Petar II Mausoleum
Description
Mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš (Prince-Bishop of Montenegro), 1813-1851, is located atop an mountain in Lovćen National Park. Petar II was a poet and philosopher whose works are widely considered some of the most important in Montenegrin and Serbian literature.
Njegoš requested to be buried at a tiny chapel he had built before his death in 1851. Unfortunately the it was badly damaged during a war and his body was moved to its current mountaintop home. More than a hundred years later in 1974, Montenegrin authorities replaced Njegoš’ burial chapel with an impressive mausoleum.
The dramatic building is reached after taking a long road that winds up the mountain, followed by a hike up 461 steps on foot. Inside the mausoleum is a large granite statue of Njegoš, a darkened room that contains his tomb, and a 360-degree stone viewing circle.