(Cetina) is a small Montenegrin city located in the southwestern part of the country, at the foot of Mount Lovcen, in a vast valley. The popularity of this city is not associated with the sea, beaches or ski slopes, but it is interesting as the historical, political, cultural and religious center of the country.
For Montenegro, Cetinje has always been a real symbol of the struggle for independence; for quite a long time the capital of the state was located here, and to this day it is in this city that the official residence of the country’s president is located. Cetinje was founded back in 1482.
The city of Cetinje in Montenegro boasts a large number of well-preserved historical attractions, among which it is worth mentioning the Vlas Church of the mid-15th century, the Billiard Palace from the 30s of the 19th century, the Palace of King Nikola I from the mid-19th century, numerous mansions of wealthy local nobles, etc.
Here, at the foot of Mount Eagle Cross, is located the most important spiritual relic of all Montenegro - the Cetinje Monastery. The very first mentions of this shrine date back to the end of the 15th century, but over the past centuries, the monastery buildings have been repeatedly destroyed and only buildings erected in the 19th century have survived to this day.
Today here you can see such great Orthodox shrines as the Hand of John the Baptist and parts of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. For Cetinje, the monastery is perhaps one of the main attractions.
The ancient capital of Montenegro, Cetinje, also boasts a large number of museums located here. The most widely known and interesting are the National Historical Museum and Art Gallery of Montenegro, located in the old Government House, the National Museum of Montenegro, which combines many subsections, and the museum at the Printing House. Since 1991, the city has hosted the Cetinje Biennale, an international exhibition of works of art.
The best view of the city and surrounding area opens from the top of Mount Lovcen, where another local attraction is located - the mausoleum of the Montenegrin poet and philosopher Petar Njegus. The entire mountain has been declared a National Park, and the journey to its top will take a lot of time, but the best photos of Cetinje in Montenegro can be taken from here.
Today Cetinje is a small, calm and quiet town. Many say that it is as if “mothballed” and is practically not developing; there are few new shops, cafes, hotels, and practically no new buildings are being built.
Experts note that few Russians have a desire to buy real estate in Cetinje, but those who want to do this are faced with a lack of choice and high prices.
Cetinje from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Cetinje.
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The ancient capital of Montenegro, Cetinje, is comfortably located in a valley between limestone mountains - a real museum city founded in the 13th century.
In the Cetinje Monastery, keep a particularly revered Christian relic - the right hand of the Prophet and Baptist John, with which, according to legend, the Savior was baptized. There is also a particle of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
A little history
In the 15th century, during the war with the Turks, the ruler of the country needed to move the capital from Zabljak to a more inaccessible place. The city of Cetinje was chosen for this purpose. Then the city lost its former significance, was revived in the 17th century, and again ceased to be noticeable... The city reached its greatest prosperity in 1860 to 1918, during the reign of Nikola I Petrovich. In general, his fate is not easy. By the middle of the 20th century, the city ceased to be important as a resort, which was completely unfair. Perhaps the sights that can be seen there are not as catchy as the interesting objects of coastal cities, but Cetinje is the embodiment of Montenegro.
How to get there
You can get to the city along two main roads: from Budva and from Kotor. Both roads are mountainous, both are full of dangerous turns, and according to eyewitnesses, traveling along them by car is already a kind of attraction. It is along these roads that tourists usually get to Cetinje, by car or bus. But it is from the sharp turns of these mountain roads that unforgettable views of the surrounding area open up.
Search for air tickets to Podgorica (the nearest airport to Cetinje)
Hotels, restaurants and souvenirs
You can also stay in the city rather than come to it on an excursion; there are several hotels and restaurants where you can eat. But, if there is no specific interest in its history, this is hardly advisable: the city is small, tourist interest in it will be exhausted quite quickly.
The situation with souvenirs in Cetinje is no better than in the whole of Montenegro: sloppily made magnets, tacky plates, strange lace... Therefore, as souvenirs it is worth buying prosciutto - ham cured in a special way, grape vodka and local cheese. These products, of course, are not as durable as magnets stuck on the refrigerator, but they will bring much more pleasure, and they will give a more complete picture of the country.
