82
AR 2017.1 Ljubljana
ČrnA GOrA in MOnteneGrO
crnA GOrA And MOnteneGrO
Key wordsKljučne besede 
Izvleček Abstract
UKD 72.031.4(497.16)
COBISS 1.01
Prejeto 24.3.2017
Črna gora, vernakularna arhitektura, 
dediščina, kultura, turizem.
Montenegro, vernacular architecture, 
heritage, culture, tourism.
Črna gora ni ne velika in ne bogata dežela. Bogastvo 
kažejo njena zgodovina, narava in kultura. Prav 
kot Slovenija ima tudi ta dežela morje in planine 
in seveda predvsem arhitekturo kamna in lesa. 
Ob morju so večja mesta z imenitno vojaško 
arhitekturo, ki so jo gradili veliki poznavalci. Ti 
so tam gradili tudi palače in bogate hiše. Mesta na 
kontinentu so povečini zrasla iz vasi, ki pa še vedno 
kažejo svoje značilnosti. Vernakularna arhitektura 
Črne gore je izjemno bogata, tako kamnita kot v 
lesu.  Lesene hiše s strmimi lesenimi strehami so 
značilne za planinske predele, v sklopih s hlevi in 
s sušilnicami ali prekajevalnicami. Transhumanca 
je bila v Črni gori osnovno gospodarstvo vasi in 
oddaljenih domačij. Življenje na planinah zahteva 
drugačno arhitekturo, saj so tam naselja obljudena 
le občasno, poleti. Značilno pašništvo najdemo v 
Prokletijah in na Durmitorju, obrnjen sistem pa 
poznajo na Rumiji. Na visokih planinah so stalne 
koče [glade] krite s slamo ali z lesenimi skodlami, 
ob Skadarskem jezeru pa so stalne le konstrukcije, 
slamnato kritino pa snemajo v jeseni in jo spet 
namestijo spomladi, da preko zime ne zgnije. Ta 
letni čas je tam očitno bolj vlažen kot v planinah. 
Kaj lahko naredimo z zapuščeno, propadajočo ali 
že uničeno arhitekturo? Najboljša rešitev bi bila 
vrnitev izvirnega gospodarstva, a je življenje v 
industrijskih mestih seveda udobnejše od tega na 
vasi. Zato rabimo pomoč države in strok. Druga 
rešitev je vnos novih idej. Ena takih je sodoben 
digitalni muzej, za kar lahko uporabimo zelo 
razširjene pametne telefone. Za to potrebujemo le 
program, dobro organizacijo in seveda podporo 
in sodelovanje domačinov. Navidezni muzej lahko 
veže kulturo z gospodarstvom – in to z velikimi 
rezultati. Za to pa rabimo predvsem osveščenost 
javnosti in seveda izobraževanje. Prvo je stvar 
kulture in drugo strokovnjakov. Predvsem 
kulturna krajina bi tako postala kvalitetnejša. 
S temi elementi bi lahko postala Črna gora 
znamenita in gospodarsko uspešna dežela, ki jo 
Evropa pozna pod imenom Montenegro. Tako 
bi bila tudi bolj cenjena.
prof. dr. Borut Juvanec
Institute of  Vernacular Architecture, Ljubljana
borut.juvanec@fa.uni-lj.si
Crna Gora is neither a big nor a rich country 
today. Its wealth can be found in its history, 
nature and culture. Like Slovenia, it has the 
sea and mountains and mostly architecture in 
stone, though also in wood. By the coast, there 
are mostly larger old towns, especially in Boka 
Kotorska, with dominant military architecture, 
made by specialists, who also built palaces and 
wealthy houses. Other towns inland grew over 
the course of  history from small villages, with 
their own characters.
Vernacular architecture in Montenegro is 
extremely rich in stone and wood. Wooden 
houses with steep roofs are typical of  the 
mountain regions, in complexes with stables 
and drying huts. Transhumance was the basic 
economy in villages and in remote homesteads 
in Montenegro. Life on the mountains needs 
different buildings, inhabited only over the 
summer season. Typical transhumance is found 
in Prokletije and Durmitor, and an inverse 
type on Rumija mountain.  Permanent huts 
are located in the high mountains, thatched in 
straw or with shingles; at Skadar Lake the straw 
is removed because of  the wet winter season.
What can be done with abandoned, decaying 
or destroyed architecture? The best solution is 
a return of  the successful original economy, but 
life in the industrial centres is too comfortable. 
Governmental and specialist help is needed. 
Another solution is the organization of  a 
modern digital museum, with the help of  smart 
phones. This needs only good organization 
and, of  course, the support and collaboration 
of  the inhabitants. A virtual museum can 
connect culture with the economy, with high 
expectations. For this purpose, the awareness 
of  the people and education by professionals is 
first needed. Crna Gora can become well-known 
in Europe as valued and economically efficient 
Montenegro.
