Herceg Novi, Montenegro

Herceg Novi is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 inhabitants. Herceg Novi was known as Castelnuovo ('New castle' in Italian 1420-1797). Herceg Novi has had a turbulent past, despite being one of the youngest settlements on the Adriatic. 

Archaeological findings from Lustica witness the beginnings of the civilization in this region, back from the Neolithic and early bronze age. Evidence of humans living in Herceg Novi dates from its first known inhabitants- Illyrians. 

Commercial opportunities attracted Greek trades in the 5th century B.C. In the 3rd century A.D., after defeating Illyrians, Roman Empire took over this region. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in 476, Byzantium rules for six centuries. In the 7th century, the Slovenian tribes densely inhabited thus region and around the area of today's Herceg Novi, the Dracevica parish was formed. Already from the 10th century, Dracevica loses its independence, becoming the pray of the Zeta dukes, but not for long because the period of the Nemanjic family was coming. Upon the death of Czar Dusan, Dracevica was governed by duke Vojislav Vojinovic, and later on by the Balsic family.

The city of Herceg Novi was founded in 1382, when the Bosnian ban (provincial lord) King Tvrtko I Kotromanic instituted it in the Bay of Topla, with an intent give it a commercial, maritime and craft role, and named it Sveti Stefan( St. Stephen). 

As one of the youngest cities on the Adriatic coast, it was called Novi ( New), Castrum Novum, Castel Nuovo. It acquired its current name during the reign of Herceg (Duke) Stjepan Vukcic Kosaca, when the city experienced its greatest progress. 

Old city is a unique architectural structure, in the very heart core of the city. If you take the steps from the main city square-the Nikola Djurkovic Square, under the Clock Tower, after not more then 60 steps, you will find yourself on the Herceg Stjepan Square, commonly known as Belavista. The square with the church of St. Michael the Archangel and a commemorative fountain, and by entering the Square, you'll "brush" your shoulders with the City Archives building. Should you continue walking, turn right into the Czar Marko street. At its end, there is a Mico Pavlovic Square with the churches of St. Jerome, St. Leopold and the Elementary Music School, former high school. 

Kanli Tower originates from the Turkish period (16th century); it used to be a prison ( which is where its original Turkish name the " Bloody Tower" comes from), and in 1966 it was reconstructed and turned into one of the most wonderful summer stages on the Adriatic coast, which has over 1000 seats, even though it can accommodate over the total of 15,000 people. On the South walls of the fortress, there is the so called "Donkey door" which was made by Austrians in the 19th century. 

Clock Tower was built in 1667 at the orders of Sultan Mahmud. During the Turkish rule, these were the main city gates. There is a sculpture of Madonna in its arcade ( called the "Black Madonna" since it was built from the burnt wood in remembrance of the founder of the city, Tvrtko I Kotromanic, and was done in the form of bas-relief by Afran Hozic from Sarajevo). The clock on the tower was replaced by an electric one only in 1995 and it was a gift from the city of Zemun.

Forte Mare ( Sea Fortress) was built in the period between the 14th and 17th century, renovated in 1833, form 1952 turned into a summer movie theater, and later on into a discotheque. The fortress rests on strong rocks, above the walkway along the shore, and inside its walls there is a door- a passage leading from the seashore to the top of the fortress. On the upper side of the fortress there is a "Porta di mare " (See Door) with rudiments from the Bosnian period. 

Citadela is a fortress located at the very sea and its walls used to connect it with the upper city. The tower, with the walls, was built during the Venetian rule. The fortress was almost entirely torn down in the 1979 earthquake, and today, it is more in the sea than on the ground. One see only the remains of the fortress. 

Blue  Cave is one of the most attractive in the series of caves located on the Lustica Peninsula and is situated between the of Zlatna luka Cave and the Mokra gora Cape. It is 5.7 nauticalmiles away from Herceg Novi. It has two openings at 45 dgrees angles; the height from the sea level to the top of the ceiling is 9m, and the depth is 3-4 m. Its name comes from the unusual blue color during the sunny days, due to sun rays reflecting off of the surface of the sea. It is a must see as a part of one's tour around the Bay of Kotor.

St. Michael  the Archangel church is located on the upper square of the Old city, called Belavista, and which is nowadays called the Herceg Stjepan Square. The constructing of the church began in 1883. There very several architects building this church , and the project, which finalized it, was done by Milan Karlovac in 1905. The  church was built from finely carved  ashlars of the Korcula stone. It was finished and consecrated in 1911. 

Due to its overall space concept in the Byzantium style, ornamental elements of Roman-Gothic and Islamic reminiscence, this eclectic edifice represents an incredibly successful and imaginative combination of different styles, and it is one of the most beautiful churches in this area. The iconostasis was made of white, Italian marble by master Bilinic from Split, and icons were made by the Czech painter Franjo Cigler. 

Mamula island is known on the sea maps as the Lastavica Island. It acquired its widely accepted name " Mamula" after the Austrian general Lazar Mamula who fortified it in the mid 19th century. Mamula is an uninhabited island located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, 3.4 nm from Herceg Novi. It is circular, 200m in diameter. It is covered with low vegetation, it has a beach and a dock on its Northern side. 

During the both World Wars, there was a prison  on the island and nowadays there is a commemorative inscription reminiscent of that period. There have been several projects made for the revival and tourist valorization of this very attractive island, none of which have been carried out thus far.  Mamula continues to be an abandoned island, but also a favorite summer getaway. 

And now what you must to know if you come to Herceg Novi.
Currency in Herceg Novi is euro.(EUR)


Where to go to eat:

• "Nautilus", Obala Nikole Kovacevica 9, Igalo;
• "Klub Knjizevnika", Njegoseva 123, Herceg Novi;
• " Copas", Setaliste Pet Danica, Herceg Novi.

What to do: 

Try to visit all the places that we have described. 

Where to go to buy:

• 'Pantomarket'
• 'Roda Market'
• 'Novito'

There are all over the city. You will easy find one of this market.

Enjoy!

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