DOWN THE VALLEYS OF THE RIVERS VISOČICA AND TEMŠTICA

MAP N^o 4 DOWN THE VALLEYS OF THE RIVERS VISOCICA AND TEMSTICA

1) VISOK is an area between the main crag of Stara planina mountain (from Kom in Bulgaria to Midzor in Serbia) on the north and mountain Vidlic on the south.

2) THE RIVER VISOCICA is 84 Km long. It runs through Serbia 69km length, and 15km through Bulgaria. It is the right tributary of the river Nisava. The surface of the river basin is 810 Кm². Visocica constitutes of several springs under the mountain top Kom 2016m in the republic of Bulgaria. It enters Serbia in the municipality Dimitrovgrad 2 km SE of the village Donji Krivodol to village Slavinja and gets its recognizable name Visocica, changing itself into the river Temstica, downstream of the placa where it accepts its right tributary The Toplodolska river nearby the place “Death bridge”, where it changes the iname in the river Temstica..

3) To Slavinje or Rsovacko gorge you can reach by motorway from Pirot to the village Slavinje, and then on foot, without big effort 1200m up the left bank of the Rosomacka river, getting to the jimestone from Jurrasic age 150-200 million years old.

4) The church of St Peter and Paul is situated 22km from Pirot, in the village Rsovci in a cave of Kalik hill. Frescos date from 13^th century, as well as scripts. The church is 7.7m long on the south and 8.10m from the north side. It’ famous by the fresco of Jesus Christ, better known as “Jesus Young” on which He is painted as young and bald.

5) Vladika’s slabs gorge is situated between village Rsovci and village Paklestica, 3km long, starting from Potpec cave, ending at the stream Kozarnik. The gorge is about 200 m deep, the access is hard and it is not arranged for visitors. Felix Calnic wrote about the gorge in 1871, and in the period from 1985-1986, 11 caves were being researched by Stevan Stankovic and his team. The cave TOPLICA, NADPEC, MISJA, VODENA, Nameless potkapina, Vetrena cave (windy).

6) VLADIKA’S SLABS CAVE is about 660m long on the left side of the gorge 86m above the river. The hight of the entrance is 18m, and the width is 12m. 87m from the entrance there are remains of of a building and fortress dating from 1565. The age of siga is estimated to 25000 years. The cave by linden is has been researched to 60m, and it is situated at 125m below the river level. On the basis of the analysis (c14 method), it was proved that FIRE WAS BURNING ABOUT 780 YEARS BEFORE Christ. Trifun’s cave, cave Ladnica.

7) The lake Zavoj is situated at the place of the village of the same name when, after a natural disaster on 25.02.1963, (avalanche sliding of the part of the hill on the right side of today weir at the place Izvorski dol (Spring valey), caused by snow melting), a lake was formed of about 16km length at 612m altitude, accumulating about 160 billion m³.

8) The valley of the river Temstica can be researched from several directions. 10From Pirot direction through the village Temska up to the canyon of the river Temstica to Dead bridge, then right across the lake Zavoj to Pirot. 20From direction Pirot, settlement Provalija, to the weir of the lake Zavoj, then by macadam to the dead bridge, and by road to St George monastery and the Village Temska.

9) Hydro power plant Temac, built on the river Temstica (right tributary of the river Nisava) nearby the village Temska (Municipality Pirot). By 1941 the owners were Dimitrije Mladenovic Gaga and brothers Cekic, industrialists from Pirot. The plant had worked from 12.04.1940 to May 1990, and stopped working as uneconomic plant. The weir in the river Temstica bed is stone and arc, of 5m height and 50 m length, and has got two covers. Water is transported to turbines into input vertical tunnel F-1.60m, 18m long. The input pipe is 37m long, f-1.60m. Output canal from the plant facility is 150m long, to lower flow of the river Temstica. Turbine equipment consists of 3 horizontal turbines type Francis, directly connected to generators.

10) St George monastery is situated 2km away from the village Temska, towards the village Topli Do (Warm valley), or 17km away from Pirot. It is endowment of Dejanovic family from ZIV century. The main part of the church was built before 1576. By monastery wholes, there is a dormitory from 18 century. Balms of medical herbs by traditional recipes are prepared here.

11) One of the bridges on the river Temska was repaired by a Turkish lord, and the bridge would be called Lord’s bridge later.