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AR 2017.1Crna gora and Montenegro
1. Uvod
Architecture does not just mean 
building objects but represents 
culture and relations among people 
– users, investors, builders, managers, 
as well as relations in society and in 
space. Egenter wrote: "Architecture 
becomes a general human 
phenomenon that synchronically 
extends over individual cultures and 
diachronically includes all cultures, 
researching various cultures for the 
same or analogous features"[Egenter, 
1996: 85]. 
Vernacular architecture was never 
intended for the gods, for kings 
or for the dead but for ordinary 
people in everyday life and work. 
It is not the work of  professionals, 
who are familiar with materials, 
technologies, techniques and know 
great architecture of  the past and 
who came to this knowledge through 
schools. Vernacular architecture 
is work in modest circumstances, 
bound to survival. So it is not 
little, unimportant, imperceptible 
or ugly, bad architecture. It is true, 
though, that it is only appreciated by 
intelligent people [Juvanec, 2013: 12].
Paul Oliver, from Oxford, the most 
important scholar in this field, wrote 
about this question: (this architecture) 
"was so little known we don’t even 
have a word for it" [Oliver, 2003: 11]. 
We professionals have agreed on the 
term "vernacular architecture".
Architecture’s existence depends on 
the in-built materials, its use and other 
circumstances. Not only do materials 
decay through normal use and aging, 
other physical factors, both natural 
and man-made, are important for it. 
Questions of  existence, restoration 
and current use – in changed 
circumstances – are important and 
very problematic [Juvanec, 2o16].
Classical architecture, the work of  
professionals, has identical problems 
as vernacular architecture, more than 
we can imagine.
Architectural identity is in any case 
the sum of  different values, which 
represent its image as a whole but in a 
hierarchic connection of  all involved 
[Bontron, 1991]. 
Crna Gora is neither a large nor a 
rich country. Its wealth can be found 
in its history, nature and culture. 
Slika 1: Kultura nuraghov med leti 1800 in 400 
pred štetjem; Grobnica velikanov pri Nuoru 
na Sardiniji ima javni trg, stelo in grobni 
prostor. Grobnica je namenjena eliti, stela kaže 
pomembnost spomenika, trg kot javni prostor pa 
je namenjen ljudem. Berninijev trg pred cerkvijo 
sv. Petra v Rimu, ki jo je narisal Michelangelo: 
cerkev je najprej namenjena duhovščini, trg 
ljudem. Cerkev, ki jo poudarja visoka kupola, 
je veličastna, v odprti prostor se odpira z vrati. 
Tako ideja kot izvedba obeh kompozicij sta 
enaki. Razlika je le v velikosti. Težko bi sodili, da 
Bernini ni poznal kulture nuraghov. Grobnica 
velikanov je namreč tri tisoč let starejša in je bila 
grajena z lokalnimi mojstri. Danes bi rekli, da je 
vernakularna arhitektura.
Figure 1: Nuraghe culture 1800 to 400 B; Domus 
de janas near Nuoro, Sardegna has a square, a 
stela and a tomb. The tomb is for highly esteemed 
dead people, the stela shows the importance of  
the monument, and the square is dedicated to 
ordinary people, it is a public place. Bernini’s 
Plaza di St. Pietro, Rome and the basilica made 
by Michelangelo: the church is primarily meant 
for the clergy and the piazza for the people. 
The church, with its high dome, is magnificent, 
with a door to the open space. The idea and 
execution of  both compositions are the same. 
The difference is only in dimensions. It is unlikely 
that Bernini did not know the Nuraghe culture. 
Domus de janas is at least three thousand years 
older and was made by local masters; today we 
would call it vernacular architecture.
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AR 2017.1 prof. dr. Borut Juvanec
Retaining irrigation: the system for 
retaining the soil, swept by rainwater 
from the fertile fields above the 
village, is most surprising. Retaining 
basins were cleaned by local women 
after each rain. This is a unique 
system for maintaining the fertility of  
village fields, which were necessary 
for survival.
Details in Gornja Lastva are really 
made by professionals. The fireplaces 
in the attic need a special construction, 
and keep the lower storeys cold. This 
is very important in hot summer days. 
Other details are all in use as practical 
devices: handles, racks, corbelling, 
bridges over ditches, irrigation dykes 
or windows and signs cut in the stone.
