Balkan ways of old / 27 days

The “cula” pattern. This and the following days will see us closely look, apart from other types of local vernacular architecture, into the cula pattern. The word employed in most
Balkanic regions comes from the Turkish “kule” designating a tower (by extension a tower-like house). In Wallachia, the “culă” (for an easier pronunciation, let us refer to this structure as “cula”) indicates to a tower-like house featuring a generous cellar, a high ground floor, as well as one or two upper floors accessible along an internal stairway, more rarely along a wooden exterior flight of stairs. Windows were originally narrow, there were embrasures on all sides and there was no shortage of hiding places, often accessible along removable ladders and closed with well concealed hatchets. As times became more peaceful, Ottoman pasha invasions (especially, but not exclusively, those from Ada Kaleh Island and Vidin) and outlaw visits were no longer a threat, windows got larger, embrasures were sealed and often generous loggias were added (or widened), adding charm to these otherwise austere structures. The culas were built initially by those affording and using them (having enough possessions to safeguard so as to justify the investment): local landlords, quite often those the respective village also had its name derived from, and their purpose was primarily defensive, but they also had a housing purpose. But let us start discovering these (considerably) lesser visited places…

Our first stop today will be in Racovița, a suburb of industrialized Mioveni (home to an extensive Dacia car manufacturer plant), to see one of the culas preserving very well the impenetrable outlook. The three floor cula was built, together with the local church, in 1786, and the almost absent windows, respectively the narrow and tall embrasures provide a further insight in the harsh times it saw. Then, in the village of Budeasa Mare, an old property of the Budișteanu landlord family going back to the 16th century, we shall see this family residence, the Budișteanu Manor, founded towards the end of the 16th century and rebuilt in 1764, then expanded in the 1920s. If we detach the original core building from the 20th century extension, the embrasures at the vaulted cellar level and the tall walls reveal the original fortified house structure. Later on, in Golești, we shall visit a group of typical houses from this vineyard and orchard-rich region with their specific features; note the colourful rugs (known as “macat” across Wallachia) adorning the walls. The Posești Inn, built on a major crossroads in 1860, will evoke the days of old with its customers: couriers, merchants and peasants, while the wooden Drăguțești Church built in 1815 features the typical belt (a carved wood twisted rope motif running around the building). Furthermore, the Golescu Family manor built in 1640 will allow us to look into the lifestyle of the period landlords. Leaving Golești, we shall start crossing the Danubian Plains and make a stop in Hotărani. While, apart from the culas (which were wider and saw a maximum of 3 floors) and monastery bell towers (which sometimes hosted the gateway on the ground floor), medieval towers were not a frequent occurrence across Wallachia as they were in, say, Svaneti (Georgia), Tuscany or Liguria (Italy), we can still see one in this village, built in 1520 and nowadays with a rather eerie contextual image. In the afternoon we shall reach Craiova with its bustling avenues, but also with its fine former merchant and craftsman houses down the popular Lipscani Street. A walk across the city centre will take in the Casa Băniei, the oldest civil building in the city built by the Craiovescu landlords towards the end of the 15th century and rebuilt in 1699 by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu which added its typical carved stone columns on the loggia. The ethnographic collection inside will provide a very good insight into the lifestyle of the communities where the impressive culas and manors were built.

• Breakfast.
• Exterior view of the Racovița Cula in the homonymous suburb of Mioveni (inside visit if open, it usually opens only on Sunday mornings).
• Exterior view of the Budișteanu Manor in Budeasa Mare.
• Visit to the group of old houses and the manor in Golești.
• Exterior view of the medieval tower in Hotărani.
• Walk down the Lipscani and farther in the old town of Craiova.
• Visit to the Casa Băniei in Craiova (the Ethnographic Museum).
• Accommodation in Craiova, in a period villa converted in a boutique hotel.

Built by the Cernătescu landlords towards the end of the 18th century, the homonymous cula was added a third floor and the adjacent wooden walkout balcony during the following century, with the massive buttress following in the 1890s. The structure is rather typical on the inside, with a cellar, a living room on the ground floor and an interior stairway leading to the sleeping quarters on the upper floors; there are embrasures on the ground and first floors. The rooms have been adorned with genuine tools and other traditional items donated by people in the village. Then, a 10-15 minute drive will deliver us to Brabova, where we shall see the Izvoranu – Geblescu Cula going back to the end of the 18th century. Strategically located very close to the landlord manor so as to provide shelter in case of an attack, it was soon used as a permanent residence. The typically thick brick walls (70 cm.), the massive central log supporting each floor, the six trilobed arches on the upper floor porch (a typical, distinctive feature for the Oltenia culas if compared to those in other parts of the Balkans), all blend in to make us eager to spend more time and take in the details of this apparently simple structure. Once in Benești, we shall then visit the Otelișanu Manor, built between the 17th and 18th centuries, employing characteristics of the culas in the region and being completed with Brâncoveanu style features (especially the wonderful detached, first floor loggia!). On the pleasant and airy estate (which will definitely invite for a rest) there are the manor house and a courtyard church built in 1746. Then, an optional detour will see us in Măciuceni which provides a different perspective on the cula pattern. Because, while culas were generally built by landlords (first, because they did have a fortune to shelter and then because they had the means to build such strong and large properties), the 19th century saw wealthier peasants and merchants adhere to the fortified house concept, and there still exist four samples in this village. Not nearly as impressive as the real culas, also featuring alterations as time passed, the fortified houses here however show the extent to which a property lives and changes alongside its owners. Also here, as well as in other villages in the region, we shall see a once frequent presence, the roadside (usually placed at crossroads and made of painted / carved wood or carved stone) and well guarding crosses (as wells in a village were built along roads and households typically did not have individual wells). The evening will see us in pottery central, in Horezu. But more on that, later on.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to the Cernătescu Cula in Cernătești currently hosting an ethnographic collection.
• Exterior view of the Izvoranu – Geblescu Cula in Brabova (if open, also visit inside).
• Visit to the Otelișanu Estate and Manor.
  • Optional detour to see some of the cula-inspired houses in Măciucești (exterior views only).
• Accommodation in Măldărești, in a wonderful manor set in local style (with a blend of fortified house and Brâncoveanu art), or in a rustic style hotel with a local decor and atmosphere.

A day trip will first take us to the open air group of Vâlcea houses in Bujoreni. Belfry-like houses, a sheepfold, an inn, vineyard and cattle farm houses, troițe (decorated roadside crosses or small shrines) and communal border wells will all introduce us to the vernacular architecture and specific building patterns in the region. At the same time, also there, the Bujoreanu Cula built in the beginning of the 19th century saw a main function as watchtower and defensive structure, but it also served as a house. Built of river stones mixed with bricks, its walls are not plastered or painted, which makes it rather different from most other Wallachian culas. Nearby, in Râmnicu Vâlcea, we shall see troubadour and music teacher Anton Pann’s house, a fine sample of mid-18th century town architecture with omnipresent rustic elements; the period pieces of furniture (a sofa, a bookcase, a table, chairs), as well as pieces of painted furniture unusual for Wallachia, where furniture was usually carved and lacquered (they were brought in from Transylvania) will make this visit even more enjoyable. Back Westwards, we shall see the two culas in Măldărești, some of the best preserved. First, the more elaborate one on the outside (one cannot miss the fact that it has loggias on both the first and second floor): the Greceanu Cula, built sometimes in the 17th century, being rebuilt towards 1790, when the St. Nicholas’ Church nearby was also erected. One of the rooms down the cellar is part of the original structure and has the walls built of river stones, while the rest of the building has the walls of brick. At the same time, the heavily reinforced door, the hatch and removable ladder-accessible hiding place, as well as the fresco depicting the founders (done by Olga Greceanu, the last owner of the property together with her husband Nicolae, before the Communist rule that typically had it confiscated) will all make the visit here informative and enjoyable. Then, we shall see the nearby Duca Cula built in 1812 with its compact, rectangular plan and three levels. The carved pillars and massive wooden beams down the cellar, as well as the second floor loggia are among the highlights here. The late afternoon will then see us enjoy the patterns and motifs employed by the Horezu pottery, with the typical rooster, highly colourful designs and fine feather painting technique.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to the Vâlcea group of houses in Bujoreni.
• Visit to the Anton Pann Home in Râmnicu Vâlcea.
• Visit to the two culas in Măldărești: the Duca and Greceanu (according to the time of arrival, this visit might be rescheduled for the following morning).
• Horezu pottery (motifs and technique) presentation in Horezu.
• Accommodation in Măldărești, in a wonderful manor set in local style (with a blend of fortified house and Brâncoveanu art), or in a rustic style hotel with a local decor and atmosphere.

