The most beautiful religious buildings Montenegro

Located at the foot of the old town, in the middle of an olive garden, this church was built in 1890 on the site of a 15th-century monastery. Another church in the town centre, also dedicated to St Nicholas, is worth a visit near the Bar-Ulcinj national road and bears witness to the town's Ottoman past. The Turks forbade the construction of buildings higher than the minarets of the mosques, so this church was built on a level slightly lower than the ground.

If you are looking for a romantic getaway, you should definitely visit Manastir i crkva Vavedenja Presvete Bogorodice. This small island is a real gem, located in the heart of the Lustica Bay. It is a monastery and an Orthodox church that dates back to the ^17th century. The church is built of white stone and has an architecture typical of Orthodox churches in the region. It also houses many old icons and frescoes. The small island on which the monastery and the church are located is surrounded by crystal clear water and steep cliffs.

Nestled in a peaceful valley near the Piva River, Zagradje Monastery is a hidden gem in Montenegro. This four century old Orthodox monastery is built of stone and boasts remarkable architecture. The colorful frescoes inside are an exceptional example of the religious art of the region. You can relax in this peaceful place and admire the surrounding landscape, with the breathtaking view of the mountains.

Along the road that borders the Tara Canyon there is a small Serbian Orthodox monastery made of old stones with an effigy of Saint George. On the side of the hill, the monk will be able to meditate in a silence only broken by the sound of the water. The traveler will be able to admire the setting and stay for several hours at this place. Like Mount Athos, the monastery has been Byzantine since 1530. Walk around the monastery in an anti-clockwise direction.

On the outskirts of Risan, the monastery of Banja spreads out on the side of a mountain dotted with cypress trees. It offers a breathtaking view of the bay of Kotor, caught between the mountains and the water. It is said that this old monastery was built by Stefan Nemanja in the ^12th century, but its current appearance dates back to the ^18th century. It is a good idea to walk through the narrow streets of Risan, to stroll through its market, and to visit the ruins of the old Venetian palace.

This mosque, erected by Skender Čauševa in the 15th century, has been restored several times. Now the seat of the Mufti of Montenegro, it is located near the fortifications in the park of Stari most.

Starodoganjska is a small but typical Ottoman mosque. With a sober and modest interior, it has a rectangular hall with a terracotta tile floor. It has preserved three elements of Islamic art: mihrab, minbar and a medium-sized minaret.

Built in the 18th century by Mehmed-paša Osmanagić, it was severely damaged during the American bombing in November 1944. Dating from the Ottoman era, this mosque was restored in 2011 with Turkish support and some success. It offers an interesting example of the Ottoman style. The exterior walls are unplastered, red tiles cover the roof of the main hall and a white needle-like minaret completes the structure.

Just a stone's throw from the Redžepagić tower stand two Ottoman-style mosques. The larger of the mosques, with an interior wooden staircase, is known as the Old Imperial Mosque (Stara carska džamija) and located next to the Post Office. It was built by Sultan Abdul Hamid in 1471, but its current appearance dates from the ^18th century. Due to its original architecture, engravings and wooden minaret, it is proclaimed a "monument of culture".

Located near the Hotel Marija, this 14th-century Franciscan church has a Baroque altar in polychrome marble. Decorated with thirty sculptures depicting angels with St Clare and St Francis of Assisi, the altar is the work of the 18th-century Venetian Francesco Cabianca, who also designed the marbled frieze in the small chapel inside St Triphon's Cathedral. It has a large collection of original books dating from 1450 to 1500.

A church of pink and white stones dating from the 14th century. The remains of a 6th century baptistery from the reign of Emperor Justinian can be seen. Frescoes and a crucifix were restored in 1984. In her stories, author Rebecca West says "a 17th century monk, a great liar or ignorant, attributed this crucifix to Michelangelo"! The church houses the sarcophagus of the nun Berta Hosanna, a Montenegrin saint beatified for her fight against the Turkish admiral Barbarossa.

Small church dedicated to Saint Sava built in the 12th century. It is a very small Romanesque building with a nave and a small apse. Its past remains unclear and several hypotheses emerge where it would have been used by Catholics and also by Orthodox. Renovation work, after the earthquake of 1979, has helped to elucidate the history of its creation. The frescoes bear an inscription dated 1143. Never mind the history, the view is magical!

The church, which was the seat of the local diocese until 1828, has been rebuilt many times and is distinguished by an imposing bell tower and a large episcopal residence, both dating from the 19th century (1867). The exact origin of the church remains unknown. Historians believe that its foundation dates back to the 9th century. Inside the building is the 12th-century icon known as Our Lady of Budva, which is still used in the procession on June 24, the day of the saint.

