Rakovicki potok
Encyclopedia
The Rakovički potok is a short stream in north-central Serbia
, a 8,5 kilometer-long right tribtuary to the Topčiderka river. During its entire flow it runs through the southern outskirts of the urban section of Belgrade
. It is one of the 40 rivers, streams and creeks that flow or used to flow through Belgrade, but as the majority of them is completely or partially conducted underground into the city sewage system, Rakovički potok avoided such faith. Even though it is short, the creek flows through a number of Belgrade's neighborhoods and gave its name to two urban neighborhoods of Belgrade, one municipality and a monastery.
in the Voždovac
municipality. It flows to the south, along the eastern side of the Torlak, passing between the neighborhoods of Jajinci
and Selo Rakovica
. In the Pašinac field it receives the Milošev potok from the left, turns north-west and enters the municipality of Rakovica. It flows next to the northern section of the neighborhood of Resnik, several smaller, new neighborhoods (Jelezovac
, Sunčani Breg
, Straževica
) and the monastery of Rakovica, curving along the eastern and northern slopes of the 209 meter-high hill of Straževica. At the neighborhood of Kneževac
, Rakovički potok receives the creek of Zmajevac and for the last 300 meters has been conducted underground, below the industrial complex of the "21 Maj" factory, emptying into the Topčiderka.
("Crayfish creek"; Serbian: rak, rakovica) which used to live in the creek in the Middle Ages. In turn, the creek gave its name to the Belgrade's modern municipality of Rakovica, the neighborhoods of Rakovica (in the same municipality) and Selo Rakovica (in the municipality of Voždovac) and the monastery of Rakovica.
The central valley of the creek is a natural route for the eastern part of the Kružni put, the main road connecting the southern outskirts of Belgrade and the projected route of the future Belgrade beltway. Belgrade-Požarevac
railway also passes through the valley, parallel to the road. The area near the creek's mouth (Kneževac-Rakovica) is one of major industrial zones in Belgrade.
In May 1999, during the NATO bombing of Serbia, the electrical substation
in Rakovica was hit and 80 tons of heating oil
partially burned polluting the air, but a significant amount leaked into the Rakovički potok polluting Topčiderka and Sava rivers downstream.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, a 8,5 kilometer-long right tribtuary to the Topčiderka river. During its entire flow it runs through the southern outskirts of the urban section of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. It is one of the 40 rivers, streams and creeks that flow or used to flow through Belgrade, but as the majority of them is completely or partially conducted underground into the city sewage system, Rakovički potok avoided such faith. Even though it is short, the creek flows through a number of Belgrade's neighborhoods and gave its name to two urban neighborhoods of Belgrade, one municipality and a monastery.
Course
The creek originates from the northern slopes of the Torlak hill, in the south-eastern part of the Belgrade's urban neighborhood of KumodražKumodraž
Kumodraž is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.- Location :...
in the Voždovac
Voždovac
Voždovac is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...
municipality. It flows to the south, along the eastern side of the Torlak, passing between the neighborhoods of Jajinci
Jajinci
Jajinci is an urban neighborhood located in the municipality of Voždovac, in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was the site of the worst carnage in Serbia during World War II when German occupational forces executed nearly 80,000 people, many of them prisoners of the nearby Banjica concentration...
and Selo Rakovica
Selo Rakovica
Selo Rakovica is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac and should not be confused with the neighborhood of Rakovica in the municipality of the same name.-Location:Selo Rakovica is located in the central part of the...
. In the Pašinac field it receives the Milošev potok from the left, turns north-west and enters the municipality of Rakovica. It flows next to the northern section of the neighborhood of Resnik, several smaller, new neighborhoods (Jelezovac
Jelezovac
Jelezovac is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Rakovica....
, Sunčani Breg
Suncani Breg
Sunčani Breg is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade's municipality of Rakovica....
, Straževica
Straževica
Straževica is a hill and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Rakovica. The area was the most heavily bombed part of Belgrade during the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999.- Location :Straževica is located in the central part of the...
) and the monastery of Rakovica, curving along the eastern and northern slopes of the 209 meter-high hill of Straževica. At the neighborhood of Kneževac
Kneževac
Κneževac is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Rakovica.-Location:Κneževac is located in the central part of the municipality...
, Rakovički potok receives the creek of Zmajevac and for the last 300 meters has been conducted underground, below the industrial complex of the "21 Maj" factory, emptying into the Topčiderka.
Characteristics
The creek got its name from the crayfishCrayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
("Crayfish creek"; Serbian: rak, rakovica) which used to live in the creek in the Middle Ages. In turn, the creek gave its name to the Belgrade's modern municipality of Rakovica, the neighborhoods of Rakovica (in the same municipality) and Selo Rakovica (in the municipality of Voždovac) and the monastery of Rakovica.
The central valley of the creek is a natural route for the eastern part of the Kružni put, the main road connecting the southern outskirts of Belgrade and the projected route of the future Belgrade beltway. Belgrade-Požarevac
Požarevac
Požarevac is a city and municipality in eastern Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Braničevo District of Serbia...
railway also passes through the valley, parallel to the road. The area near the creek's mouth (Kneževac-Rakovica) is one of major industrial zones in Belgrade.
In May 1999, during the NATO bombing of Serbia, the electrical substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
in Rakovica was hit and 80 tons of heating oil
Heating oil
Heating oil, or oil heat, is a low viscosity, flammable liquid petroleum product used as a fuel for furnaces or boilers in buildings. Home heating oil is often abbreviated as HHO...
partially burned polluting the air, but a significant amount leaked into the Rakovički potok polluting Topčiderka and Sava rivers downstream.