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Montenegro
Relevant information about Montenegro.
Anticipate newly independent Montenegro to come out from its Yugoslav shadow and be seen for the gorgeousness it is. No longer should visitors think they will fall off the edge of the planet if they trip east beyond Dubrovnik. Croatia’s sapphire blue Adriatic Sea does carry on. Though here it’s backed by a craggy, grey mountain range leaving just sufficient room for a ribbon of coastal towns on a sweep of sandy beaches and little coves running down to the Albanian border. Historic walled towns like Stari Bar, Budva, Kotor and Herceg Novi are ideal for exploring, and wherever along the coast you can find private rooms in a laze-away seaside township. The interior is a setting of dramatic mountains tufted with pine forests, dotted with lakes and scored by giddy-deep canyons. The highest area, the Durmitor National Park, is a favorite for winter skiing and summer hiking in a pristine mountains cape while below in Tara’s deep canyon, intrepid rafters challenge its tumbling rapids. So much for a little nation – the world’s newest country. Montenegro is a very old land, re-envisioned in the guise of a newly-formed European nation that is helping to mold thousands of years of artistic, architectural and culinary traditions into a geographical space of unparalleled natural exquisiteness. Montenegro is unlike no other place in Europe. Soaring mountains and winter havens for skiers and snowboarders are just a little hours’ drive from some of the Mediterranean’s most excellent beaches. The sun shines on Montenegro for hundreds of days each year, and antique cities are bordered by 2000-year-old olive trees that still yield their amazing fruit for local olive oil. Montenegro is as well a rising capital for exciting activity and extreme sports, as well as caving, rock climbing, skiing, paragliding – the list goes on. And in the true Montenegrin spirit of hospitality, we at Montenegro.com have developed travelogues that truly illustrate our magnificent nation in pictures that express our love for this place, so different than any other in Europe. Our Montenegrin travelogues are planned also for those who just want to take a virtual stroll through Montenegro’s mountains, canyons, lakes, forests and other natural wonders that in spite of the advent of contemporary tourism, still like the relaxing peace and calm of a sunny summer’s day, as Montenegro intended you to get pleasure from it!
Owing to its precise climate and history, Montenegro has been the homes of lots of artists, who have developed into world famed. The relationship of the Montenegrins towards the culture and art is best described by the famous painting by Jaroslav Cermak "Moving the paintings from the Cetinje court", in which the Montenegrins save the paintings, while retreating previous to the Turkish army. Many galleries, theatres, festivals and other artistic events show that the Montenegrin populace pays a lot of attention to the culture. The variety of the periods that came one after the other in this area have left their traces behind in lots of localities in Montenegro. From the Paleolithic, through the Bronze Age, all the way to the Renaissance and Baroque, Montenegro has been enriched with the artistic heritage. The high concentration of the artistic and cultural wealth was renowned in the Kotor Bay, so the township of Kotor was incorporated in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage. The monasteries that are dispersed throughout Montenegro, from the Byzantine period until the modern times, disclose the spiritual wealth. All one of them has its own sole way to captivate the visitors. One of them is the Ostrog Monastery, which attracts public from around the world with its outstanding spiritual power and the only one of its kind ambiance. Carved into the high rocks, it is very significant as a spiritual and historic center of Montenegro. The printed word in Montenegro goes way back in history. Thirty-eight years later than the Gutenberg's Bible, in 1493, the first printing shop in the Balkans started its operations. One year later the first book was printed - Oktoih (Octoechos). All this was a precondition for the future expansion of literature in Montenegro. Through Andrija Zmajevic, the baroque poet and theologist, Petar I, and Petar II Petrovic Njegos, one of the top known Montenegrin philosophers and statesmen, as well as Marko Miljanov and Stefan Mitrov Ljubisa, Montenegrin literature became well-known worldwide. The painters gave a huge contribution to the achievement