Entertainment and attractions of Cetinje
One of the most interesting attractions of the city is a glass pavilion with a relief map of Montenegro. The map was created by the hands of officers of the Austrian General Staff in 1917. It is so detailed that you can find on it almost any house that stood in the country at that time. And, although this attraction is not as old and significant for the history of the country as many others, there are always a lot of curious tourists around the map who are trying to find the buildings in which they settled, their favorite beaches, monasteries and churches that they are going to visit.
The oldest landmark of the city is the Vlaška Church, built in 1405 by shepherds. It is famous for its wonderful frescoes by Greek masters, as well as for the church fence made from weapons taken as trophies from the Turks during the 1876 war. The palace of King Nikola, built in 1867 in a rather rare session style, is interesting. Spectacular interiors have been preserved here and now house exhibits of the National Museum of Montenegro, telling about the dramatic history of the country.
Maps of Cetinje
Although Cetinje is a small city, it has museums, galleries and theaters, and the international art exhibition Cetinje Biennial is held here every two years. The Krnoević Printing House is also of interest, where many famous books were published that contributed to the spread of the Cyrillic script in Europe.Other attractions: “Vladin’s House” (the former Government House, now the National Gallery is open here), the house of the Prince-Bishop, the rich Museum of Local Lore (1871), the residence of King Peter II, the “Blue Museum”, Art Gallery, Central Historical Museum and many other interesting places.
Cetinje Monastery
Cetinje Monastery (1484-1785) is the residence of the Montenegrin metropolitans; one of the most important shrines of Christianity is kept here. In the monastery you can venerate the Hand of John the Baptist, part of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, and also see such a curious thing as the shroud, embroidered by the hands of the Russian Tsarina Catherine II. The first Montenegrin printing house operated on the territory of the monastery, which in 1493 printed the first book in the South Slavic language in Cyrillic script - Oktoich (it can be found in the monastery museum).
Mausoleum on Mount Lovcen
At the top of Mount Lovcen (1660 m), with which many pages of the history of the amazing country of Montenegro are connected, there is the mausoleum of the poet and philosopher Petr Njegus. While still alive, Vladyka ordered to bury himself in a small chapel on the mountain, from which a stunningly beautiful panorama of the surrounding area opens up. The chapel was destroyed during the war with the Austro-Hungarians, but in its place a mausoleum was built, to which tourists constantly go, wanting to honor the memory of the outstanding poet and philosopher. The most convenient way to get to Mount Lovcen National Park is from Cetinje; the journey by car or car will take about 30 minutes. Next, climb on foot up an impressive number of steps.
Cetinje is a cultural and spiritual treasure of Montenegro. The city has many historical monuments, churches and squares. It looks especially colorful in spring, when the famous Cetinje linden trees bloom. The population of the city is about 14 thousand people.
Because Cetinje is surrounded by mountains, winters are long and very cold: they can start in late October and not go away until early May.
The sights of Cetinje have a special charm.
The Orthodox Church of Vlaška is located in a medieval building erected in the mid-15th century. At the entrance to the church courtyard there are 2 large stones, under which are the remains of the founders of Cetinje, voivode Ivan Borozhevich, his wife Elitsa and their children, Borozhe and Vladislav.
The exterior of the church, like its interior, is simple, austere, without unnecessary decoration. The only decoration is an impressive candelabra. Still, the church is worth visiting, especially during liturgies, which are known throughout the Orthodox Balkans.
The monasteries of Montenegro are the true spiritual, cultural and social centers of the country. And the symbol of her spirituality is the Monastery of St. Peter, which is located at the foot of Mount Orlov-Kr, not far from the princely house of Ivan Krnezevic. The monastery was built in 1701.
Its integral part is the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which is famous for its delightful iconostasis made of wood by Greek craftsmen. Other attractions of the monastery are: the cell of St. Peter; the cell where the monastery museum is located; crown of Stefan Uros Dušan, medieval king of Serbia; the embalmed body of Petar Petrovic Njegos.