3. Skadar Lake
Virpazar, a small town near Skadar 
Lake, until the sixties was the end 
station of  the world famous narrow 
gauge railway between Bar by the 
sea and Virpazar. Bar is a large and 
important port, historically also very 
important from a military point of  
view. The 750-millimetre narrow 
gauge railway [Brate, 1971] was 
constructed by the Italians, and was 
rare even for the Balkan countries, 
where railways usually had a 760 
mm gauge. The steam engines were 
small, and the speed of  passenger 
trains was up to 22 km/h and for 
goods 18 km/h [Brate, 1971]. The 
railway was in use until 1959, one of  
the last locomotives still exists – as a 
monument to the past [Burjanović, 
2008]. Very rare "steam railcars"also 
existed: a steam engine and personal 
compartment, connected in a 
single carriage. Three of  them were 
built, one being intended for the 
Montenegrin royal family.
The railway is now abandoned and 
ruined; the railway station in Virpazar 
is used as a dwelling but completely 
transformed. On the site of  the 
former railway, not even a board 
with basic information or a picture 
can be found, and the former railway 
line, perfect for a bicycle track, has 
vanished in the green nature. At 
least stones in the road surface – as 
footprints - could show the former 
line in the village road in front of  the 
railway station. 
The small village of  Godinje on the 
outskirts of  Skadar Lake is all in stone 
[Guštin, 2013].
Like Slovenia, it has the sea and 
mountains and mostly architecture in 
the stone, though also in wood.
Its importance grew also with the 
name. The proud kingdom survived 
the Ottoman Empire, pressures from 
East and North; it is close to Italy 
and Albania with, until recently, its 
special political system, and finally 
the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the 
Kingdom of  Serbs, Slovenes and 
Croats and the late Yugoslavia. The 
name Montenegro (Black Mountain) 
is linguistically Catalan and Castilian, 
but Italians have shown it to be not 
Italian but "Old Venetian" [Juvanec, 
2015].  The importance of  this country 
in the culture  is greater than it seems.
2. Village stone architecture
Montenegro has a coastal belt, a central 
plain and the mountains. On the coast 
can be found several pleasant towns: 
Tivat, Budva, Bar and even Sveti 
Stefan on an island. Inland, the most 
interesting town is Cetinje, the capital, 
with important stone architecture. 
Other towns grew over the course of  
history from small villages, with their 
own characters.
Special stone buildings can be seen on 
the coast and near Skadar Lake, on the 
slopes of  Rumija. The system of  dry 
stone walling can be seen everywhere, 
especially in small villages near the sea, 
but also high in the mountains. One 
of  those villages is Gornja Lastva 
above Tivat. 
The dwellings are interesting not only 
because of  the fireplaces in the attic 
but also the olive mills, wells with 
cisterns and terraces with a lot of  
green trees for shade and the fruit – 
public architecture. 
Architecturally, town planning with 
social places, paved footpaths with 
an irrigation system and even with 
niches for candles as public lighting is 
especially interesting [Juvanec, 2002]. 
Urban planning connects three 
essential elements – public places, 
connecting paths and irrigation. In 
addition to wells, threshing places are 
important locations for social life in 
a village, not only the church with its 
courtyard [with a fine view to the hills 
and the sea]. Each house has its own 
terrace with a tree for shade – not just 
for the owners but also for neighbours 
and visitors. 
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AR 2017.1Crna gora and Montenegro
A few houses are still in use but 
others are abandoned and in decay. 
The village has its own threshing 
floor and the most important aspects 
are its location on sloping terrain and 
connections through the basements, 
in cellars. The village of  Godinje must 
be preserved: now is the last moment 
before it disappears. The same is with 
Gornji Murići, a village with excellent 
homesteads from the Otoman times.
Until 2000, the plain immediately 
behind hotel "13th July" (now Hotel 
"Vir") was occupied by people 
from the mountains, who spent 
the summers near Skadar Lake, 
where there was plenty of  grass 
[Guštin, 2013]. This is a rare type of  
transhumance, known only in Wales, 
Great Britain. 
The farming economy could be 
shown to visitors, because it is an 
important part of  the local heritage 
and its culture. Moreover, the system 
could be transformed into a special 
type of  thematic park, with all the 
information about the work and 
economy of  past times. Putting straw 
on the racks and again its removal – 
as local feasts - could be an important 
part of  a modern tourist attraction, 
with high economic return.
4. Transhumance
Transhumance is an especially 
important economic activity for the 
local people. At one time, it was 
important and efficient, nowadays it 
is not, although it could be again in 
the future.
While classical transhumance can be 
found on Prokletije and Durmitor 
mountains [Marković, 2003], on 
Rumija, between the sea and Skadar 
Lake, it is inverted. The people live on 
plateaus high in the mountains and in 
summer they come down to the green 
lake. They use permanent wooden 
constructions, prepared for thatching 
with straw or reed over the grazing 
season [Guštin, 2013]. At the end of  
the summer, they remove the roof  
cover and leave the construction. Its 
lifetime is thus longer, because the 
straw does not rot over the winter.
