Imagine the clear sky waking you up, the smell of the sea and the clean air making you want to start a new adventure as soon as possible🏞.But suddenly you remember that yesterday was raining all day long and the sea that is 5 minutes away from your apartment is probably cold and you can't enjoy it, but again you remember that you are right now on holiday in a country that has both the most calming seas and the most magnificent mountains so you immediately start choosing which mountain should you visit right now ⛰️.
Me,my sister and her boyfriend got in the car and headed to the mountain "Lovćen".
At first we didn't know where we are going because Marko (my sister's boyfriend) wanted to surprise us, he only said that that is the place where Njegoš was buried. Of course we were imagining a grave or something on an empty mountain, but when we got there we were impressed by the place and the wonderful views.
The importance of Mount Lovćen for Montenegro is enormous. This is a symbol of the state's independence, national identity and freedom.We were going from Bar to Cetinje(which was the capital of Montenegro while Njegoš was the Prince),from Cetinje a 21 km asphalt road leads to the mausoleum.
The trip was pleasant and interesting, Marko was reciting us "The Mountain Wreath"(Gorski Vijenac) which is the most famous poem of Njegoš.
On that 21km road you can see "The Bay Of Kotor" or Boka Kotorska , I heard about it but I never imagined it to look like that, I thought that I was dreaming. We stopped the car, got out , took some rest and enjoyed the view which was incredible.
There was also a small place where you could buy homemade rakija(alcohol drink) ,pršuta(prosciutto) and cheese🧀.
WHO WAS NJEGOŠ?
Petar II Petrović-Njegoš was the Prince-Bishop of Montenegro, poet and philosopher whose works are widely considered some of the most important in Montenegrin and Serbian literature.
ABOUT LOVĆEN
The Lovćen mountain rises above Kotor. In 1952, it was declared a national park, which includes its central and highest parts. The national park occupies an area of 6,400 hectares.
When we arrived on the entrance of the national park we paid 2 euros per person and continued our ride.
Jezerski vrh (1657 m) is considered the heart of Lovcen, where the mausoleum of the ruler of Montenegro, Peter II Petrović Njegoš, is located.
There are some restaurants and you can buy souvenirs.Behind these there is a staircase with 461 steps carved in the rocks which passes through a tunnel cut in the Lovćen massif and lead to the mausoleum. Tickets for the entrance in the tunnel costs 5 euro.
The mausoleum was built on the site where the chapel was previously located -
Njegoš's covenant church, which was built by himself around 1845 during his lifetime in honor of Saint Peter of Cetinje, with the wish to be buried there. The church was shelled in both world wars. It was demolished in 1974, despite the opposition of the Metropolis and Orthodox believers, and today's mausoleum was built in its place. This was also the place where he wrote "Gorski Vijenac".
The entrance to the mausoleum is guarded by two dark stone statues symbolizing two Montenegrin women. In the central part is a statue of Njegoš with a book, whose back is guarded by an eagle with spread wings, and above it is an arch with a mosaic of 200,000 gilded tiles.
I didn't go inside that room because there were a lot of people but I only watched it from the outside.
The marble stairs lead to the crypt where are Njegoš's remains. It was empty, no one was there and it was cold.You could feel the strange peace inside.
After passing through the mausoleum with the tomb, you will reach another viewpoint, where you will feel the peace and majesty of the mountain, the spirit of the great man, in whose honor this wonderful monument was built. They say that the most beautiful panorama in Montenegro can be seen from here, and I say that it is clear why he wanted to stay there.
Even in the hottest days up there is windy and cold so I suggest you to take some warm clothes.
Thank you for reading my post❤️
Your Viktoria💐