The morning will commence with a visit to Hurezi Monastery a few kilometers off Horezu. A masterpiece of Brâncoveanu architecture, completed in 1693. The monastery church features the typical Brâncoveanu porch and late Renaissance style carved stone columns, a fine carved marble doorway and exquisite murals including the portraits of the Brâncoveanu and Cantacuzino ruling families. Other than that, the whole monastery, as popular as it may be, makes this visit an excellent counterpart of the houses we have seen and are going to see, as there are obvious Brâncoveanu art influences in the Wallachian culas. Moving on Westwards, we shall then stop to see the Cartianu Cula probably built towards the end of the 18th century by the landlord family of the same name. As time passed and the need for fortifications receded, the cula changed, with embrasures being covered, windows being enlarged and new doorways being created, to the point where the property nowadays impresses one with its exterior stairways, porch and loggia just as it did those attending the lavish gatherings organized here by its owners in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; at the same time, it is fascinating to just follow the way the house changed in time when looking at the period pictures there and the actual property. Furthermore, the Gorj Country outfits and embroideries exhibited inside provide the place with plenty of character. We shall then head up Jiu River and shall stop short of where the dramatic Jiu Gorges begin, in Bumbești Jiu. Hosted on a 13 Hectare plot that belonging to the Cornoiu Estate, the open air Gorj Architecture Museum there hosts, among other interesting properties, the brick and stone, massive and square Cornoiu Cula built in the first half of the 18th century next to which lies Bălașa Cornoiu’s church built in 1821. On the same estate there are a few highly interesting peasant houses from across Gorj, among which the strong log Domnica Trop House, the highland Filofteia Lăcătușu House with its river stone ground floor walls and wooden upper structure and panpipe player Gheorghe Zamfir’s smaller wooden house. 2000-2002 saw the addition of former Prime Minister Gheorghe Tătărescu’s properties (moved here from Poiana Rovinari Village where an open pit coal mining project was endangering them): the Tătărescu Cula built in 1790 with its airy loggia, the small and picturesque St. George’s Church, as well as the stone basement and oak log Mogoș House; the folk costumes inside the cula are wonderful samples of local craftsmanship and art. The afternoon will find us in Târgu Jiu, admiring Constantin Brâncuși’s masterpieces: the Column of the Infinity, the Gate of the Kiss, the Table of Silence. Some of the motifs employed (especially on the Gate of the Kiss) have a resonance in the vernacular architecture of the region we have seen, and there is no wonder Brâncuși looked into his ancestry with great reverence.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to Hurezi Monastery.
• Visit to the Cartianu Cula in Cartiu.
• Visit to the Cornoiu Estate in Bumbești Jiu with the Cornoiu and Tătărescu culas, as well as the other houses there.
• Walk in Târgu Jiu to take in Constantin Brâncuși’s works in town.
• Accommodation in Târgu jiu in a guesthouse set in a period property.

Up in the hills West of Târgu Jiu, we shall head to Hobița this morning. Constantin Brâncuși, the man that redefined sculpture in the first part of the 20th century while returning to the essentials, was born there and, beyond the memorial value of the property, it is one excellent sample of Gorj wooden vernacular architecture. The way everything, from the ornate gate to the shingle roof, seems to have been made of wood, the enchanting simplicity and sense of space, everything here talks of the skill and artistic sense of the locals. The day will then carry on with a drive South-Westwards. Leaving the main road, we shall head into the tranquil countryside where we shall first see the Cioabă – Chintescu Cula in Șiacu with its three trilobed arch loggia commanding a fine view around. The cula was founded in 1818 and completed in 1823, features 0.80 m. thick walls and an interior stairway built into the walls that leads to the upper floors. An exception to the rule, this cula has the kitchen on the second floor (instead of the sleeping quarters). Then, still in the countryside, we shall see the Davani Cula and the small, ship-shaped wooden St. Nicholas’ church next to it. While the cula is in a very bad state, this very situation lets us look into the building technique employed here: the structure was made of strong oak logs and then a wattle net was added on the exterior, being covered with a daub finishing that was painted in chalk. It will then be on to Broșteni and the Cuțui Cula, built in 1815 after an older house was destroyed during an Ottoman attack, with the local church being built in 1836 and painted four years later. The cula impresses with its six trilobed arch loggia and very strong walls (up to 1.10 m. thick at the ground floor level). Then, Cerneți will welcome us with two interesting culas. First, built around 1800, the Nistor Cula features carved ground floor pillars, bright and spacious rooms, harmoniously blending in wooden and stone parts. Then, the larger other cula in the village was erected around 1800 by revolutionary figure Tudor Vladimirescu (leader of the 1821 uprising); it would be used as shelter and storage facility for both revolutionaries and their weapons; the 67 m. deep well just off the building was surrounded by equally thick walls and a fortified bridge connected it with the cula, which adds to the picturesque image of the place. We shall call it a day in Drobeta, near the first bridge across (made of timber arches mounted on masonry piers) the Danube built by Appolodore of Damascus under Emperor Trajan, and also on the site of the medieval Severin Fortress founded in the 13th century.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to Constantin Brâncuși’s house in Hobița.
• Visit to the Cioabă – Chintescu Cula (if open, otherwise exterior view only).
• Exterior view of the Davani cula.
• Visit to the Cuțui Cula in Broșteni (if open, otherwise exterior view only) and exterior view of the village church that was built by the same family.
• Exterior view of the Nistor Cula in Cerneți.
• Exterior view of the Tudor Vladimirescu Cula in Cerneți.
• Walk around the Severin Fortress ruins in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
• Accommodation in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, in a guesthouse or contemporary style hotel.

This morning we shall cross the Danube on the hydroelectric dam completed in 1972 and creating a nearly 130 km. long reservoir. Once in Serbia, we shall follow River Timok upstream. The vernacular architecture in the villages here has some distinct features in terms of structure (for instance the use of hewn stone for the walls of the vineyard huts and certain houses) from other parts of Serbia, yet the basic lines usually prevail, those of the “bondruk” (a wattle and daub structure), of the porch (Sr. čardak) we have seen quite a lot of in Wallachia (where it was called Ro. cerdac), as well as – more rarely – the elevated platform or walkout balcony (Sr. doksat) we have also seen at a couple of the Wallachian culas. We shall commence our day with a drive across the village of Urovica which used to host a large number of traditional, typical Timok region houses, but unfortunately the pace of replacing old dwellings with copy-and-paste, sterile villas is very fast. It will then be to the villages of Rogljevo and Rajac, both of them with history (most cellars here were founded in the 19th century) in wine making and old cellars. Rough stone and timber huts stand side by side here without creating any contradiction or striking contrast. The Rajac complex consists of huts set around a fountain-centered square; winding alleys lead between the huts. They are built of hewn stone and logs, with walls being often 0.60 m. thick and partially dug into the ground to keep the temperature stable throughout the year. On the first floor there are sleeping quarters for those working here during the harvest. Also in Rajac, a short walk from the uphill village made of the mentioned huts leads to the graveyard where many of the over 1500 tombs bear wonderful column-shape, carved tombstones from the 18th century introducing us to the stećci tradition we are going to explore later in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the swastika symbol on some of them is used as a solar symbol. Back on the road, we shall carry on to Zaječar, where we shall step away from the rustic environment into local landlords’ one, while visiting the Radul Bey Manor probably built around the mid 18th century; in the day, the manor served more like a roadside inn, providing accommodation and feed to travelers. Its wide wooden balcony complete with its fine extensions give the whole property an airy, spacious atmosphere. Just short of Knjaževac, our next stop will be in Ravna where a few old buildings from the region were resettled or put together replicas of starting with 1977. The oldest of them, the Berčinovac house was built towards the end of the 19th century, while the larger one, a replica of a Gornja Kamenica house and a replica of the a Radičevac house from up the Stara Planina Mountains. The arched porch, the wide walkout balcony and stairway these properties are endowed with will definitely draw our attention. Then, our next stop will be at the 14th century Donja Kamenica Monastery with its strong walls of alternating river stone and brick layers, an old Byzantine technique; the “al tempera” technique murals inside are both unusual and naturalistic; even though a religious site, this place will give us yet another perspective on medieval architecture in this part of Serbia, especially as research revealed that a two floor wooden porch used to be attached to its entrance. As if to better figure how this must have looked, we shall also see the Poganovo Monastery also going back to the 14th century, which still preserves the porch, only that it is partly built of wattle and daub, while the buildings around the church are fine samples of vernacular architecture. Taking advantage of the fine natural background, we shall overnight in the countryside around.

• Breakfast.
• Walk through the Rogljevo and Rajac wine making villages with their old hewn stone huts.
• Walk to the graveyard off Rajac to see the carved stone tombstones.
• Visit to the Radul Bey Manor in Zaječar.
• Visit to the group of typical houses from the region in Ravna.
• Visit to the monasteries of Donja Kamenica and Poganovo (exterior view only if the churches are closed at the time of arrival).
• Accommodation in Vlasi in a guesthouse inspired by the old local houses.

