Cetinje Monastery

It is a place which inevitably you have to visit during your first acquaintance with Cetinje. Cetinje monastery is one of the most frequently visited religious centers of the town.

Up to the Cetinje monastery it is not hard to get. When from the center of Cetinje you direct yourself towards the King’s castle, you just go a little bit further, turn right and passing by the monastery on Cipur you are reaching the Cetinje monastery. The tourists, as well as religious people, first bow to the remains of the St Peter or they just observe the interior of the monastery. Apart from the gorgeous icons, iconostasis, reliquaries, impressive and mystical appears the chest in which the remains of the above mentioned saint are kept and they are covered with the dark red waterproof cloth, on which one golden cross is put. That place seems both spiritual and mystical but also obligating for all those whose choice is to visit this destination.

Cetinje monastery is situated in the foot of the Eagle Rock, in the place on which, as it is thought, the castle of Ivan Crnojevic was situated, for whom it is believed that he is the founder of Cetinje. In the shop of the monastery you can buy various souvenirs, candles, church items, rosaries, holy oil, incense, books with prayers and Orthodox study as well as many other souvenirs.

Cetinje monastery was built in 1701. in the period of governance of Danilo Petrovic, a spiritual and secular ruler of the former Montenegro, who has built into the monastery the architectonic elements from the ruined monastery of Crnojevic. Monastery complex became the center of the spiritual, cultural and political life of Montenegro. It was devastated several times by the Turks, but also it was renewed and added onto several times, mostly adjusted its architecture to the configuration of the terrain.

The last thorough renewal of the monastery lasted 2 years, and it happened in the period from 1925. to 1927. year.

The nucleus of the complex of that monastery is made of one transept church of modest dimensions dedicated to the Birth of the Holy mother of God, in which we have the iconostasis from the middle of the XIX century, a work of art of the Greek masters.

In the south choir of the church the reliquary with the remains of St Petar Cetinjski is placed, while next to the very entrance into the monastery there are graves of Prince Danilo and grand governor Mirko, the father of the King Nikola I Petrovic.

From the north side of the church, next to the rock there is the cell of St Peter’s, and south from the church two floor sleeping chambers were built. In the so called Njegos sleeping chambers, the monastery museum is placed, which by its richness and diversity of the exhibits is the most significant museum institution of that kind in Montenegro. Cetinje monastery, of the harmonious architectonic entity, better known as the monastery of St Peter’s, for years is the symbol of the Montenegrin spirituality, free thought and education.

Browse Other Cetinje Attractions