European Heritage Days are celebrated every September across Europe, under the auspices of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, through the organization of events at local and national levels, in accordance with a unique theme chosen at the European level. Through this manifestation, thousands of events are organized each year to strengthen awareness of the shared European heritage and the constant need for its protection. In Montenegro, the implementation of this manifestation is carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Media, with the involvement of institutions and organizations from all over Montenegro.
The theme of the European Heritage Days in 2025 was “Architectural Heritage: A Window into the Past, a Door to the Future,” with the aim of highlighting the rich diversity and abundance of all types of immovable cultural heritage that surrounds us. In Montenegro, a total of 40 programs were implemented in 15 municipalities promoting architectural heritage – from historical buildings to objects of contemporary architecture.
Within the European Heritage Days, katuns were also promoted as a significant part of our architectural heritage. Representatives of the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije participated in two events and presented the katuns.
The Agency for Development and Protection of Orjen, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Media, organized the event “Orjen Katuns – Architectural Heritage,” within which a panel discussion “Orjen Katuns – Past and Future” was held on September 25, 2025, in the village of Kameno. The panel discussion addressed the state of katuns on Orjen and their future. The panel was moderated by Željko Starčević, and the participants included: Ivan Mališić from the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije; Dr. Veselin Luburić from the PE National Parks of Montenegro; and Aleksandra Kapetanović from the NGO Expeditio, who is a cultural heritage associate for the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije in the MED GIAHS project. It was emphasized that during revitalization, katuns must preserve their primary purpose related to animal husbandry, while tourism, which is increasingly popular, is an additional benefit but must not be the main activity. In this sense, additional coordination is needed between institutions and ministries from different sectors, which should provide a tangible incentive for achieving such a conceived eco-tourism offer that respects cultural heritage and enables synergetic engagement in traditional katun activities and tourism.
Organized by the Cultural Heritage Association NAPREDAK Gornja Lastva, an Expert Meeting and discussion on vernacular architecture was held on September 26, 2025, in Gornja Lastva, featuring an exhibition of traditional architecture drawings created using the Vernadoc method by author Jelena Pejković, Dipl. Ing. Arch. Within the meeting, architect-conservator Aleksandra Kapetanović gave a presentation titled “Research of Katuns in Montenegro,” showcasing research activities and projects carried out in recent decades in Montenegro that treated the very interesting and previously insufficiently addressed architectural heritage of katuns. Various research activities of the University of Montenegro and the Historical Institute, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), as well as projects of the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije, were presented. The conducted research represents significant progress and must certainly be continued, as it creates the basis for the adequate protection of the architectural heritage of katuns.
