Velika Hoča, a village in the minicipality of Orahovac, was first mentioned in 1198/1199 in the Charter of Stephen Nemanja granted to the monastery of Chilandar. Famous for its wine-growing hills, it used to be an important trade and handicraft centre of the region until the Ottoman conquest, when the centre shifted to Islimized Orahovac.
It is now a Serbian enclave in the Municipality of Orahovac and it is also the administrative see of the Local Community Office. It is protected by German military units.
According to data provided by the Local Community Office, current as of October 23, 2001, Velika Hoča has 622 inhabitants, but it has been estimated that there are up to 720 people living in the village. Almost all of them are Serbs, with the exception of 16 Romas. Despite the fact that many of its inhabitants are dislocated (presently living throuhout Serbia), the remaining population shows quite favourable age distribution: 51.1% fall into 16–60 age group.
Velika Hoča has been a subject of research by the experts gathered around MNEMOSYNE since 2001. Preliminary research was undertaken within the framework of the Project Urgent Protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Metohija, when MNEMOSYNE’s experts recognized eight objects of vernacular architecture in that village and drafted the Project Protection, Preservation and Revitalization of Velika Hoča (the outline of the Project). The work has been resumed during 2003. Along with gathering informaton about particular objects making rich architectural heritage of the village, MNEMOSYNE Center has paid special attention to the identification of measures that could improve living standards through valorization of natural and man-made facilities and values of highest importance, regardless their present condition. The village and the project were the subject of a publication by MNEMOSYNE Center, released in 2003: Velika Hoča – The Pearl of Metohija.
Partial implementation of the project of integrated protection of the village of Velika Hoča, drafted by MNEMOSYNE’s experts between 2001 and 2004, has been launched in June 2005 through two individual projects:
Report by Center Mnemosyne on activities performed
within the project Protection, Preservation and Revitalization of the Village of Velika Hoča 2001-2005.
The Center provided full expert and logistic support for preparing two additional projects of Local Office in the settlement of Velika Hoča – Increase of tourist capacities, financed by IOM (International Organization for Migrations) and Reconstruction / revitalization of Culture Center, financed by the People’s Office of the President of the Republic (2005/2006).
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