Mirko Komnenovic House (City Museum)
Gradski muzej Mirko Komnenović
A townhouse museum with a garden and collections on local history.
The former townhouse contains collections of archaeology, ethnography and historical documents. It is surrounded by a green garden and stands close to the sea.
How to Get There
On foot from Herceg Novi center ~6-9 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~26 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~89 min.
Description
What is it
The Regional Museum of Herceg Novi is a house-museum with a botanical garden in the Topla quarter, endowed by Mirko and Olga Komnenović. It sits near Ivo Andrić’s house and about 40 steps from the sea.
Key features
- Late-18th-century Baroque residence with 19th-century pseudo-Baroque additions.
- Soldier inscriptions from 1807 carved by Russian troops beneath the balcony.
- Opened as the City Museum in 1953 per Mirko Komnenović’s bequest.
- Lush botanical garden with Mediterranean species and sea views.
What to see
- City history to 1918: trophies, arms, documents, photographs.
- Archaeology & icons: amphorae, early-medieval stonework (9th–11th c.), Dimitrijević-Rafailović school; Apostle Thomas icon (1833).
- Ethnography of Boka: rural and urban lifeways, plus sailors’ objects from abroad.
History
Built in the late 18th century and reshaped in the 19th, the Komnenović residence preserves 1807 Russian soldier carvings on the façade. By Mirko Komnenović’s will it became a public museum in 1953, housing historical, archaeological, ethnographic and icon collections, including the Risan school and the 1833 Apostle Thomas icon proposed for national protection.
Practical information
Location: Topla, Herceg Novi; near Ivo Andrić’s house; ~40 steps above the seafront.
Getting there: walk up from the promenade or Old Town; by car park in Topla and continue on foot.
Access: ticketed entry; courtyard relief map and garden on site.
When to visit: daily per posted hours; check locally/online.
Visit duration: 45–90 minutes for galleries and garden.
Best time: mornings/daylight for interiors; warm season for the garden.
Special notes: expect stairs and level changes; handle exhibits and plants with care.
