The Site
In 1979, the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The site is characterised by an exceptionally rich and multi-layered history, reflected in a dense concentration of architectural monuments from different periods, as well as in the close and complex interaction between cultural heritage and the natural landscape. The Bay of Kotor is framed by fortified coastal settlements on the one hand, and by settlements located on steep mountain slopes on the other, which relied on their natural topography for protection.
Donji Stoliv, originally only a series of stone houses, is located at the foot of the slope of the Vrmac peninsula, which separates the Bay of Kotor from the Bay of Tivat. The name Stoliv today usually refers to Donji Stoliv because it is inhabited. In addition, Donji Stoliv is recognised by locally famous events, such as the Days of Camellias and the Days of Chestnuts which are held in this place. Most of the former inhabitants of Gornji Stoliv have moved during the last decades to Donji Stoliv.
Gornji Stoliv, located higher up the slope above the coast, has been settled since at least the Middle Ages and was for centuries one of the most important communities in the region, exerting influence far beyond the Bay of Kotor. Many of its families were engaged in seafaring and maritime trade, particularly during the Venetian period and continuing through the era of Austro-Hungarian rule. This prosperity is reflected in the village’s built heritage, including the imposing parish church of St. Elias with its wall paintings, two chapels, several formerly stately residential buildings, and numerous structures related to communal village life. Gornji Stoliv also played a formative role in the wider region, for instance as the first rural settlement to establish a school.
At its height, Gornji Stoliv was home to nearly one thousand inhabitants. Even at the beginning of the 1960s, the population still exceeded five hundred residents, before a gradual process of depopulation set in. The primary reason for this exodus was the village’s difficult accessibility: Gornji Stoliv was, and remains, reachable only via a footpath of almost one and a half kilometres. The settlement received electricity only relatively recently, and its sophisticated cistern-based water supply system, which had ensured drinking water for centuries in the absence of natural springs, became non-functional due to declining use and lack of maintenance. These structural challenges, combined with broader socio-economic shifts and migration to urban centres, were further intensified by the 1979 earthquake and, in later decades, by rising expectations regarding living standards and the expansion of national and international tourism.
Today, only three people reside in Gornji Stoliv on a more or less permanent basis, and even two of them maintain houses elsewhere. Although the village no longer functions as a living community, it continues to be cared for by former inhabitants and their descendants, many of whom are organised through the local association Kamelija Stoliv. The site stands as a silent witness to historical transformation, preserving the material traces of past communal life and functioning as a time capsule of regional history, albeit in an increasingly fragile state.
In recent years, the uniqueness of Gornji Stoliv has come under growing pressure. In addition to progressive decay, the site has been affected by inappropriate interventions linked to increasing tourist interest. Of particular concern are plans to construct a road providing direct access to the village. In 2022, the first section of such a road was constructed without legal basis or formal permission. This intervention not only threatens the exceptional setting and integrity of Gornji Stoliv’s built heritage but also cuts through an area that is expected to receive protected status as a Natural Park in the future.
The Project
The European Heritage Volunteers Project in Gornji Stoliv in spring 2026 continues the long-term engagement that began in 2022 and has been carried forward through consecutive projects in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Building upon the substantial structural consolidation and conservation works completed in previous years, the 2026 project represents a further step in stabilising and safeguarding a vernacular residential ensemble at the core of the village.
The conservation works in 2026 will focus primarily on masonry interventions at the traditional two-floor stone residential edifice. Particular attention will be given to addressing critical structural cracks in the masonry, including the prominent crack located above the main entrance door, which poses a risk to the long-term stability of the building if left untreated. These interventions aim to consolidate the walls using compatible materials and traditional techniques, ensuring structural safety while preserving the historic fabric and appearance of the building.
In parallel, the participants will continue works on the traditional stone-slab roof of the auxiliary building, which had begun during earlier European Heritage Volunteers Projects. The works will focus on preventing water penetration through careful repositioning of stone slabs, filling gaps where necessary, and ensuring the roof continues to function effectively under changing weather conditions. This preventive maintenance is essential to protect the building below and to secure the longevity of previous conservation efforts.
Additional tasks will include smaller-scale improving and environmental works in the immediate surroundings of the buildings. These will involve managing vegetation, enhancing the immediate setting of the site, and renewing sections of the boundary fence around the former stable in order to prevent further damage caused by roaming animals. These interventions, while modest in scale, contribute to the overall protection and readability of the ensemble.
A further component of the 2026 project will be preparatory works for future conservation phases, including the transport and the preparation of scaffolding required for upcoming roof repair works at the residential building. This forward-looking approach ensures continuity between project cycles and allows subsequent interventions to be carried out efficiently and safely.
The conservation works will be led by a master of masonry from Germany and an architect with experience in traditional rural architecture from Bulgaria, both members of the European Heritage Volunteers network. All interventions will be guided by the established principle of “Care and Repair”, emphasising minimal intervention, reversibility where possible, and the use of traditional materials and techniques appropriate to the local context.
The educational programme during the spring 2026 project will be concise and focused, reflecting the intensive nature of the practical works. It will concentrate on understanding the broader challenges faced by the World Heritage site Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, with particular emphasis on the pressures exerted on rural settlements within the core zone. Discussions and site-based reflections will address the impacts of uncontrolled development, infrastructure projects, and tourism-oriented planning on fragile historic villages such as Gornji Stoliv, situating the hands-on conservation work within a wider heritage management and policy context.
Through this combination of targeted conservation interventions and focused contextual learning, the 2026 spring project will further strengthen the safeguarding of Gornji Stoliv as a valuable testimony to the rural cultural landscape of the Bay of Kotor, while preparing the ground for future phases of careful and responsible conservation.
The project will take place from April 26th to May 9th, 2026, and is organised by European Heritage Volunteers in cooperation with the Kamelija Stoliv Association and the Association MESHTRA – Traditional Knowledge and Crafts.
