What sights can be in the Montenegrin capital? Podgorica, alas, rarely sees crowds of tourists on its streets. The city, perhaps, can be very successfully compared with Simferopol. Travelers fly here by air and, without stopping, go to the shores of the Adriatic.
Montenegrin capital and its attractions. Podgorica - the city of old and new
Many wanderers mistakenly believe that there is absolutely nothing interesting in this city. The average and uninformed tourist will surely ask: what sights can be here? Podgorica, however, is ready to pleasantly surprise someone who will give her at least a little attention.
It should be noted that the city was badly damaged during the Second World War. Its quarters were subjected to air strikes at least 70 times! Of course, most of the historical buildings did not survive this. But even despite this moment, there are worthwhile and interesting sights in Podgorica.
Podgorica is one of the smallest European capitals. Only about 185 thousand people live here. Curiously, this number corresponds to almost 30 percent of the total population of the country! Podgorica is surrounded by low hills from all sides. Almost from each of them there are picturesque views of the city.
Montenegrin capital is quite diverse. The old and the new are surprisingly combined here: just now a tourist was walking along a narrow old street, when suddenly a modern building made of glass and metal grew in front of him. Expensive branded clothing stores and multi-storey "unfinished", colored fountains and lifeless wastelands - all this can be seen in the unusual capital of a young country.
Church of St. George
We offer a virtual tour of Podgorica and its environs, visiting the most famous sights of the Montenegrin capital.
One of the hills that rise above the city is called Goritsa. It is easy to guess where the “legs grow” from the name of the Montenegrin capital. The village near Goritsa appeared seven centuries ago.
On this hill, the oldest building of Podgorica - the Church of St. George. Scientists are still arguing about the date of its construction. Some call it the 9th century, others date it to the 11th century. Outwardly simple and restrained church hides inside its main treasure - magnificent and colorful frescoes of the 17th century. Near the temple there is an old cemetery, which can also be interesting for tourists.
Depedogen Fortress
The next attraction belongs to the legacy of the once powerful Ottoman Empire, which stretched its tentacles to the shores of the Adriatic Sea. The powerful ruins, overgrown with bushes and grass, are impressive and at the same time transferred to past eras.
The Depedogen fortress in Podgorica was built in the 15th century, with the advent of Ottoman rule. The stronghold helped the Turks restrain periodic raids on the city of unfriendly Serbs and Montenegrins. A huge amount of ammunition was stored in the stronghold, which was the reason for its death. In 1878, a terrible explosion occurred, which destroyed most of the fortress.
Near the Depedogen fortress is the confluence of the Rybnitsa and Moracha rivers. Through Rybnitsa a very beautiful and romantic stone bridge is built here, on which you can always see couples in love.
Other sights of Podgorica
In the Montenegrin capital there are other interesting places and objects. For example, the so-called Millennium Bridge (or the Millennium Bridge), opened recently - in 2005. It connects both banks of the Morachi River. The bridge is very unusual in appearance and very photogenic. The length of the structure is 140 meters and the maximum height is 57.
On the banks of the already mentioned river is another unique attraction. It is a must visit for all the indigenous inhabitants of the post-Soviet space. This is a monument to Vladimir Vysotsky - a famous bard, singer and film actor. Vysotsky visited Podgorica twice - in 1974 and 1975. Many are surprised by the fact that the pedestal of this monument has a small bronze skull. In this way, the authors of the monument recalled the magnificent performance by Vysotsky of the role of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Skadar Lake (Montenegro) - the largest in the Balkans
The priceless natural pearl - Skadar Lake - is shared by two states. However, two thirds of this reservoir is located on the territory of Montenegro.
Today the lake is a national park, which can be accessed for 4 euros. What historical monuments can a Skadar Lake please a tourist with?
Montenegro, as you know, is rich in all kinds of ancient monuments. On the coast of the lake there are especially many of them. Here you can see the remains of ancient sites, ancient monasteries (Starchevo, Beshka, Vranin and others), as well as the ruins of numerous fortresses built during the XIII-XIX centuries.
However, the main highlight of Skadar Lake is its nature. About 250 species of birds live here, and the waters are rich in fish. The flora of the shores of the lake is also very diverse.