Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cetinje
Cetinje (TSEH-teen-yeh)—the historic capital of Montenegro—is a fine but fallen-on-hard-
timeslittleburgthatsitscradledinadesolatevalleysurroundedbymightypeaks.Run-down
as Cetinje is, it's still more pleasant than the current, drab capital, Podgorica.
Observing Cetinje from afar, it seems made to order as the historic capital of a remote
and rustic people. It was the home of the Montenegrin king since the 15th century, but
has always been pretty humble. In fact, it's said that when the Ottomans conquered it and
moved in ready to rampage, they realized there wasn't much to pillage and plunder—so
they just destroyed the town and moved on. The town was destroyed several other times, as
well—and each time, the local people rebuilt it.
This “Old Royal Capital,” once the leading city in the realm, is today recovering from
its status as a victim of Tito's quirky economic program for Yugoslavia. It used to provide
shoes and refrigerators for the country, but when Yugoslavia disintegrated, so did the viab-
ility of Cetinje's economy. As you explore the two-story town today, it seems there's little
more than a scruffy dollop of tourism to keep its 17,000 people housed and fed. Many of its
younger generation have left for employment along the coast in the tourism industry.
Strollthemainstreet(Njegoševa)pastkidsonbikes,old-timerswithhardmemories,and
young adults with metabolisms as low as the town's. At the end of this drag is the main
square(Balši ć aPazar),surroundedbylow-keysightswithsporadicopeninghours:the Eth-
nographic Museum (traditional costumes and folk life), Historical Museum (tracing the
story of Montenegro), Njegoš Museum (dedicated to the beloved poet-king Petar II Pet-
rovi ć -Njegoš), and National Museum, which honors King Nikola I, who ruled from 1860
until1918.Whilehisresidenceisaspoorandhumblearoyalpalaceasyou'llseeinEurope,
Nikola I thought big. He married off five of his daughters into the various royal families of
Europe.
A short walk from the palace is the birthplace of the town, Cetinje Monastery. It's ded-
icated to St. Peter of Cetinje, a legendary local priest who carried a cross in one hand and
a sword in the other, established the first set of laws among Montenegrins, and inspired his
people to defend Christianity against the Muslims. The monastery also holds the supposed
right hand of St. John the Baptist. You are free to wander respectfully through the courtyard
and church of this spiritual capital of Serbian Orthodox Montenegro.
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