Bihor area

The area of Bihor is situated in the northern part of Montenegro, and it covers Municipality Petnjica, as well as parts of municipalities Berane and Bijelo Polje.

One of the main traditions related to this area is based on the production of carpets, locally known as “Bihorki ćilim”. This tradition is protected as intangible cultural property by the national law and is nowadays practiced by the local residence, which are mainly woman, as well as local NGO societies. The production of carpets from Bihor is characterized by the art of hand spinning the wool threads, while the patterns are always presented with the combination of colours, floral and geometrical decorations and motives of irises, pears, wreaths, flower arrangements and leaf vine. The basic characteristic of an authentic Bihor carpet is that it has two smooth faces, while the front and the back of the carpet are identical, unlike “hav” carpets whose front and back part are distinctly different. Today, many families in Petnjica and all over Bihor, have carpets as parts of their legacy. It is believed that well produced carpets don’t hold dust underneath and that liquidity is hardly penetrating in them. Until the end of the XX century, the carpentry was significantly represented in municipalities Gusinje, Plav, Rožaje, Petnjica and Bijelo Polje.  In the recent years, strong interest for the preservation of this tradition, based on the development of tourism in Bihor area, have been shown from the local level. Next to the above mentioned, the tradition is strongly related to the employment of woman as manufacturers of Bihor carpets. Since 2014, Municipality of Petnjica is organizing celebration called “Days of Bihor Carpet”, related to the presentation and popularization of this intangible cultural property.

According to Administration for the Protection of Cultural Properties in the Municipality of Petnjica, there are two immovable cultural properties protected by the low: Church of Saint Archangel Michael and Memorial plate at the “Zadužni dom”. In addition, there are several objects that have significant cultural values: Mosque in Petnjica; Church of Saint Đorđe; The prehistoric locality of Turin in Radmanci; Cave City in Radmanska gorge; Gomja Vrbica; Azane – the remains of the church, in the cemetery of the village of Azane; Gradina Godočelje, above the village of Godočelje; Gradina-Tucanje, village Tucanje above Sabotic; Tower of Duke Stojan and Suja Karadzic; Vasil’s cave; Cave of Gotovuša.

Mosque of Petnjica is one of the most important cultural sites in Bihor area. The Mosque contains unique collection of about 700 old carpets, created in the last few centuries. Next to this collection, many mosques in the vicinity of Petnjica, hold specimens of the Bihor carpet. Thanks to the initiative of the Municipality of Petnjica, the city is planning to establish carpeting museums, in order to keep the existing carpets from Petnjica and Bihor preserved from further devastations.