Independence Square (Trg Nezavisnosti)

What it is

Trg Nezavisnosti (Independence Square) is Podgorica’s main square in the Nova Varoš/Centar area. It is framed by the Radosav Ljumović City Library, shops and residential blocks, and serves as the city’s principal venue for public events.

Key features

• Footprint ~5,000–5,975 m² (figures vary by source).
• Borders: east – Ulica Slobode, west – Njegoševa, north – Bokeška, south – Vučedolska; the two main streets are largely pedestrian.
• Names over time: until 2006 – Trg Ivana Milutinovića; 2006–2016 – Trg Republike; since 2016 – Trg Nezavisnosti.
• 2006 overhaul: widening, new paving, central fountain, car-free area.
• Function: prime setting for rallies, ceremonies and team homecomings.

What to see

• Central fountain and open paved plaza with colonnades and plantings.
• Radosav Ljumović Library and nearby city galleries.
• Pedestrian axes of Slobode and Njegoševa streets with shopfronts and cafés.

History

Up to 2006, the square bore the name of Ivan Milutinović. In the year of Montenegro’s independence, the square was comprehensively rebuilt, pedestrianised and gained its fountain.

In 2016, the city officially renamed Republic Square to Independence Square, aligning the name with the state’s modern identity. Since then, it has remained Podgorica’s main civic forum.

Practical information

Location: central Podgorica, Nova Varoš/Centar; block bounded by Ulica Slobode, Njegoševa, Bokeška and Vučedolska.
Getting there: 3–8 min on foot from Nova Varoš; city buses stop around the center; by car, use street parking nearby.
Access: open public space; barrier-free; occasional closures during events.
Visiting hours: 24/7; liveliest by day and in the evening.
Visit duration: 15–30 min for a look; up to 1–1.5 hr with the library and galleries.
Best time: warm months and evenings when shopfronts are active.
Notes: movement restrictions possible on event days; fountain and paving get slippery after rain.