The heart of Maribor, Lent, is home to the oldest vine in the world.
At more than 450 years old it’s the only plant boasting its own museum – the Old Vine House. Maribor hosts a number of events celebrating the Old Vine, such as the Pruning of the Old Vine, St. Martin’s Day, and the Old Vine Festival. Believe it or not, the Old Vine even has its own anthem, and the locals are only too keen to let you hear it.
Žametovka or modra kavčina (Bleu de Cologne), confirmed at 400 years of age, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest vine in the world still producing fruit. The old vine was planted in Maribor at the end of the Middle Ages during the Turkish invasions. It witnessed – and survived – the battles that raged between the invaders and defenders of the city, for the Old Vine House of today was once part of the city wall.
