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!

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