Cetinje Monastery
Cetinjski manastir
Montenegro’s spiritual centre and repository of relics.
Founded in the 15th century, the monastery became a symbol of faith and resistance. Relics of St John the Baptist’s hand and a fragment of the True Cross are kept here. It remains both a pilgrimage site and a cornerstone of national identity.
How to Get There
On foot from Cetinje center ~10-15 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~25 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~41 min.
Description
What this place is
The Cetinje Monastery is an active Serbian Orthodox monastery in Cetinje, the seat of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral. It was founded around 1484 by Ivan Crnojević; after devastation in 1692, it was rebuilt in 1701–1704 by Metropolitan Danilo Petrović-Njegoš.
Key features
- Founded at Ćipur – the 15th-century monastery became the new eparchy’s cathedral and a spiritual hub of Zeta.
- Destroyed in 1692 and the see relocated, then rebuilt in 1701–1704 on the site of Crnojević’s court using stone from the old monastery.
- Relics – the remains of St Peter of Cetinje, the right hand of St John the Baptist, and a particle of the True Cross are venerated here.
- Multiple damages in the 18th century, with the last sacking in 1785 – the complex was rebuilt several times.
- Present appearance dates to 1927; the original Ćipur site later received the Court Church (1886–1890).
What to see
- The monastery church of the Nativity of the Theotokos and residential wings (konaks).
- The treasury with Cetinje’s most revered relics.
- The original Ćipur site and the nearby Court Church built on the old foundations.
History
Ivan Crnojević founded the monastery at Ćipur around 1484; in 1485 it became the cathedral seat and one of Montenegro’s early spiritual and cultural centers. Engravings suggest the medieval church was a three-aisled basilica with a dome.
During the Morean War the monastery was blown up as the Venetians withdrew in 1692. Metropolitan Danilo rebuilt it in 1701–1704 on an adjacent site; around 1743 Metropolitan Sava undertook further works.
The last major devastation occurred in 1785; later the complex was renewed, and the original site received the Court Church in 1886–1890. The monastery’s present architectural form dates to 1927.
Practical information
Location: historic core of Cetinje, at the foot of Orlov krš.
How to get there: walk from the town center; buses from Podgorica, Budva, and Kotor to Cetinje bus station, then a 10–15-minute walk.
Access: active monastery; free entry, queues possible to venerate relics.
Visiting hours: daytime outside services; service times posted on site.
Duration of visit: 20–40 minutes; longer if waiting for relics.
Best time: weekday mornings for fewer tour groups; spring and autumn for milder weather.
Special conditions: modest dress (shoulders and knees covered), remove hats; photography restricted inside; access may be limited during services.
