podgorica
Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro. With a population of around 130,000, it is a small town that offers the opportunity to hike and ski in the vast mountains and relax on the beaches. Montenegro is bordered by Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Albania; it faces the Adriatic sea. The city is built between five rivers: Cijevna, Moraca, Ribnica, Sitnica and Zeta. A Eurail pass can take you to Podgorica, via the Serbian capital. Although almost all of the architecture is new, the city is a multicultural experience.
History of Podgorica
In this part of the Balkans, Podgorica is one of the ancient settlements. The name Podgorica appeared in 1326 in the archives of Kotor, a coastal city in Montenegro. Podgorica was a busy city with a very strong economy. In 1474, the Turks occupied the city which stopped the development of the city in many ways. The Turks built fortresses as protection against the rebellious tribes. In 1864, Podgorica officially obtained the title of municipality. He was given many titles, such as Bogurtlen and Burgurice. In 1878, through the Congress of Berlin, the city of Podgorica was integrated into Montenegro. From there, Turkish without occupation, the town developed rapidly. However, in World War I, the city was occupied by Austria-Hungary. After the war, Montenegro was merged with Serbia and became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War II, it was bombed seventy times. On December 19, 1944 it premiered. It was called Titograd and became the capital of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro in 1946. In 1992, the name Podgorica was reinstated. By then, the economy began to recover and in May 2006 it gained its independence and became the official capital of Montenegro.
Things to do in Podgorica
In Podgorica, since the city itself is under reconstruction, only a few places are worth visiting, such as the National Theatre, the Museum of Natural History, the Republic Square, and a few churches and mosques. But from the city, there are great places to visit that were untouched during the war. In Kotor, for example, there is an ancient settlement of Medun, an ancient Roman area called Duklja, the Dajbabe monastery, Nemanjin Grad, and Vranjina, a fishermen’s lodge along Lake Skadar.
How to get to Podgorica
Podgorica can be reached via its main international airport, Podgorica Airport. If you are traveling by train, you can travel with a Eurail Select Pass. You can travel directly from Belgrade in Serbia.