This morning we shall see Rudare Monastery, the history of which goes back to an early Christian basilica destroyed by the Slav invasions of the 6th – 7th centuries, with the actual building however being set in 1799. What will however bring us there is the monastery
manor house built in 1815, one of the finest samples of Balkan architecture in the region. The manor impresses with its symmetrical jetties (upper floors projecting beyond the floor below, a rather frequent occurrence in old Turkish architecture). It will then be on to Kraljevo where we shall see the Vasin Manor completed in 1830 with its typical ground floor built of masonry and the first floor built of wattle and daub; it will however be the wide porch that will impress us most while here. And then, just off Takovo we shall discover a small local church that will introduce us to yet another architectural pattern in highland and forested regions in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro: the “brvnara”. This pattern is about log buildings (smaller than houses in the plains) featuring a pointed, high straw or shingle roof that often looks disproportionate over the rather short building underneath and its low doorway. Back to it, St. George’s Church off Takovo was completed in 1795 and an equally wooden bell tower stands just next to it. Backtracking Southwards and heading a little Westwards of Čačak, we shall find off Markovica the Holy Trinity Monastery founded back in the 14th century and hosting yet another wonderful sample of local architecture: the 19th century manor house featuring a fine walkout platform and porch. Then, a longer drive across the endless hills will deliver us to Sirogojno, but it will be well worth it, as the village here consisting of old houses (most going back to the 19th century) brought from across Zlatibor region, as well as the adjacent museum of local embroideries, (including traditional outfits) is fascinating. There are several log houses with their dependencies including stables, barns, granaries and corn cribs, as well as a church. A particularity of the houses here is that they have two entrances strictly disposed according to the sun, the Eastern one meant for incoming (incoming guests, family, owners, newly born, newly wed) and the Western one meant for outgoing (those leaving, the deceased, taking the rubbish or meal leftovers out). Then, heading North-Westwards towards the Bosnian border, we shall find a continuation of the last two visits with their fine “brvnara” architecture, at the wooden church in Dub founded in 1792. Featuring very narrow openings as windows, the church is rather dark inside and features a finely carved wood decorated door including solar (circular) and honeycomb (hexagonal) patterns. And then, let us recall the culas in Wallachia and prepare for those farther down our road while in Valjevo and taking in the Nenadović Cula, built in 1813 as an armory (it would later serve as an Ottoman-run prison) while employing the boulders recovered from the destroyed Vitković Cula; the unplastered walls emphasize the purpose of the building. At the end of another day with many ups and downs across the dramatic scenery (but with upcoming Bosnia-Herzegovina bringing no change from this perspective!), we may opt to spend the night in a guesthouse or hotel set in a period property in Valjevo or in a rustic ambiance off Tršić.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to Rudare Monastery and exterior view of the monastery manor house.
  – Visit to the Vasin Manor in Kraljevo.
• Exterior view of the St. George’s Church off Takovo.
• Visit to the group of Zlatibor Region houses in Sirogojno.
• Exterior view of the Dub Church.
• Exterior view of the Nenadović Cula in Valjevo.
• Accommodation in a hotel or guesthouse set in a period property in Valjevo or in a guesthouse set in rustic style off Tršić.

This morning we are likely to see, possibly for the first time on this tour at this extent, large crowds, as, well before being a showpiece of vernacular architecture, Tršić is the village where celebrated linguist reforming the Serbian language was born in 1787, and his memorial house sees many visitors (however that should not keep us away, as it is a fine sample of local architecture in the days of old). Other than that, before saying goodbye to Serbia, we shall definitely enjoy walking around the group of 35 buildings brought in from the villages of Jadar and Radjevina, then set in a magnificent natural scenery down Zeravija Valley, including a church, mills and cottages, some joined by corn cribs, barns and cheese aging huts. We shall then proceed and cross the Bosnian border marked by River Drina. After a drive Southwards, we shall once more revert to the fortified tower-like buildings of the feudal period on the shore of the Žepa; while there were once around 300 such structures scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina, only around a dozen still stand in a good shape today and another dozen or so lie in ruins, quite often overgrown with weeds; however local projects start to pick up and and uncover or restore these fine witnesses of old times, such as is the case with the early 19th century Smailbeg Begzadić cula in Skočić. Back to our route, the three floor building in Žepa had a typically mixed purpose: a dungeon down, storage and living quarters above and sleeping quarters on the top floor. The narrow (and few!) windows, the awkward entrance (located 3 meters above the ground for defensive reasons) and the one meter thick hewn stone walls talk about the times (probably in the 17th century) Redžep Paša, that is said to have built it, saw. Back Northwards, we shall carry on across green and pleasant scenery with the same cula pattern in mind the rather long way until reaching Gradaščević. The strong tower house here (walls vary from 1.50 m. thick at ground level to 0.70 m. thick at the top floor level) was built around the early 19th century by Osman Paša Gradaščević, a rich landlord; the interesting part is that the building was lived in until nationalization occurred in 1948.

• Breakfast.
• Early start needed, given the rather long drive in the second part of the day.
• Visit to the group of old houses from the region in Tršić.
• Exterior view of Redžep Paša’s cula in Žepa.
• Exterior view of Osman Paša Gradaščević’s cula in Gradaščević.
• Accommodation in a contemporary style hotel a few kilometers off Gradaščević.

Not very far from our accommodation to the North-West, we shall reach Gradačac this morning. Of the two culas that existed here in the first part of the 19th century, the one built in 1832 still stands; uniquely among the culas in the region, it was built of bricks and also a less frequent thing is its having 4 floors (instead of the typical 2 or 3). The fine wooden jetties, as well as the fact that the cula comes out of a lower and wider house makes the whole highly attractive. Farther on, we shall reach Jelićka with its early 19th century church dedicated to the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas; the structure is made of dressed oak logs with interlocking joinery. The wooden, brvnara style structure, the shingle-covered bell tower and the old iconostasis make this an evocative place for local architecture and crafts, and we shall definitely see many similarities with timber architecture seen so far on this tour. We shall then stick to timber architecture down in Ljubačkevo Doline with its collection of typical houses from the region, complete with great interiors stocked with tools, rugs, original furniture and decoration items (the vast majority made of wood and textiles); do not miss the chicken coop! Then, in the same region we shall reach the wonderful valley of Krupa Creek, complete with its rapids and waterfalls that feed the wooden watermills that still exist here and of which some are over 100 years old. Then, the two churches in the area, St. Elijas’ founded back in the 12th century and built of stone, respectively, a short drive uphill to Tovilovići Hamlet, St. Nicholas built wood in the 18th century (probably in 1735), will add to the charm of the place. in this fine natural background. In the afternoon we shall reach Jajce, another welcoming natural area crossed, once again, by a charming creek, the Pliva that flows into the Vrbas next to the town dominated by the strong fortress and the clock tower introducing the Dalmatian Coast architecture; the 17th century house featuring a tall masonry ground floor and an overhanging wattle-and-daub first floor will definitely get our attention. We shall then carry on upstream to the falls and lakes that ply the Pliva, with the picturesque group of wooden water mills over there; while they are no longer used to make flour, they are highly picturesque! There is no wonder that for centuries the region with its dramatic terrain and difficult access acted as the ultimate stronghold of the Bosnian Kingdom, while the last Bosnian Kings having Jajce as a permanent seat. We shall spend the night in this place where nature and history blend in harmoniously.

• Breakfast.
• Exterior view of Captain Hussein’s cula in Gradačac (interior visit if open).
• Exterior views of the brvnara style wooden church in Jelićka.
• Visit to the group of houses and household annexes in Ljubačkevo.
• Exterior view of the two churches in Krupa na Vrbasu area and walk by the creek with its wooden water mills.
• Walk in Jajce taking in the old town, with views of the fortress, clock tower and the 17th century house just off the Travnik Gate.
• View of the rapids and water mills in the Mlinčići area off Jajce.
• Accommodation in Jajce or Mlinčići area.

Following River Vrbas and then making a short detour Eastwards, we shall reach Gornji Odžak. There were two beys (landlords) in town (Rustempašić and Sulejmanpašić), each with his own fortified house. The Rustempašić Cula was built towards the end of the 17th century, while the Sulejmanpašić Cula was built some 350 meters away from the former in the late 18th century, being set on fire twice. Even ruined as the latter is, one is stricken by the larger – by comparison – windows, while one can only try to figure how massive the whole building was when intact, with its four floors plus the čatma (the fifth, attic floor). The culas here had separate quarters for servants, owners and guests, as well as storage facilities and cattle stables. Then, in the same architectural line, we shall carry on and see the Sahat Kula (En. Clock Tower, well, nowadays clock-less) in Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje; the strong, windowless walls introduce us to the atmosphere of the old times in the region. It will then be on to Sarajevo, the city that developed around an Ottoman fortress set in the 15th century and that would later become famous for the heterogeneously diverse religious and ethnic population. A walk across the old town will introduce us to the atmosphere of this fascinating town which does not resemble a bustling city when deep in its historical heart. The Baščaršija radiating around the iconic Sebilj Fountain, the Morića Han (caravanserai), the Gazi Husrev Bey’s Madrasa (Coranic school), the Clock Tower and the two bazaars of Brusa and Gazi Husrev will let us further discover the roots of the architecture that partly influenced vernacular practice. However our highlight here will be the Svrzo House built in the 18th century, a fine sample of residential building belonging to a well-to-do town family and a representative sample of Ottoman domestic architecture. The two courtyards, the gardens, the separated quarters for men, women, servants and bachelors, the intricate wood panels and fine balconies, as well as the furniture and rugs make this a colourful and insightful visit when in Sarajevo. It will then be on to Mostar, a town that sprawls around its historic, single arch bridge going back to the 16th century, where, availability allowing at the time of booking, we shall spend the night in a noble man’s house of the 17th century.

• Breakfast.
• Exterior view of the Rustempašić and Sulejmanpašić culas in Gornji Odžak.
• Exterior view of the Sahat Kula in Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje.
• Walking tour in Sarajevo.
• Visit to the Svrzo House.
• Accommodation in Mostar, in a comfortable contemporary style hotel or in an old house converted into a boutique hotel.

