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IVAN`S RIVERBEDS – on the 12th kilometer on the road from Cetinje to Lovcen there is a place called Ivan’s riverbeds, whose name is connected to the founder of Cetinje Ivan Crnojevic, in history better known as Ivan – beg. More specifically, the name is related to the way of a stream; the waters that come out from Trestenik, are collected into one stone reservoir, which is then over flown into the through made of, by the legend, beech logs, which were built by Ivan – beg Crnojevic. Ivan’s riverbeds are surely, the most popular tourist vacation area, which during the summer is extremely well visited almost every day, and during the other periods of the year, always when the conditions allow that, or when the slopes of the vacation area are covered with snow. Ivan’s riverbeds are a part of the National park Lovcen and they represent one of its most beautiful parts. They are situated on the east side of the Jezerski peak, in one meadow plateau surrounded by forest. There is also a famous rest home for children, which is opened even in the winter months. Above the rest home there is a skiing path, on which in the winter period a ski lift is being set. The lodgment has the ambulance for giving health services; it has a restaurant and a mountain cottage.

Numerous visitors from year to year, testify that Ivan’s riverbeds – a place which is very quiet and unusually relaxing, not only during the summer months, when the guests enjoy in the exquisite shadows and the famous well water, but also in the winter – on the snow, when on the slopes of Ivan’s riverbeds, everything is filled with children of pre school or school age, that want to ski, and sleigh ride, are a very interesting and amusing destination.

The area that is enclosed by the Ivan’s riverbeds is covered with rich forest, which especially attracts various researchers: geographers, zoologists, archeologists, and especially botanists. In the recent years more and more often on the space of Ivan’s riverbeds, good connoisseurs of herbs also stay, and they often pick healing and aromatic herbs like: Klamath weed, thyme, vermouth, heath, primrose… The vacation area Ivan’s riverbeds are loved by both adults and children, because the space under green forests is so attractive, that the excursions with tourists or individual visitors stay there for several hours. With the rest from the drive towards Lovcen or from Lovcen, the passengers usually stop in the restaurant or in the resting home on Ivan’s riverbeds to dine and have suitable refreshment.

Text: http://www.visit-montenegro.com

Duklja or Doclea (also Dioclea or Diocleia, Montenegrin: Duklja/Дукља) was once the principal city of the state of Duklja (present-day Montenegro). The city was situated about three kilometers northwest from today’s Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital.Duklja was the largest settlement of the Docleatae, an Illyrian tribe. The town was founded in the first decade of the 1st century AD. From the urban point of view, Doclea was adapted to the terrain configuration. At that time it was a big city, with 8 – 10 thousand inhabitants, in which all core urban issues were resolved. A relatively high population density in an area with a radius of just over ten kilometers was conditioned by geographical position, a favorable climate, positive economic conditions and defensive positions that were of great importance at that time.
After the administrative division of the Roman Empire in 297, Diocleia became the capital of the newly established province, Prevalis. In the 4th and the 5th centuries, it was conquered by the barbaric peoples and started losing power. At the beginning of the 5th century, it was demolished by the Ostrogoths and a severe earthquake destroyed it in 518. After rehabilitation, the Slavs, who migrated to the area of Duklja, demolished it again in 620, when it finally lost its antique character.
Even though the most important city in Duklja was Doclea, the city was in ruins by the 10th century from numerous invasions. The historical ruins of the town can be seen today.

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Rikavačko Lake is placed below the impressive and elegant Vila (2093 m) peak, on the place where the mountain Žijovo is separate from Prokletije. The lake is situated at 1313 m above sea level. The surface of the lake is 117.755 square meters. The lake is 525 m long and 235 wide. The coastline is 1640 m long. Maximal depth is 13,9 m. One part of the water of that like goes to Cijevna and Ribnica rivers. Rikavačko lake takes the water from the rain, by snow melting and from periodical stream Rikavac.

Savina is one of the most beautiful Orthodox monasteries in the Boka Kotorska Bay. It is two kilometres eastward of the medieval town of Herceg Novi. The monastic complex consists of two churches on the central, fenced in, plateau (both dedicated to the Assumption of the Mother of God), a monk’s residence which houses a treasury and a secluded little church of St. Sava. The smaller Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God is more important because of the frescoes with the scenes from the Festival Cycle and the Life of Jesus. The frescoes belong to the earliest painting-work of the Kotor artist Lavro Dobricevic. They represent the combination of Byzantine iconography and the Gothic manner of artistic expression. The construction of the larger monastic church took place between 1777 and 1799. Nikola Foretic of Korcula was the master mason. The church bell tower adjoined to the west facade has been carried out with particular imagination. It has an open porch at the ground floor, in front of the portal, and an overall baroque silhouette produced by a lively profile, horizontal cornices, oculi, a sizeable wheel-window and an open top floor with balustrade railings. The treasury of Savina is of exquisite historical and artistic value. Valuable icons (Russian, Greek and Italo-Cretan), plated Gospel-book covers, charters, manuscripts, early printed books and other rarities are kept there.

text: http://montenegro.travel

Budva is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has around 15,000 inhabitants, and is a centre of Budva municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera, is the centre of Montenegro’s tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches, diverse nightlife, and beautiful examples of Mediterranean architecture.
Budva is 2,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic sea coast.

There is vast archaeological evidence that places Budva among the oldest urban settlements of the Adriatic coast. Substantial documentary evidence provides historical references dating back to the 5th century BC.

A catastrophic earthquake struck Budva on 15 April 1979. Much of old town was devastated, but today there is little evidence of the catastrophe – almost all the buildings were restored to their original form.

The Old Town in Budva has many different tales and stories of its origin. Scholars and Historians believe it to be originally an island, which later joined the shore to form a sand isthmus. The Old Town, along with the city of Budva was said to have been discovered by a Greek sailor by the name of Boutoua. Eventually the Roman Empire took over the whole Montenegrin coast influencing it greatly.
Much of the architecture in the Old Town is of Venetian origin. Doors, hinges, windows, balconies and many other small but noticeable things seem to hold the Roman style of the Republic of Venice. There are also three main churches in the old town. The first is St. Ivan’s which was built in the 7th century AD, second St. Mary’s of Punta dating from 840 and the third, The Holy Trinity, which was built in 1804. The venetian walls of the Old town are a famous tourist attraction.
The venetian walls of Budua (Budva) in a 1900 postcard
The Old Town is also famous for the earthquakes it suffered in 1979, where the whole town had to be rebuilt; it took 8 years (until 1987) for it to be completely finished.

Because of its 11,310 m of sandy beaches in and around Budva, and its vast cultural heritage, beautiful architecture, and vibrant nightlife, Budva is increasingly attracting foreign tourists. This makes it the most attractive tourist destination in Montenegro.

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Piva plateau is high limestone plateau in the basin Piva, between the mountains of Durmitor, Maglic, Lebršnik, Golija and Vojnik. Plateau is long 55 km, 30 km wide with an average elevation of 1200 m we most of 2159th Komarnica and Piva rivers shared surface into two parts: the western and eastern . The area is characterized by numerous karst features, such as depressions, caves and coves, and is very sparsely populated (about 50 small villages ). Here is developed cattle breeding, especially the breeding of sheep.

Text: Wikipedia