Customary rules of the Rajac wine cellars construction

• Main Author: Alfirević Đorđe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Architecture, Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia 2011-01-01
• Series: Spatium
• Subjects: customary rules; Rajac wine cellars; migrant workers; cultural heritage
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/1450-569X/2011/1450-569X1124051A.pdf

This paper considers the possibility of implementing the customary rules of construction and organization of the Rajac wine cellars, as well as whether and to what extent they have been implemented so far. Wine cellars of the village of Rajac are a unique example of ethno-architecture in the Republic of Serbia and its surrounding. They are under the protection regime as a rare spatial cultural-historical entity, i.e. cultural property of exceptional importance to Serbia. The paper analyzes various elements of spatial development and structure, as well as specific characteristics of construction carried out by migrant workers. Considering that customary rules of construction are found in some other complexes of folk architecture in the immediate and broader surrounding of the Republic of Serbia (Korčula, Dubrovnik and Ilok in the Republic of Croatia), it has been indicated, based on comparative analysis, that it is possible that the same rules as those implemented during the foundation and development of the Rajac wine cellars have also been implemented later during their renovation by introducing new architectural principles through characteristic way of construction of Macedonian craftsmen-builders - migrant workers.