This morning we shall have a tour of Mostar taking in the old town with its intensive use of hewn stone architecture, as well as with the 17th century Koski Paša Mosque and the two fascinating samples of typical upscale townpeople houses, the 17th century Biščević House complete with its strong and tall stone walls, respectively the 18th century, intimate Kajtaz House with its alternation of hewn stone and wattle-and-daub walls (we shall visit one of the two). Then, leaving town and heading South-Westwards, we shall reach Ljubuški and revert to the fortified house concept while seeing the Lalića Cula in the St. George Church Quarter, the only one of the initially seven culas that used to stand in the village. Changing course to the South-East, we shall then stop in Bivolje Brdo where we shall see the last of the culas on our way through Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Pašić Cula and manor built in the 16th century; the grounds include, apart from the cula itself, two courtyards, a summer and permanent kitchen, stables and a cistern, all surrounded by stone walls; when the need arose, the village of Capljina could be defended by crossfire between the cula there, respectively two other one that used to stand nearby, the Fazil. It will then be on towards the Montenegrin border, yet with a break in Radimlja so as to have a look at the extraordinary heritage of the stećci. A form of exquisite art, the stećci stand for limestone-hewn limestone tombstones carved with various – sometimes very rich – depictions and more rarely including inscriptions in Latin, Cyrilic and Glagolitic script. They were used by various religious groups (Catholics, Orthodox, Bosnian) in the area of actual Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia, between the 12th and the 16th centuries. While the largest number was found on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we shall have a look at the ones discovered in Radimlja, a very rich site for the stećci. And then, we shall cross into Montenegro for a continuation of our discovery of vernacular architecture in the Balkans.

• Breakfast.
• Walking tour in Mostar taking in the old bridge and the old town.
• Visit to one of the two: the 17th century Biščević House or the 18th century Kajtaz House.
• Exterior view of the Lalića Cula in Ljubuški.
• Exterior view of the Pašić Cula and manor in Bivolje Brdo.
• Visit to the stećci site in Radimlja
• Accommodation in a contemporary style hotel in Nikšić.

Today we shall head away from busy roads and famous old towns (in a quite popular tourist destination such as Montenegro!) while exploring what we consider to be the best preserved traditional lifestyle in the region: that of the katun.

Highland living: the Katun
The history of the katun goes beyond the 12th century, but it was then that katuns were first mentioned in Byzantine records. A katun is a group of huts set up in the highlands, where local people herd their sheep for grazing throughout summer (roughly from May until the first snowfall), especially as sheep or cattle breeding has traditionally been the main activity for many parts of inland Montenegro and villages or towns located down the valleys never had enough pasturelands, given the dramatic terrain. Katuns were run like a kinship-based society, while the group of huts, as well as the pastures they were set on would be organized on the same property principle that often saw feuds and anything from mere adversity to fighting. Katun huts, which bear specific names in different parts of Montenegro (koliba, stan, glada, savardak, dubirog) – usually lie near each other for defensive (from both wildlife and adversaries) and community-related reasons. The katun hut structure is rather simple, as it is rather small and usually has a single room, with a fireplace in the middle and woolen mats or rudimentary beds around, as well as with shelves and hooks along the often windowless walls; an adjacent building to the main one is used for cheese storage. Huts are made of logs / planks (usually the case in Bjelasica and Eastern Komovi mountains if we refer strictly to Montenegro) or stone (the case in Sinjajevina, Durmitor or Western Komovi mountains);
this fact, unfortunately changed in recent years with the use of plastics or metal sheets, traditionally allowed katuns to blend in the scenery in a natural, fluid manner. The roof traditionally consists of shingles, straw or evergreen branches and huts usually have no floor, as hardened soil, sometimes covered with flat stones, suffices. Tourism has quickly filled up some of the pastures and katuns abandoned by locals no longer willing to live isolated for half a year and many katuns have nowadays turned into groups of small hotels or mountain lodges, coming complete with paved access roads and previously unheard of facilities such as running water (other than that of a creek or spring nearby) and electricity. Other than that, it needs be said that the katun concept is not limited solely to Montenegro or the adjacent regions, it can rather be found throughout the Balkans, with the Albanians, Vlachs (also known as Aromanians, we shall look into some of their heritage later on this tour) and some of the Southern Slavs (the Montenegrins, Bosniaks and, lesser, Serbs) settling katun communities. As far as the term is concerned, there are little to no variations, as the word is pretty much the same: “katun” in Serbian, Albanian or Macedonian (in the latter case transliterated), “cătun” in Romanian, respectively “cătuni” in Aromanian, and “katoun” in Greek (transliterated, term used in the Aromanian-inhabited Greek highlands bordering Albania).

To experience the katun in the real world, let us head to Eastern Montenegro near the Kosovo border, where we shall drive up there and look into this traditional lifestyle, its basic (yet charming) architecture and captivating natural background. After looking into this great lifestyle, we may choose to spend the night in the katun environment, in wooden huts or a farmhouse set up the Čakor or Mokra highlands, or in a contemporary style hotel in Rožaje.

• Breakfast.
• Drive across the katun highlands of Bare Kraljske and Lisa-Prisojački.
• Detour to the Čakor Katun towards the Kosovo border (crossing there is no longer allowed, but this closure has allowed for a better preservation of the natural and traditional area).
• Accommodation in wooden huts off Čakor or in a farmhouse up Mokra, or in a contemporary style hotel in Rožaje.

The day will begin with a return to the cula pattern while still in Rožaje. The Ganići Cula we are going to see here was built in the 19th century and the inheritors of the family building it lived there until the 1970s. The four floor building features an interesting blend of stone and timber architecture, as the top floor has the walls doubled with wood (complete with a single balcony), while the lower part of the structure walls is all stone. We shall then cross into Kosovo and its heritage that blends in cultures, religions and traditions that, apart from its diverse nature, make it highly rewarding for the visitor. This blend has also highly influenced architecture, as well as the local lifestyle. For instance, in many parts of Kosovo only men lived in the culas, while an adjoining çardak (related to the extensive porches we have seen so far, but generally larger) was meant for the use of women and children, a religion-based gender segregation in social spaces that further influenced the cula architecture in the region with the existence of two separate entrances and staircases. Less a response to the potential invasions (as was the case in Wallachia for instance), the culas in Kosovo and later in Albania were a response to the frequent blood feuds and clan conflicts. In Pejë there are a few old town culas including Haxhi Zeka’s cula with its bronze ornament-adorned doors, Kahraman Agës (En. Aga, i.e. military or civilian leader)’ cula with its interesting round decorative patterns inserted in the wall stonework, Zenel Beu (En. Bey, i.e. province governor)’s cula with its atypical wide ground floor windows that has been revived in a hotel and restaurant, respectively the Gockaj Cula; in some of these cases, we shall note the top floor corner bay incorporating a sitting area for observing the surroundings. Apart from the culas here, the old town of Pejë hosts many other interesting places to see including the 14th century old bazaar that once hosted no fewer than 960 shops, while a special note goes to the Tahir Beu’s Inn built in 1800, relocated in 1960 and featuring a wonderful divahane (En. extensive closed and covered balcony hosting a generous sitting area) with an intricate carved wood ceiling. It will then be on to Deçan with two sights in mind. First, the fine, 14th century Visoki Dečani Monastery, an architectural masterpiece of its time blending in Byzantine features on a Romanesque framework. And then, in the vicinity of Deçan, in Isniq, we shall find the massive Osdautaj Cula, a rare sample of a well preserved four-floor fortified house in the region, while the smaller Kuklecve Cula impresses with its finely done carved wood top floor sitting and observing area. We shall call it a day in Junik, a community preserving several culas well worth looking into.

• Breakfast.
• Exterior view of the Ganići Cula in Rožaje.
• Walking tour in Pejë, taking in the old bazaar, the Okoli Fountain, as well as the culas of Haxhi Zeka, Kahraman Agës, Zenel Beu and Gockaj (visit inside the latter possible if open, but not included).
• Visit to the Tahir Beu Inn currently hosting the town museum.
• Visit to the Visoki Dečani Monastery (usually possible, yet in case of recent troubles, access might be denied by the KFOR unit protecting it or by the monks).
• Exterior view of the two Isniq culas: the Osdautaj and the Kuklecve.
• Accommodation in a slightly more modest (but authentic) konak (inn) in Junik or in a small, modern hotel in Deçan.

