The most beautiful religious buildings Montenegro

This church, dated 1630, is located opposite Perast on an artificial islet built of stones piled up around a reef. Originally a simple chapel, it was enlarged in 1725 with the construction of an imposing sanctuary recognizable by its octagonal dome. All around the capitals inside the church, you can admire nearly 2,500 small silver squares, each decorated in an original way: it is the sailors who, on their return from a sea trip, used to engrave an ex-voto with their name on it to thank Our Lady of Rocks for having spared them the misfortunes of the sea. This escapade in the middle of the Boka is worth it, both for the beauty of a unique site and for the evocation of the many stories of sailors by the guides gravitating around the church.

This is one of the most important monuments in the Balkans. You'll need to take a good-quality road from Cetinje. From Kotor, you'll first pass through serpentines with dazzling views, then arrive at a good-quality road. The monument stands at an altitude of 1,657 m. We're standing on one of the great peaks of the Dinaric Alps, on the roof of the Balkans.

Montenegrins come here to honor the memory of national hero Petar II. Petar II was the successor to Petar ^I (1748-1830), the Metropolitan of Cetinje. He was attached to the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Of the Petrović dynasty, Petar ^I was the leader with the most spirituality. Petar ^I appointed his first nephew as his successor. The latter was studying in Russia and did not wish to become a bishop. The torch was then passed to his second nephew, Rade Tomislav (1813-1851). He became the new metropolitan(vladika) of Cetinje in 1830. He is now known as Petar II Petrović-Njegoš (Петар II Петровић-Његош).

Many academics and other specialists consider Petar II to be Montenegro's most impressive leader. Petar II laid the foundations of the new Montenegrin state and was also a poet. However, this metropolitan was also much feared. Members of the Senate who disagreed with him were assassinated. The number of his professional killers reached 70 by the end of his reign.

The view is breathtaking. You can see the road and the passing cars with astonishing clarity. Viewed from a bearing of 190 degrees, you see the last mountains before the sea. It's a long way to Bar, but as the crow flies, it only takes about ten minutes. Concentrate on heading 90 degrees, and the town of Cetinje comes into view. It's so close, you could leap to your feet and land in its center. Further on, Lake Skadar, the first place where wine was produced in the Balkans. The Albanian town of Shkodër is visible on a clear day. A little to the left, at heading 70 degrees, you can see the Albanian mountains that form the Valbona valley. The great Albanian author Ismaïl Kadaré claims that this mountain is legendary. Others claimthat Homer'sIliad originated here.

Choose a parking space next to the garbage cans. The road after the last bend is chaotic.

This monastery is, together with Ostrog and Piva, one of the major religious buildings in Montenegro. It is a perfect example of Serbian medieval orthodox architecture and is part of the Serbian neo-renaissance art. Founded in 1252 by order of Stefan Nemanjić, the first crowned Serbian king (1217), it is set in a bucolic location, on the edge of the Morača River canyon near a waterfall. Composed of a konak (monks' living quarters) and two churches, it houses wall frescoes and icons of exceptional value, starting with the one depicting the prophet Elijah being fed by a crow and the one of the birth of St John the Baptist. They date from the 13th century and are the only ones from that period. The central part of the building contains magnificent examples of late Byzantine frescoes, mainly centred on the life of Christ. Imposing portraits of the great saints of the Orthodox tradition complete the iconographic programme. Devastated by the Turks in the first half of the 16th century, the monastery was restored a few years later before becoming the seat of a veritable artistic renaissance in the first half of the 17th century. Three major painters of this period exercised their talents here: the priest Strahinja from Budimlje (originally from the Berane region), the monk George Mitrofanović (frescoes painted in 1616 on the western facade of the building) and the master Kozma.

Located in the middle of a square, this small church dates back to 1195. Originally Catholic, it was transferred to the Orthodox Church in 1657. It was used by the faithful of both confessions, each with their own altar. Today it is attended only by the Orthodox. The iconostasis inside is the work of Dimitrije Daskal, founder of the Dimitrijević-Rafailović school of icons. Renovated in 2013 by Russia, this church houses the icon of St. Nicholas and St. Basil.

This monastery is characteristic of Montenegrin religious architecture. It was built at the very beginning of the ^18th century by order of Prince-Bishop Danilo ^I, on the site of the former palace of Ivan Crnojević, the founder of the city. The original monastery (built by Ivan Crnojević in the ^15th century) was located nearby, but completely destroyed by the Turks in 1692. Several fragments of this older monastery were used in the construction of the new church building. We refer to the six capitals in the gallery on the first floor of the lodge and a parapet plate on the apse of the monastic church.

In the center of the monastic complex,the small chapel dedicated to the birth of the Virgin contains two major relics: the right hand of St. John the Baptist and a fragment of the cross of Christ. The building, decorated with an iconostasis painted by Greek artists, also houses the tombs of Prince Danilo and the great voivode Mirko Petrović. In the church courtyard lie Darinka and Olga, respectively the wife and daughter of Prince Danilo ^I. In the residence of the metropolitan, two treasures of Orthodox religious art: the seal of Ivan Crnojević, founder of the city, crosses, mitres adorned with jewels, numerous icons, very old chasubles, as well as a remarkable collection of old books.

