a window overlooking the moat of Kotor, one of the many old-Venetian towns in Montenegro
There is a pretty direct route from Budva to Kotor, but we chose the one over the mountains, which provides for fabulous views of the Lovcen National Park. Some distance inside the park is the Njegoš Mausoleum, built in the 1970s at the top of the park’s second-highest peak, Jezerski Vrh (1657m). The crypt, reached by no less than 461 steps, partly through a tunnel, houses a black granite statue, and presumably the remains, of Montenegro’s greatest hero, Petar II Petrović Njegoš, flanked by the wings of an eagle, under the golden mosaic. Njegos is recognised as an important poet and philosopher, but at the same time he was also one of Montenegro’s rulers during the first half of the 19th C, trying to unite the tribes, and trying to form a union with the Serbs, against the Ottoman empire.
inside the tunnel
the mausoleum of Petar II Petrović Njegoš in the mist, and the stairs and access tunnel in front
and the mausoleum, on top of the park’s second-highest peak, Jezerski Vrh
the view from the platform behind mausoleum
For a non-Montenegrin, not having much in common with the man, paying homage is quite an effort, 461 steps up to the entry, but one is rewarded by the dramatic circular views from the platform behind the tomb.
some of the rough peaks of the Lovcen National Park
Another benefit from the mountain route is that it gives us the opportunity to admire from above the setting of Kotor, on the Bay of Kotor, a large protected basin connected with the sea by a fairly narrow gap at the far end.
one of two granite giant guards
and Petar II himself, carved from black granite
and the view of Kotor, down below at the bay of the same name
part of the moat that protects the entrance to fortified Kotot
narrow street in the old town of Kotor
and another one, all well maintained
everywhere another view, like these stairs onto the mountain behind the town
or a window and shutters
this is the access to the Saint John’s church, behind
the little alley decorated with an arch
Kotor
Kotor used to be another Venetian town, from 1420 to 1797, which is when the city fortification were built, an impressive set of walls that run all the way up the mountain slope to the fortress an the top. We have little intention to climb up, in the rain that still comes down in buckets, most of the time. Yet, we do explore the old, walled town, which is at the base of the slope, and is somehow slightly less touristically developed than the coastal towns that we have been to so far. Not every house has a tourist function, there are clearly also normal people living here, which creates a more authentic atmosphere. And at the end of the morning, just before we move on, we are even rewarded with a little sunshine, again.
one of the town squares, this in fron of the old Portugese Saint Luke’s church
the town counts several family palaces, like this one
and every town will also have its clock tower, of course
and here another character, same structure
many of those, like Beskuca Palace, are intricately decorated
here the lion in more detail
this is another palace, the Pima Palace
little street entered under an arch
the main window of the St Tryphon’s cathedral
St Tryphon’s Cathedral, Kotor’s largest building, is itself not very interesting, after the many Serbian monasteries we have seen before, but it does have an interesting Sacral Art Museum, filled with paintings, vestments, delicately formed silver crucifixes and other silver items, and even a few wooden crucifixes, or what is left of them. I never expected to find this so fascinating.
from the museum, 15th C Virgin and Child icon, tempera on wood
a 15th C silver processional crucefix
15th/16th C coloured wooden crucefix
and two lovely17th C coloured wooden reliquaries, of St Barbara and of unknown saint
mosaic floor in the Roman villa in Risan
Mosaics and Rock Paintings
In the nearby village of Risan a Roman villa has been discovered some time ago, complete with remains of Roman mosaics from the 2nd century AD. The descriptions were fabulous, the reality is a little more disappointing. Monochromatic mosaics, mostly geometrical patterns, incomplete: there are much better mosaics in the world.
another mosaic floor, in another room
and this is the gem of the villa (upside down), a depiction of Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, reclining on a pillow.
the sign already gives it away
not a too stenuous path to the rock paintings
and in some cases not even depicting anything recognisable
Then a short hop to Lipci, where a narrow road followed by a short walk up a path brings us to “the Balkans’ most comprehensive collection of prehistoric drawings”, dated to the 8th century BC, and they are really disappointing. Very few, monochromatic, could be graffiti for all intents and purposes: there are much better rock paintings in the world.
which are indeed as depicted on the sign, not very impressive
RSS – Posts
