Description of the attraction
In front of the old Vlašskaya church, around which the city of Cetinje was formed, there is a completely modern monument called "Lovchenska Vila". Surprisingly, the historic church and the 20th century monument are in good harmony with each other. This monument was erected in honor of the patriots who responded to the call for help from the Montenegrins and laid down their lives in the battle with the elements. At the end of 1915, the Allies were gathering troops to fight the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Former Montenegrins who emigrated to the United States in search of a better life, did not stand aside from the appeals of their fatherland and went on a ship to help their brothers. They almost made it to their destination when off the coast of Albania, probably due to technical problems, their ship sank. Out of more than fifty people, only 164 volunteers survived.
It was decided to mark the monument to the faithful sons of their homeland in Cetinje in 1939. The famous local sculptor Risto Stijovich tried to embody the main idea of the memorial in a sculpture depicting a young woman: in one hand a lady holds a sword, which symbolizes the determination and pressure of people who left a well-fed and prosperous America for the sake of suffering Montenegro, and in the other - squeezes a laurel wreath, which the gratitude of local residents and the eternal memory of the heroes are emphasized. The monument is installed in such a way that the woman looks towards the sea - to where the emigrants came from and where they died. Reliefs are installed near the memorial, which depict scenes of this tragic journey.