It is composed of two churches. The first one dedicated to St. Nicholas (protector of travelers and sailors) was built in 1847. It is decorated with frescoes depicting Stefan Nemanjić (from the dynasty unifying the Serbian territories in the Middle Ages), his son Sava (the patron saint founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church) and Christ between the prophets Solomon and David. The second church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Enjoy a breathtaking view of the sea.

It is situated on a plateau and can be reached via the secondary road to Kamenovo. Built in the 14th century during the reign of Emperor Dušan, it was restored in 1995. The interior wall paintings show lavishly adorned holy figures. The original konak (monks' resting room), located next door, is no longer in use. It has been replaced by a small, more comfortable two-storey building, with an architecture typical of the old houses in the area.

This Serbian Orthodox monastery is the oldest on the lake. Located near the village of Vranjina, it was erected between 1221 and 1233 during the Nemanjić dynasty. After being destroyed several times by the Turks, the monastery was rebuilt by King Nikola (1841-1921), on the occasion of the recapture of the island by Montenegrin forces. Next to the building is a house that King Nikola had built for his fifth daughter Jelena.

Located a few kilometers from Podgorica, this small monastery was erected in 1897 by Father Simeon Popović. Here, it is the interior of the building that deserves a visit. At the heart of the building is a curious cave covered with religious paintings. Made by Father Popović, these "frescoes" were painted directly on the irregular surface of the rock. Although humidity has caused the loss of many details, visiting the place remains a singular experience.

This small church would have been built in 1482 by cattle breeders, the Wallachians. Just before the foundation of the city. It was rebuilt several times, and acquired its final appearance in 1864. The fence that encircles the building was made from the barrels of guns that were seized from the Turks during the battle of Grahovo. In front of it, the statue of a woman symbolizes the Montenegrin volunteers of the American army in the year 1914.

A small Orthodox church located in the village of Brezojevice, on the outskirts of Plav (along the road to Andrijevica), in the Prokletije National Park. The Sveta Trojica church is the oldest in the area. First mentioned in a document dated 1566, it is distinguished by its Byzantine architecture, which is quite similar to that of the churches on the Montenegrin coast. It has been burnt down several times and unfortunately no wall paintings have survived.

This small church dating from the mid-16th century is a little gem. The only surviving building of a monastery established by Serbian prince Vukan Nemanjić, its interior walls are partly covered with frescoes from the 1590s. Inside the building, one can also admire a beautifully decorated iconostasis. But the church is best known for housing one of the richest liturgical collections in the country, among which are manuscripts dating back to the 14th century.

This Serbian Orthodox church is the city's landmark monument. The Gospel of Miroslav, produced for this church in 1180, is the oldest surviving Serbian illuminated manuscript. It is illustrated with nearly 300 exceptionally beautiful miniatures and is an important testimony to the artistic exchanges between East and West. Transformed into a mosque in the 18th century, it became Christian again in 1912. Its current appearance dates from 2014 when one of the two towers was rebuilt.

Located on the heights of the city, the monastery of Djurdjevi Stupovi ("the pillars of Saint George") was erected at the end of the 12th century. It consists of a konak (living quarters) and an imposing stone church. In 1219 it became the seat of the Budimljan (medieval name of Berane) episcopate. The church, whose lead roof was melted down during the Ottoman occupation, was later requisitioned by the Austro-Hungarian army to house its horses.

This monastery also known as Dubočica located near Pljevlja "moved" in 1980. It consists of a church erected in the 16th century and newer buildings topped with carved wooden galleries. The church was restored at the end of the 19th century and is covered with murals depicting the resurrection of Christ. Those in the narthex were painted in the 1590s by Father Strahinja, and those in the nave depict the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty.

The most beautiful mosque in the country is located in the heart of the city. Built between 1585 and 1594 by order of Hussein Pasha Boljanić representative of the imperial court of Istanbul, it has retained its original form and is a testimony to the Ottoman past. Manuscripts of the Qur'an, including one dated to the 16th century, are preserved there. Its minaret is over 40 m high and the building is decorated with softly coloured paintings. It is said that the pasha had two oxen tied to a cart and chased them to draw the foundation lines of the mosque.

Overlooking the city, the Orthodox Church of Sveti Vassilije is quite classical in style but beautifully encased in white marble. Inside are the names of the 3,098 Montenegrin and Serbian fighters from Herzegovina. These Montenegrin and Serbian fighters died during the great war of liberation, which took place between 1876 and 1878 under the command of Prince Danilo. At the bottom of the steps on the right side of the monumental staircase, you can see a war memorial from the 1990s.

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Rose is an architectural gem not to be missed by travelers in search of spirituality. Built in the ^17th century, this building is a witness to the history of the region and the Orthodox faith. The white facade and golden domes immediately catch the eye, while the interior houses remarkable frescoes and icons. Take the time to stop by and discover the richness of Montenegrin culture in an idyllic setting.