In the northern mountain systems, 
transhumance architecture is 
similar to that in the Alps: wooden 
constructions of  the houses, covered 
by straw, wooden singles and finally, 
today, with thin plates. 
Slika 2: Razen inventarizacije je prav 
dokumentacija pomembna za varovanje kulturne 
dediščine. To je dokaz starih kultur in edina 
možnost rekonstrukcije po kaki naravni nesreči, 
vojni, razpadu ali po napačnem človekovem 
posegu [Juvanec, 2017: 77]. Pašniška arhitektura 
je ob zatočiščih, zidovih, ograjah in vodnjakih 
pomemben element arhitekure. Ubao, poćuo je 
redka vrsta vodnjaka na obronkih Lovčena, ki s 
konstrukcijo varuje žejne živali pred padcem vanj, 
kar je lahko usodno za druge uporabnike zaradi 
onesnaženja. (Documentation/dokumentacija B. 
Juvanec, Ljubljana 2o14).
Figure 2: In addition to making an inventory, 
documentation is an essential part of  safeguarding 
our heritage. This is evidence of  our past culture 
and the only possible way of  replacing or making 
a copy after natural disaster, war, decay or misuse 
[Juvanec, 2017: 77]. As well as huts, walls, fences 
and wells are also elements of  transhumance 
architecture . Ubao, poćuo on the outskirts of  
Lovćen is a rare system of  wells, protected from 
misuse or thirsty animals falling in, which is 
dangerous due to the water being infected by the 
decaying body.
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AR 2017.1 prof. dr. Borut Juvanec
Their name is "glada". The base, the 
lower part of  the house, can also be 
constructed with stone. The average 
inclination of  the roof  is 50 degrees, 
sometimes also up to 60. A complex of  
such houses in the mountains contains 
only a pigsty and some wooden fences, 
while other livestock live freely on the 
grassland [Marković, 2003]. 
Homesteads on the outskirts contain 
dwellings with a hip roof, while the 
stable has a simple pitched roof. 
Beside the stable there is also a house 
for smoking sausages, ham and fish. 
These steep roofs can reach the 
ground, without vertical walls and they 
are all in wood. 
"Kućara", a wooden sledge with a 
ridge roof  of  shingle, represents 
mobile architecture on the grasslands. 
In Serbia, such constructions can 
also be found with wheels – like the 
modern "mobile home" [Nenadović 
uses also several names as: kućer, 
torarica and katafa, Nenadović, 2000: 
193]. Herdsmen pull this construction 
to the grazing plateau on the mountain 
with the help of  a horse, and sleep in 
it. Groundplan dimensions are one 
metre by two metres, for one man 
only. These devices can very often be 
seen in use today on Durmitor.
Most of  these compositions are 
still in practice, but with very low 
economic benefit. Professional help 
could be of  great assistance, in the 
field of  agriculture and stockbreeding, 
technology, economy and architecture. 
In architecture, as the design of  space, 
tradition and heritage must be used 
for new projects. Unfortunately, 
what can now be seen as ‘ecokatun’ 
are inadequate in both detail and in 
complex. The help and good work 
of  professional organizations for 
safeguarding this heritage is here 
essential. The government could help 
with technical support in realization 
of  the economy, and also apply a 
moderate tax system.
5. Problematics
New possibilities in social life and in 
the economy are a special problem. 
There are two aspects: theory and 
practice. In theory, I agree with the 
thesis of  Professor Alihodžić about 
perception: form and the space are 
not just geometrical elements but 
both psychological impressions and 
dimensions.
However, the quality of  architectonic 
space and its form can be relevantly 
measured by perceiving it [Alihodžić, 
2007: 19]. Here is the problem 
with educated people, with whom 
theoretical orders, based on regulations, 
can deform perception itself. 
In practice, theory and order are more 
in use than we think in vernacular 
architecture. Theoretical principles 
are in practice very simple forms of  
order, inherited by forebears, in use for 
simplification of  the work, with the 
final effect: harmonization, commonly 
understood as beauty.
The relation between an entire 
composition and its detail can be 
seen in both classical and vernacular 
architecture. St. Peter’s Square in 
Rome was designed around an existing 
Egyptian obelisk (1565) in the 17th 
century by Bernini, as the entrance to 
St. Peter’s Basilica. The road between 
Castello di Sant Angeli to the basilica’s 
dome runs through this obelisk. 
This composition is characterized as 
"symmetry for organization of  the 
whole square" [Alihodžić, 2007: 58]. 
It is more: there can be found the 
contrast. 
It is symmetry in verticality and it is 
symmetry in horizontality. The whole 
composition, as seen from the dome, 
has a circular base with a line, and 
the same occurs in detail: a circle 
and vertical column form the same 
concept and the same practice.
