Description of the attraction
In the center of the city of Cetinje, there is one of the key Montenegrin attractions - the palace, now turned into a museum, of King Nikola I. Its owner, Nikola Petrovic-Njegos, glorified the Njegos dynasty all over the world thanks to his diplomatic talent, as well as outstanding political views: he was famous for his desire to bring Montenegro on a par with the European powers. In addition to political merits, Nikola Petrovich was a talented poet.
The construction of the palace began in 1863 and was finally completed four years later. In August 1910, Prince Nikola Petrovich proclaims Montenegro a kingdom and becomes its first and last king.
The Art Nouveau style was chosen for the decoration of the palace. It can be described as an abundance of whimsical shapes and decorative details; almost complete absence of straight lines, which are replaced by stylized floral patterns. The walls in the palace are predominantly covered with silk, the ceilings are crowned with stucco moldings, and the floor is covered with luxurious carpets over parquet.
Each room of the palace has its own style: oriental, Venetian, Victorian. There were many rumors about the beauty of the palace throughout Europe. The prim neighbors of Montenegro believed that the palace was too beautiful for such a small and modest country.
In 1890, the Nikolai Petrovich Museum was founded, which was housed in the government building. Since 1926, it has been housed in the palace. Throughout its history, the museum managed to endure pogroms and looting - during 1916-1918, when the Austrian-Bulgarian occupation fell on Montenegro.
Furniture and weapons, as well as paintings, flags, stamps and other historical values, are carefully kept in the palace. All these items, bearing colossal museum value, are directly related not only to the history, but also to the culture of Montenegro from the Middle Ages to 1918, when Montenegro was incorporated into the Serbian Kingdom.
Particular attention should be paid to the collection of military orders, which are made of gold and adorned with precious stones. The court library, which occupies four halls, is also of unique value. The rarest copies of books, both secular and ecclesiastical, are still kept here. The library is estimated to hold up to 10,000 books.