We shall start this brand new day with an exploration of Junik and its rich heritage in terms of old fortified houses. How come there are so many in this region of Kosovo? Let us wait until later in the day for the answer. Back to Junik, the culas here were built in the 18th and 19th centuries and are generally surrounded by stone walls, sometimes together with other,
smaller buildings serving as farming or urban annexes. They would typically have a stable area on the ground floor and living quarters on the middle floor(s), while the top floor hosts a dysheklluku (En. a verandah used for observing the surroundings) and a comfortable guest room for male visitors adorned with rugs and cushions. We shall see some of the several culas in town: the Kulla e Hoxhajve featuring the typical outside wooden stairway, the carved wood sitting and observation area on the top floor and the massive, tall gate, the Kulla e Brahim Hoxhes with its new additions and green yard, the Kulla e Sadik Shehut with its more austere image provided by the lack of windows in the lower part of the river stone walls enforced only on the corners with hewn stone, the Kulla e Jah Ymerit with its odd alternation of river stone and hewn stone walls, the Kulla e Isufaj with its unfortunate fate that resulted in a contemporary change of structure (wall openings creating large windows) and the Kulla e Kukavije, the latter located out of town. Furthermore, the local Konaku i Ramë Zyberit, a tourist inn set around an old river stone wall cula, provides a good opportunity to see the cula from the inside as well. We shall then cross into Albania and the stone architecture will be ever more present: keeping an eye on the region the road crosses, we shall notice the Kulla e Qeleposhve, currently converted in a farmhouse, some 30 meters off the road, while in Bujan we shall see the iconic Kulla e Mic Sokolit built in the early 19th century, complete with its wonderful top floor woodwork. Then, the great nature all around will captivate us for the remaining of the journey today, as, after contouring a little Fierza Reservoir, we shall go up and down over and over again across a fabulous region to Shkodër and then up the dramatic Prokletije Mountains to the village of Theth, at the foot of breathtakingly beautiful rugged crests. The local church built of stone splendidly fits the scenery, while the cula nearby (the Kulla e Pajtimit, i.e. the Reconciliation Cula) has a very interesting story. Let us just say that those accused of crimes in battle or the once frequent gjakmarrja (En. blood feud) would be isolated in the Kulla e Pajtimit while their case was analyzed by a council made of the village elders or, as was the case, negotiated between the affected families by the same council and a verdict was reached.

Kanun and Kulla
In this context, it needs be added that, until the mid 20th century, existence, especially in remote areas of Albania, was governed by the Kanun, a set of orally transmitted customary rules put together by a 15th century prince, Lekë Dukagjini, but originating well before his time; the Kanun covered many aspects of life, from running the household and hospitality to brotherhood and clan affairs, from work to marriage issues, from land ownership to various neighbourhood situations. Back to the building we shall find ourselves in front of, the “koka për kokë” (En. a head for a head) revenge principle would involve whole families, sometimes spanning over generations, and the need for culas to protect one’s close ones was a natural consequence, hence differentiating the role of the cula especially in the highland Albanian society of times past. On the other hand, with centuries of Ottoman rule (1479–1912), Albanians often referred to unwritten rules and principles so as to preserve their traditions, values and morality (ultimately their identity) without adopting solutions imported from abroad, and such a situation, as well as a traditional society, led to the popularity of the Kanun and its highly regarded pillar, the Besa (a solemn oath referring to the supreme value of one’s word, with honour, integrity and trust at its core).

After learning more on this particularity of the local history, we shall spend the night in Theth and, with a bit of luck, the elderly man that can play the leaf to produce old songs will be around and have his say.

• Breakfast.
• Outside view of some of the culas in Junik: the Kulla e Hoxhajve, the Kulla e Brahim Hoxhes, the Kulla e Sadik Shehut, the Kulla e Jah Ymerit, the Kulla e Isufaj and the Kulla e Kukavije.
• Outside view of the Konaku i Ramë Zyberit (unless accommodated there the night before).
• Outside view of the Kulla e Mic Sokolit in Bujan.
• Outside view of the Theth Church and of the Kulla e Pajtimit nearby (if open, visit inside the latter).
• Accommodation in Theth, in a guesthouse set in a cula or in a mountain lodge-like hotel.

Down the mighty Prokletije this morning, we may opt to have a break in Shkodër with its pleasant old town before moving Southwards to Krujë, the capital of first medieval Albanian state and home of the extensive fortress founded back in the 5th – 6th centuries, complete with its imposing and picturesque 11th century watchtower. While here we shall see a few Ottoman era houses and visit the Ismail Pashë Toptani Manor built in 1764, with its walls made of stone in the lower section and wattle-and-daub structure in the upper section. The semi-enclosed çardak with its wooden grilles and shutters provide a special charm to the place, while the seating area, the rugs, the carved wood furniture complete a very pleasant experience; also of interest, just like in nearby Kosovo, is the presence of the gender separate areas: the larger one for men and an adjacent smaller one for women. We shall then carry on Southwards and, after skirting Tirana, we shall reach Elbasan, another town that saw a boost during Ottoman times. There we shall see the Hajdar Sejdin Manor. The open gallery there (the çardak) will catch our eyes with the appealing timber column-supported arcade featuring fine horseshoe-shaped arches; at the same time, a separate ceremonial room features, apart from the typical divan, a fine carved wood ceiling. Also in Elbasan, we shall see the Bayezid II Mosque built in 1492 with its interesting brick and stone pattern walls. Then, we shall call it a day in a city that impresses the visitor at first sight. Because, the long history of the human presence there (going back to the 4th century BC) aside, Berat strikes one with its houses built on the steep slope and resembling a stairway. In terms of architecture, the town provides a unique image blending in the traces of the different ethnic, cultural and religious groups that coexisted there. That fact is obvious when looking at the old fortified town complete with its extraordinary mural-adorned churches and mosques, but even more so when it comes down to the typical house pattern, with its stone base (generally used to create a level platform for the upper structure), the upper wattle-and-daub floors built and their many wide windows (a starking contrast from the window absence or very few and narrow windows of the stone base that resembles the local culas). The picturesque image is further emphasized by the fact that quite often houses feature jetty upper floors projecting over the stone-paved, narrow streets. Another of the Albanian cula pattern we have looked into, the çardak has a double use, that of a comfortable place to enjoy and of an observation deck. Then, once one gets inside its houses and manors, it is impossible not to notice the extraordinary wood carving craftsmanship, whether this is about furniture, ceilings or doors. While in Berat we shall visit the Kostaq Xhokaxi House built in the 18th century and featuring an impressive, open çardak (the typical Berat çardak is usually closed off with windows), as well as a pier-supported stairway providing access to the main floor. Then, a walk across the old town will reveal many other interesting old houses, as well as the 15th century Bayezid II (locally known as just Sultan’s) Mosque with its extraordinary dome woodcarving, the 18th century Halveti Tekke (En. Muslim place of gathering and prayer) with its wooden ceiling and mural-adorned walls, respectively the 19th century Bachelors’ Mosque with its murals showing various scenes including houses in Berat. When all is said and done, our walk will reveal a scenery that could hardly be more different from the green and serene Theth this morning!

• Breakfast.
  • Optional short walk in Shkodër.
• Visit to the Ismail Pashë Toptani Manor in Krujë and walk through the old town.
• Visit to the Hajdar Sejdin Manor in Elbasan and walk through the old town.
• Visit to the Kostaq Xhokaxi House in Berat and walk through the old town taking in exterior views (visit inside if they are open) of the Bayezid II Mosque, Halveti Tekke and Bechelors’ Mosque. The Berat visit(s) may be done the following morning in case of a late arrival in town.
• Accommodation in a hotel set in an old, typical Berat house.

This morning we shall head towards the coast and, after an optional detour to see small, island-located 14th century St. Mary’s Monastery with its carved stone columns and intricate iconostasis, as well as after crossing the holiday intensive Vlorë, we shall reach Dukat with its atypical cula building known as Dervish Ali’s Towers. Built by a peasant revolt leader, the property includes a watchtower and rather extensive fortified, defensive structures built entirely of stone in different stages. The column-supported gallery, the maze of towers and fortifications and nonetheless the site location above the village proper (one needs in fact walk up a sloped stone-paved lane to get to it!) make this a highly picturesque and evocative place. Then, still plying the coast, we shall reach Dhërmi, a former fishermen village where heritage meets an emergent mass tourism (emergent here, already in full blossom in Vlorë for instance) without one bothering the other. The terraced architecture here reminds one of Berat, but in a rustic way, as houses are smaller and lack the coziness and comforts of the said town. Instead, the picturesque winding lanes, the old houses with their wooden doors, the pleasant small squares, the small old churches including the blue roof dome St. Spyridon’s, all these make a walk here highly rewarding and announcing in a way that we are not too far from the Greek border (and most of the local inhabitants are in fact Greek). Time allowing, we can also walk around the Village of Vuno, which, given its location on a steeper slope, has been less fortunate than Dhërmi and did not see the tourism-brought investments in restoring the old heritage, so that some of its stone houses have been abandoned or are not that well taken care of. And then, we shall reach Qeparo Fushë (En. Upper Qeparo), the hidden gem of the three, with its car inaccessible lanes (the village can be reached by car, but it can only be walked across given the terrain and narrow lanes), its stone lanes bordered by olive trees and small stone houses providing an image of remoteness to the point where the sea, the crowds, even the cula architecture could hardly appear as more distant. After this incursion in a world apart, we shall carry on and reach Gjirokastër with its two famous residents: Ismail Kadare and Enver Hoxha. Developing in the 14th century and especially after the 15th century coming of the Ottoman rule, with no shortage of culas built by rich local landlords and local Ottoman administration staff. As we shall look down from the hilltop castle with its iconic clock tower built in 1800 to the bazaar area, we shall discover the captivating Gjirokastër residential architecture and understand the inspiration Ismail Kadare probably got from his home town.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to Dervish Ali’s Towers in Dukat.
• Walk through the village of Dhërmi.
  • Optional walk up to St. Mary’s Monastery affording fine views of the village and all the way down to the sea.
  • Optional walk down the 1.5 km. theme Mills Trail heading down to the seafront and then back up again.
  • Optional short detour to see and walk around the village of Vuno (time allowing).
• Walk through the village of Qeparo Fushë.
• Walking tour in Gjirokastër excluding visits (the two visits will be done the following morning).
• Accommodation in Gjirokastër, in a hotel set in an old stone building in the old town.