"Beauty" in the historical 
understanding of  aesthetic has a very 
clear definition: order. No architecture 
can be without clear and organized 
composition [Alihodžić, 2007: 188]. 
Classical architecture was made by 
professionals, trained and experienced 
workers. Vernacular architecture was 
made by simple, modest masters with 
inherited knowledge. The only help 
from their predecessors was order, 
which enabled the simplification of  
work and avoided mistakes [Juvanec, 
2016: 31]. Professionals can read the 
proportions used, lay people can see 
only harmony, which is understood as 
"beauty". 
In rural planning, Montenegro has the 
typical problems of  other European 
countries: 
desertion of  the land [people 
moving toward bigger cities and 
industry, Duclos, 2010],
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AR 2017.1Crna gora and Montenegro
low incomes in the small and 
inefficient economy, too many 
holiday houses with extremely 
low occupation, a small number 
of  visitors over the whole year 
and crowded at the peak seasons. 
However, this can also provide 
opportunities. 
Montenegro has really great potential 
in modest but sincere architecture. 
This type disappeared in Europe 
long ago.
Revitalisation and renovation of  
village life, as well as its architecture 
and the whole cultural landscape is 
needed. Professionals in agriculture, 
stockbreeding and cheese and meat 
production know their own work. 
People have to implement suggested 
improvements for the best effects.
Architects must prepare strategies 
for the typical traditional space, with 
all the elements, from social life to 
machinery [railway] and culture, 
with today’s needs and possibilities. 
Living needs have changed and 
current architecture cannot be 
just a repetition of  old traditional 
solutions: a house today is much 
more complex than years ago. The 
new economy needs new architecture 
and new infrastructure. Heritage 
must be kept in the principle, not 
in the detail or shape. This cannot 
be a matter of  "foreign knowledge" 
or "imported ideas" but is work 
for local architects, together with 
some professionals who are familiar 
with this local culture. In contrast 
to Bosnian architecture, in which 
Slovene architects had an important 
influence [Zupančič, 2012 – His 
Excellency A. Grasselli mentioned 
many Slovene architects there], only 
the architect Marko Mušič can be 
found in important architecture of  
Montenegro.
This is theory, well known science, 
but practice in such a rich culture 
offers many more solutions for 
improving social life, economy and 
culture.
Slika 3: Berninijev trg svetega Petra z dovozno 
ulico kaže enako kompozicijo kot vanj vrisani 
krogi v tlaku in pa obelisk. Tako sta arhitektura 
in urbanizem v popolnem skladju. Več, temeljno 
idejo lahko preberemo kot: to je središče sveta. 
Slovenski kozolec je zagotovo najpomembnejša 
slovenska arhiektura. Je sestav kvadrata z 
diagonalama. Uporabljena je le ena razsežnost, 
enota ‘ena’. Ta določa kvadrat, katerega diagonala 
je enak kvadratnemu korenu iz dve. Šest 
kvadratov tvori kocko in prostorska diagonala 
je tako kvadratni koren iz tri. To je kompozicija 
celote, a jo najdemo v vsakem detajlu. Vsi tesarski 
rezi so vzporedni (navpično in vodoravno) ali pa 
pod kotom 45 stopinj. Ta sistem omejuje napake 
in poudarja skladno kompozicijo. Berninijev trg in 
kozolec uporabljata enak kompozicijski princip.
Figure 3: Bernini’s St. Peter’s Square with the 
road leading to the church shows the same 
composition as the circle drawn in the pavement 
with the obelisk. Design and town planning are 
in accordance. More, the main idea can be read 
here: this is centre of  the world. The Slovene 
kozolec / hayrack is the most important Slovene 
architecture. It is composed by a square with its 
diagonal. Only one dimension (unit "one") has to 
be determined. Unit one composes the square, 
its diagonal is the square root of  two. Six squares 
compose a cube, and its diagonal is equal to the 
square root of  three. This is the composition of  
the whole construction but it can also be found 
in every detail. All the cuts are parallel (vertical 
and horizontal) or at a 45° angle. This system 
eliminates mistakes and shows harmonious 
composition. The idea of  both Bernini’s piazza 
and the kozolec/hayrack is the same. 
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AR 2017.1 prof. dr. Borut Juvanec
6. Case studies
6.1. Case study No 1.1: Gornja 
Lastva, identifying typical details
Gornja Lastva above Tivat is a 
mountain village with a high level of  
socialization. A road leads around 
the village but inside can be found 
a network of  paths, all paved with 
stone, equipped with kerbs, fences 
and retaining ditches for water. On the 
entrance road, niches for road lightning 
can also be found in the fence – the 
wind is too strong for using posts. 