Founded in 1896, the National Museum in Cetinje consists of 5 parts: the King Nikola Museum, the Art Museum, the Historical Museum, the Ethnographic Museum and the Njegos Museum. They are located in buildings that are cultural and historical monuments: in the palace of King Nikola, in the Government House, the Billiard Palace and the former embassy. Numerous exhibits in the museum introduce the civilizations that have flourished in this territory since antiquity.
Housed in the same building as the Historical Museum, the Art Museum was founded in Cetinje in 1950. About 3,000 exhibits found shelter here: sculptures, paintings, icons. Among them stand out: the miraculous icon of the Philermo Mother of God, the Boko-Kotor school of icon painting, which was in the Romanov house for a long time, as well as several masterpieces by Dali, Renoir, Picasso, and Chagall.
In the center of Cetinje, in the building of a former bank built in 1905, there is a money museum where you can get acquainted with the history of Montenegrin money, which appeared here at the end of the 19th century. It was founded in 2012.
In addition to the Montenegrin currency, here you can see many coins of Rome, Greece, Venice, Austria, which were used during the reign of these superpowers of the past. An interesting exhibit of the museum is a money making machine dating back to 1849. It still works and every visitor to the museum, if desired, can receive a coin issued by it as a souvenir.
The palace was built in 1867. Its first owner, Nikola Petrovic Njegos, became famous for his diplomatic skills, which allowed Montenegro to stand on par with other powerful European states. He was the first and only king of Montenegro.
Decorated on the outside in Art Nouveau style, the palace is decorated with many fancy details, and each of its rooms is furnished in its own style: Victorian, Oriental, Venetian. Since 1926, the palace has housed the King Nikola Museum.
The Blue Palace, built in the 19th century by famous architects of Montenegro and Italy, became the residence of the president of young Montenegro in 2010. Before this, in 2006, it was completely restored, becoming a full-fledged landmark of Cetinje.
Built by order of Petr Njegos in 1838, the palace very much resembles a billiard table: the walls surrounding the green courtyard look like the sides of the table, and the 4 towers rising in the corners look like pockets. That's why it has such a strange name.
The sights of the palace are: a unique relief map of Montenegro, 20x20 meters, made by Austrian cartographers; many portraits, including the Russian Tsars Nicholas the First and Peter the Great; the legendary billiard table brought here by Petr Petrovich Njegosh, in whose honor the museum was built here in 1951.
For a long time being the largest building in Cetinje, the Government House was built in the Renaissance and Baroque style by the Italian architect Corradini in 1910. In addition to the art museum, there is also a history museum. It occupies an area 1400 square meters, consists of 8 permanent exhibitions, which display about 1,500 exhibits, as well as rare documents and photographs, with the help of which you can get acquainted with the cultural, political and social past of Montenegro.
The beautiful monument “Lovčenska Vila” was erected in honor of the Montenegrin patriots who set out to liberate their homeland from Austro-Hungarian rule in 1915. It was built by local sculptor Risto Stijovic and depicts a young woman looking at the sea, where a ship with Montenegrin emigrants who abandoned life in rich America for their long-suffering Montenegro sank.
At the top of Mount Lovcen, at a height 1660 meters The mausoleum of the philosopher and poet Petr Njegos was built. The path to get there will not be easy: 30 minutes by car, and then on foot, overcoming many steps.
However, all physical efforts will be rewarded at the top, where you can visit the amazing architectural structure and admire the stunning panorama of the surrounding area.
Equipped on an area of 20 hectares, the Adventure Park of the city of Cetinje is interesting for people of any level of physical fitness and of any age. It is divided into 6 territories along which there are routes with various obstacle courses, invented and built here by French specialists.
There are: the Koala Trail, intended for the youngest adventurers (up to 5 years), the Chita Trail, which should be conquered by teenagers (up to 15 years), the Tarzan and Panther trails, equipped for the most physically developed travelers, the Duel Trail, where it is possible to conduct competitions.
