| Deliblato Sands | |
|---|---|
| Делиблатска пешчара Deliblatska peščara | |
 Deliblato Sands | |
  Deliblato Sands Location within Serbia Show map of Serbia Deliblato Sands Deliblato Sands (Balkans) Show map of Balkans Deliblato Sands Deliblato Sands (Europe) Show map of Europe | |
| Floor elevation | 250 m (820 ft) |
| Area | 300 km2 (120 sq mi) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Banat,Vojvodina, Serbia |
| Coordinates | 44°53′01″N21°05′33″E / 44.88361°N 21.09250°E /44.88361; 21.09250 |
Deliblato Sands (Serbian:Делиблатска пешчара,romanized: Deliblatska peščara;Hungarian:Delibláti-homokpuszta) is a largesand area covering around 300 km2 (120 sq mi) of ground inVojvodina province,Serbia. It is located in southernBanat, situated between the riverDanube and the southwestern slopes of theCarpathian Mountains. The sands are named after the village ofDeliblato,[1] in the municipality ofKovin. Its main masses are elliptical shaped hills withsteppe grassland plains andsteppe forests.
The Deliblato Sands is the largest sandy terrain inEurope, once part of a vast prehistoricdesert, having originated from the withdrawal of thePannonian Sea. They are home to manyendemic species ofplants andanimals which are rare orendangered inEurope and globally. Due to its forest and surroundings, it was declared aspecial nature reserve. On a national level, it represents a natural asset of special importance falling under protection category I.
It is referred to as the "EuropeanSahara", or the "Old Continent's oldest desert".[1]
The Deliblato sands are an expanse shaped byAeolian processes with significantdune-like relief made of powerful sandy deposits. It is a unique feature in this part of the world as the largest exemplar of the true sandy relief. Dunes are 70 to 200 m (230 to 660 ft) tall.[1] Southeast of the sands is the Kraljevac lake, one of the reservoirs formed around the edges of the region, in an effort to stop movement of the sand. There are floating peat islands on the lake's surface, where numerous waterfowl nest.[2]
The southern section of the sands, which reaches the Danube, is known as Labudovo Okno. It has been declared aRamsar wetland in 2006. This section covers an area of 37.33 km2 (14.41 sq mi) and includes marshes, ponds, meanders, river islands of Žilovo, Čibuklija and Zavojska Ada, meanders of theKaraš river and the submerged mouth of theNera into the Danube. It is one of the most important migratory bird habitats in Serbia.[1]
The Deliblato Sands is rich infloral diversity, it is home to 900 different species ofplants which many are considered by international standards rare orendemic to thePannonian Basin. Regions of similar terrain acrossEurope have beencultivated,forested or otherwise altered, while Deliblato Sands has largely remained untouched. Some of the endangered and endemic species of flora include theBanat peony,steppe peony,Pančić wormwood,bulrush anddwarf Russian almond. Twenty different species ofOrchidaceae grow in this area. Tree species used for the immobilization of the moving sand includeblack locust,black pine,Scots pine and various deciduous species.[1][3]
A total of 200 animal species inhabits the sands. Rarefauna include thedesert ant,antlion,mole rat, andsteppe polecat. The main source of food for some endangered birds of prey, such as thesaker falcon,eastern imperial eagle andlesser spotted eagle, areground squirrels that live in large open grass fields; hence such areas are necessary for their survival. Other noted animals are thewolf,deer,roe deer andboar.[1][3]
Remains from theBronze Age were discovered in the locality ofŽidovar. Other localities (Đurica, Grebenac, Veliki Grad, Mali Grad) contain remains of the habitation from the 13th century BC to the 1500s and 1600s. Roman period is represented with the trench nearKovin (Rimski šanac).[1]