For an insight into the local vernacular architecture, we shall visit two old houses. First, monumentality falls short of the tall Zekate House. Of a complex cula pattern, the house was completed in 1811 and features two towers hosting cosy wide window living rooms meant for receptions and ceremonies, with a generous çardak in between. Then, with a less menacing so to speak and more elaborate exterior, the Skënduli House charms one as soon as he or she gets closer. Built in 1823, the house features a çardak where guests stepped in an environment adorned with exquisite woodwork and carvings and colourful rugs, while the town views added in to the feast. Then, leaving Gjirokastër, we shall head to yet another region where history tells its great tales. Heading down almost all the way to the Greek border and then North-Eastwards, we shall approach the highlands where sheep or cattle breeding, trade and religion played a major role in the development of the local communities where Albanian, Aromanian and Greek cultures blended in. First, we shall head up to Dardhë, one of the small villages where the typical stone house architecture has been well preserved. Houses, whether they are single floor or two floor buildings, are made of hewn stone and usually feature an open çardak where usually residents congregate; while the cula pattern is absent here, certain influences are present in the house appearance. We shall then make a short detour to Mborje to see the Church of St. Mary founded back in 896, with its structure made of riverstone and bricks, while the roof of an annex is made of thin slates. It will then be on to Voskopojë (known as Moscopole in Aromanian and Moschopolis in Greek), a remainder of the sheep breeding and trading – based mostly Aromanian community that saw a constant development from its sprouting in 1330 to 1764 when it reached some 30,000 inhabitants, being ranked as the second city in the Balkans after Istanbul (nicknamed “Shepherd Town”) and hosting an Academy, as well as the only printing house in the Balkans out of the same Istanbul. While one may nowadays make little of the small population remaining after Ali Pasha of Ioannina’s raid in 1788 and a change of the trade routes due to insecurity, a closer look will reveal a very interesting picture, where man-made and natural heritage is plentiful up here, at 1160 m.a.s.l. The local churches (including the Church of the Dormition of the Holy Virgin with its wide eaves reminding of the houses we visited this morning, the Church of St. Nicholas and the Church of St. Athanasius with their fine frescoes and impressive arcades, respectively the Monastery of St. John the Baptist with its impressive stonework), the stone-paved streets, once complete with
sidewalks and sewers, winding between stone and more rarely wattle-and-daub houses set among airy gardens, as well as the mountains around where the Aromanians developed their own culture around shepherding, all these will make it for a very interesting visit. This incursion over, we shall head up North-Eastwards and, after partly contouring Lake Ohrid, we shall reach the homonymous town in North Macedonia with its history back to 217 BC and beyond, a history that saw it as a major religious and cultural center. A late afternoon / early evening walk there will take us along the Kosta Abrash and Tsar Samoil, the main streets in the old town bordered by typical 19th century houses of a similar architectural pattern with that in parts of Elbasan or Berat (masonry-based ground floor, respectively wattle-and-daub upper floors); as a historical particularity, these old houses have a generous čardak where, behind closed doors, religious and customary ceremonies were held during the Ottoman rule. The Robev House built in 1864 almost touching the Uranja House across the street, as well as the Uzunov House nearby or the Kanevche House with its arched roof will all make us enjoy this short incursion in Ohrid’s rich heritage.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to the Zekate and Skënduli houses.
  • Optional (time allowing) visit to the extensive Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokastër, with a particular focus on local outfits and day-by-day lifestyle.
• Drive to and short break in Dardhë.
• Visit to the Church of St. Mary in Mborje (if the caretaker is around, usually yes, otherwise exterior view so as to take in the architecture).
• Walk around Voskopojë and visit to some of the still standing 8 local churches (restauration works have been planned in certain cases and some of them might be closed).
• Walk across a part of the old town in Ohrid, including exterior views of the Robev, Uranja, Uzunov and Kanevche houses.
• Accommodation in Ohrid, in a comfortable villa in or near the old town.

The morning will start with a visit to the Museum on Water. With its displays – adobe and twig huts featuring straw or reed roofs – the museum says a lot about the prehistoric stilt dwellings in the area, yet it also sheds some light on the wooden huts on stilts used until quite recently (25-30 years ago) by fishermen on Dojran Lake, a tradition mentioned by Herodotus in the 5th century BC. We shall then head Northwards and enjoy the countryside with its riches. First, in Gari, a village located on the slopes of the 2278 m.a.s.l. Stogovo Mountains, we shall see some of the typical Mijak houses; the Mijaks are a distinct Macedonian ethnic group with fine traditions, especially regarding wood carving. As a local specificity, the ground floor masonry is layered with timber bands, while the upper floor has a lighter (wattle-and-daub) structure only on the Southern, sunny side (where the čardak is
also located), with the Northern side walls being built still of stone. Then, in Janče we shall see how terrain further influences not only the way houses are built, but also the way the village is disposed, with barns located down close to the smoother fields and pastures, respectively the village proper with its tall stone basement houses (again, with the timber band layered reinforcement) on the steeper slopes above. In Galičnik, the center of Mijak presence, the houses we are going to see resemble real fortresses, while the masonry and traditions of the locals are still faithfully pursued. Only the top floor living area and adjacent čardak have their walls built of wattle-and-daub or timber alone, while the rest of the house is built of stone, from the thick masonry basement walls (again, reinforced with timber bands) to the thin slate roof. In the afternoon we shall reach Tetovo, a once prosperous town on a trade route connecting Illyrian (Illyrians were the precursors of the Albanians) and the Macedonian lands. The highlight here is the captivating, 16th century Arabati Baba Teke (a Muslim religious site belonging to the Bektashi Sufi Order) comprising the eye-catching, two floor Plav Kula (En. Blue Tower) adorned with excellent wood carving and mural painting patterns, the “musafirhana” (En. inn for visitors, as, according to the Bektashi teachings, Muslim, Christians, followers of other religions and non-believers were equally welcome) featuring an extraordinary wooden čardak with very wide eaves and the Dervish Pavilion complete with a marble fountain and magnificent paintings. At the same time, other period buildings in Tetovo – from houses and manors including the Palloshi Manor all the way to the Painted Mosque of 1438 – will complete this rich day on the road.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to the Museum on Water in Ohrid.
• Walk around the village of Gari with exterior views of the local houses.
• Walk around the village of Janče with exterior views of the local houses.
• Walk around the village of Galičnik with exterior views of the local houses.
• Walking tour in Tetovo including exterior views of the manors and buildings along the way.
• Visit inside the Painted Mosque if open (otherwise exterior view only).
• Visit to the Arabati Baba Teke in Tetovo.
• Accommodation in Tetovo in a contemporary style hotel close to the old town.

After backtracking Southwards for a while, we shall leave the beaten track and, across the background provided by the scenic Buševa Planina, we shall find Cer, a small village where old houses can be seen, some of which feature small balconies, a variation to the čardak tradition. Still with the mountains in sight, we shall reach Kruševo, a historically rebellious town against the Ottoman rule of a mixed ethnic population. The three floor old houses here are more elaborate, often featuring balconies, a fact that speaks of the fact that most of them were built starting with the 19th century, while the excellently restored house hosting the Nikola Martinoski Art Gallery provides a transition to the architecture we shall see later on farther Eastwards, in Bulgaria. Back on the road, we shall then reach Varoš and just off town we shall find the extensive Monastery of Holy Archangel Michael, an outstanding piece of craftsmanship going back to the 12th century and standing close to the Markovi Kuli (En. Marko’s Towers), part of a fortress going back to the Hellenistic period, then followed by Byzantine and Slavic expansion works). What brings us here is especially the mansion, an 1861 addition to the old church to provide sleeping quarters for the nuns. The long, partly console-supported building of the mansion, with an čardak featuring a balcony in its central part, projects over and overlooks the valley below, affording wonderful views. The mansion follows the tradition of having the lower floors built of stone, while the upper part walls are of wattle-and-daub structure. On the other side of the church, another 19th century addition features an extensive window-covered gallery, while the stone – and – brick church is emphasized by the mentioned white buildings and the rocky terrain around; a wonderful place to slow down so as to take in the atmosphere and views before moving on! Eventually farther on it will be, North-Eastwards between Babuna and Klepa mountains, to Veles. Having belonged, among the others, to the First Bulgarian Empire, the Serbian Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, the Albanian Pashalik of Shkodër (a semi-independent region within the Ottoman Empire) Veles developed as an important, rather wealthy trading town, and that can still be seen when looking at its period residential architecture. The typical house structure with the already familiar riverstone foundation and first floor, respectively with the lighter structure upper floors is best seen at the houses placed on the river bank, while specifically three 19th century houses in town will definitely get our attention. First, the Kasapovi House was built by a merchant and its upper level čardak extension platform affording a fine view down towards the Vardar makes very good use of its location on a rather steep slope. Then the Kočo Raćin House was built by a celebrated Macedonian poet and features an interesting jetty floor projecting above the street from the masonry walls of the floor below the angles of which are not respected; while definitely not unique, this shows the inventiveness of the local craftsmen when both space and terrain proved to be real problems. At the same time, the old house that used to belong to Education and Revival figure Jordan Hadži Konstantinov-Džinot up a lane off the Maxim Gorki Street features another outstanding platform projecting over the street at a different angle from the structure below, to a high visual impact. In fact, by just wandering up and down the winding lanes on the Western shore of the Vardar will provide a nice ending to this touring day.