The park on Mount Lovcen also has an excellent paintball court. If you want to challenge yourself and excite your adrenaline, the Adventure Park in Cetinje should be included in the list of attractions in the city.
“The roof of Europe, not afraid of storms” - this is how the Scottish traveler Mrs. Will Gordon described Cetinje (A Woman in the Balkans), when she first found herself there - just a few months after one Austrian Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, was shot and all of Europe was plunged into war:
“...huge monsters made of gray stone stretch row after row, as far as the eye can see, as if here, in a fit of its furious rage, a giant snake froze, forming these majestic rocky chains and peaks.”
And she wasn't exaggerating. Beneath this majestic bulk lies a city with toy houses, which with courage and fury for many centuries drove away all conquerors. To say that all Montenegrins are warriors is to say nothing. However, Cetinje was not just a fortress: the Turks tried to take it three times, but were never successful. The first attempt was made in 1692, and then the city - at that time it was still a monastery built by Ivan Crnojevic - was destroyed by the Montenegrins themselves: when the Turks broke into Cetinje, they, not wanting to surrender, blew up the powder magazine and died along with the invaders . The second time, in 1714, the Turks managed to burn the entire city to the ground, but resistance from the Montenegrin tribes forced them to retreat. The Turks made a new attempt in 1785, but this time they were unable to break the rebellious Montenegrins.
The spirit of this city in the heart of Montenegro is infectious. One Croatian woman who lives here told me about the old-new Montenegrin flag: “You see, the Montenegrin eagle’s wings are raised, as a sign that we never surrendered to the Turks, while the Serbian eagle’s wings look down.” .
Now in Cetinje, home to no more than 20,000 people, it is proposed to transfer a number of administrative functions, including one or two ministries, in order to revive the pages of the city's valiant political past.
The heir to the Montenegrin royal house, Nikola Petrovic-Njegos, lives in Paris, where he works as an architect, but he regularly comes to Cetinje and stays in his part of the Blue Palace of Prince Danilo. This mansion, built in the 1890s, served as a model for other royal palaces in Montenegro, such as Topolin in Bar. Although Nikola Petrovich definitely remains loyal to the country of his ancestors, he prefers to stay in the shadows and at the same time does not allow his professional skills to disappear. In 1995, he founded a cultural biennale whose theme was optimism and regeneration. In the summer of 2004, this festival was held for the fourth time; It is steadily gaining momentum, moving beyond the usual exhibitions of painting, sculpture and installations, moving into topics such as architectural development, and touching on a wide range of environmental issues. Back in 1991 - when, coincidentally, the Balkans were plunged into a decade of political strife - small Montenegro officially adopted a policy of environmental responsibility, not just in a local but also in a global context. Obviously, this was neither a panacea nor a quickly solved problem, but the determination of Montenegrins to fight for the environment remains unshakable to this day.
How to get to Cetinje
Apart from car rental, the only transport to Cetinje is a bus - the easiest way to get there is from Budva, Podgorica, Tivat or Herceg Novi. Bus station (086 21052) is located on the north-eastern tip of the city, near the market square - up Ivan Crnojevic Street. Several flights leave from these cities per day (roundtrip). A ticket from Podgorica costs 2.50 euros, from Tivat - 3.50 euros. The bus service is supplemented by minibuses, but their schedules are constantly changing.
What to see
Cetinje's dusty streets, crumbling mansions and abandoned gardens are haunted. This city had its own “beautiful era” - at a time when the Montenegrin prince became king, and his many daughters attracted admirers from the most magnificent courts of Europe. Here balls were announced and intrigues were woven. In 1912, 11 foreign diplomatic missions were located in Yurod, and residences were specially built for half of them. Today you can see all of these buildings except one (The US Embassy was destroyed by the 1979 earthquake). Each mansion is still distinguished by its curious originality of details. The British embassy was once located in an advantageous proximity to the royal palace - now there is a music academy. The building was built in 1912 according to the design of the architect Harty - the mission moved here from a building that it rented from the Germans. In 1916, the ambassador and the entire mission staff rather hastily left this house, shortly before the capitulation of Montenegro and its occupation by Austria-Hungary. After Serbia occupied Montenegro in 1918, the former embassy became the governor's house and then became the residence of the prime minister. Subsequently, there was a club for cultural workers, then a city library, and now the Academy of Music is located here.
