"Prince Njegos' Grave" Lovcen by KonstantinII

Lovcen Travel Guide: 22 reviews and 37 photos

The Mausoleum of Bishop of Montenegro

Lovcen is not the highest Mountain in Montenegro, but it's altitude of 1660 meter above sea level is more than enough to give you the most magnificant view you ever experienced!

People that will greet you there (from the museum and restaurant 461 steps from Mausoleum) will tell you that the best time for panoramic view is in the summer time after the rain, when sun starts shineing again.
At that time if the atmospheric conditions are good you can see 80% of whole Montenegro, outlines of Italy, Skadar Lake, 30% of Albania, Croatia...

Prince Petar II Petrovic Njegos didn't pick this peak to be his "eternal place of rest" just randomly, he knew what he was doing.

The Crypt

Mausoleum from North side

As all great men, Njegos (how he was populary called in people by the name of the village he was born in - Njegusi) was also modest in a way. That might be given to him as a characteristic cause he was the Bishop of Orthodox Christian church.
Njegos’s last wish was to be buried in a tiny chapel on the peak called Jezerski vrh (Lake Crest) on the Lovcen mountain.

Montenegro man in traditional national clothes

...Prince Njegos' will wasn't immediately fulfilled because of danger that someone might desecrate the grave.
In 1885, Prince Danilo finaly executed Njegos' last will and moved his remains to what will become the most significant place for all Montenegrians, Lovcen peak where Njegos already built a little church to be buried in.

But since this was so significant for Montenegrins in their struggle for freedom, it was always attacked by the enemy.
In the I WW it was completely destroyed by Austrians.
At that time Njegos’s body was exhumed and his remains were kept in Cetinje.
In 1925, a new church was built for the second time. Then, the idea to build a monumental mausoleum occurred.

Finaly according to the wish of the King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, Serbian King Aleksandar I Karadjordjevic, great sculptor Ivan Mestrovic prepared the project for the beautiful mausoleum you can visit today.
(on the photo you can see one of the Montenegrians that visited his saint's grave the same day we went there. He's wareing traditional national clothes of Montenegro men. BTW the guy is 2 meters tall which is one of the characteristics of people from Montenegro)

Pros and Cons

Pros:Beautiful View. You can't find it anywhere else!
Cons:Kind of hard to find, but just look up!
In a nutshell:Amazing Experience!

Last visit to Lovcen: Jul 2004
Intro Updated Sep 27, 2004
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Reviews (11)

Ask someone in Kotor for the route! Transportation (2)

Just make sure that you have a good map or a good explenation how to get there, 'cause I'm not sure you'll be able to... more travel advice

Take the road less taken! ;o) Transportation (2)

You definitely have to go there by car (you can take the bus, but I prefered the car). There are few roads that will... more travel advice

Behind the Mausoleum Things to Do (8)

When you see the Chapel and the Crypt you just have to go behind the Mausoleum and take a short walk by the tiny, narrow... more travel advice

Entering the Mausoleum Things to Do (8)

Behind the "bistrik" - the rain well, you come infront of two caryatids that represent the mother and the sister (they... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
Highest restaurant on the Adriatic...

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Written Oct 12, 2004

1 photo

Prince Bishop Petar II Petrovic Njegos

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Comments (6)

Karolina01 Sep 16, 2004 at 11:48 AM Report Abuse

Great new pages and great tips!
DUNK67 Sep 4, 2004 at 6:30 PM Report Abuse

interesting page, nice photos,
Srechko Sep 2, 2004 at 8:41 PM Report Abuse

Fantasticne su ti slike. Sad mi je zao da nisam vise putovao dok sam bio tamo. Bice valjda jos prilika.
ncfg Sep 1, 2004 at 12:57 PM Report Abuse

Amazing place, the views are fantastic. Very nice page, well done! Nat
karenincalifornia Aug 24, 2004 at 3:44 PM Report Abuse

Your Lovcen pages are a great tribute to Njegos and his final resting place. This place is definitely worth visting, although you are more courageous than I am. I couldn't handle the Old Serpentine Road from Kotor. Talk about hair-raising! Good job!
diageva Aug 23, 2004 at 10:38 AM Report Abuse

Perhaps this is the first and only Lovcen's page, a pitty there are not more ... but :)) yours is very nice one, thanks for making new pages :)