History and culture

Ulcinj is experiencing the biggest bloom in Nemanjic period (12.-14. century). It becomes important center of trade and shipping in the medieval state of Nemanjic. As a feudal estate, it served also as the residence of the rulers and their wives.

After Nemanjići and Balšići city was occupied by the Venetians, and later by the Turks, who converted the city into a strong fortress and gave it a completely oriental style, with mosques, public bathrooms, drinking fountains, narrow and winding streets. Through the history the city was inhabited from 400 Algerian pirates. It became a pirate town, and the square of Ulcinj - square of slaves.

Miguel Cervantes lived here as a slave for 5 years, author of Don Quixote, and the woman of his dreams in this piece called Dolcinea (Dolcinium). Of a pirate cruelty can still be heard from the stories.

Apart from the square of slaves in Ulcinj interesting buildings are also the remains of ancient, Byzantine, Serbian and Turkish architecture. Particularly interesting are the city walls built by Greek architects at the time of Queen Helen, then the ruins of the Prince's Palace, Balšića tower, located on the highest plateau of the city, as well as the oriental part of the city where ten mosques are saved.

In Krajina, an area between Rumija and Skadar Lake, where was the capital of Zeta's Prince Jovan Vladimir (970-1016) are the remains of a large monastery Virgin of Krajina. There are buried Vladimir and Kosara - "Romeo and Juliet" of our Middle Ages. The monastery was erected by Kosara after the tragic death of her husband, Prince Vladimir.

At the end of X century Prince Vladimir attacked the Macedonian king Samuilo, who was captured and taken into slavery in his capital. As a prisoner, he fell in love with a beautiful king's daughter Kosara and she with him. Since Samuilo agreed to marry her, Vladimir returned to Zeta on his princely throne. After the emperor's death (in 1014) his nephew Vladislav was killed by his son, took power, and Vladimir fraudulently lured and killed at the exit of the church around 1016. Since then Kosara lived lonely life, and renewed the monastery Virgin of Krajina, which carries the remains of his husband and where she was also buried later. The legend of their love lives even today in the nation.

In the fifteenth century in the monastery was the chair of the Metropolitan of Zeta, which was transferred in late fifteenth century in Vranjina, and then at Cetinje in 1485.

Apart from the rich cultural and historical heritage, this town is known for its multi-ethnic and multi-national structure of population, which historically were united in resisting the numerous enemies, especially during World War II. Today it is a famous tourist multi-ethnic city , which is visited from year to year by more and more by both domestic and foreign tourists.

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