Nearby is the former Russian embassy - in a purely St. Petersburg style, and the Italian embassy, in an unmistakably recognizable Adriatic style, with classical lines; this is now the city library (named after Djuradzh Crnoevich). Finding the difference between these two buildings is a fun experience. The Russian embassy now houses a thriving art academy, and the Turkish embassy houses a theater school. The former Bulgarian embassy will house a restaurant. The former French embassy, a particularly beautiful building whose dimensions are almost grandiose, housed for some time, starting in 1949, UDVA (state security service). The former embassies of Great Britain, France, Turkey and Austria-Hungary are now protected as historical monuments.
In the western part of the city, under the rocks, is the Cetinje Monastery. It appeared in the 15th century, when Ivan Crnoevich, the ruler of Zeta, came to these mountains along with his associates, fleeing the Turkish invaders, and founded Cetinje. The Turks did not retreat, and three times this gloomy stone structure was destroyed and rebuilt again. In March, the low-lying meadow near the monastery turns into a carpet of crocuses - purple, the color of humility and modesty; however, thoughts of modesty do not fit with those treasures that are kept under lock and key in the tiny chapel of the monastery. Among them are said to be the right hand of John the Baptist and a sliver from the cross on which Christ was crucified. And in the Treasury of the monastery (opening hours - 08:00-18:00, free entrance), according to Orthodox tradition, valuable historical relics are kept - objects and books that have been preserved since ancient times, despite the turbulent history of the monastery. For example, here you can see the staff and seal of Ivan Crnoevich, the crowns and mitres of metropolitans, decorated with precious stones, and a wonderful collection of manuscripts decorated with drawings (some were brought here from the abandoned churches of old Zeta, from the plain below). In addition, you can see printed books from the first Slavic printing house in Obuda, near Rijeka, built in 1494. There is also the first South Slavic incunabula, the Octoechos of the First Tone, as well as an intricately decorated tablecloth embroidered by Catherine the Great, and numerous icons. Among them is the work of an unknown master who depicted the Madonna and Child looking at each other with tenderness (Our Lady of Tenderness), - “tenderness,” as one monk said, according to whom this feeling means tears of joy. You should dress modestly to visit the monastery.
On a slight elevation above the monastery there is a tabla - a tower on which the severed heads of Turks were once displayed as trophies.
A significant part of the monasteries produces their own fruit vodka - rakia, and Cetinje is no exception. There are also beehives here, which, interestingly, produce honey from wormwood flowers (shroud)- the same plant from which absinthe is made.
Next to the monastery is the fortified residence of Prince Peter II Petrovic-Njegos, built in 1838, where his personal belongings are still kept, including the manuscript of the “Mountain Crown”. Now this building houses a museum (opening hours: May-November - 09:00-17:00, daily, December-April - 09:00-17:00, Mon-Fri, adults - 2.50 euros, children - 1.25 euros, Austria card - 1.50 euros). Now this house bears the simple and unusual name “Billiarda” - in honor of the billiard table standing there, a souvenir that the prince brought from his travels in Italy. Lifting the billiard table from Kotor, located far below, was a real feat: the billiard table was dragged along a well-worn mule trail, which at that time was the only road to the capital from the coast. Next to the “Billiards” there is another curiosity: a relief map of Austria placed in a glass pavilion; they claim that it exactly reproduces the topography of the entire country. The size of this is a real mini-golf course - the map was created by the Austrian invaders in the First World War for strategic purposes.
Initially, the Billiard was covered with a strong lead roof, but 20 years after its construction, when Cetinje was besieged by the Turkish troops of Omar Pasha, the roof was removed and cast into bullets, along with a set from a newly built printing house.
