S ituated away from the main roads, Rijeka Crnojevića is a true hidden gem. The town is named after a river that emerg- es from a spring from a nearby cave cut into the Obods- ka Rock and is the only river that is navigable already after the first 13 kilometres of its course. It splits to form a wondrous lit- tle island, then reunites, meandering to form fantastic curves, then finally dives into Lake Skadar as though they’ve always been one. It is due to these“canals”that this region has been referred to affectionately since medieval times as the Venice of Montenegro. Today it is a small town with only 200 inhabitants that has pre- served its own story since the mid-15 th century, when Montene- gro’s then most powerful ruler, Lord of Zeta Ivan Crnojević, relocat- ed the headquarters of the state and the church here. This town was Montenegro’s largest port and leading trade hub during the 19 th century, but little of the wealth of that golden time has been preserved to this day. Dried common bleak fish was once in high demand on Italian tables due to its extraordinary fla- vour, while it is today a local speciality that you simple must try in one of the many restaurants along the lake shore. The remains of structures dating back to the age of Ivan Crno- jević are preserved in the town itself. The most important is the un- derground cellar area of a long demolished building that housed a printers that printed the first book in the Cyrillic script. The locals note with pride that it was in their town that the first chemists and the first workshop for weapons were established in Montenegro. However, Danilo’s Bridge and Mostin’s House, built in the mid-19 th century, are the most striking structures that you notice first in Ri- jeka Crnojevića regardless of the direction from which you arrive. The characteristic silhouette of this stone bridge is a symbol of this town and one of the most beautiful structures in Montenegro. For a first encounter with this picturesque town, it is best to set off by boat from Virpazar, Lake Skadar’s second gem. Again, the town is also beautiful when viewed from the mountains, where the road descends from the direction of Cetinje. Whichever road you choose, Rijeka Crnojevića will win you over with its beauty, tran- quillity and hospitality. Nestled on the confluence of the rivers Crm- nica and Orahovštica, on the shore of Lake Skadar, is Virpazar, an old town that was once an important stop and a place where im- portant trade took place. This settlement has been described since medieval times as a town on three bridges. Just as in bygone times, this place is easily recognisable today due its appearance and the special charm of this small community that have been preserved from the influences of the modern era. Under the name Vir [whirlpool/vortex], as a place where the river creates a vortex, this town was first mentioned as far back as the 13 th century. Beside that whirlpool, which was reached by rowing boat, a market was the first to appear, after which the set- tlement grew up around it. Once part of the ancient Slavic prov- ince of Zeta, the town was conquered by the Turks soon after its emergence. Testifying to the five centuries of that rule are the ru- ins of the demolished fortifications of Besač in Virpazar and Less- endro in Vranjina. Early in the 20 th century, when the harbour was built, Virpazar became the most important port on Lake Skadar, from which a narrow road for carts led as far as Bar and the sea. Testifying to the significance of Virpazar during that time is the fact that a railroad was even built from this small town to the sea in 1908. New times brought other roads and directions, while Virpazar has remained hidden around its whirlpool. Perhaps this very isolation has con- tributed to its stone houses, markets, the town square and three bridges having been preserved until today. The widely renowned Skadar carp and no less glorious Crmin- ca wine, tourist boats from which, in the right light, shapes and col- ours, all the beauty of the lake can be seen...
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator