Winter Trip to Sirogojno – Visiting the Open-Air Museum

The winter season is always a bit challenging when it comes to finding new places to explore. During the colder part of the year, we usually go for already familiar destinations just to see them covered in snow. But with snow becoming less and less frequent, it’s a change that’s hard to get used to—at least for those of us who remember what real snowy winters used to be like.

Heading to the mountains was a safe way to find some snow, at least a little, so we decided to take this trip in mid-February. Zlatibor served once again as our backup option when nothing else could be planned. But for us, this is a different kind of Zlatibor—far from the one overrun by tourists. This time, we took the opportunity to visit the Open-Air Museum in the village of Sirogojno.

Concept and organization of the museum

The “Old Village” Museum spans five hectares and is the only open-air museum in Serbia. Authentic wooden houses have been relocated here from various parts of Zlatibor to preserve the architecture and way of life from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the mountainous regions.

The exhibit is divided into two parts. The first features houses that have retained their original function and layout. Here, you can see how life looked in a large rural household—the arrangement of rooms, the hearth, “vajats” (small outbuildings), dairies, brandy-making huts, stables, and other auxiliary buildings that made up a homestead.

The second part includes houses that have preserved their authentic appearance but now serve different purposes. Today, they house a souvenir shop, an ethno-tavern, a gallery for exhibitions, and a summer stage. The complex also includes the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, with an 18th-century iconostasis.

There is an entrance fee for the museum, which is open in winter from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours are available, but visitors can also explore the grounds on their own with the help of information boards placed throughout the complex.

The museum tour takes about an hour of easy walking. The paths are well-maintained and accessible, though some may be icy during the winter, so proper footwear is recommended.

What to see

All the houses in the complex are square-shaped, with log walls and roofs made of shingles, stone slabs, or straw. The roofs had openings called “badže” for air circulation, and at the top of the house was a chimney known as a “kapić.”

The “main house” had two rooms—the “house” and the “room,” with a cellar underneath the room. The eastern and western doors held symbolic meaning in addition to their practical function. All that was good and beautiful entered through the eastern door—newborns, brides, godparents, guests—while all that was bad left through the western door.

The central place in the “house” was the hearth, where a fire always burned. It was not only a cooking space but also the heart of the household, where the entire family and extended household would gather.

Each household, besides the main house, had several outbuildings: the “vajat” (a building given to each son when he married), the dairy (for storing milk and dairy products), a bakery (for baking bread), a granary and barn (for storing grain and corn), a fruit-drying shed, a brandy-making hut, and a stable (for livestock).

Church of Saints Peter and Paul

Near the museum is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, built in 1764, with an iconostasis attributed to the iconographer Simeon Lazović. The church and nearby cemetery are an integral part of the cultural and historical complex of Sirogojno.

How to get there

The easiest way to reach the “Old Village” Open-Air Museum in Sirogojno is from Zlatibor, located about 26 kilometers away. From the center of Zlatibor, take the main road toward Užice, then turn left at the sign for Čajetina and Sirogojno. The road winds through a typical Zlatibor landscape—rolling meadows, forests, and scattered hamlets—and the drive takes about 30 to 40 minutes by car. The roads are paved and accessible year-round, though extra caution is advised in winter due to possible snow and ice. For those without a car, organized tours are available from Zlatibor during the summer season, and occasional van transfers are organized with prior arrangement. Parking is located right in front of the museum and is free for visitors.

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