Between the monastery, “Billiarda” and the royal palace there is “Malo Guvno” - a threshing floor for grain. For the mountain people, grain was synonymous with survival, so this structure was of great importance. Traditionally, this building served many other purposes. Here general meetings of Montenegrins were held, bloody feuds were settled, the guilty were punished, hostages were exchanged and intra-clan conflicts over pastures were resolved. In fact, this is where the country's parliament originates. But at the same time, holidays were held here, people sang and danced here - kolo. Njegos's outstanding epic “The Crown of the Mountains” was staged in this very place.
West of "Malo Guvno", behind the crocus meadow and a place called "tsipur" (garden), there is Orlov Krs - Eagle Cliff, a completely accessible rocky outcrop, crowned with a monument to Bishop Danila, the founder of the Petrovic-Njegosi dynasty. From this quiet place you can explore the whole of Cetinje: a small town nestled in the middle of the rocks. On a moonlit night this is a magical sight - the residents of Cetinje call such nights silver. If you look to the west, the baroque contours of the old Government House will become visible (Vladin Dom)- this is the largest building in Montenegro and is easy to distinguish. Now it houses the National Historical Museum, as well as the Art Gallery of Montenegro.
If you walk a little east from the threshing floor, you will find yourself in the city center; by and large, it consists of two parallel streets, covered in the shadow of linden trees; There is a market adjacent to the streets. If you go north along the street to the east, you will come to the Church of Vlaška, which was built in 1450 - even before Cetinje even existed. It owes its name to the shepherds who built it and brought their flocks to this region for summer pastures. There are two tombstones in front of the church; according to legend, one of them belongs to a notorious Montenegrin robber, who nevertheless lost his life defending Cetinje from the Turks. Near the church proudly stands the monument “The Spirit of Lovcen”, in the form of a female figure, in whose right hand is a sword raised to the sky, and in her left hand is a laurel wreath. The monument was erected in memory of Montenegrin emigrants who voluntarily returned from the United States at the beginning of the First World War to defend their homeland. But, alas, their ship was sunk near the Albanian port of San Giovanni di Medua (now Shengjin) and carried them to the bottom. The monument was erected in 1939 - with a gloomy premonition of a new war. Further south, along Baja Pivljanina, is the Zeta House with pleasantly symmetrical lines - the same greenish-blue color as the palace of Prince Danilo. It was built at the end of the 19th century and now houses the National Theater, and the building opposite, where there was once the Turkish Embassy, now houses a state theater school.
There are several museums in Cetinje. National Museum (09:00-17:00, daily, adults - 2.50 euros, children - 1.25 euros) is located next to Malo Guvno, in a modest terracotta-colored palace that was the home of the last Montenegrin monarch, Nicholas I. The golden period of his reign is carefully recreated in the living rooms of this house, where everything is arranged as it could have been at that time. In addition, there is a romantic-looking display of weapons, brilliant awards and banners, including a company banner, pierced by bullets in a major battle with the Turks at Vuchi-Dol. It is interesting to note that until 1910 the Montenegrins did not have military uniforms: they simply went to battle in national costumes. Weapons were the main asset and pride of a man. The museum has a number of numerous bright brown photographs of members of the Montenegrin royal family lined up in one magnificent row - they looked dignified even against the background of such figures as the Russian Tsar. The king's daughters married into the most brilliant dynasties in Europe. One of the signs of Nicholas I's royal dignity can be seen in his bedroom, decorated with animal skins. The king was said to be “an excellent shot with a pistol and could knock a cigarette out of his mouth at twelve paces.” Behind the palace, on the other side of the crocus meadow near the modern monastery, Nikola, then still a prince, built a house church in 1886 on the foundations of the 15th-century Crnoević monastery that had once stood here. The remains of that ancient complex are still visible, and this place, for some oddity, is now called “tzipur” (from the ancient Greek word "kipuria", which means "vegetable garden"). It was to this chapel that the remains of King Nikola and Queen Milena were eventually returned in a majestic ceremony that took place in 1989. The chapel is now called the “Royal Mausoleum” (summer: 09:00-17:00, daily, adults - 2.50 euros, children - 1.50 euros), the memory of these relatively recent events symbolizes the end of communism for the Montenegrin people.
