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Mountain Kozjak, photo by Geograf208.

Top 10 Incredible Facts about

Kozjak

Kozjak is an extraordinary mountain in Croatia located just above the town of Kastela in dalmatia. It got its name after 鈥�koza鈥� which in Croatian means 鈥�goat鈥� after a legend about some goats, chased by wolfs and got lost around the lake.

The mountain is also known as Mali Kozjak or Primorski Kozjak. The mountain has fantastic views of Split and other villages like Kastel. The mountain is more known than Veliki Kozjak above the village of Kijevo.

It belongs to Dinaric Alps, and its highest peak is Veli vrj (779 m) mainly composed of karst, an area made up of limestone. Its southern slope is very steep, and northern rock slopes gradually turns to the corrugate plateau of Dalmatian Zagora.

1.Kozjak belongs to Dinaric Alps mountain range

The mountain belongs to Dinaric Alps which is a mountain range in southern and south-central Europe that separates the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea.

Usually this mountain range stretches from Italy through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo to Albania. The highest peak peak of the mountain is Veli which is 779 meters above Kastel Gomilica.

2.It has the most beautiful viewpoint of Ka拧tela

View of Kozjak photo by radmilo.djurovic.

Kozjak is located above the town of Kastela and it acts as a mighty rock that towers above the bay of the city. It looms just over the coast and thrills with outstanding views of the Ka拧tela Bay.

A part from the view of Ka拧tela from the highest peak, the peak offers the view of the city of Split, the ancient Roman settlement of Salona, towns of Solin, Trogir and most of central Dalmatia islands.

3.It has two entirely different faces

Kozjak has two entirely different faces. It includes the littoral side that acts as a mighty rock barrier towering above the Bay of Ka拧tela. This face does not have the highest tops of the mountain. The other side known as the inland side is a winding highland ending with a sharp edge sloping towards the sea.

With an average height of 600-700鈥痬, the highland accommodates the highest tops of Kozjak. The highest tops start from the saddle Mala膷ka and goes up to 16 kilometres further to the ridge Markezina Greda.

4.The mountain dominates the drive from the airport to split

As one drives from the airport that is near Trogir to Split mount Kozjak cannot be missed. It is well visible from every corner of Split on its north. A wall of rock can be seen from the drive but they are much more incredible as one hikes the mountain.

5.The amazing trails of Kozjak

Trails of Kozjak Geograf208.

The mountain is easily accessed using mountain house Pod Koludrom and mountain lodge Putalj. Most trails are interesting and quite enjoyable. The trails are well marked and the northern side, which is the steepest slope, is fitted with steel ropes.

Kozjak鈥檚 rocky barriers challenge the hikers but it offers a scenic view of the sea and Ka拧tela. Kozjak is intersected by Kolijevkom hrvatske dr啪avnosti, the Cradle of Croatian Statehood and Solinski planinarski which is the Solin Mountain Trail, two famous bypassing trails.

6.The summits of Kozjak

A summit is where a point is higher in elevation than all points adjacent to it. Mountaineers call the process of getting there summiting. Veliki Kozjak is one of the most scenic and beautiful peaks of Velebit.

Sv. Ivan Biranj, Veli Vrh and Sveti Juraj are the most attractive mountaineering points. Sveti Ivan Biranj is 631鈥痬eters and is the highest peak of the western side of Kozjak with equally extraordinary views of the Ka拧tela Bay and Split.

The summit can be accessed by a mountain trail leading from the saddle Mala膷ka that leads to the Church of St John, the patron saint of Ka拧tel Luk拧i膰. Sveti Juraj on the other hand is the highest peak of the eastern area of Kozjak.

7.St George鈥檚 Chapel is at the top

Sveti Jure (Saint George), photo by Dalibor Ribi膷i膰.

Sveti Juraj on the other hand is the highest peak of the eastern area of Kozjak, home to the chapel of St George. A telecommunication and the chapel are at the peak of the eastern side.

It was built on the remains of a drywall or dry stone foundations of a prehistoric hill fort which belonged to an ancient fortress surrounded by medieval tombstones. At the peak, one can enjoy the extraordinary view of Solin, Split and the bay of Kastela.

A chapel or an archaeological site can be found on almost all its peaks or underneath these giving an interesting knowledge of the locals and their history. Kozjak Mountain is the first thing you鈥檒l see if flying into Split. It is the long mountain that looms over the coast, a wall of rock that

8.It has the longest ridges in Croatia

Photo by Leslie Cross on

A mountain ridge consists of a chain of mountains or hills that creates a continuous elevated crest. Such ridges slope away from the narrow top on either side. An example of a mountain ridge is Pirin Mountain.

Kozjak鈥檚 ridge stretches across the entire mountain. From research, this ridge is deemed one of the longest ridges in Croatia. The ridge draws attention when observed from the city of Split. Its height varies from 50 to 250 meters.

9.Climbing Mali Kozjak

Photo by Toomas Tartes on

The hikers set off from the city centre in the morning which is approximately half an hour鈥檚 drive to reach the mountain followed by a rocky path to a mountain home Putalj from the base of the mountain.

The trail may roughly take an hour then rest while taking food and drinks offered there. The trail leads to grooves and a stone ravine leading ridge of Kozjak. Some points of the sloppy trail are secured with steel ropes but are easily crossable.

The trail ends on the final ridge between Veli Vrh and the Chapel of St Luke. The trail does not end there but continues southwest across the ridge and ends at the summit of Sveti Juraj (St George, 676鈥痬), the highest summit on the eastern side of Kozjak.

10.It’s is a major tourist attraction

The mountain can at times be very crowded. This can be seen from the trails of people and the full parking leading the trailhead at the entrance.

The mountain has a lot to offer such as trails, scenic views of the Ka拧tela bay and many more, a chance to explore and learn a bit more about the history of the locality.

The trails are quite pleasant for many and perfect for mountaineers or hikers. For those who want to be challenged, its southern slope is very steep. The northern rock on the other hand is not as steep but it slopes gradually but turns to the corrugate plateau of Dalmatian Zagora.