Billiard Palace

In the immediate vicinity of Cetinje monastery we can see that Njegos's residence is situated, better known as Billiard pool hall, built in 1838. with a significant financial help of Russia, and by the plan of the Russian emissary architect Jakov Ozereckovski. In the beginning that place was called the New house, but soon after the arrival of the pool table in Cetinje, it got the name Njegos's Billiard pool hall. Its appearance suits the architectonic concept of the medieval castle. Billiard pool hall has the shape of the rectangular stone building that has a floor; it is modestly processed, covered by lead, encircled with the big stone wall with the round towers in corners and with gates on all sides. In the Billiard pool hall there are 25 rooms, from which 11 of them are on the ground floor while 14 are on the upper floor.

The most interesting for tourists is the biggest of all rooms in the Billiard, in which today Njegos's pool table is kept. The first pool in Cetinje came from Vienna in 1839. Its procurement was financed by Russia, with which Montenegro had even then very important and good diplomatic and military relations. Apart from the exquisite literary work, spiritual raising and diplomacy, Njegos was also a great lover of shooting and pool, in which he always had excellent results and very often won his opponents.

A certain number of rooms in the Billiard pool hall, Njegos used for his personal necessities, while a great many of them were used by the Senate, Montenegrin Prince’s guards and other state organs as well as for the staying of the prominent guests. Up to 1867, Billiard pool hall served as a residence, first to Prince Danilo, and then for a short time to Nikola. This famous building is mainly connected to Njegos. Beside the residential ones, Billiard pool hall served for the necessities of various state institutions. For a while Njegos's printing shop operated, which was founded in 1834., then theology, high school and for a while girl’s institute. Also, Billiard pool hall at the end of the XIX century was used for accommodation of the Ministries and as a military institution. In those years two towers were removed.

In time, Billiard pool hall was rebuilt, and by that remodeling both exterior and the interior were changed, and the most significant change happened during the reign of Prince Danilo, when another building was built onto the existing one. At the beginning of the XX century a spacious edifice of the Military Ministry was also built. The most drastic changes Billiard pool hall experienced in 1910., when the fence and the remaining two towers were removed. With their removal they wanted to open the side views towards monastery. Still, on the celebration of 100 years of Njegos's death in 1951., to Billiard pool hall its original appearance was restored. During the 1919./1917. from one side of the wall of the Billiard pool hall a relief map of Montenegro was placed. It was placed in the pavilion which has cut the wall of the fence. Since the restoration of that famous edifice in it Njegos's and Ethnographic museum were founded. With the renewal of the Billiard pool hall, which occurred in 1979. after the catastrophic earthquake in Montenegro, the space of the Billiard id now used only as Njegos's museum.

Billiard is protected by law as a monument of the 1st category in Montenegro.

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