National Historical Museum and Art Gallery of Montenegro (086 231050, [email protected], 09:00-17:00, daily) were opened in 1989; they are located in the Vladin Dom complex and tell in detail about the social, economic and political life, as well as the military and cultural heritage of Montenegro. In the museum you can see a rich collection of weapons (both Montenegrin and trophy), there is a section dedicated to the country’s heroic struggle against fascism in World War II. The art gallery includes five collections: a collection of art of Yugoslav states and nationalities, a collection of icons, a collection of Montenegrin fine art, a collection of Minina Saric-Vukmanovic, which contains works by such foreign masters as Renoir, Picasso, Chagall and Salvador Dala, and finally the collection copies of frescoes. The museum complex also includes Piana Capela. ("Blue Chapel"), in which the Mother of God of Philerim was recently placed - a mysterious icon that has traveled a lot around the world. There is no gift shop at the museum yet.
Njegosi Museum in Billiards (086 231050, 09:00 17:00, daily) stores the personal belongings of Prince Peter II Petrovich-Njegos.
In the Ethnographic Museum of Montenegro you can see fabrics, folk costumes and musical instruments. Now it is located in the building of the former Serbian embassy (Central Square, diagonally from King Nikola's Palace). Some of his exhibits are temporarily housed in the Billiards.
All four museums can be accessed with a single ticket costing 5 euros.
Seat of the President of Montenegro. The city is located 32 km southwest of and 30 km north of. Population – 15,137 people (2003).
The city of Cetinje was founded in 1482 and became the cradle of Montenegrin culture and one of the important centers of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Due to its heroic resistance to the constant encroachments of the Ottoman Empire, it was nicknamed "Serbian Sparta".
This is one of the reasons why Cetinje is the official capital of Montenegro, and not Podgorica, which is superior in population and economic potential, which is defined as the “main city” in the country’s constitution.
Cetinje has great historical and spiritual significance for Montenegro, and will be of interest, first of all, to history buffs.
Most tourists come to Cetinje, as a rule, on a one-day excursion; the city itself is small and all its attractions can be seen in a day.
Story
The emergence of Cetinje was determined by the historical, political and economic conditions of the 15th century. The onslaught of the Ottoman Empire forced Ivan Cernojevic, the ruler of Zeta, to move the capital from the fortified city of Zabljak to a new location - in 1475 to Obod, and soon after to the foot of Mount Lovcen. In 1482, the Cernoevich court was located in the Cetinje Valley, and two years later the Cetinje Monastery was founded, which became the residence of Metropolitan Zeta. Thus the city was founded, which received its name from the Cetina River flowing through the valley, and became the secular and spiritual center of Montenegro.
Georgiy Chernoevich, the son of Ivan Chernoevich, founded here the first printing house in the Slavic countries of the Balkan Peninsula.
The rapid development of the city under the rule of the Chernoevich dynasty was interrupted at the end of the 15th century. In 1499, Zeta lost its independence, and only that part of it, which began to be called “Montenegro” itself (between the Chernoevich River and Boka Kotorska), remained free.
Over the next two centuries, the development of Cetinje slowed down. In the 16th-17th centuries, the city was repeatedly attacked by the Turks and Venetians. During this period, the Chernoevich palace and monastery were destroyed. And only in 1697, with the establishment of the power of the Petrovic-Njegosi dynasty, Cetinje began to flourish again.
The rulers of Montenegro were primarily concerned with the liberation of the country and the strengthening of its unity. For a long time they could not devote enough time and funds to the construction of Cetinje.
Notable progress was achieved only during the reign of Peter II Petrovic-Njegos. In 1838, a new royal residence was built for him.
In 1878, the decision of the Berlin Congress recognized the independence of Montenegro as a sovereign principality, and Cetinje became the capital of the new country.