of the Montenegrin culture in the planet. Leaving to the other parts of the globe, they took the Montenegrin soul with them and transmitted it to the others through their artworks and thus enchanted the planet. Milo Milunovic, Petar Lubarda and Dado Djuric are just a small number of the group of artists who presented Montenegro worldwide in the most excellent possible way. Pre-Roman, Roman, Baroque and Gothic styles may be observed in Montenegro’s painting, architectural decoration and carved stone along its seashore. The Bay of Kotor boasts the maximum concentration of cultural treasures in the area, particularly in the metropolis of Kotor, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The cathedral of St Tripun is the most famous monument in the city, while additional artistic sacral monuments can be seen in the Savina Orthodox Monastery along the bay. Inland, the region of Lake Skadar is rich with such big monastery complexes as those of Moracnik, Kom, Starcevo, Beska, which are built on goricas (small islands). The fortresses of Lesendro and Zabljak also stand in the Lake Skadar region. Byzantine influence on fresco painting and architecture of the monasteries can also be seen inland. Moraca Monastery is well-known for its cycle of St Ilija, one of the best 13th-century pieces of colossal painting in the Balkans. The monasteries of the Holy Trinity in Pljevlja, of Djurdjevi Stupovi and the Piva Monastery house religious paintings of artistic value. One of the most appreciated spiritual points in Montenegro includes the Monastery of Ostrog, with its only one of its kind architecture. Montenegro’s initial literary pieces date back 1,000 years, while the initial Montenegrin book was printed 500 years ago. In 1494, the initial state-owned printing press, in Cetinje, was established; the same year the first South Slavic book was printed. Ancient manuscripts dating from the 13th Century are conserved in the country’s monasteries. Montenegro’s written word became the basis of literary expansion, but also of moral principles as well, as seen in the ethical-literary writing of Marko Milanov, called ‘vojvoda’. A well-liked writer of today includes Stefan Mitrov Ljubica, whose works are based on this style of writing. Some 250 books are published every year by the local press, and the nation’s most popular newspapers comprise Pobjeda, Vijesti, Trend, Liberal and the weekly Monitor. Other sources of media take in the MontenaFax news agency, one nationwide television and seven radio stations. The 20th Century was marked by a shift to contemporary literary trends, best observed in the works of such poets as Radovan Zogovic and Risto Ratkovic, who were influenced by the avant-garde. Mihailo Lalic is an eminent figure who wrote in Montenegrin prose and authored realistic novels telling the turbulent events in the nation throughout II World War. Montenegrin painters produced timely reactions to the artistic movements in the contemporary planet, and transferred the local color and visual potential of Montenegro’s environment into symbols of Abstract Art. The works of Petar Lubarda, Dado Djuric, Vojo Stanic and Milo Milunovic are exhibited in well-known galleries and museums all through the globe. The nation’s theatrical tradition began with the building of the Zetski Dom theatre in Cetinje in 1888, which as well comprised a library and museum. The theatre created conditions for an institutionalized improvement of culture. In the 1950s, five professional theatres performed in the cities of Niksic, Cetinje, Pljevlja and Kotor, when Montenegro led Europe in the amount of theatres per capita. Nowadays, the capital of Montenegro, Cetinje, is the centre of culture and art, while Podgorica is the main organizational and educational centre. Montenegrin traditional culture once revolved around clans, groups of related families that maintained tribal individuality according to their own territories. These were later incorporated into the Yugoslav state and integrated in the public education system, but today still remain a significant element in the social life of Montenegro. Though Montenegro has moderately small inhabitants, the nation has developed such cultural institutions as art galleries, museums, libraries, theatres and cinemas, which were part of the former state of Yugoslavia but now self-governing. The nation has placed particular importance on sports activities and physical education, mainly in the fields of hunting and fishing. The state has established several areas for recreation, including the nationwide parks Lovcen, Biogradska Gor and Durmitor.
