Museum of Local History in Bijelo Polje

Learn something new about the history and culture of Bijelo Polje, from the oldest days up to the present day, through findings from archaeological localities from the periods of prehistory, the ancient world and the Middle Ages.

In the museum, you can also have a look at exhibits that show the richness of ethnic creativity in this area. A part of the permanent exhibition, which is located in the Bijelo Polje High School built in 1905, is an exhibition of copies of paintings produced by the well known painter family Lazović during the 19th century, as well as an exhibition of contemporary painters from Bijelo Polje.

Church of St. Apostle Peter

Church of the St. Apostle Peter was built by the Hum Prince Miroslav, brother of Stefan Nemanja. Inscription in stone dedicated to the founder contains no data about the year when it was built, but it is assumed to have been built in 1190. During the riots in Hum in 1252 seat of the Hum eparchy was transferred from the Monastery of Virgin Mary in Ston to the Church of Saint Apostle Peter by the river Lim. 

At that time, Miroslav’s Gospel, one of the most beautiful hand-written books in the world, was written for this monastery. The original is kept in the National Museum in Belgrade, and phototype edition is kept in the Church of the Saint Apostle Peter.

This church belongs to the complex of Rascian sacred wholes. This is a Romanic church with Byzantine cruciform scheme. The church has a single nave with dome. Bluish cut stone laid in horizontal lines was used to build the walls. The Church of St. Peter was rebuilt and upgraded several times. The Turks turned it into a mosque. Today original shape of the church is partially recovered. 

The Church of St. Nicholas in Nikoljac

No one today can say for sure when the foundation of the church of St. Nicholas in Nikoljac, near Bijelo Polje, was laid. The only thing that is certain is the fact that historical records from the 16th and 17th century mention the settlement and monastery under the name Nikoljac. This church was known as a centre of monks famous for cribbing skill.

Interior of the church, decorated with fresco painting in the 1670s, is almost completely preserved. Icons of the richly carved iconostasis are the works of our famous masters: Kosmas, Radule, Maksim Tujković and Simeon Lazović. The treasury of Nikoljac is rich and diversified (icons, metal ritual objects and books).

Mouth of the River Bistrica into the River Lim

A piece of funnel-shaped expanded land, where the river Bistrica disappears and joins the river Lim, which takes its name away, is called Ušće (the Mouth).

Hatchery is placed at the mouth of the river Bistrica into Lim. In recent years, several angling competitions were organized, and the event “Days of Fish Soup” is particularly attractive and highly attended where guests have the opportunity to eat fish soup, grilled fish, smoked fish and have drinks all accompanied with songs and music form the accordion and clarinet.

Valley of Ušće is suitable for picnic tourism, and particularly weekend tourism – for families and groups of friends. The most common are family gatherings where grilled culinary specialties are prepared.

Cave Osoja

It is located in the village Dobrakovo, about 14.5 km from Bijelo Polje on the border with Serbia. It is a branched cave and its entrance is at an altitude of 870 meters. The cave is 315 meters long and 83 meters deep. It can be easily reached. Only some 100 meters, called Osoje grlo (Osoje Throat) are difficult to pass since there are two minor passing through which is followed by a 5-meter long vertical which can be passed through by rope.  

This passage is followed by a hall called Sniježni čovjek (Snowman) which is 55 meter long, 5 to 10 meters wide and its height is 9 to 13 meters. In the center of the hall there is a huge 6-meter tall statue of a snowman after which the cave was named. The hall is about 44 meters deep and from there it can be descended by a 13 meters long vertical to the corridor of spirits. From this point the cave branches into two parts. One branch leads through Koralni prolaz (Coral Corridor) to a nice hall called “Med i mlijeko” (“Honey and Milk”) which is abundant with cave ornaments and helictites specific for growing in all directions. Apart from that there are layers of the so-called cave milk after which this hall was named. Another branch leads to Pakleni kanal (Hell Channel) which is characteristic for a lot of mud and difficult passages. That channel ends at the depth of 83 meters with one periodical syon. One channel in the Snowman hall is still unexplored. A legend says that it goes under the river Lim and that it is connected with monastery Kumanica which is placed on the other side and that the passage was allegedly used to hide treasure from the monastery but research have not confirmed this theory.  

Dalovica Cave

The Dalovica cave is located at 40th kilometre from Bijelo Polje, in the river Bistrica Canyon. Nearly 16 kilometres of the cave have been explored so far. When getting to Bijelo Polje a few signs to this cave can be seen.

Those who are coming by train can easily find the Cave, because railroad station is located next to the main road. In that way finding the directives and traffic signs won't be a problem. Going upstream through the Djalovica gorge, on the left side of the valley, at the place where valley joins the gorge, is the lowest of the four lakes known as "Vrazji firovi"- "Devil's Whirlpools". The largest of the three entrances to cave over Devil's Whirlpools is in the upper part of the valley. It is supposed that Djalovica cave is up to 200 kilometres long. The part over Devil's Whirlpools has been explored and it consists of large number of galleries, passages and chambers.

Novakovića's Cave

Željko Madžgalj, a Novakovića's cave expert, presented the cave to the daily “Vijesti”. Madžgalj says that it is one of the most important speleological sites in Montenegro for a number of its natural characteristic. It was proclaimed a protected area of nature for those features by the Republican Institute for Nature Protection. The cave is located 28 kilometers from the town of Bijelo Polje in the heart of Vraneška dolina.

To reach the cave take the main road to the village of Muslići near Tomaševo (25 km) and then take the macadam road (3 km) from the village church to the spring of the river Vranštica and the site Novakovića stijena (Novakovića Rock).

Above the spring, at 100 meters on the left side of great scree there is the entrance to the cave. By its morphological characteristics Novakovića pećina is a branched speleological site. In numerous cave explorations speleologists found fluorescent marks and signs in sand or a stretched rope that treasure hunters left in order to get back easier to the entrance. Their fears were not justified because explorations, further measurements and speleological maps have shown that all corridors are circular and that they reconnect with the main corridor. The cave is 605 meters long and its entrance is small but after a couple of meters of a narrow entrance channel the cave “opens” into a larger room. It is easy to pass through it but there is one difficult point near the room called Kula (The Tower) where there is a small 3-4 meter jump.

“The most beautiful parts of the cave are Skrivena odaja (The Hidden Chamber) which is located in the upper part of the cave as well as the rooms called Začarani grad ( the Magical City), Pikaso (Picasso), Ram i Galerija Dada Đurića (Frame and Dado Đurić Gallery). The highest point in the cave in is the channel Strmenica, and lowest is at the end of the underground river course. Total elevation difference between the highest and lowest point is 50.20 m", Madžgalj explains. Although the cave has a legal protection as a monument of nature, the frequency of attendance and passing through it and poor ecological culture have resulted with huge damages and many cave ornaments have been destroyed in the most beautiful parts of the cave. 

Caves can be visited from the 1st June to 31st October only with professional guides and adequate equipment.  For the cave torus, contact speleologists of the local mountaineering- speleological clubs.