| Resava (Ресава) | |
|---|---|
1.JPG) Resava source | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Serbia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Beljanica mountain, centralSerbia |
| • elevation | 1,100 m (3,600 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Velika Morava, west ofSvilajnac, centralSerbia |
• coordinates | 44°14′46″N21°10′23″E / 44.2461°N 21.1731°E /44.2461; 21.1731 |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi)[1] |
| Basin size | 744 km2 (287 sq mi)[2] |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Great Morava→Danube→Black Sea |
TheResava (Serbian Cyrillic:Ресава) is a river in centralSerbia, a 65 km-long right tributary to theVelika Morava.[1] It also gives the name to the surrounding Resava region, theResava Monastery, the coal mines in its valley and the popular tourist destination ofResava Cave.
The Resava originates from theHomolje region in eastern Serbia. It springs out at an altitude of 1,100 m and flows westward between the mountains ofBeljanica (on the north) andKučaj (on the south). In its upper course, the Resava runs parallel to its left tributary, theKločanica, and area around the villages of Strmosten, Vodna andStenjevac is known for many caves (Resava Cave,Sokolica,Crystal, etc.).
The Resava carved a 25 km-long and 400 m-deep gorge, with a central part of it representing a typicalcanyon valley, theSklop. In the gorge, the river becomes asinking river for a while and creates a 25 m-highwaterfall, until recently, the highest one in central Serbia.
In its lower course, the river creates a typical epigene gallery feature, between the hills of Pastorak (570 m) andMaćeha (Serbian forstepson andstepmother). The river enters the Resava region and receives its major tributary, theResavica from the left near the Dvorište village. It passes next to theManasija monastery, small town and regional center ofDespotovac, and turns northwest, into the lower Resava region and western border of VelikoPomoravlje.
The Resava passes through the REMBAS coal mining region, next to the villages of Miliva,Plažane, Medveđa,Subotica, Sedlare, Lukovica and the regional center of lower Resava, the town ofSvilajnac, and soon after it empties into theVelika Morava.
The Resava belongs to theBlack Seadrainage basin, drains an area of 744 km2[2] and it is not navigable.
The Resava region divides in two: Upper Resava (eastern) and Lower Resava (western).
Eastern Resava is located around the southern and western slopes of the Beljanica mountain. The area is partiallykarst, made oflimestone, and as a result of a porous terrain, many caves are formed.
Western Resava represents the extension of the peripannonic area of the southernPannonian Plain. It comprises theResava Coal Mines, with a small towns ofResavica,Despotovac andSvilajnac. Apart from the mining, the area is mostly agricultural.
In the beginning of the 19th century, Resava wasknežina, one of theOttoman occupied Serbia's duchies with limited self-rule. Resava was ruled 1803-09 by thevojvodaStevan Sinđelić, one of the greatest heroes of theFirst Serbian Uprising.
Resava-Morava Coal Mines (Resavsko-moravski ugljeni basen/Ресавско-моравски угљени басен) or shortly REMBAS (РЕМБАС) are located in the lower Resava river valley. They comprise thebrown coal mines ofResava,Ravna Reka,Vodna andSenjski Rudnik in the Resava watershed and theJasenovac in the watershed of theMlava river. The basin is sometimes also referred to as the Senj-Resava Coal Mines (Senjsko-resavski ugljeni basen/Сењско-ресавски угљени басен).
