Monument
Lovćen and the Njegoš Mausoleum
Cetinje · Central Montenegro
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Monument
- COUNTRY
- Montenegro
- REGION
- Cetinje · Central Montenegro
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
The Njegoš Mausoleum stands on the Jezerski vrh peak of Mount Lovćen at 1,657 metres, a monumental tomb to Petar II Petrović Njegoš, the 19th-century prince-bishop, poet and ruler of Montenegro whose epic poem The Mountain Wreath is the central work of Montenegrin literature. It is reached by a winding road up the mountain from Cetinje and then a long stairway cut through the rock to the summit, where the mausoleum opens onto one of the great panoramas of the country — mountains to the north, the Skadar plain and the coast to the south, and on a clear day the sea and even the coast of Italy. Mount Lovćen is a national park, and the mausoleum is the classic excursion from Cetinje.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
Njegoš, who ruled Montenegro from 1830 to 1851, asked to be buried on Mount Lovćen, the mountain that watches over the old capital of Cetinje, and a simple chapel was built on Jezerski vrh for that purpose. The original chapel was destroyed in World War I, and Njegoš’s remains were moved and later returned. The present mausoleum was designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović and completed in 1974, replacing the earlier chapel with a monumental stone structure cut into the summit, its interior holding a statue of Njegoš and his tomb under a golden mosaic ceiling. Mount Lovćen was declared a national park in 1952, and the mausoleum is its highest and most visited point.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The stairway to the summit — a long flight of steps cut through the rock of Jezerski vrh to the mausoleum at the top.
The Meštrović mausoleum — a monumental stone structure cut into the peak, with a statue of Njegoš and his tomb under a golden mosaic ceiling.
The summit panorama — one of the great views of Montenegro, from the northern mountains across the Skadar plain to the coast and the sea.
Mount Lovćen National Park — the wooded slopes and peaks of the mountain that rises above Cetinje, crossed by roads and walking routes.
The road up from Cetinje — a winding ascent through the national park that is part of the experience.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The Njegoš Mausoleum is the closest thing Montenegro has to a national shrine — the tomb of its foremost poet-ruler on the summit of the mountain above its old capital. For a visitor it is also the best single viewpoint in the country, the place where the whole of Montenegro — mountains, plain and sea — comes into one view, and the drive up through Lovćen National Park is part of the reason to go.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
THROUGH THE LENS
From the road
MAP & LOCATION
Lovćen and the Njegoš Mausoleum
Lovćen and the Njegoš Mausoleum, Cetinje, Central Montenegro, Montenegro
42.4000, 18.8375
MORE ATTRACTIONS
More to see in Cetinje
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Konoba Stari Most — traditional Montenegrin dishes in town
Soul Kitchen — relaxed café and grill near the centre
Pizzeria Milan — casual pizza and Balkan staples a short walk from the museums
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Hotel Grand — a historic central hotel
Hotel Cetinje — modern rooms near the monastery quarter
Pansion Lovćen — family-run guesthouse a short walk from the old capital
ITINERARIES
Day-by-day routes
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the journey
INTERESTS
Explore by what you love
PART OF
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