Old Vine (Stara trta)
THE ONLY PLANT WITH ITS OWN MUSEUM
Maribor is a city of persistent people and a city that has experienced a lot but and it’s still standing.
The old city centre along the Drava river holds a special treasure you won’t find anywhere else in the world. The oldest vine in the world still bearing grapes proudly defies time and is a unique proof of uprightness and longevity of the city. The Stara trta vine, a symbol of Maribor’s rich wine tradition, is well over 400 years old and holds a Guinness world record for the oldest vine in the world still bearing grapes.
“Žametovka” or “modra kavčina” grows in front of the Old Vine House and was planted during the times when Maribor was still besieged by the Turks. Despite the fact that at that time the Old Vine House was a part of the town wall the vine endured all the fierce battles.
Neither was it destroyed during frequent fires that were raging in Maribor towards the end of the Middle Ages due to wooden roofing and straw roofs. The year 1870 was an especially devastating year for wine growers when phylloxera was ravaging vineyards all across Europe by attacking the roots. Luckily, Stara trta survived due to its deep roots, which are hidden away under Drava gravel where the deadly disease could not take hold.
During the World War II, Maribor was one of the most ravaged cities in Slovenia and during the bombing by Allied forces even the house where the vine grows was partially in ruins. But Stara trta survived.
However, Stara trta was almost destroyed after the year 1963 when a dam was built on the Drava river which caused the level of Drava to rise. The rising river level destroyed the long-standing root system balance and Stara trta started to die off.
In the 1970’s the historic city centre by the Drava river was a neglected part of the city which worsened the vine’s condition even further.
But the dying old vine was taken under the auspice of experts from the Agricultural Institute led by Tone Zafošnik, MSc, who prevented the removal of the vine and the house from being torn down. They removed the dead parts of the plant and with pruning the vine was revitalised and saved from a certain demise.
In 1982, the Old Vine House was renovated and a museum was established in the honour of the Old Vine. Today, this unique attraction is nursed by the city vinedresser and a festival in its honour is held in Maribor each year.
The text was collected and edited by: Eva Mataln
Translation: Maja Miklavc & Miha Oda
Photos: Igor Unuk
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