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Njegos mausoleum - discover the important memento of our past

We’ve already spoken of the most renowned monuments in Montenegro, where we’ve also mentioned the historical importance and value of Njegos mausoleum. The mausoleum of Njegos is the biggest and the most important monument located at the top of Jezerski peak (1657 m), in Lovcen national park.

Given the fact that mausoleums are burial places, it isn’t any different with the Njegos mausoleum – it represents the burial ground of one of the most coveted personalities in the entire Montenegro history – Petar II Petrovic Njegos.

If you’d like to know more about his extraordinary personality, achievements, and invaluable literary works of art he left behind – you’ve come to the right place.

Njegos mausoleum and his namesake - who was Petar II Petrovic Njegos?

Petar II Petrovic Njegos (1813-1851) was a Prince-Bishop of Montenegro, but aside from being a man of the title, he was a poet and philosopher too, with works that are considered among the most valuable in Montenegrin literature.

His most famous literary work by far is The Mountain Wreath (Gorski vijenac) – an epic poem widely considered a masterful piece of Slavic literature, originally being the national epic of the old Yugoslavia.

Petar II Petrovic Njegos was a beloved political and cultural leader – a personality that left no one indifferent. Upon his death, he requested to be buried in a small chapel he built-in, where he was indeed put to rest, but, as fate would have it – he wasn’t destined to stay there forever.

The construction of the most famous Lovcen mausoleum

Atop of the one the most untouched mountains in the whole of Europe – Njegos Lovcen mausoleum is proclaimed the tallest mausoleum in the world – the result of a contest-designed tomb that still could not please any critics.

As we previously mentioned, the dying wish of the once-great Montenegrin leader, poet, and philosopher, was to be buried in a tiny chapel he built – however, the currents of WWI interfered. The small chapel he was buried in was heavily damaged, which is why his body had to be moved to the top of Mount Lovcen.

At the centenary of Njegos’ death in 1951, Montenegrin Government has decided to build the mausoleum in the place of the tomb, thus hiring the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic for the job – a decision that caused heavy criticism, mainly surrounding the fact they hired someone who has never even been to Lovcen, to do such coveted work.

Njegos mausoleum - Lovcen mountain top treasure

When it comes to Njegos mausoleum Lovcen is an incredible place for many reasons. Lovcen is one of the tallest and most famous Montenegro mountains, belonging to the Lovcen National Park, with the Njegos mausoleum perched on top of it making it even more dramatic.

Lovcen National park and Njegos mausoleum might be the sole most popular attractions in this part of Montenegro, reachable by car and by foot – whichever you prefer best. If you prefer going up there by car, there is a long and narrow 13 km road that leads from Cetinje and winds up in the mountains.

Cetinje, the old capital of Montenegro, is your best option as the road trip takes far less time, but if you happen to be accommodated in our luxury resort in Boka Bay, prepare for a longer and more adventurous road trip – and those are the best kind.

If you prefer a hike though, it will wait for you anyway – prepare to hike up 461 steps up the stone stairway that leads the way from the plateau to the Njegos mausoleum, with one part of the stairway leading through a well designed and well-lit tunnel.

Scenic view of mount LovcenPath leading towards the mausoleum

The construction of mausoleum of Njegos

The Mausoleum of Njegos was constructed over 5 years, and in the process, several tones of marble were spent.

The narrow asphalt road leads to the foot of the mausoleum, and once you reach your destination, you will spot the plateau and the restaurant that hosts a billet and souvenir shop where you can buy tickets to enter the mausoleum.

The guided tour is a must in our opinion because this way you will be provided with an abundance of information regarding Petar II Petrovic Njegos, the 19th-century bishop and ruler of Montenegro.

The lobby of Njegos mausoleum and Petar II Petrovic Njegos statue

Once you hiked up those 461 steps or traveled those kilometers, you will find yourself in front of the mausoleum entry where two granite giant guards await.

These two guards are two stone caryatides – some historians believe they represent a mother and a daughter of Njegos, each weighing 7.5 tones. Behind them there is another statue – the 28-ton massive Njegos depicting statue made from the finest stone there is, adorned by the wings of the proudest of birds – the eagle.

Once you get past them, you will enter a darkened room that contains Njegos tomb. From there you can lay eyes on more than half of our precious country, and when days are especially clear, you can even see the coastlines of Albania and Croatia.

The tomb makes for a magnificent sight – His final resting place is a white marble sarcophagus, while the lid is ornamented with golden mosaic details. The mosaic is made of 18-carat gold and its parts are dispersed all over the crypt walls.

Visit Njegos mausoleum on the most beautiful encounter of land and sea

Aside from visiting the Njegos mausoleum itself, once you get there, you should also make a turn right and go down a stone path that leads to the Montenegrin threshing floor – a place built in a circle, with immense historical value and where all the important decisions were made.

Given the fact that Njegos mausoleum is an important historical attraction, apart from the striking beauty of natural surroundings adorned with oak and linden forests, you will be hypnotized by fresh air and striking viewpoints you will come across when hiking towards the mausoleum.

Despite all the protests that were surrounding it, Njegos Mausoleum is more than beautiful enough to be the eternal resting place for the greatest national hero and philosopher – a place that will definitely strike a chord within you and make you never forget it, along with the everlasting charisma of Petar II Petrovic Njegos.

If you’ve stepped out from a yacht and requested a berth at our marina, we strongly recommend to make the trip and see Njegos mausoleum, whether you plan on staying just for the weekend, or you are visiting us for a holiday or a vacation – you won’t regret it!