Radan Nature Park

The area of the “Radan” Nature Park is located in southern Serbia, between the upper courses of the Kosanica River to the west and the Jablanica River to the south. The central part of the area is occupied by the mountain massif of Radan, after which the entire protected natural area was named. To the east, the slopes of Mount Radan gradually descend through hilly terrain into the Leskovac Basin. The highest peak of Radan is Šopot (1,408 m).

Most of this nature park belongs to the territory of the Municipality of Kuršumlija, while smaller parts extend into the municipalities of Prokuplje, Bojnik, Lebane, and Medveđa.

The “Radan” Nature Park was placed under protection in order to preserve its geological, biological, and landscape diversity, especially the preservation of various forms of volcanic relief and the Lece andesite massif, the highest and largest volcanic complex in Serbia.

The relatively low altitude of Mount Radan has influenced the potential vegetation of the entire area, making it predominantly forested. The flora includes 751 plant species from 91 families and 369 genera, representing around 10% of the flora of the Balkan Peninsula and 22% of the flora of Serbia.

Among the fish species present, the most significant are brown trout, spirlin, gudgeon, chub, loach, and perch. The Radan area is characterized by a relatively rich bird population of 107 species, representing around 30% of all bird species recorded in Serbia. The mammal fauna has all the characteristics of a typical European deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forest fauna and includes at least 45 species.

The wider Radan area contains dozens of cultural heritage monuments distinguished by their period of origin, level of preservation, and artistic value. Among them are: the archaeological site Caričin Grad (Lebane), Šturac; the church site Golubovac (Bojnik), Ivanje; the remains of the Church of Ognjena Marija (Bojnik), Borince; Marino Kale (Bojnik), Magaš; and the Church of Saint Lazarus (Kuršumlija, Prolom).