As a comparatively little principality and kingdom, Montenegro made its first steps towards an industrial financial system only at the turn of the 20th century. The causes for this relative delay lay in the little population, lack of raw materials, underdeveloped transport network and relatively low rate of investment. Though, this delay in industrialization had its encouraging effects - Montenegro survived as a specific ecological oasis. The initial factories were built in Montenegro in the first decade of the 20th century, followed by wood mills, an oil refinery, a brewery, and electric power plants. This brief development of industrial financial system was interrupted by novel wars - First Balkan War (1912-1913), followed by World War I and World War II. Between the two world wars, agriculture maintained its leading position in the nationwide financial system, while the only outstanding industrial plants were wood mills, tobacco factories, breweries, and salt works. The financial system made major development only after World War II, as Montenegro became part of the SFRY. In the period subsequent the World War II, Montenegro experienced a period of rapid urbanization and industrialization. An industrial area based on electricity generation, steel, aluminum, coal mining, forestry and wood processing, textiles and tobacco manufacture was developed, while trade, worldwide shipping, and mainly tourism became more and more significant by the late 1980s. The loss of previously guaranteed markets and suppliers following the breakup of Yugoslavia left the Montenegrin industrial area reeling as production was suspended and the privatization program, which had begun in 1989, was broken up. The breakdown of the Yugoslav market and the imposition of UN sanctions in May 1992 were the causes of the furthermost financial and monetary crisis in Montenegro since World War II. During 1993, two thirds of the Montenegrin populace lived below the poverty line, while recurrent interruptions in relief supplies caused the health and environmental protection to drop below the minimum of international standards. The economic losses under the adverse effects of the UN sanctions on the overall financial system of Montenegro are probable to be approximately $6.39 billion. This period was marked by the second highest hyperinflation in the history of humankind (3 million percent in January 1994). Due to its favorable geographical location (it had access to the Adriatic Sea and a water-link to Albania across Lake Skadar) Montenegro became a hub for smuggling action. The whole Montenegrin industrial production had stopped, and the republic's major financial activity became the smuggling of user goods - particularly those in short supply like petrol and cigarettes, both of which skyrocketed in cost. It became a de facto legalized practice and it went on for years. In 1997, Milo Äukanović took control over the ruling party DPS and began severing ties with Serbia. He held responsible policies of Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević for the overall decline of the Montenegrin financial system. The Montenegrin administration adopted the German mark in response to resurgent inflation, and insisted on taking more control over its financial fate. This eventually resulted in the formation of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose amalgamation in which the Montenegrin government assumed major responsibility for its financial policies. This was followed by execution of faster and much more competent privatization, passing of reforming legislation, introduction of a VAT and implementation of the euro as Montenegro's legal tender. The administration established a medium-term plan of monetary reforms, commonly referred to as "The Agenda". In spite of execution of reform laws and privatization of the majority of publicly owned companies, the living standard of Montenegrins did not progress considerably during this period. The administration, with Milo Ðukanović still as the Prime minister, held responsible the slow development on Serbia. Some arguments used to support this position were that foreign debt was superior in Serbia by one third, that unemployment was considerably lower in Montenegro. It was also argued that troublesome cooperation of Serbian administration with the Hague war crime tribunal, ongoing Kosovo status process and general political turmoil in Serbia were hampering Montenegro's magnetism to investors and delaying its development towards full membership in European Union and NATO. A referendum was held on May 21, 2006 in which the populace of Montenegro voted by a slender preponderance in favor of Montenegrin autonomy from Serbia. Following the independence referendum, Montenegro's financial system has continued to change into a further service-based one, with the proclaimed goal of becoming the elite tourist destination, and joining the European Union. Efforts have been made to be a magnet for the foreign investors into tourism Greenfield investments, as well as in large infrastructure projects, both needed to smooth the progress of the tourism expansion. Montenegro has experienced a real estate boom in 2006 and 2007, with prosperous Russians, Britons and others buying property on Montenegrin coast. Montenegro received, as of 2008, additional foreign investment per capita than any other country in Europe. Due to foreign direct investment, the Montenegrin financial system has been growing at a very quick pace in recent years. Nevertheless, Late 2000s recession will unavoidably slow down the enlargement, as the biggest Greenfield investments (development of Velika Plaža, Ada Bojana, Buljarica, Jaz Beach, construction of Belgrade–Bar motorway, new power plants) may be delayed. The recession is also hitting hard on Podgorica Aluminum Plant, the biggest single supplier to GDP, and a major exporter.
Montenegro for its size is a nation of quite an astonishing variety. Roughly Montenegro can be separated into three regions. Each region having its own allure, but all offering a mixture of natural attractiveness with riches of culture. Particularly the places were those regions melt into each other, creating marvelous scenery.
The other large attraction of the Budva Rivièra is Sveti Stefan. This former fishermen township situated on a peninsula was 50 years ago decided to be transformed into a hotel township, making it a magnificent place where even the nation's most gifted (e.g. Claudia Schiffer, Sylvester Stallone) like to spend their days.
Serbia is rapidly growing to the pinnacle of medical tourism in Europe because of its world class, contemporary facilities and tremendously cheap prices, and coupled with the sociability of the citizens, makes for an enjoyable experience. As well, Serbia is recognized for its natural healing environment due to its 350 mineral hot springs of different chemical compositions that can strengthen the body’s aptitude to heal after a medical procedure. Spas and medical centers with reasonably priced (as little as $24 USD per night) but comfortable accommodations have sprouted near such hot springs and lots of of the spas have staff trained in providing medical services. As well, many will embrace visits to your room by a nurse or doctor at no additional cost.
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