Orahovo village and field

Hello everyone! It's wonderful and sunny day today, perfect for walking tour through Orahovo field, discovering nature and stone bridges, and in your case for reading something about this area. But we hope you will visit it some day!

So, I'm writting you today about the biggest field in Crmnica called Orahovo and the same name village. It's situated 2 km from Virpazar. The following text and historical facts are written by the oldest man in Orahovo, also an owner of Winery Mašanović, Mr. Milutin Mašanović.

In Orahovo is situated one of the oldest Orthodox Monastery in Montenegro, Monastery of Saint Nicolas (Manastir Sv. Nikola). It dates from the time of Nemanjici, when Saint Sava Nemanjic (Sv. Sava Nemanjić), sent first bishop Ilarion to build monasteries in Crmnica, in Brceli, Orahovo and Njegalica. Monastery of Saint Nicolas is built in 1233., but in the 15th century Ottomans destroyed it, and in the 17th century Jelena Balsic restored it. Fresco-script in this monastery dates from 17th century, and some frescoes were copy-painted for exhibition in Paris 1955. There are 2 unique frescoes, which you can find only in this religious object and no where else in world.

At the foot of monastery it was room-basement for storing goods. There are 2 legends connected with that basement and I will tell you one of them : One Prince from Orahovo was participant in invastigation of converts to islam, cut the five turkish heads, and in the chase for the last one who tried to save himself in entrance of basement, on doorstep swunged the sword and hit in the stone doorstep. We still can see the traces of that hit. According to the legend, for revenge of this Turk, Ottomans destroyed the Monastery of Saint Mironosica.Monastery of Saint Mironosica in Orahovo had 2 cells, in the first one were situated priests, and in the second one was an old printing 'office'. After Oktoih (first Cyrillic book in the Southern Slavs), new 2 cyrillic books from 1562. and 1566. were printed in this monastery.Ottomans destroyed this monastery and from carved stone was built tower in so-called 'town' Bastać. In the foundations have been found huge amounts of golden coins, of which is built Popovića Most (Bridge of Popovici) and Boljanovo gumno (Boljans threshing floor).

Old three in field

Popovića most / Bridge of Popovici

Natural spring with clean water!

River Orahovštica

Plant-flower called "Zova". People in Montenegro make juice from it.

Babin most / Grandma's bridge

Walking track

Also, through Orahovo field is road which was (in that time) the only way which connected central Montenegro with South part. There is a spring called Garovci and there was planned an assassination of the fake ruler of Montenegro, Šćepan Mali. In one stone was carved recess and put explosive substance with wick. When Šćepan Mali was going to South, he stopped on Garovci to drink water, sit on that stone and lit the fuse. He left without one eye and one arm. That wounded he came in monastery Brčeli and there died.

That stone is now in vineyard of Winery Mašanović, thanks to Milutin Mašanović, and still is visibly crack of the wick. 

In Orahovo is situated also Jakočev krš (Stone of Jakoch) where in summer time people come to swim and relax.

          That's it for this post, I hope you enjoyed!

Untill next post, visit our Facebook page and website!

Virpazar & Skadar Lake

Since spring is here and summer is coming, I decided to post about a place where our Winery is situated, which is best to visit in spring and summer, everything is green, flowers is all around, sun...

Virpazar is a small town in Bar municipality, it is located in the Crmnica region, straddling a river that flows into nearby Skadar lake. Skadar Lake lies on the border of Montenegro with Albania, of which 2/3 is in Montenegro and it's the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. There are additionally some fresh water sources at the lake bottom. Some small islands like Beška, with two churches on it and Grmožur, a former fortress and prison can be found on the southwest side of the lake. The Montenegrin part of the lake and its surrounding area were declared a national park in 1983. Skadar Lake is one of the largest bird reserves in Europe, having 270 bird species, among which are some of the last pelicans in Europe, and thus popular with birders. The lake also contains habitats of seagulls and herons and is abundant in fish, especially in crap, bleak and eel. Of the 34 native fish species, 7 are endemic to Skadar Lake. There is a station on the Belgrade - Bar railway and a road leaves the main Podgorica to Bar highway and follows the west shore of the lake towards Albania.

If you decide to take a boat to cruise on lake, the boat host will be more than happy to pick you water lilly and will make you a necklace from it.

That's it for this post. See you soon and next time I'll write about village called Orahovo where our vineyard is situated. 

P.S. If you're using android applications, you can find our wine DIONIS  HERE.

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Masanovic winery website