Majdanpek
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Majdanpek - about
A small town of Majdanpek, with the population of about 11000, is located to the very east of Serbia in the crater of a long-extinct volcano. It is known for its rich deposits of copper and gold, and its mining tradition dated much before the Romans forced their way to this region (the 1 st century A.C.). Copper was obtained by settling method, while gold was obtained by washing sand from the River Pek or by mining veins of native gold . Throughout the Middle Ages the mining in the region continued... In the first half of the 19 th century copper started being mined in an organized manner, based on newly developed technologies. Copper mining and processing industry fully developed in the second half of the 20 th century. Today the town is known by production of highest quality/most durable utility and industrial copper tubes.
The oldest cast copper object (pickaxe shape) was discovered in the immediate surroundings of the present-day Copper Tube Plant Majdanpek. The given object (copper content 98.50%) is kept in the Museum of Mining and Metallurgy of Majdanpek.
In 1882 the first locomotive in the Balkans was constructed in Majdanpek.
Open copper mine at the very entrance to Majdanpek, from the direction of Belgrade, is a vast land surface developed by human hand (surrounding hills and a portion of Mt. Starica). It is an incredible and very rare sight of wide terraces / roads that spread making a huge funnel with a pond at the bottom.
2.5 km from the center of Majdanpek there is Rajkova Pecina (Rajko’s Cave) (just one of 110 caves and drifts recorded by speleologists in the immediate vicinity of Majdanpek). Overall length of the cave is 2304 meters. It is very rich in cave jewelry: stalactites and stalagmites of most varying and fascinating shapes, halls and galleries, cave columns, draperies, drapes... The cave was first explored by the greatest Serbian geographer Jovan Cvijic (in 1894).
At 15 km from Majdanpek toward Donji Milanovac there is a stone arch - overpass, carved by nature (about 20 m high).
Some 30 km to the east of Majdanpek there is Lepenski vir, the archeological site of one of the most miraculous and fabulous prehistorical cultures (this site is rightfully called the cradle of European civilization by archeologists). A great number of monumental stone sculptures (the oldest sculptures made in stone in the entire world) of fish-like beings, made in about 6000 B.C. are kept in this place in the roofed form of original material preserved in the Mesolithic settlement of Lepenci. A part of the rich collection of the ancient sculptors is in the National Museum in Belgrade.
In the vicinity of Lepenski vir (three kilometers downstream) there is yet another archeological site from the Mesolithic Era - Vlasac. The given site is still unexplored completely, but the first findings (signs/letters carved in stone) suggest that further explorations will reveal many ancient secrets and cast new light on the age when human literacy began.
One of the greatest European rivers, the Danube, is the deepest at 40 km point to the southeast of Majdanpek, in the place named Kazan (84 meters). This is also the greatest river depth in the world.
A major part of the National park “Djerdap” occupies the territory of Majdanpek Municipality. Diverse flora, centennial trees and abundance of game (deer, wild boar, wild cat) attract numerous fans of untouched nature. Moreover, the most fish-abundant part of the Danube (catfish, perch, carp) is just the one around Donji Milanovac (25 km from Majdanpek).
MAJDANPEK - BOR RAILWAY LINE
The line is 42 km long with 28 tunnels of the total length 11.305 m, and 18 bridges of the tottal length 2.105 m. The RTB Bor financed the construction of the line because it was interested in reducing ore transportation costs. The line was designed and constructed in relatively short period of time. It was put into operation in 1969.
Majdanpek railway station
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