During the reign of Prince Nikola I Petrovic-Njegos, many majestic buildings were built in the city - a new royal palace, the first hotel in Cetinje, a city hospital, etc.
In the period from 1878 to 1914, many famous cultural and educational figures from other South Slavic countries came to Cetinje. They made a great contribution to the life of the city.
After the First World War, when Montenegro became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Cetinje grew significantly territorially. But when, after the end of World War II, the Montenegrin parliament moved the capital to Podgorica on July 13, 1946, the city entered a period of protracted crisis.
In the period after World War II, they tried to develop Cetinje as an industrial hub. Plants and factories were built, which fell into disrepair after the collapse of Yugoslavia.
After Montenegro gained independence in 2006, the title of capital again passed to Cetinje, but most government institutions remained in Podgorica.
Today there are two capitals in Montenegro. The official and cultural capital of Cetinje, where the president and metropolitan of the country live, bears the title “priestonice”, and the actual, business and political capital of Podgorica is called the “main city”.
- located in the central part of the city, built in 1450. Its fence is made from the barrels of captured guns captured from enemies.
Cetinje Monastery
- Orthodox monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Cetinje. It was built in 1484 by Ivan Chernoevich, and then became the see of the diocese of Zeta.
In 1692, the monastery was destroyed by the Turks, and was restored by Bishop Danila, on a site not far from its former position. On this occasion, a new monastery was built from old stones, and received a plate with the seal of Crnojevic.
In 1714 the monastery was burned and was restored only in 1743 by the Montenegrin Metropolitan Savva Ivanovich Njegosh. It was rebuilt several times, the last time in 1927.
The Cetinje Monastery houses:
Hand of John the Baptist
Relics of St. Peter of Cetinje (Peter I Petrovic Njegos)
Particles of the Holy Cross
Epitrachelion of Saint Sava
Crown of King Stefan Dečanski
Various old church banners
Also here you can see such a curious thing as the shroud, embroidered by the hands of the Russian Tsarina Catherine II.
Mausoleum on Mount Lovcen
Mausoleum on Mount Lovcen, also known as Mausoleum of Njegos- the tomb of the last spiritual ruler of Montenegro, Metropolitan Peter II Petrovich-Njegos. Located on the top of Mount Lovcen.
In 1845, Peter II Petrovic-Njegos expressed the desire to be buried after his death in the chapel he founded on Mount Lovcen. But after his death in 1851, fearing a possible attack by the Turks on his grave, they decided to bury him in the Cetinje Monastery, next to the grave of his predecessor Peter I Petrovich.
During the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian army bombed the chapel on the top of the mountain and, after the capture of Lovcen by Austria, on the night of 12–13 August 1916, the remains of Peter II were again transferred to the Cetinje Monastery. On the site of the destroyed chapel, it was planned to erect a monument to the capture of Lovcen by Austria-Hungary. As a result, these plans did not come true.
In 1925, the reconstruction of the chapel was completed and the remains of Peter II were again placed in a sarcophagus on the mountain.
In 1951, in connection with the hundredth anniversary of the death of Peter II Petrovic-Njegos, the Yugoslav authorities decided to demolish the chapel and build in its place a completely new building, which was designed by Ivan Mestrovic.
This plan caused controversy - Montenegrins said that destroying the chapel and replacing it with a mausoleum was contrary to the wishes of Njegos, who in his will wanted to be buried in the church he founded. Despite this, in the late 60s the chapel was destroyed, and by 1974 a mausoleum was built in its place, which still exists today.
Today the Mausoleum is a low-rise stone structure, with a gate guarded by statues of two Montenegrins. Inside there is a 28-ton statue of Peter II Petrovic-Njegos. The roof of the mausoleum is covered with gold. On the lower floor of the mausoleum there is a sarcophagus of the ruler.
The most convenient way to get to Mount Lovcen is from Cetinje; the journey by car will take about 30 minutes. Next, climb on foot up an impressive number of steps.