Petrovac, Montenegro

Petrovac, Montenegro Petrovac is a Mediterranean medallion! Architectural, plant and climatic. Part of the Budva Riviera, 19 km from the tourist capital (see Budva), 9 km from Sveti Stefan (see

Petrovac, Montenegro Petrovac is a Mediterranean medallion! Architectural, plant and climatic. Part of the Budva Riviera, 19 km from the tourist capital (see Budva), 9 km from Sveti Stefan (see it), Petrovac is characterized by a unique beach, two nearby rock islands, the paradise cove of Lučica, a coastal line of old palaces, and a dominant fortress. The view of Petrovac from the Jadranska magistrala, or from the coast anyway, offers something that many Montenegrin top-destinations could not boast: everything that is in focus simply promises! The basic elements of an idyllic vacation are arranged side by side: a long natural beach - then another, a paradise cove, separated by a wooded cape - and two islets not far from the coast, the Fortress over the harbor, restaurants and night clubs, are just the framework of the story of the urban Mediterranean medallion - Petrovac.

Immersed in the coastal vegetation of olive groves and pine trees, this present-day coastal town was inhabited as far back as Roman times, as evidenced by the remains of mosaics from II. century. They can be reached uphill, without signposts, towards the church of St. Ilije, so it is advisable to consult local guides. In the Middle Ages, the place was called Lastva. The settlement developed after the Venetians built a breakwater and fortification on the coast. The coastal urban core began to form in the 19th century. century, when taverns were built for the storage and sale of wine, olive oil and salted fish. From then until 1918, the place was called Kastel Lastva, and from 1918 it was named Petrovac - in honor of the Serbian king Peter I Karađorđević - when Petrovac became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Along the 600 m long sickle-shaped promenade, which follows the line of the beach, under the pines, between stone houses and palaces, there is the local cultural center "Red Commune". The name owes its name to the memory of the victory of the communists in the local elections in 1919. The first meters of the promenade are located in the tiny marina, under the Venetian fortress Castello, today turned into an attractive night club. The dominant monument in the form of a lighthouse is dedicated to the fallen The Paštrovic tribe was the most numerous tribe in the Boka Kotorska region (in ancient times, the entire area of the Bay of Kotorska and today's Budva Riviera was understood by the Paštrovic tribe during the time of the Serbian Emperor Dušan).

In the XV. century. 12 pastoral tribes united in the so-called banks. In 1422, they accepted the rule of Venice, and agreed to fight on the side of Kotor, against the Turks. In return, they demand autonomy and completely free terms of trade. The Paštrovići then founded their own court, with 4 judges and 12 nobles who were elected every year on Vidovdan (June 28, the day Serbia lost its empire in Kosovo in 1389, in the fight against the Turks). They judged according to the medieval Dušan Code and local "amendments". The sessions of this historically atypical Court were held on Drobni pijesku (a beach not far from Petrovac, extremely clean and characterized by the fact that even in the middle of the summer a pitak stream flows here!), on the island of St. Stefan and in the Praskvica monastery (see Budva, Montenegro).

Although first the French, then the Austrians, took away the autonomy of the Pastrovica, this Court continued to sit until 1926. In 1999, the Bankada tradition was symbolically renewed (held every year on Vidovdan, June 28). Today, the city has other attractive seasonal tourist festivals, the most famous of which is Petrovac Night.

The Petrovac landscape is also idyllic because of the mentioned two islands, actually two larger cliffs. The left island, seen from the shore, is called Katić. On the right is St. Sunday, with the homonymous small church on the cliff. It was built by sailors, in honor of St. Mother of God, protector of sailors.

Two local churches, St. Elijah and St. They were built in the 15th century. century. Interestingly, the church of St. Tome, it was built on the place where pop Rade Andrović was killed. The historical story is related to the year 1785, when the Turkish pasha from Shkodër, Kara-bušatli Mahmud, although he promised not to, looted and burned all the villages of Pashtro. Pop Andrović therefore decided to avenge the injustice. Convinced that the priest is not armed, the Turks let Pope Andrović into Pasha's tent; pop pulls out a holster, it blocks, and Andrović is executed. Only 2.5 km from Petrovac is the medieval Orthodox spiritual oasis of the Gradište monastery (see Buljarice, Montenegro). According to legend, it was founded at the beginning of the 12th century, although it is mentioned in the first written documents of the Serbian king Milutin in 1307. The Turks plundered it for years. In XVI. century. many icon painters work here. Damaged in the 1979 earthquake, the monastery complex has been completely restored today.