km to the summit follow well-worn zigzags up the steep, grassy and stony southern face of the pyramid. The path is marked with standard red-and-white blazes and signposts. The summit, Šiljak (about 1,565 m), carries the ruins of the chapel of St George (consecrated 1936, wrecked in 1992 by treasure hunters) and a large cross. Allow 3–4 hours up and about 2 hours down by the same way; the full round trip is about 14 km. There is no water on the south side, and the open upper slope is hot in summer and fully exposed to lightning in thunderstorms.
Start
Rtanj585 m
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rtanj → Šiljak | 5.3 | 1,059 | 79 | 4h 21m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Rtanj585 m
Settlement with the 'Marinko Mitrović' mountain hut; elevation given as 599–640 m by different sources
- Col: Baba1,033 m
Prevoj Baba; the path crosses the shoulder below the Baba knoll (1,008 m)
- Summit: Šiljak1,565 m
Key Passages
- Baba pass
- Zigzags up the open southern face of the pyramid
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 40%Overview
The pyramid-shaped top of Rtanj (about 1,565 m), a lone karst mountain in eastern Serbia between Boljevac and Sokobanja, crowned by the ruins of a 1930s chapel. A steep but straightforward half-day hike from the old mining village of Rtanj.
Rtanj is an isolated limestone ridge in the Serbian Carpathians, rising more than 1,000 m above the surrounding plateaus. Seen from the south, its eastern summit, Šiljak, forms an almost perfect cone, which has made the mountain famous far beyond hiking circles: local legends of buried treasure and modern theories of a hidden pyramid or energy field draw many visitors. The south side is open grassland and scrub that dries out in summer, while the steep north side is wooded and has plenty of springs.
The usual route climbs from the village of Rtanj up the southern face in 3–4 hours; the wooded north-side path from Mirovo is longer and steeper. On the summit are the ruins of the chapel of St George and a large cross, with wide views over eastern Serbia. Rtanj is a special nature reserve; it is home to the endemic Rtanj catmint (Nepeta rtanjensis) and the winter savory sold as 'Rtanj tea'.
Every year around Vidovdan (28 June) the 'Šiljak' mountaineering club, with the support of the Mountaineering Association of Serbia, organises a national night ascent to watch sunrise from the summit, one of the country's biggest hiking events.
Climbing Notes
Any reasonably fit walker can do the south route: about 950 m of ascent, 14 km round trip, 5–6 hours. Wear boots with good grip for the loose zigzags, carry all your water (none on the south side) and sun protection, and avoid the summit in thunderstorms, as the exposed cone attracts lightning. The north route from Mirovo is steeper, with rocky ridge sections, and suits experienced hikers; it is usually combined with a descent of the south side, which needs transport between the two trailheads.
In winter the zigzags are often icy and microspikes or crampons are advisable; the traditional Christmas ascent from Mirovo is organised by the Zaječar mountaineering club. The 'Marinko Mitrović' mountain hut in Rtanj village provides a base.
History
The coal-mining settlement of Rtanj was developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries by the mine owner Julius Minh. After his death his widow Greta Minh built a memorial chapel dedicated to St George on Šiljak, with stone carried up by miners and donkeys; Serbian hiking sources give 1935–1936 for construction and consecration, Wikipedia gives 1932. The authorities removed the dome and cross in 1946, and treasure hunters using explosives destroyed most of the remaining walls from the 1980s, finally in 1992. Rtanj was declared a special nature reserve in 2019.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Winter ascents for equipped hikers; icy zigzags
- Feb
- Snow and ice on the upper slope
- Mar
- Late snow possible
- Apr
- Spring; good walking from mid-April
- May
- Green slopes, comfortable temperatures
- Jun
- Vidovdan night ascent at the end of June
- Jul
- Hot, waterless south face; start early; thunderstorms
- Aug
- Hot; start early
- Sep
- Good conditions
- Oct
- Clear autumn days
- Nov
- Short days, first snow possible
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Planinarski dom 'Marinko Mitrović' in Rtanj village (640 m) has 80 beds, with a 50-bed annex nearby; both are run privately by Milenium grup. Contact them directly; published contact details may be out of date.
- Rules
- Rtanj is a special nature reserve: stay on paths; large-scale harvesting of wild 'Rtanj tea' (winter savory) is banned
- Getting There
Boljevac (also Sokobanja)
Niš Constantine the Great Airport (INI)
- By car: from the Paraćin–Zaječar road near Boljevac take the turn-off to Rtanj village (south route) or to the Mirovo quarry (north route)
Hazards
- Weather