• Breakfast.
• Drive through and short break in Cer to take in the local houses.
• Walking tour in Kruševo with exterior views of some of the typical local houses.
  • Optional visit (if open) to the Nikola Martinoski Art Gallery hosted in a refurbished old house, so as to take in the architectural details.
• Visit to the the Monastery of Holy Archangel Michael off Varoš.
• Walking tour in Veles with exterior views of some of the typical local houses, including – if open, as they saw unnoticed closures for renovation works or other issues – to one of these houses: the Kasapovi House, the Kočo Raćin House and the Jordan Hadži Konstantinov-Džinot House.
• Accommodation in Veles, in a contemporary style hotel off the old town.

In an important region for both Byzantines and Ottomans, Štip still evokes its history especially in the nowadays suburb of Novo Selo. A few wonderfully restored old houses here will make it for a great stop here, just up the main Krste Misirkov Street from the Church of Saint Demetrius of Saonica with its river stone and brick layer alternation typical for Byzantine architecture. And then, we shall move into Bulgaria with its fascinating medieval history involving two local empires before the coming of the Ottomans, with two options. First, with an earlier start in the morning, heading North-Eastwards to Kyustendil, we may see a kula, the 14th – 15th century Pirkova (redundantly called the Pirkova Kula, as “pyrgos” means “tower” in Greek) following the familiar warehouse ground floor and two living upper floors and a third floor organized for defensive functions, and then have a brief introduction to the Plovdiv Revival style while seeing the Emfendzhieva House built in 1874, and then we can carry on to Rila Monastery. Or, with a more relaxed day, we can head straight to Rila Monastery which we shall reach in the afternoon, with its fine location in a deep valley at the foot of the 2729 m.a.s.l. Malyovitsa Peak. Founded back in the 10th century, the monastery was a cultural and religious center. Apart from the Byzantine structure, five dome church with its walls of alternating layers of brick and hewn stone, it hosts a four floor manor house including the monks’ and abbot’s living quarters, a library and four chapels; a wooden top floor complete with fine balconies and painted decorations sits above the masonry lower floors; furthermore, the projecting balcony spanning three levels above the Dupnitsa Gate is particularly elaborate. Also on premises there is a kula, the Hrelyovata Kula (En. Hrelyo’s cula) built by Protosebastos Hrelyo, a Macedonian noble man that also enriched the monastery proper, in 1335, with its 5 floors and chapel on the top floor; its function was probably that of providing shelter to the monks and the monastery valuables. We shall then carry on to the Pirin Mountain foothills region farther Southwards, almost on the Greek border. There we shall find the 13th century Rozhen Monastery with very interesting (and more rudimentary than that at the Rila) 17th and 18th century mansions providing a stark contrast between the strong, masonry outside walls and the wooden structure inside the enclosure. Projecting porches and bays, ground floor wine making rooms, the courtyard garden, as well as the bell tower add to the reasons that bring us here on a rather long sightseeing day, before heading downstream to Melnik, in the heart of a famous wine making region dotted with highly picturesque eroded sandstone slopes. Of the old 18th and 19th century houses in town, the Kordopoulos House stands out with its ventilated wine cellars, the first two floors built on a stone wall structure and the upper timber-and-plaster floor, as well as with the interior featuring painted furniture and decorative ceiling panels; a real treat at the end (or beginning, should we arrive too late) of the sightseeing day, a glass of fine Melnik wine aside!

• Breakfast.
• Short walk in the Novo Selo quarter of Štip, to take in the old house architecture.
  • Optional (with an early start) detour to Kyustendil, visit (if open, otherwise exterior view only) to the Pirkova and exterior view of the Emfendzhieva House.
• Visit to Rila Monastery and the Hrelyo Cula.
• Visit to Rozhen Monastery.
• Walk in Melnik and visit (unless too late, case where it can be visited the following morning) to the Kordopoulos House.
  • Optional: dinner joined by local wine presentation in Melnik.
• Accommodation in Melnik in a guesthouse set in one of the old houses or in a hotel.

Crossing the remote, Southern flanks of the Pirin, we shall have a break in Teshovo this morning. The village still preserves some typical houses with the imposing silhouette – even now, when it is a ruin – of the once seven floor (according to locals) Teshovska Kula (En. Teshovo Cula). Built of broken stone and mortal, it may have been used as a weapon warehouse or as a watchtower from where locals would be alarmed in case of invasions. Then, heading Northwards and approaching the Rhodopes with their traditional lifestyle and wonderful music, we shall reach Kovachevitsa picturesquely unfolding with its old houses emerging from the verdant hillside. Founded by farmers and livestock breeders, the village developed with the coming of skilled builders from Western Macedonia during the 18th century, and starting then the houses were adorned with wide balconies initially used for storage, then for taking in the view over the street or neighbourhood; sometimes these balconies were that large that they could be used for more purposes including cooking, dining, community gathering or craft working. Stone ruled as a building material, from the ground floor and the North-facing upper floor walls to the heavy slate roof. A small museum provides a fine image of the interiors in Kovachevitsa, including colourful kilims, pillows and the typical short dining tables and chairs. Leaving this tranquil place, we shall carry on across the countryside up the Shirokoleshka Creek to Shiroka Laka, a village that has turned into an architectural and ethnographic reserve. The houses here were fortified to be able to cope with the period threats, to the point where the masonry walls surrounding one’s property are rather tall and feature few and small openings, while the upper house floors often project over them so as to have more space inside. It will then be on Southwards and deep in the heart of the Rhodopes to Moghilitsa, home of the strong, almost fortress-like Agushevi Konaci (i.e. Salih Agha’s manor houses built between 1820 and 1843) comprising three buildings each complete with its own courtyard and well, everything surrounded with thick masonry walls. The chardaks complete with sheepskin-covered sitting platforms, the lookouts projecting over the courtyard, the corner kiosk rooms welcoming guests with its rich decoration, as well as women’s quarters all speak of the importance of Agha’s property. A short drive will then deliver us to Smolyan, an old town where we shall definitely enjoy having a walk up the Cheshtitska and Slavyanka streets in its historic Raykovo Quarter, noting the symmetrical layout and wonderful, arched central part of the Bratska House and the triple volume corner Milyon House. However, the highlight in the quarter and town is the 19th century George House, also known as the László Nagy House in honour of a Hungarian poet and translator that promoted Bulgarian poetry and old songs to the Hungarian audience. The house has wonderful displays introducing one to the day-by-day life of the local people, from small pieces of furniture to textiles, from images to religious items and icons. A wonderful experience to end or commence (again, in case of a late arrival, we shall leave the Smolyan sightseeing for the following morning) the day with!

• Breakfast.
• Exterior view of the Teshovo Cula.
• Walking tour in Kovachevitsa and optional (time allowing) visit to the small local museum.
• Walking tour in Shiroka Laka taking in the traditional Rhodope vernacular architecture.
• Visit to Salih Agha’s manor houses in Moghilitsa.
• Walking tour in the old quarter of Smolyan (up Cheshtitska and Slavyanka streets) taking in the Milyon and Bratska houses (exterior views only).
• Visit to the George House in Smolyan. The Smolyan touring might be rescheduled for the next morning in case of a late arrival.
• Accommodation in Smolyan in a contemporary style hotel.

Changing course and heading Northwards this morning, we shall go down the mountains and reach Bachkovo Monastery the history of which goes all the way back to the 11th century. The monastery manor houses set around two courtyards were built in different
periods and feature a different architectural approach, as some have unplastered masonry walls on the ground floor while others are more elaborate; some preserve fine 16th-17th century murals. At the same time, a wide gallery sits above on the upper floor, supported by wooden pillars, all that in a simpler, more rustic approach that better emphasizes the local building style and materials. After this visit, we shall carry on straight to Plovdiv, the city spreading over 7 hills with a history going back to the 6th millennium BC. Developing as a major trading and transport hub during the 5 century-long Ottoman rule, it was however towards its last century (roughly 1770 to 1900, with a boost in the first half of the 19th century) that Plovdiv, alongside other Bulgarian towns, embraced the Revival Style as an approach finding inspiration in the architecture of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Starting with the Stoyan Chomakov Street running up towards the Nebet Tepe, we shall see several highly appealing houses with the typical masonry ground level and timber frame upper floor that often projects forward. Here we shall find the Argir Kuyumdzhioglu House with its stucco decoration adorning the first floor façade nowadays hosting a fine ethnographic exhibition, the Atanas Krastev and Kasandra Bayatova houses with their projecting first floor almost touching the ones of the houses across the street. Then, back down, the Dimitar Georgiadi House with its warm colour scheme nowadays hosting the local history museum or the apparently similar Veren Stambolyan and Nikola Nedkovich houses featuring their atypical tall column flanked main entrance will provide diversity to our touring that will not be complete without seeing the Hindliyan House with its interior murals or the Luka Balabanov House with its symmetrical layout and airy garden. The houses we are going to visit of these will further extend our experience in this popular, true, but fascinating old town.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to the Bachkovo Monastery.
• Walking tour in Plovdiv taking in the Kuyumdzhioglu, Krastev, Bayatova, Georgiadi, Stambolyan, Nedkovich, Hindlyian and Balabanov houses (all exterior views).
• Visit to the Kuyumdzhioglu House currently hosting an ethnographic exhibition (closed on Mondays).
• Visit to the Stambolyan House with its collection of contemporary painting (closed on Sundays).
• Visit to the Balabanov House with its elaborate ceiling woodwork (closed on Mondays).
• Visit to the Hindlyian House with its mural paintings (closed on Mondays).
• Accommodation in Plovdiv in a small hotel hosted in one of the old Revival houses.

