Old olive tree Mirovica
The Old Olive Tree on Mirovica is an irreplaceable part of the touristic, agricultural, visual, and spiritual identity of Bar. It is located in the vicinity of the main road from Bar to Ulcinj. Mirovica, the name of the place where the tree is located, comes from the word “mir” which stands for “peace”. The site has spiritual significance; it is a place where peace was achieved between those in conflict, and where hope and salvation were sought for those in need.
Numerous legends are associated with the Old Olive Tree on Mirovica, which always conclude with messages of happiness, peace and success. Therefore, a custom that is still respected today is that anyone who visits the tree should go around it three times – one circle for health, another for happiness and a third for love. This custom originated from a legend that the curse of a wealthy family from Bar ended when the guests at the wedding of the fifth, youngest, son made a circle around the Old Olive Tree and thus brought happiness back to the home – twelve children were born in the next twelve years.
The vow to protect the Old Olive Tree has been passed down from generation to generation, and the older inhabitants of these regions are familiar with the strictest prohibition of tearing branches or leaves from it. Traditions also record a curse that would befall anyone who tried to cause any harm to olive tree in general and the Old Olive Tree in particular. Archaeological investigations of the immediate area around the Old Olive Tree resulted in dozens of fragments which indicate that an early Christian necropolis once existed on this site.
The last private owner of the Old Olive Tree was Veliša Nikočević, who in 1920, after long and hard work in the United States, bought the olive tree and a house with a total area of about 10,000 square meters. Since Veliša wanted the Old Olive Tree to belong to his descendants, when dividing the estate, he gave his brothers 20 other old olive trees in return. As is often the case with important religious objects, works of art and other valuables, there were various attempts to seize them, especially during wars, and the same was true of the Old Olive Tree. Attempts to alienate the Old Olive Tree were particularly pronounced during the Second World War, when the Italian army offered Veliša a pot of gold worth 2,500,000 lire for it. The intention of the Italian occupiers was to uproot the Old Olive Tree, efficiently organize sea transport to Bari and place it in the Italian Museum of Natural History. As the Italians were quite sure that Veliša would agree to such a deal, the work was fully organized, and forestry and agricultural engineers from Italy were engaged. Nevertheless, Veliša resolutely refused this tempting offer and left the Old Olive tree for the pride of Bar and the whole of Montenegro.
Due to its natural, morphological, environmental, aesthetic and historical values, the Old Olive Tree was declared a public good in 1957 and placed under the protection of the state, passing from private ownership to the ownership of the Municipality of Bar.
The 1950s were a dark age for the Old Olive Tree. Significant damage to it occurred in September 1958 during a fire that started as a result of illegal gatherings that took place inside its massive trunk. Daily newspaper Pobjeda wrote that the Old Olive Tree was engulfed in fire, which the citizens independently extinguished. However, the flames flared up again, which caused a fire of larger proportions, requiring app. 12,000 liters of water to extinguish it. This event was a warning to the local administration which, in cooperation with the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Cetinje (today’s Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property), undertook activities to protect the tree onwards. The report of the Institute regarding this case kept in the archives of the municipal administration states that the Old Olive Tree should be left to a highly qualified agronomy engineer for further management and maintenance. The report also states that, in order to further protect it, it is recommended to install a wider protective belt around the tree itself in the form of concrete poles and fence wire. In the same year, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments installed an enameled protective board.
The collapse of Primorka company known for the production of olive oil lead to years of neglect of the Old Olive Tree, which caused a significant part of it to break off and fall in 2004. For several years, the broken part of the old tree was kept as an exhibit in the National Museum (King Nikola’s Castle), but it was returned to its original position. After this event, a report from the Center for Subtropical Cultures in Bar (today’s Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Montenegro) was submitted, in which it was explained that “there was no new growth from the part of the damaged trunk, as well as no firm connection with the substrate, so the process of rotting occurred naturally. As a result of such an event, and the physical pressure, one third of the older part of the tree, which was damaged in previous fires, broke off.”
Since the middle of the 20th century, the Old Olive Tree has become a symbol of Bar, its second name and agricultural-cultural identity. Numerous visitors, domestic and foreign tourists, have the opportunity to visit the Old Olive Tree, verify its estimated age through the available certificate and buy souvenirs with elements of the olive tree at the shop near the entrance. By the decision of the Bar Municipality Assembly in 2007, with the aim of providing a richer experience for tourists, the area around the Old Olive Tree was decorated and a place for the sale of tickets and other souvenirs was established.
Apart from being a tourist attraction, the Old Olive Tree is also recognized as an irreplaceable location for cultural and commercial events, the most famous being “Gatherings under the Old Olive Tree”. This is an international educational event for children that brings together poets and writers from the region. It is organized under the Old Olive Tree in Mirovica since 1987. From 2006, the event “Pilgrimage to the Old Olive Tree” was also initiated, whose rich cultural and artistic program brings together numerous writers, painters and musicians. In the vicinity of the Old Olive Tree is the Old Town Bar where the traditional Maslinijada is organized since 2002, a commercial and touristic event that brings together producers of indigenous domestic products from the region, emphasizing the importance and quality of local products.
The Montenegrin coast abounds with many centuries-old and some thousand-years-old olive trees, which represent an irreplaceable part of the visual and spiritual identity of the area. In 2014 and 2015, the project “Determining the age of olive trees” was implemented in Bar and Ulcinj, financed by the European Union and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). As part of the project, the age of 50 olive trees was determined, 25 from Bar area and 25 from Ulcinj area. The samples were taken using the method of drilling with a hollow borer and sent for analysis to the accredited laboratory of the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Istanbul. Based on the average values obtained within the framework of this project, the oldest analyzed olive tree is the Old Olive Tree in Mirovica: in 2015 it was 2240 years old.
Problems in the overall condition of the Old Olive Tree in Mirovica were noticed from the second half of 2020, while they became evident in 2023. The Commission for analyzing the condition and proposing measures of importance for the optimal growth and development of the Old Olive Tree was formed by the President of the Municipality of Bar. It was determined that the main problem of the deterioration of the health of the tree is the high level of underground water under it. A series of melioration measures (construction of a drainage ditch) as well as agrotechnical and auxiliary measures were carried out. The Old Olive Tree made us happy once again with a lush vegetative growth from the spring of 2024, welcoming us back like a mother.
One of the main priorities of the House of Olives is to improve the condition of our foster mother, the Old Olive Tree – Stara Maslina, in cooperation with national, regional and foreign experts in the field.
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Visit the Natural Heritage Monument – the Old Olive Tree (Olea europaea L.) on Mirovica in Bar and choose a product for your home in the Olive Shop that will remind you of our protector and nurturer. Enjoy the harmony of flavors from the rich Montenegrin cuisine and learn the secrets of this sacred place, which rightfully bears the name Mirovica (literally, the place of peace)!