These riches of Orthodox art explain the popularity of pilgrims from all over the region, and even from Russia.

Situated in the Bjelopavlici valley, this Orthodox monastery is the most revered of the country. Every year, thousands of worshippers and Serbs come to pray and burn candles there. The appearance of the white monastery hung in the middle of a rocky cliff, on the vertical wall, is spectacular.

Built in the 1656 th century (1671) by Gospić Jovanović - metropolitan of Western Herzegovina, future Sveti Gospić Ostroški (Saint Basile d'Ostrog), who lived there until his death in 1920, the monastery was ravaged by a fire and restored in the s.

It consists of two cave chapels, that of Sv. Krst (St. Croix) and Celle. The relics of the bones of the saint can be seen in one of these chapels supervised by a monk in black robes. A blessing of its share is made automatically upon entry into the room. Linked by a network of stairs and narrow passages, these chapels are decorated with murals that were realized at the end of the th century by Radul, a famous Serbian painter of that era. The residence of the monks, a large building next to the monastery, was added in the 1980 s. Miracles and powers of healer are assigned to Saint Basile, as well as to the cracks in coins or pieces of paper used to help.

This small Benedictine monastery was built on a natural reef 100 metres from the artificial islet of Gospa od Škrpjela. First mentioned in a document from 1166, it is believed to have been inhabited by Benedictines in the 9th century. The original building could not be preserved because it was constantly under attack. In addition, it suffered an earthquake in 1667 in which the ceiling and apse of the church were destroyed. A new church was rebuilt in the 17th century.

Erected above a small cove known as Perazića Do, this monastery whose origins date back to the Middle Ages (13th century) is distinguished by its slender bell tower completed in the early 19th century. Restored several times, the buildings that make up the monastery received regular financial support from the Russian court until 1907, as the superior of the place - or archimandrite - had lived in Russia for nearly forty years after leaving Montenegro in the early 19th century.

Completed in 1166, on the remains of a ^9th century church, the Cathedral of St. Thyphon (Sveti Trifun) is one of the representative monuments of Romanesque art in the Adriatic despite the reconstructions it has undergone. Its facade, recognizable by its two towers connected by a portal forming a porch, dates from the ^17th century.

Of the frescoes that once covered the entire interior of the building, only a few traces remain today, recently uncovered, especially in the apse and the treasure upstairs. These date back to the ^14th century. The sarcophagus of Andrea Saracenis and his wife, Maria, can be seen there. To the left of the entrance, stairs lead to a small ^14th century chapel where the relics of St. Tryphon are kept. This chapel is decorated with a finely carved white marble frieze, the work of a certain Francesco Cabianca, an ^eighteenth century Venetian artist. Finally, there is a large wooden cross of unknown origin on which the features of the crucified Jesus can be seen. The canopy over the altar (ciborium) is a magnificent example of Gothic art. The monumental baldachin is made up of four red marble columns supporting an octagonal construction on three levels and is decorated with sculptures illustrating the life of Saint Tryphon. The cathedral's treasury on the left-hand floor displays liturgical objects such as ciboria and other relics. The balcony between the two towers is also accessible.

Located in the middle of the village, facing the sea, this church was designed by the Italian Giuseppe Beati in the 17th century. Never completed, it is distinguished by its imposing 55 m high belfry, the highest in the Bay of Kotor. Ivan Scarpe began the construction of this imposing belfry with a series of loggias spread over five floors. An inscription above its entrance door commemorates the defeat of the Turks in 1657: " Christianae Reipublicae Triumphanti ".

Located near the "Little Beach" in the city centre, this mosque erected in 1719 by Klič Alija of Constantinople is the oldest in the city. Of modest size and architecture, it is distinguished from the other mosques in the country by the presence, next to it, of a small hammam. It is the only hammam in the country, which makes it all the more interesting. The mosque bears the following inscription on its wall, "It opened with happiness and progress for the people, and for a long time. »

Dating from the ^10th century, this beautiful church was erected on the hillside that gave its name to the city, Gorica. It is the oldest religious building in the country. Small Greek-Orthodox chapel dedicated to St. George, covered with frescoes of more than seven hundred years covering the vault and the holy of holies, it is worth the trip. This small church, placed in its green setting, has a certain charm, at the doors of a very beautiful park to visit as well.

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, more commonly called Hram by locals, is a Serbian Orthodox cathedral, the largest in the capital. It is located in the Momišići district, not far from the city centre, in the "new" district. Built between 1993 and 2013, based on the plans of Serbian architect Predrag Ristić, the building is one of the main monuments of modern Podgorica. Several different styles were used: Roman-style architecture and arches, Italian-style frescoes and stained glass windows, but also typical Byzantine bas-reliefs and decorum. After 20 years of construction, the long-awaited opening ceremony on October 4, 2013, the date chosen to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan (an important religious text for both Catholics and Orthodox), was celebrated in the presence of many prestigious Orthodox priests, such as the Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus and Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem. The central dome, almost 42 meters high at its peak, is decorated inside with golden and very colorful paintings and frescoes. The most important of these is the one visible at the entrance of the building, which tells the story of the Resurrection of Christ, the event from which the cathedral takes its name. The marble floor reflects the richness and importance of the work. The two towers of more than 26 meters protect the bells. One of them is the biggest in the Balkan countries, weighing 11 tons. At the foot of these towers there are two chapels, erected in memory of St Simeon (1114-1200) and St Jovan Vladimir (990-1016).

