There is a bay named Godinje's Bay on Skadar Lake, Montenegro where group of buildings is located, forming the settlement Lekovici that represents unique rural architecture. The architecture is typical for this part of Montenegro called Crmnica, but for the rest of the country it is exceptional and representative, and thus rare in the context of its kind, both in terms of segments and in its wholeness.
Typical Godinje house consists of economical facilities – cellar called “konoba” and multi-level residential part of the building. Cellars are vaulted with stone vaults and excavated in the soil-forming rock room, served to accommodate the long barrels and containers for wine and brandy, to accommodate agricultural and other tools, and sometimes to accommodate cattle, especially in winter. Interiors of the cellars are especially impressive in terms of architecture and construction. Cellars are connected among themselves with a hidden passages through which it was possible to communicate, escape and reach spring Tocak during conflicts and periods of crises. The upper parts of houses are simple living spaces, with quite sizable and opened balconies that were considered an integral part of the living space of the house. Traditional elements such as niches, recesses and hearthstones are included in every house.
The most significant building is a summer house of Balsici in the photo. The portal of the house has undergone through numerous modifications from XIV till XX century – extensions, alternations, disappearance or dispersions of construction materials. The cellar of this complex is considerate to be the best preserved part, whose wall thickness is up to 2m, consists of several rooms vaulted with stone volts, abundant arcades and consoles. In front of the house there is a portal containing a decorative stone plastics that are not typical for the vernacular architecture.
Mirjana Lubarda and Andreja Mugoša
Secretary
