Discover your Montenegrin roots

Questions to ask the older generation

Memories fade faster than photos. Ask these over a meal or a phone call, and write the answers down.

1. Which town or region of Montenegro did our family come from? Was it near Nikšić, Cetinje, Kotor?
2. Who was the first in the family to leave Montenegro, when, and why?
3. Which dishes from Montenegro were cooked at home? Did anyone make Njeguši ham or Pljevlja cheese?
4. Does anyone in the family still speak Montenegrin, or use a few words of it?
5. Were there songs, prayers, games or holidays from Montenegro that the family kept?
6. Are there old photos, letters or documents from Montenegro? Who has them?
7. If you could visit Montenegro together, where would you go first?

A short history of Montenegro

Montenegro's story is one of a small mountain people holding on to their freedom: from the medieval kingdom of Duklja and the Crnojević rulers of Cetinje, through centuries of prince-bishops, to a 19th-century principality, a short-lived kingdom, Yugoslavia and independence in 2006.

1. 1042

   Duklja breaks free

   Stefan Vojislav, a local ruler, led a revolt and won a great victory over a Byzantine army near Bar. His state, Duklja, covered much of the south of today's Montenegro.

2. 1482

   Cetinje is founded

   Ivan Crnojević, ruler of Zeta, moved his court up into the hills to a field below Mount Lovćen that was easier to defend. There he built a court and, in 1484, a monastery. The town of Cetinje grew around them.

3. 1496

   Zeta falls to the Ottomans

   The Ottomans conquered Zeta and ended the rule of the Crnojević family. The mountain clans, however, kept much of their freedom, while Venice held the Bay of Kotor and much of the coast.

4. 1696

   The Petrović-Njegoš family takes power

   The office of prince-bishop became hereditary in the Petrović-Njegoš family from the village of Njeguši. Because bishops could not marry, it usually passed from uncle to nephew.

5. 1878

   Independence recognised in Berlin

   On 13 July 1878 the Congress of Berlin recognised Montenegro as an independent state. The country roughly doubled in size and gained the port of Bar. Montenegro still celebrates 13 July as Statehood Day.

6. 1918

   Union with Serbia

   After the First World War, with King Nikola in exile, an assembly in Podgorica voted to unite Montenegro with Serbia. Days later it became part of the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later called Yugoslavia.

7. 1979

   The great earthquake

   On 15 April 1979 a powerful earthquake struck the coast. It badly damaged the old towns of Budva, Kotor, Bar and Ulcinj, and in Budva's Old Town only 8 of about 400 buildings were left unharmed.

8. 2017

   Montenegro joins NATO

   On 5 June 2017 Montenegro became a member of NATO. It had begun talks to join the European Union in 2012.

Family recipes to cook together

Kačamak 45 min · serves 4Black risotto 1 h · serves 4Stuffed peppers 1 h 30 min · serves 4Priganice 1 h 30 min · serves 6

Montenegrin words to teach the grandchildren

Towns and regions

• Podgorica, Central Montenegro: The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, The old city Clock Tower.
• Nikšić, Western Montenegro: Nikšić beer from the Trebjesa brewery, The wide Nikšić field.
• Cetinje, Old Royal Capital Cetinje: The National Museum of Montenegro, Biljarda, the residence Njegoš built in 1838.
• Kotor, Bay of Kotor, coastal region: The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, City walls climbing the mountain.
• Budva, Budva Riviera, coastal region: The walled Old Town, Sandy beaches of the Budva Riviera.
• Bar, Coastal region: The port and the ferry to Bari, Stari Bar, the old town.
• Herceg Novi, Bay of Kotor, coastal region: The Forte Mare fortress, The Kanli Kula fortress and its open-air stage.
• Ulcinj, Coastal region, far south: Velika Plaža, the Long Beach, Ada Bojana river island.
• Žabljak, Northern region: Durmitor National Park, The Black Lake.
• Pljevlja, Northern region: Pljevlja cheese, The Ćehotina river.