Moreover, access is relatively easy because, unlike the complicated parking streets in the city centre, the Hram can accommodate hundreds of visitors thanks to its giant car park next to the cathedral; on the sides, a beautiful terrace will save you from the hot summer heat. At Christmas or Easter, it is a real fervour that brings thousands of orthodox Montenegrins to gather by turning several times around the cathedral at the end of the celebration. Now known throughout Europe, the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ has become a real place of pilgrimage for Orthodox from all over the region. With its imposing stature and representing one of the most beautiful testimonies of Serbian Orthodox art, the Hram is one of the most touristic places in the capital.

Just next to the previous one, we can finally see the church of Santa Maria in Punta dating back to 840. First Benedictine and then Franciscan, it was requisitioned in 1807 by the Napoleonic troops to shelter their horses. A bell tower with three windows adorns the church and its slabs reveal Latin inscriptions. It once housed the famous miraculous icon of the Mother of God (Our Lady of Budva) from the 14th century, considered the patron saint of the town.

Built in 1804, this church features paintings by Corfu-born artist Nicholaos Aspioti. The entrance has three bells and the windows are in the shape of a round dome. The church's iconostasis was created by Greek icon painters in the ^19th century and is of exceptional artistic merit! The whole area around the church is beautifully paved. In front of the church is the tomb of Stefan Mitrov Ljubiša, a Budva-born writer and politician.

This small chapel, located next to the monastery, was built in 1886 at the request of King Nikolaus to accommodate the religious ceremonies of the court. It is a simple building, built on the foundations of the central church of the original Cetinje Monastery, erected by the Crnojević family in the 15th century. It was here that the body of King Nicholas and that of his wife, Queen Milena, were laid to rest in 1989 (their remains were previously in the Russian church in San Remo).

Located 2 km east of the town, on the slopes of a hill overlooking the sea, this monastery is a superb example of architectural blending. It was here that the poet prince Petar II Njegoš received his first education as a child. The monastery complex consists of two churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary, a cloister and a small chapel on the hillside dedicated to St. Sava Nemanja (the first archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church, appointed in 1219, who became its most venerated saint). The present monastery was apparently built on the site of an earlier 11th-century church and dates from the late 17th century (1690s), when monks fleeing the destruction of their monastery near Trebinje in Herzegovina came to bring their treasures here. Among these treasures, which are still in the possession of the monastery, are a chalice from 1650, a Gospel from 1685, a silver miniature from the monastery of Tvrdoš, where the monks came from, and a 13th-century crystal and silver cross said to have belonged to St Sava.

The monastery has a large library with manuscripts from the 14th century. It also has a vineyard providing the traditional wine tasted on the feast of St. Typhon on February 14, the patron saint of winegrowers. The monastery also has a merlot, cabernet, chardonnay and rosé, and two types of brandy, including travarica with medicinal properties.

Located on a rocky promontory above the beach of Buljarica, the monastery was first mentioned in 1305. It consists of three churches, a cloister and a defensive wall. The first church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is decorated with ^17th century frescoes representing scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The second, that of St. Sava, was built in the ^19th century. The third one, smaller, is dedicated to the Virgin. It is also decorated with frescoes from the ^seventeenth century, and also houses busts of the Nemanjić dynasty.

Dedicated to St Jerome, the patron saint of the town, this church was built in the mid-19th century on the site of a 17th-century Catholic church. The latter was destroyed to make way for a new church. The interior of the church building is decorated with paintings by Tripo Kokolja (1661-1713). This Montenegrin artist from the town of Perast is considered one of the greatest Baroque painters of his time.

50 km from Nikšić, before the town of Plužine, this monastery was once located near the source of the river. Isolated, it was dismantled stone by stone before being relocated a few kilometers up (construction of a hydroelectric plant). This "move" took more than ten years (end in 1982). The ensemble consists of a church, a house for the monks, a bread oven and a surrounding wall.

The church dedicated to the Dormition is the most important Orthodox building built in the country under the Ottomans. Most of the frescoes that adorn its walls were done in the early 17th century by unknown Greek artists. Among them is a faceless icon from the 18th century, destroyed by the Turks and preserved as a testimony to iconoclasm (a pre-Turkish doctrine that prohibited the representation of images of Christ and the saints).

The paintings of the iconostasis, made by Kyr Kozma in 1638, is considered the best painter of the seventeenth century. The frescoes in the narthex are the work of Strahinja, a priest from Budimlje (Berane) and a prolific painter who worked for four decades in the country.

The two icons on either side of the choir are the oldest, dating from 1573-1574, and were made at the very beginning of the church's construction. These two icons on the sides of the choir were made by Longin, a monk from Peć, Kosovo.