Avala, Mountain in Voždovac, Serbia

Avala is a mountain near Belgrade that rises 511 meters above sea level and covers a large area with dense forest. The terrain supports hundreds of plant species and contains various hiking routes that wind through the protected landscape.

Serbian Prince Miloš Obrenović placed protective measures on Avala in 1859, making it one of the country's earliest conserved natural areas. This early recognition of landscape protection shaped its development and status as a protected site.

The Monument to the Unknown Hero on the summit was designed by sculptor Ivan Meštrović as a mausoleum with caryatids depicting women in folk costumes from all Yugoslav regions. It was built of Jablanica granite from 1934 to 1938; the remains of the medieval Žrnov fortress were dynamited in 1934 to clear the site. Serbia differs from other WWI participants in honouring an Unknown Hero rather than an Unknown Soldier.

Avala lies about 16 km south-east of downtown Belgrade, mostly in the Voždovac municipality, with the eastern slopes in Grocka and the southern tip in Sopot. The summit area holds the hotel "Avala", the Mitrovićev dom mountain hut and the Čarapićev brest lodge. The Sakinac spring is the best known of several springs on the mountain; nearby villages often run short of drinking water in summer.

The Avala Tower was rebuilt in 2010 after being destroyed in 1999 and is now the region's tallest structure. From the top, it offers panoramic views across Belgrade and the surrounding Šumadija plain that stretch far on clear days.