It is not known exactly when the first mines were opened at Avala, but it is known that since ancient times various ores – lead, silver and iron, cinobarit and mercury have been excavated here. In the Middle Ages the Žrnov fortress was built. According to tradition, it was the castle of Jerina, wife of Djuradj Brankovic. In 1422 Turkish army of Sultan Murad, in an attempt to win the Belgrade fortress, occupied Žrnov, which then become a Turkish stronghold. Avala was conquered and governed by many elders, and for the first time in 1859 it was declared a protected area, and afforested with deciduous and pine trees, thus today it became a legally protected area of exceptional characteristics. With the railway construction in the 80s of the 19th century, visits and excursions around Belgrade began, along with the foundation of the Mountaineering Association in 1901. Today Avala is visited by those with an interest in the history of mining, by precious metals seekers and by amateur archaeologists who hope to find on its slopes and around the monument valuable archaeological remains