Architectural details are numerous, 
all functional, well-constructed and 
pleasing, harmonious with other 
elements. Typical details of  the eastern 
part of  the village: chimney against the 
gable wall, because of  fire safety. The 
fireplace is open, with a smoke exit to 
the chimney. The fireplace is raised 
above the floor by some centimetres, 
for heat insulation – it can also be 
deep between the ceiling beams, as a 
hanging construction. The well has a 
cistern cut into the rock, with an upper 
plateau, serving as a social place for 
the village people. All the paths have 
ditches for rainwater, and at several 
points can be found special reservoirs 
for collecting soil. The threshing floor, 
like everywhere, is circular, with higher 
stone walls, arranged for donkeys [an 
oxen’s paunch hangs lower, near the 
floor]. These higher walls are used for 
sitting during village gatherings.
6.2. Case study No 1.2: Gornja 
Lastva, retaining irrigation
The irrigation system for rainwater 
has special reservoirs for cleansing the 
water of  soil. Rainwater takes away 
fertile soil from the fields above the 
village. The running water is stopped 
in a side cistern, where soil can be 
removed and returned to the field. 
This was work of  the village women. 
6.3. Case study No 2.1: Virpazar, 
narrow gauge railway
This railway was built by the  Italians in 
1908 [Burjanović 2008: 38] from Bar 
to Virpazar. It was narrow gauge with 
a 750 mm track [Brate, 1872: 26] under 
the management of  Compagnia di 
Antivari / Barsko Društvo CdA/BD.
The first locomotives, such as Zeta 
and Lovćen, were small and built 
from 1905 to 1910, but after 1910 
the locomotives were bigger and 
stronger.
Slika 4:  Gornja Lastva, Črna gora: vzhodni del 
vasi. Dimnik, ognjišče, vodnjak, odvod vode, 
gumno. Gornja Lastva, Delavnica 2002, visoko 
pokroviteljstvo princa Črne gore. (Project/projekt 
B. Juvanec, Ljubljana).
Figure 4: Gornja Lastva, Montenegro: Eastern 
part of  the village. Chimney, fireplace, well, 
irrigation drainage, threshing floor. Gornja 
Lastva, Workshop 2002, Bienniale de Cetinje and 
Napredak of  Tivat, under the high patronage of  
The Prince of  Montenegro.
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AR 2017.1Crna gora and Montenegro
They came from the Mallet and 
Borsig factories, but the speed was 
modest: 22 km/h for passenger trains 
and only 18 km/h for goods, while 
the maximum allowed speed was 40 
km/h [Brate, 1972: 26]. Virpazar was 
the end station toward Podgorica, and 
led over the mountains and a four-
kilometre long tunnel. The 51-year old 
railway finished its life in 1959. Today 
there is no trace of  it, and the station 
in Virpazar has been transformed into 
a dwelling. The railway line, extremely 
suitable for cycling, is now abandoned, 
disappearing in the green nature.
6.4. Case study No 2.2: Virpazar, 
inverse transhumance system
The principle of  transhumance is 
moving herds from hot to moderate 
places and from exploited grasslands 
to richer pastures. The common 
system is to move the animals from 
the valleys to the mountains. The 
only known exceptions are Wales and 
Montenegro, at Skadar Lake. Stone 
huts are built in Wales but on the 
slopes of  Rumija, near Skadar Lake, 
they developed a different system. 
The huts have frames, wooden 
constructions of  branches. These 
constructions are permanent and 
every year they thatched them with 
straw or reed. The transhumance 
season runs from spring to autumn. 
Before returning home, to the 
mountains, the herdsmen removed 
the straw. The huts, locally called 
"glada", stand beside the lake on 
marshy terrain [in autumn 2016 this 
terrain was under water]. Guštin 
found the last constructions in 2000 
[Guštin, 2o13]; today is hard to 
find people who know about this 
important heritage.
Transhumance is now a forgotten 
economy and the constructions 
have no use. The have practically 
disappeared. 
Virpazar, as a small village, is very 
beautiful with a lot of  tourist potential. 
However, merely classical hotels and 
excursions by boat, even connected 
with hunting or photo-safaris with 
photography contests, are not enough 
today. Transhumance settlement [built 
as a professional reconstruction] 
has excellent potential for cultural 
tourism. Two feasts can be arranged 
– at the beginning and at the end of  
the season – connected to thatching 
and dismantling the roof. 
Slika 5: Parni vlak slovite tovarne Borsig iz leta 1908. 
Ena kompozicija od vsega treh izdelanih je bila 
namenjena kraljevi družini. Zgoraj je original, spodaj 
lokomotiva z odezanim vagonom iz 1959 [Brate, 
1972: 187]. Žalostna zgodba ohranjanja kulturne 
dediščine – kolikor temu sploh lahko tako rečemo.
