Art and Culture in Montenegro

Nestled between dramatic coastline and soaring peaks, Montenegro treasures one of Europe’s best-kept, two-millennium-old secrets. A land that Lord Byron described as “the most beautiful meeting of land and sea on the planet” has its great strength in culture and heritage.

With its numerous museums, fabulous architecture, medieval palaces, citadels and fortifications, Montenegro combines an incredible variety of fascinating cultural places. The culture of Montenegro is a true reflection of its population, diverse and multicultural; special lifestyle of the people who live here, the culinary specialities that serve as the landmarks of Montenegro.

Within walls of the coastal Old Towns you can feel the spirit of Illyrians, Greeks and Romans whose traces are now important material evidence of the ancient period. Each town on the coast has its own history: Herceg Novi, town of carnivals and artists; Kotor and Perast, UNESCO-protected maritime towns dating back to the pre-Christian era; Budva, intersected by series of alleys and squares with numerous cultural and historical monuments, remains of frescoes and inscriptions from the mid-12th century and wonderful sandy beaches and vibrant nightlife on the other hand, is transformed every summer into an open-air stage - Theatre City; Ulcinj, a town of diverse cultures - eastern “West” and western “East”.

Medieval fortresses and walls protect even nowadays an extremely valuable treasure: Romanesque cathedrals, baroque churches, 13th-century murals, Byzantine influence fresco painting, wood carving, textile weaving, Montenegro’s first literary pieces dating back 1,000 years, while the first Montenegrin book was printed 500 years ago. Not of less importance are the works of Montenegrin painters in Post-Impressionist and Expressionist techniques exhibited in famous galleries and museums throughout the world.

Montenegrin traditional culture once revolved around clans, groups of related families has developed such cultural institutions as art galleries, museums, libraries, theatres and cinemas. In order to make it easier for you to discover art and culture in Montenegro, we have created for You access to all cultural and historical places in Montenegro.