Mausoleum of Peter II Petrovic Njegos

Peter II Petrovic Njegos is the first metropolitan of Montenegro, which contributed to the transformation of Montenegro into an independent modern state. A statesman and a reformer of the rules during the period 1830-1851, and is also considered one of the most outstanding Serbian poets and philosophers of all time.

Radivoj (Rade) Tomov Petrovich (Peter II Petrovic Njegos) was born on 13 November, 1813 in the village Njegusi and until 12 years was a shepherd. In his childhood he was taught at the Savinsky and Cetinsky monasteries by the Serbian poet and historian Simo Milutinovic. Radivoj Tomov belonged to the noble family of the rulers of Montenegro, as he was a nephew of the Metropolitan Peter I Petrovic.

The Petrovic-Njegos family from 1697 to 1918 was the ruling dynasty in Montenegro: from 1697 - as Metropolitan of Montenegrin, from 1852 as princes, and since 1910 - as kings. In 1830, after the death of Peter I Petrovic and according to his will, Peter II Petrovic Njegosh took the place of the monarch of Montenegro, taking monasticism with the name of Peter. During his reign, he constantly fought for the independence of Montenegro from Turkey, suppressed tribal separatism in Montenegro itself, demarcated the Montenegrin-Austrian border in the Adriatic seaside and much more. He was a supporter of Yugoslavian unity. In foreign policy was guided by Russia. Peter II Petrovic Njegos died in 1851 from tuberculosis.

In the village of Negusi, the patrimonial house of Peter II Petrovic Njegos has been preserved, which was converted into the ethnographic museum of Montenegro - "The House of Negosh".

Most revered in the history of Montenegro, the ruler, poet and philosopher - Peter II Petrovic Njegos bequeathed to bury himself on the top of Mount Lovchen in a modest chapel, built by his efforts. To fulfill the will of the leader of the nation in the year of death was not possible, since in 1851 the country desperately resisted the next Turkish invasion. At this time, the risk of looting the tomb was very big, so Cetinsky monastery was chosen for the place of repose of the lord. Only four years later his remains were transferred to mount Lovcen.

The bombings that damaged the chapel, and the conquest of the mountain by the Austrians during the First World War forced the Montenegrins to disturb the remains again. After the war and the reconstruction of the chapel, which had ended by 1925, it seemed that at last Peter II Petrovic Njegosh found eternal rest. But during the Second World War, the Italians once again damaged the church, by a lucky chance without touching the sarcophagus. In 1951, to the centenary of the death of Njegos, the government of socialist Yugoslavia decided to erect a unique monument in the Lovcen National Park - the Mausoleum of Peter II Petrovic Njegos. Despite the numerous protests of citizens who referred to the testament of the spiritual leader of the nation, the chapel was destroyed.

The monumental complex was built between 1970 and 1974 and settled on the top of the mountain "Jezersky vrh" (1657 m) in the National park Lovcen and includes: a viewing platform at the bottom, a tunnel approach consisting of 461 steps, a courtyard in front of the Mausoleum, an observation deck with a stunning view of the greater part of Montenegro. The creation of the project involved the Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. In the development of architectural solutions Meštrović was assisted by the architect Harold Bilinić and the sculptor Andrija Krstulovic.

The mausoleum of Peter II Petrovic Njegos consists of several parts: an atrium, in the center of which there is a well, with a weight of 4 tons; portico on the left and right sides; two caryatids - carved sculptures of the monks in national costumes of black marble, weighing 8 tons and having height of 4.50 meters; crypt - the chapel, which is the most impressive part of the mausoleum. One central niche and six sides of the chapel are made of dark green marble, and the ceiling, 9 meters high, is decorated with a mosaic of 200,000 gilded tiles (!!!). The granite figure of Njegos, with a weight of 28 tons and a height of 3.74 meters, is located in the very center of the chapel. In the crypt there is also a marble sarcophagus with the remains of Peter Njegos. The Montenegrin coat of arms and the cross - the symbol of the world and spiritual power of Njegos - were sculptured on the gravestone plate.

Going through the mausoleum, you get to the stone path, which is laid on the top of the mountain range and leads to a circular viewing platform. It is from here the stunning panoramic view to the whole of Montenegro burst upon the eye, and in clear weather you can see even a part of Croatia.

Today the mausoleum of Peter II Petrovic Njegos is one of the main sights of Montenegro. It is visited annually by a huge number of tourists from all over the world.
 

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