Belavista Square
Trg Belavista
A palm-lined stone square centred on a Neo-Byzantine church.
Belavista, also known as Herceg Stjepan Square, is one of the Old Town’s main public spaces. At its centre stands the Church of St Archangel Michael, built in the late 19th century.
How to Get There
On foot from Herceg Novi center ~9-14 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~24 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~88 min.
Description
What is it
Trg Belavista is the signature square of Herceg Novi’s Old Town, famed for its views and pale-stone setting. Its alternative name, Trg Hercega Stjepana, is less commonly used.
Key features
- Reached from Trg Nikole Đurkovića through the stepped passage under Sat Kula.
- The Church of St Archangel Michael stands at the centre – begun 1883, completed and consecrated 1911.
- Eclectic design – Byzantine core with Romanesque-Gothic and Islamic decorative elements.
- White Italian marble iconostasis highlights the bright interior.
- Around the square: library, city archive, gallery, local radio, pharmacy and historic stone houses; palms, oleanders, mimosa and a ginkgo add greenery.
What to see
- The white-stone piazza with viewpoints and stairways descending to the sea.
- The Church of St Archangel Michael on the central plinth.
- Nearby Catholic churches of St Jerome and St Leopold Mandić.
History
The square formed as the upper focus of the medieval core, linked to the lower town via Sat Kula’s gate. Its stone paving and stairways shaped the Old Town’s amphitheatre layout.
In 1883–1911 the Church of St Archangel Michael rose on Belavista, blending Byzantine typology with Romanesque-Gothic and “Oriental” details; the iconostasis was carved in white marble. Through the 20th century civic institutions clustered around the square.
Today Belavista is the social heart: a stage for city events, the May graduates’ parade, and everyday Old Town life.
Практическая информация
Расположение: Old Town centre above Sat Kula.
Как добраться: on foot from Trg Nikole Đurkovića via the arch under Sat Kula; or up from the seafront by stairways.
Доступ: public space, open 24/7.
Время посещения: any time; evening lighting adds atmosphere.
Продолжительность визита: 15–30 minutes; longer if visiting the church and side streets.
Лучшее время: morning and golden hour; winter–spring for mimosa bloom.
Особые условия: many steps and slopes; expect crowds and events in peak season.