In 1789, Austrian authorities, which controlled the area at the time, dispatched forest engineer Franz Bachofen fromTimișoara to conduct measurements of the sands and complies a report on how to "tame" the sand. At the time, strong winds and storms would carry the sand from Deliblato all the way toVienna andPest.[1] According to the popular myth, Austrian empressMaria Theresa ordered for the fixing of Deliblato after wind brought some sand into her plate while she was eating soup.[2] After a decade of work, Bachofen reported that the sands cover an area of 406.60 km2 (156.99 sq mi), out of which 168 km2 (65 sq mi) is covered with loose, free sand. In order to immobilize the sand, Bachofer drafted a forestation plan, which was accepted in 1818. Since then, almost 300 km2 (120 sq mi) of the sands was forested, but also 250 km2 (97 sq mi) got burned in time in three catastrophic fires caused by the human negligence.[1]
The sand was used as a hideout by theYugoslav Partisans duringWorld War II. They used to build base camps and dugouts where they were hiding after the anti-German actions. Out of numerous temporary hideouts, only one is preserved today. It was an improvised hospital at the locality Čardak. A monument dedicated to the Jews who were transported from Belgrade and executed in the sands by the Germans during the occupation, is also located here.[1]
After the war, numerousYouth work actions were organized in the sands. Until the late 1980s, organized and planned works included immobilization of the sand, formation of the firefighting paths and paving the roads, while the "Čardak" settlement for the participants of the actions was constructed. It was envisioned as a touristic and sports complex in the future, but it was neglected in time and since the 1990s became a settlement for theYugoslav wars refugees.[1] The greenery in the region was almost completely destroyed in the devastating 1996 fire.[2]
"Čardak" was then adapted into the educational-recreational center. In March 2020, the provincial administration decided to use it as the camp for theMiddle Eastern migrants, who at the time numbered 8,500, scattered in 17 camps all over Serbia. Only those from Vojvodina (several hundreds) were to be placed here. Hundreds of local denizens protested, joined by the representatives of the local administration. Though claiming the decision was only temporary (2 months at most), the province revoked it a week later, declaring it theCOVID-19 quarantine instead.[4]
In total there are some 800 households, weekend-houses or rooms in excursion complexes in the sands. This includes a weekend settlement with 20 bungalows, built by the former Glass Industry Pančevo, which is today left to the elements. The chronic problem in the sands is the lack of drinking water.[5]
Extensivegrapevine cultivation spread while the sands were part of theBanat Military Frontier, until 1873. It was said that "there was no house without a grapevine" at the time. There were also large vineyard plantations, like the Pálfi and Sauerwald atKajtasovo, Emanuelovac atDubovac, Wekerle atVladimirovac,Mramorak Vineyards and the vineyard atŠušara. Thered grape was dominant (varieties ofOthello,Trollinger,Sazodoš andVolovo Oko), but also cultivated were thewhite grape (White Othello,Kozje Sise) and therose grape (Dinka). As the cultivation of vines on the sandy soil is an arduous work, many quit cultivation in time, leaving vast empty sand areas.[1]
Locality ofDevojački Bunar is situated in the northwestern corner of the sands. It is a popular excursion place which also includes the only wooden church in Vojvodina, dedicated toMargaret the Virgin, in Serbian known as the Fiery Maria, and an olddolap.Dolap is a type of old water well, powered by animals, mostly horses oroxen. The well at Devojački Bunar extracted water from the depth of 163 m (535 ft).[1]
An artistic colony "Deliblatska Peščara" is organized annually. In decades, until 2019, 432 artists participated in workshops, producing thousands of works, out of which 1,288 were given to the town ofPančevo.[1] Established in 1969, the colony is centered at Devojački Bunar.[6]
The sands was used as a filming location for numerous international and Serbian films:Genghis Khan (1965),I Even Met Happy Gypsies (1967),It Rains in My Village (1968),Who's Singin' Over There? (1980),The Elusive Summer of '68 (1984),Battle of Kosovo (1989),The White Suit (1999),St. George Shoots the Dragon (2009) and some 10 other films and co-productions.[1]
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