• Norway!

    Norway: Sunnylvsfjord. Go Now!

    Norway
    Known for its natural beauty, Norway is home to isolated villages, fjords, and mountains that create a culture and landscape without compare. Begin Your Journey!

  • Vatican City!

    Vatican City: Vatican Museums. Go Now!

    Vatican City
    The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

  • Macedonia!

    Macedonia: Traditional architecture. Go Now!

    Macedonia
    Macedonia is a country still finding its unique identity, but its architecture is already one of a kind. Explore Macedonia!

  • Austria!

    Austria: Belvedere Palace. Go Now!

    Austria
    Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and incredible history & food. Go Now!

  • Spain!

    Spain: Guell Park and Gaudi architecture. Go Now!

    Spain
    Fusion foods, lively music, historic ruins, and cultural events like the Running of the Bulls and La Tomatina make Spain and Barcelona (pictured) a favorite tourist destination. Explore Spain!

  • Ukraine!

    Ukraine: Traditional Village. Go Now!

    Ukraine
    Ukrainian culture is based on village life, particularly that found in the Carpathian Mountains (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

Architecture of Montenegro

Montenegrin Architecture - Kotor
Romanesque Kotor

Most of Montenegro's architecture is along the coasts and in the Romanesque style or what is often times referred to as "Venetian," although it is quite distinct from that of Venice itself.

The highlight of this Romanesque or Venetian style is the city of Kotor, which sits on a bay along the Adriatic Sea. This city begins with its city walls, which were built in the 800s, but vastly reconstructed in the 1500s with updated gates in the Renaissance style. Inside these walls and gates is the city itself, which is also primarily in the same Romanesque-Venetian style. The highlights, or at least the more recognizable buildings are the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon (1166) and the famous 16th century clock tower. More than these two buildings though, nearly the entire city was built in the same style between about 1100 and into the 1400s. During this time numerous palaces were built, but with a similar stone facades making difference rather subtle; these include the Gothic Drago Palace (1400s) and the Venetian Renaissance Pima Palace (1500s).

Montenegrin Architecture - Buildings in Perast
Buildings in Perast

Two other examples of architecture in Montenegro are worth mentioning. The Savina Monastery (1030; reconstructed in the 1600s) is an impressive, but small Romanesque church located near Herceg Novi. Second, the island (or peninsula) of Sveti Stefan provides an incredible vista. This island, now a hotel, near Budva was built in the 1400s, but reconstructed numerous times adopting various styles throughout the centuries. In more recent history it became a resort for royalty and the elite and today houses a modern hotel in these historic buildings.

This page was last updated: March, 2013