Rajac Wineries – Rajacke Pimnice wine cellars
The Rajacke Pimnice complex is unique cultural and historical sight of Serbia, all surrounded with vineyards, dedicated to glory of wine and pleasures and satisfaction of wine-lovers under protection of Republic of Serbia. The famous wine complex of Rajacke Pimnice – Rajac Wineries is located at the easternmost part of Serbia, 20 km south of Negotin and nearly on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia.
“The Serbs from Velika Hoca in Metohija in Kosovo and Metohija Province settled in the 15th century in the hilly Rajac wine area where they have established exceptional wine production. The grape growing and wine production was also well developed and applied in other parts of Europe and further. Pimnice – wine cellars are place there wine is traditionally kept. Today one can spend lovely day here visiting one of the wine cellars with tasting of excellent wines and finest food, along with exploration of little known ancient cemetery in Rajacke Pimnice village which is abundant in numerous stone tombs with carved swastika, symbols, secrets…. but also nice experiences await visitors of the nearby Mokranje stenje – the Mokranje Rocks”. Prelepa Negotinska Krajina.
“The old Serb monuments – grave stones”– Rajačke Pimnice – Raja Wineries is village of Serbia near Negotin where the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija settled in the 19th century after the genocide accomplished then to the Serb population by the Scipetars under approval and support from Istanbul. The area we today determine Kosovo and Metohija was once a much larger area whose part ended in Albania by the order of the West, while Saint Sava used to call it Hvosno. The Hvosno Serbs left grave stones in the old graveyard of Rajacke Pimnce village, the same as those erected thousands years earlier in Travunija – Herzegovina and Primorje – Littoral, bearing solar symbols, the Perun flowers, crosses, svastikka and the same patterns and trimming”. Sonja Milojević
Serbs from Orahovac and Velika Hoca villages of the wine region of Metohija have settled here in the Krajina area in 1690 during the Great migration of the Serbs led by Patriarch Carnojevic. The Serbs have moved to this area of Negotin Krajina which reminded them of their fruitful and fertile homeland of Metohija, and found out that Krajina area is suitable for successful wine growing. Serbs who settled here in Krajina started with cultivation of grapes, proud of their traditions and experience in wine production. First they have constructed houses out of mud and stone and built the village for living, obtaining underground wine cellars within each household for keeping the wine. When they understood the value of the treasury up in the hill above the Rajac village, they have decided to establish the special settlement aimed for wine production. So it was the beginning of the stone village for wine – the Rajac Wineries village.
In the area of East Serbia, in the vicinity of Negotin border crossing of Mokranje, famous for its vineyards dating from the ancient Roman times, the village population living of viticulture traditions, used to establish secondary settlements – compounds close to their permanent homes. Some historical records mention establishment of the Rajac villages by newcomers from Kosovo and Metohija after the Great Migration of Serbs, led by Čarnojević. They brought here love for wine growing and viticulture. The settlements were named after the wine cellars called in this region “pivnice” or pimnice. These stone cellars were for centuries used to process grapes into wine and brandy, as well as the storage facilities. Mysterious monumental complex of Rajacke Pimnice that consists of some 270 stone houses built more than 200 years ago is a complete Mother-nature concept Foundation, so to grow and preserve natural wines with most precious care and love of the local Rajac people. Rajacke pimnice – Rajac Wineries make a compound of wine cellars belonging to the village of Rajac, located 2 km to the west of the village, along the vineyards, on top of Beli Breg hill. The Rajac Wineries compound is densely clustered, built spontaneously, following the terrain. Its winding streets go along the regular shaped cellars, built in the ground floors or the two-store wine cellars, often on both sides and dug into the ground. The whole Negotinska krajina /area of Negotin and its surroundings/ is filled with vineyard facilities. Rajačke Pivnice wine cellars of the Rajac village are the best witnesses of the wine production, formed as gathered group of 270 stone houses with special roofs and fountain in the central square dedicated to the Saint Tryphon /patron saint of winemakers/, and with narrow streets that take you to the next row of interesting stone wine cellars, taverns, wine exhibitions, craft exhibitions and original music performances etc.
The construction of those unique wine cellars-drinking houses in Rajacke Pimnice had started in the 18th century as stone facilities near vineyards, with purpose of production and wine keeping which during time turned into the “wine town”. You can taste various kinds of delicious wines in most of the Rajac wine cellars, but remember to ask for the famous red wines of the Negotinska Krajina region and particular local vineyards. The Rajacke Pimnice graveyard is also unique and worth-visiting because you can find numerous very old and fantastically stone-carved tombs – stone monuments – stećaks that are cultural uniqueness of this tiny village of the eastern part of Serbia. It is assumed that 1540 tombstones – monuments on the graveyard of Rajacke Pimnice – the Rajac Wineries are dedicated to all wine producers who settled here from far and wide. The carved symbols of swastika are proof that here was wine settlement as early as the 2nd and the 3rd century. There are few accommodation providers in the Rajac region we recommend. Rajacke Pimnice complex is about 250 km away from Belgrade, accessible by terrible road, but truly surprising…..
