It is more than 400 years old and is officially recognised as the world’s oldest grapevine that still bears grapes.
A grapevine in Maribor’s Lent district has survived centuries of danger and still bears grapes today
Najstarejša trta na svetu (the world’s oldest grapevine) has been growing in Maribor’s Lent district for more than 400 years. It survived fires, wars, phylloxera and the bombing of the city, yet a change in the Drava’s water level almost destroyed it. Discover the remarkable story of the Žametovka vine that became a Guinness World Record holder and one of Maribor’s most important symbols.
A vine that has survived more than four centuries
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary grapevine climbing the façade of an old house. But the Žametovka at Vojašniška ulica 8 in Maribor holds a story spanning more than four centuries.
Najstarejša trta na svetu (the world’s oldest grapevine) has survived many of the dangers that threatened the city throughout its history. Today, it is listed in the Guinness World Records and still bears grapes.
It survived fires and bombing
The vine was planted at a time when the city was still threatened by Ottoman raids. It grew beside the former city walls that protected Maribor from attackers.
Fires also frequently struck the city in the past. Wooden roof structures and thatched roofs allowed flames to spread quickly between buildings. The house beside the vine was damaged several times, yet the vine remained alive.
It even survived the bombing of Maribor during the Second World War, when the building next to it was partly destroyed.
Why did phylloxera not destroy it?
Around 1870, phylloxera struck European vineyards, destroying a large proportion of grapevines.
Najstarejša trta (the world’s oldest grapevine) had a special advantage. Its roots reached deep beneath the Drava’s gravel deposits, where phylloxera could not reproduce.
Its position beside the Drava River helped it survive one of the greatest winegrowing disasters in European history.
The greatest danger came in 1963
After a dam was built on the Drava in 1963, the river’s water level rose by more than three metres.
The changed conditions disrupted the balance of the root system, and the vine began to decline slowly. Neglect of the area and inadequate care further worsened its condition.
In the 1970s, experts led by Tone Zafošnik, MSc, saved it. By removing dead parts and carrying out expert pruning, they gradually restored its vitality.
A Guinness World Record holder that still bears fruit
Following the restoration of the house and its surroundings in 1982, Najstarejša trta (the world’s oldest grapevine) became one of Maribor’s most recognisable landmarks.
Today, the city’s vine keeper cares for it, and its grapes are symbolically picked each year at a ceremonial harvest.
When visiting Lent, stop outside the house of Najstarejša trta (the world’s oldest grapevine). Behind its façade lies a story of resilience, survival and centuries of winegrowing tradition.
At Vojašniška ulica 8, in Maribor’s Lent district beside the Drava River.
It is Žametovka, also known as Modra Kavčina, a traditional Slovenian grape variety.
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