Figure 5: Steam rail car from the famous Borsig 
factory in 1908. One of  three versions was in use 
as an official car for the royal family. Above was 
the original rail car, below only the locomotive, 
with a public cabin removed in 1959 [Brate, 1972: 
187]. This case is a sad story of  preservation of  the 
heritage – or it is not that at all.
90
AR 2017.1 prof. dr. Borut Juvanec
Slika 6: A.Nenadović je objavil pastirsko stajo z Durmitora, ki ima povsem enako konstrukcijo kot so bile 
na Skadarskem jezeru. Guštin je našel te konstrukcije pri Virpazarju še leta 2000, v zimski sezoni brez 
slamnatega kritja (source/vir: Nenadović, 2000: 107, Guštin, 2013: 27).
Figure 6: Nenadović published a herdsman’s hut from Durmitor in the same shape as compositions at 
Skadar Lake. In 2000, Guštin found these constructions near Virpazar in the winter season, without 
thatched roofs. 
The huts could be used for overnight 
facilities of  the highest rank and 
participants could be awarded with 
a special certificate of  involvement 
in the transhumance process. In 
addition, this could be completed 
with a sort of  herdsmen’s ceremony, 
with consecrating visitors into the 
transhumance society of  Skadar 
Lake.This type of  tourism is not 
matter of  masses, it is on a higher 
level, with higher incomes and 
could promote Virpazar as a top-
grade tourist destination not only in 
Montenegro but in all Europe. 
6.5. Case study No 3: Homestead
Homesteads in Montenegro have no 
common scheme. In general, they 
have a dwelling, stable and drying 
hut, often one or more hayracks with 
one wooden pole. The house has a 
basement in stone with the first floor 
in wood. The roof  of  the house is 
hipped, while the stable has a typical 
gable roof  and the drying hut has 
no walls, with the roof  reaching the 
ground. The inclination of  the roof  
is around 5o degrees.
6.6. Case study No 4: Kućara
A mobile home is nothing new. 
Especially in the last ten years, 
modern motor mobile homes have 
become very much more normal in 
the tourist economy, but it is not a 
modern invention. Kućera, torarica 
or katafa can be found in vernacular 
architecture of   Serbia [Nenadović, 
2ooo: 193]. In Durmitor, the same 
object on a sledge is typical. Today 
it has a roof  of  thin plates but 
originally they used wooden shingles 
– many of  these objects can be seen 
in the area around Durmitor.
6.7. Case study No 5: Katun, glada
Savardak is the oldest known hut for 
shepherds, with wooden construction 
and thatched with straw. None have 
been preserved in the original state. 
Glada is a hut for herdsmen, the 
livestock live outside, with no roof. 
Glada can be just in wood or have 
a basement in stone and the roof  
construction in wood. It can be oval 
or with a rectangle groundplan, with 
hipped or simple gable roof. It is a 
single cell composition for sleeping, 
cooking and working, preparing 
and storing milk, cheese and butter. 
A pigsty can stand by the glada, 
with a wooden encircling fence for 
organization of  the flock. A vegetable 
garden with a wooden fence is often 
cultivated by the women.
91
AR 2017.1Crna gora and Montenegro
Slika 9: Izvorne pastirske staje, kot so savardak ali 
glada, s kamnitim temeljem in leseno konstrukcijo 
strehe so po vsem območju transhumance redke. 
Nove hiše so lesene s sodobnimi konstrukcijami 
in krovnim materialom, a tudi povsem lesene se 
še vidijo. Danes so pametni telefoni, televizija in 
sončni kolektorji nujni elementi življenja. A to se 
vidi predvsem v notranjosti, na zunaj so katuni še 
dokaj originalni. Vulića katun, Komovi, Prokletije 
2014.
Figure 9: Original herdsmen’s huts, such as 
savardak or glada, with stone base and wooden 
construction of  the roof  are rare monuments 
throughout the transhumance areas. New huts 
are made of  wood, but with modern timber 
construction technology, although wooden roofs 
can be still seen. Today, smart phones, televisions 
and sun collectors are inescapable elements of  
life. This can be seen inside the hut, but katuns 
appear more or less in the original state. Vulića 
katun, Komovi, Prokletije 2014.
Slika 8: A. Značilna domačija v zaselku Pošćenski 
kraj pri Žabljaku. A. bivalna hiša, B. hlev, C. 
prekajevalnica. Slednji objekt razpada, bivalna hiša 
ni več obljudena, čreda ovac okrog domačije pa je 
last sosedov (2016).
Figure 8: A typical homestead in Pošćenski kraj 
near Žabljak, Durmitor. A. dwelling, B. stable, C. 
drying (smoking) hut. The latter object is in decay, 
the dwelling is abandoned, and the sheep flock on 
the terrain is owned by a neighbouring homestead 
(2016). 