Moving North-Westwards across a quite flat, meadowy terrain at first and then slowly gaining elevation in Sredna Gora Mountains, we shall reach Koprivishtitsa this morning. The town is what might be called a rural version of Plovdiv with its early Revival houses blending in striking rustic elements with the already familiar decorations and architectural shapes in Ploddiv. Some of the houses here hosted a shop or workshop on the ground floor and sleeping, as well as gathering or cooking quarters upstairs, while the chardak acted as a focus area where the living and working functions of the house converged. The main building materials where at first logs and planks, with plaster and more elaborate structures allowing ever finer decorations (from woodcarving to murals) to be integrated. Of the houses here, the Nencho Oslekov, Dimcho Debelyanov, Petko Lyutov, Lyuben Karavelov and Georgi Benkovski stand out, but we shall focus on the Late Revival style Oslekov with its long line-up of kitchenware in the garden shed and with its finely decorated walls and ceilings, the equally Late Revival style Lyutov with its exquisite ceiling floral pattern paintings and wonderful carpets and the Early Revival style Debelyanov with its warm, intimate interiors. Furthermore, the Church of St. Nicholas in town comes complete with Revival touches as well, including the fine fresco-adorned arch over the entrance, as well as the picturesque adjacent manor house. A particularly interesting visit here might be that at the Bread and Food Museum, an exhibition providing a thorough insight into the local cooking, from the kitchenware and ingredients employed to the cooking techniques. A rather fulfilling visit today in Koprivishtitsa, but the day isn’t over before reaching the region of Vratsa Balkan highlands with its Vratitsa Fortress (some impressive walls and cliffs) above the Leva River Gorges. Once there we shall revert to the cula pattern while seeing two fine such structures. First, the Kurtpashova Kula (En. Kurt Pasha Cula) built in the 17th century by a local landlord for himself and his family; differently from other culas we have seen, this one has the looks of a medieval fortress, while the narrow embrasures on the top floor were used for shooting at invaders and the narrow sleets below were used to pour hot liquids on them. Then, we shall see the Meschiite Kula (En. Meschii Cula), also built in the 17th century and resembling up to a point the medieval fortress architecture of the Kurt Pasha Cula. Its massive, 1.80 m. thick walls made of broken stone and mortal, as well as the fact that initially the entrance was located no less than 2 meters above the ground talk about the particularities of the early days it saw. The rather diverse day will then end in Vratsa, with the green highlands in sight.

• Breakfast.
• Walking tour of Koprivishtitsa.
• Visit to the Oslekov House.
• Visit to the Lyutov House.
• Visit to the Debelyanov House.
• Visit to the Church of St. Nicholas.
• Visit to the Museum of Bread and Food Museum.
• Walk in Vratsa and exterior views of the Kurt Pasha and Meschii culas (visit inside if open, usually the Kurt Pasha is open).
• Accommodation in Vratsa in a modern hotel or up the Leva River in a traditional style hotel.

This day will see a blend of rustic architecture and charming natural background provided by the foothills of the lengthy Stara Planina Mountains. First, those having traveled (on another tour, as that is not geographical or cultural part of the Balkans) to Maramureș in Northern Romania might recall the “vâltoare” there (a stream being channeled into a round, half a barrel-like wooden structure made of planks where it creates a whirlpool used by local people to wash clothes) and priding with its uniqueness. While it isn’t unique in Romania (there are “vâltoare” installations in Lisa in Southern Transylvania, among other places), the genius loci usually travels freer than man himself, something we shall experience upon reaching Etar Village and finding ourselves in front of the local “valyavitsa” used to felt locally-woven woolen rugs, blankets or quilts. Other than that, the living, open air village museum where will definitely captivate us with its craftsman street of more elaborate houses still hosting locals working in different workshops, the wonderful sample of 19th century highland plank house, the Toplesh Sheepfold, the extensive Krastnikkolchov Inn from Gabrovo, the complex church-and-school building from Radovtsi and two highly important countryside installations: the plum smoker and the plum dryer from the Tryavna region, all these and their scenic location plying the local creek adding a different insight from what we have had so far on Balkan vernacular architecture. We shall then carry on and a short drive will deliver us to Bozhentsi Village founded by Veliko Tarnovo residents that fled the town as the Ottomans advanced, nowadays preserving some fine samples of old houses the highlight of which is the 19th century Doncho Popa House mixing the living and working functions as it also hosted a shop; the hearth room with the typical hood over the fireplace (here made of wood), as well as the sitting chardak and platform make the visit here highly interesting, while other houses in the lush vegetation-immersed village are also both picturesque and interesting (including the one hosting a huge wooden vise). Back on the road, we shall then reach Tryavna, a locally famous center of weavers and wood carvers where the oldest standing house around, the 18th century Popa Angelov House is a typical sample of a pre-Revival period dwelling, hence its more modest (at the first sight at least, because by just looking at the scale model exhibited we might reach a different conclusion) features; at the same time, the local woodcarving and ethnographic museum provides a quite good insight in the local traditions, while the Slaveykov and Daskalov houses nearby are more elaborate and talk of the Revival period by contrast with the Popa Angelov House. The last break on the route today will be off the village of Kapinovo, where we shall see the local 13th century (restored in the 16th, then 19th century after being destroyed by the Ottomans) monastery. There could hardly be a starker contrast between the fortress looks on the outside of the arc-shaped monastic mansion and its welcoming, charming other side complete with the first floor galleries and flower-filled garden, while the decorative wooden
balustrade, the chardaks projecting towards the garden, as well as the Last Judgement mural by the porch entrance to the church are all reasons to stay and explore further and further at the Monastery of Kapinovo. Then, the late afternoon or early evening will see us arrive in Arbanassi, another jewel on our lengthy chain of Balkanic experiences.

• Breakfast.
• Visit to the open air village museum and some of the old houses in Etar and, if they are at work, to the local craftsmen.
• Walk around Bozhentsi and its old houses.
• Visit to the Dancho Popa House.
• If open, visit to the vise house (closed on Sundays).
• Walk around the old streets in Tryavna.
• Visit to the Popa Angelov House in Tryavna (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).
• Visit to the Woodcarving and Ethnographic Museum in Tryavna.
  • Optional (time allowing) visits to the Slaveykov House and the Icon Museum (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).
• Visit to the Monastery of Kapinovo.
• Accommodation in Arbanassi, in a traditional style hotel or in a hotel set in one of the old houses in the village.

The day will commence right in Arbanassi, a village that somehow epitomizes the Balkans with its history going back to the 13th century and its Albanian resonance (the name actually means “Albanians”), the first settlers appearing to have been Bulgarian noblemen coming from the regions in the Western part of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Its thriving trading and craftsmanship (goldsmiths, coppersmiths, silk producers apart from the region-prone wine making) activity peaked during the 17th and 18th centuries, when the village maintained strong commercial relations with Transylvanian, Wallachian, Polish and Russian towns. Of the once 1,000 houses in Arbanassi with their typical stone walls and fences set along – and sometimes projecting over – meandering streets and lanes, we shall look around a few and into the 17th century, typical highland Konstantsaliev House complete with its extensive compound and evocative interiors, while the small churches of St. George and St. Athanasius still preserving fine and well restored period frescoes will complete our incursion here before moving to Veliko Tarnovo. The well fortified capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire will welcome us with the view of the extensive 12th century Tsarevets, as well as with the deep ravines created by River Yantra, on top of which, in an apparently impossible, the town was set with its old houses clinging to the hillsides. We shall have a walk across parts of the old town where traditional architecture still survives and shall then stop at the mid 19th century Han Hadzhi Nikoli, a typical inn that used to have shops and storage spaces on the ground floor, respectively sleeping quarters upstairs. Then, after a drive to either Bucharest or Sofia, our exploration of the Balkan vernacular (and not only!) architecture will end, but that might as well be the emergent point of further planning and winding trail treading. All that with contemporary Bulgarian writer Kapka Kassabova’s words in mind:

“A pilgrim needs a nominal destination, but it is the road that makes the journey. Pilgrims travel out of the sheer yearning to discover something missing, a previously unexcavated layer that, once revealed under the grime, shines like gold. The pilgrim desires knowledge through experience. She desires the fullness of the big picture.”

• Breakfast.
• Walking tour of Arbanassi.
• Visit to the Konstantsaliev House (on Mondays they open rather late which makes it not recommendable).
• Walking tour of Veliko Tarnovo taking in the exterior of a few old houses that survive in the otherwise popular, crowded town.
• Lunch at the heritage Han Hadzhi Nikoli in Veliko Tarnovo.
• Drive to either Bucharest or Sofia.
• End of services upon arriving in either Bucharest or Sofia.