Montenegro aka Black Mountain
Do you know why is Montenegro is called Black mountain? This tiny Balkan country with gorgeous beaches and rugged interior has a fascinating history that shaped not just its landscape, people and culture, but also its name. Its inhabitants call it Crna Gora which laterally translates to Black Mountain. So where did the Italianized name Montenegro come from?
There are several stories and legends behind the country’s name. Some say, it was the sailors who named this region, as the mountains around the Bay of Kotor are towering from the water directly into the dark clouds in the sky. Other believe the name derives from the incredibly dense forests in Montenegro’s inland, especially around Lovćen National Park which used to be the center of the royal power back in the days. These forests are so thick that they look almost black to outside observers.
What we know for sure, is that the international name Montenegro comes from the Venetians, who were in charge of much of the Adriatic coast since the 10th century, including Kotor and Budva. That corresponds to the first mention of Monte nigro in the historic books, which happened on November 9th 1053 in a papal epistle. At first the name only referred to a small strip of land under the rule of the local tribe, but with time the name became associated with a wider region.
The name became more widely used in the 15th century, when the hilly inland of today’s Montenegro was part of the medieval principality of Zeta ruled by local noble families. The coast, however, was still very much controlled by the Venetians. In 1482, Zeta’s leader Ivan Crnojević established a new capital – Cetinje – deep between the hills, right at the foot of the majestic Mount Lovćen. This way it was better protected from the aggressors. But it wasn’t just the enemies who had hard time getting to Cetinje, the Venation merchants also had trouble accessing it. They had to cross the city walls behind Kotor and travel up and over Mount Lovćen to reach the hidden capital. With time they would start to refer to this area as the place over the dark mountain. Now you know why is Montenegro called Black mountain.
When the Venetians were saying they are going to Cetinje, the town over the dark mountain, they were of course referring to Mount Lovćen (1749 meters). It is not the highest peak in Montenegro, but it is the most famous one. When the Ottoman Turks gained control all over the Balkans, the area around Lovćen was one of the few places they left out. This is where the local tribes built not just an impassable stronghold, but also their national identity. This is the place where the nation of Montenegro was born.
Just below the mountain’s peak, on the nearby Jezerski vrh (1657 meters), you can visit the glorious mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, a Prince-Bishop of Montenegro from the 19th century. Njegoš is remembered dearly as a national hero, a poet and philosopher whose works are widely considered some of the most important in Montenegrin literature. In 1845 he built a church on Montenegro’s most sacred church. Unfortunately, it was severely damaged during both world wars and torn down in 1974 when the mausoleum was erected.