Slika 7: Kućara je lesen objekt na sankah s tlorisom 
kakega metra krat dva in s streho v naklonu skoraj 
60 stopinj. Lesena vrata v zatrepu so velika kot 
so tam pač lahko, a enemu pastirju zadoščajo tudi 
ta. Nekdaj so te sani vlekli osli ali konji, danes jih 
traktor. Kućara je še vedno v uporabi.
Figure 7: Kućara has a wooden sledge with 
groundplan dimensions around one metre by two, 
with a gable roof  with an inclination of  almost 6o 
degrees. The wooden door is as big as it can be in 
the triangular gable and the bed is enough for one 
shepherd only. In the past, this device was pulled by 
oxen or horses, now it is work for a tractor. Kućara 
is widely in use in the grazing economy in the 
country today. 
92
AR 2017.1 Ljubljana
7. Conclusions
Architectural identity is certainly 
the sum of  different values, which 
represent its image as a whole but in a 
hierarchic connection of  all involved 
[Bontron, 1991]. 
Tourism is one of  the most important 
branches of  economy today. Big 
hotels are "different", noticeable by 
their concept and shape, but different 
in the space and strange in the culture. 
Only people with low culture like 
them. There is the same problem 
with "ecokatuns", small mountain 
huts placed in strange lines, perhaps 
with pink fences and green roofs – 
seen everywhere in the country as 
"modern" and "ecological", although 
they are definitely not. They are neither 
traditional nor modern or ecological.
Montenegro’s countryside – as I see 
it – is today a real folk museum in 
Europe, but a living museum in the 
good sense. Museums, especially not 
open air museums with false, artificial 
ambients, are not needed [Juvanec, 
2016a]. Modern technologies open 
numerous possibilities for high level 
tourism for demanding visitors, who 
need a lot of  information. Computers, 
tablets and smart phones provide 
possibilities to give text, sketches, 
schemes, pictures, photos, directions, 
information in several languages, even 
in local slang or specific expressions 
and music [Juvanec, 2016]. This type 
of  museum does not need a site, or 
movement of  the artefacts with all the 
problems and expensive maintenance 
and security. It needs only a good 
strategy and its execution with existing 
technical equipment. Even this can be 
hired at information centres. This type 
of  museum can offer much more: 
on a tour we must eat, sleep, to hire 
a bicycle or boat, to buy something 
or visit a cultural and sporting event. 
This is not only an offering, it can be 
even organized in its best form. 
This type of  museum is real culture, 
connected with the economy. 
Culture has never been connected 
to the economy, it was always an 
orphan, dependant on people’s or 
organizations charity [Juvanec, 2015]. 
Now we have opportunity to change it.
Montenegro needs tourism of  a 
higher level, with higher incomes. 
This is cultural tourism and visitors 
of  this type are demanding and need 
real quality. This is not just a matter of  
architecture, nor tourist workers, but 
all the people of  the country, as well 
as government, both local and state.
For this is needed higher awareness and 
education, from the very beginning: 
in kindergartens, schools, universities, 
in everyday life. This is only one of  
the possibilities, whereby small Crna 
Gora can grow into well-known in 
Europe as valued and economically 
efficient country Montenegro.
Slika 10: Učinkovita uporaba ustrezne 
dokumentacije. Odtok deževnice z zadrževalnikom 
plodne zemlje je bil dokumentiran leta 2002. Trije 
taki so še v uporabi v Gornji Lastvi. Leta 2014 je en 
objekt povsem izginil, dva pa so zasuli z odpadnim 
materialom, preklado pa ukradli. Po dokumentaciji 
iz 2002 so v okviru Delavnice Gornja Lastva 
2014 v organizaciji kotorskega Expeditia, Občine 
Tivat in Kulturnega društva Napredak, oba 
obstoječa objekta povsem obnovili v izvorno 
stanje (dokumentacija 2002 and 2014, B. Juvanec, 
Ljubljana, foto Marija Nikolić, Tivat 2016).
Figure 10: Effective result of  adequate 
documentation. This drainage of  rainwater with a 
retaining cistern for fertile soil was documented in 
2002, three of  them existed in the village of  Gornja 
Lastva. In 2014 one had completely disappeared, 
two were filled with waste stone rubble and bricks, 
with broken or stolen stone lintels. With help of  
documentation from 2002, a workshop organized 
by Kotor’s Expeditio and Tivat’s Community 
and Napredak, the two objects were completely 
reconstructed into the original state (documentation 
2002 and 2014 by B. Juvanec, Ljubljana, photo 
Marija Nikolić, Tivat 2016).
93
AR 2017.1Crna gora and Montenegro
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