The Vlach church (dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is located in Cetinje and is one of the oldest and most historically significant monuments in this city.
Here are the key details about this unique temple:
Origin and age: According to tradition, the church was built by herders (Vlachs) around 1450, which means that it was built before Ivan Crnojević built the Cetinje Monastery and established Cetinje as the capital (1482). That is why it is considered the oldest preserved building in Cetinje. It was originally built of sticks and mud, and was later rebuilt of stone.
Today's appearance: The church got its present shape after restoration and extension in 1864. It was built of hewn stone as a single-nave building with a belfry "on a horseshoe" on which there are three bells.
Unique fence made of gun barrels: The most recognizable detail of the Wallachian Church is its fenced gate. The fence was built in 1897 and is made of 1,544 rifle barrels (trophy Turkish rifles seized in liberation wars, such as the Battle of Grahovac in 1858). This fence is a unique memorial monument in the world.
Iconostasis: The interior of the church is decorated with an extremely valuable wood-carved iconostasis made in 1878 by the famous painter Vasilije Đinovski.
Tomb of famous people: In front of the entrance to the church are the graves of important historical figures, among them Bajo Pivljanin (the famous Hajduk Harambasha), as well as Montenegrin heroes and serdars. Also, in front of the church is the "Hunting Villa" monument, dedicated to the Montenegrin volunteers who perished in the shipwreck near Medova in 1915.
Spiritual status: The Vlach Church belongs to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and is located in the municipality of Cetinje.
The feast day of the church is Little Our Lady (September 21).
