The founding of Cetinje was conditioned by the historical, political, and economic background in the 15th century. Wars of conquest led by the Turks forced Ivan Crnojevic, the ruler of the Medieval Zeta at that time, to move the capital of his country from the fortified town of Zabljak to the inaccessible parts, to Obod in 1475, and soon after it at the foot of Lovcen Mountain. In the field of Cetinje in 1482 his Court was built and two years later the monastery was built as well. By building the Court and the Monastery a new capital was founded. Its name was Cetinje. It was named after the beautifully meandering Cetina River that runs through it. The new Cetinje Monastery became the domicile of the Zeta metropolitan. So, Cetinje turned out to be not only the center of secular life but also the spiritual center where Djurdaj Crnojevic, the son to Ivan Crnojević, founded the first printing house in the Slavic South. Rapid progress of Cetinje under the rule of the Crnojević Dynasty was interrupted at the very end of the 15th century. Actually, State of Zeta lost its independence in 1499 so the only free part of the country, which was called Montenegro since then, was reduced to a mountainous territory between Crnojević River and The Bay of Kotor. In the next two centuries Cetinje stagnated in its development. It was very often under the attack of Venice and the Turks. So, in the 16th and 17th century Cetinje was exposed to tough temptations. In this period the court and the monastery of the Crnojevići dynasty were destroyed. It was only by the end of the 17th century, in 1697, that Cetinje began to flourish again under the rule of the Petrovic Dunasty and Danilo Petrovic as its founder. Leading the liberation wars and strengthening the unity in the country preoccupied Danilo and his successors. They didn’t have enough time to dedicate to the building of Cetinje. It was only during the rule of Petar II Petrovic Njegos that the remarkable progress has been made. In 1838 his new royal residence called Biljarda (Billiard house) was built. Cetinje was enlarged by building new houses that gradually led to urbanization.Petar I introduced new crops to Montenegro and began a process of legal modernisation, which was to last throughout the nineteenth century.

Montenegrin independence was recognized by the decision of the Berlin Congress in 1878 and so Cetinje became the capital of a European country. Many modern buildings designed for foreign consulates were built due to the newly established relations with various European countries. The buildings of the French, Russian, British, Italian and Austro-Hungarian consulates are regarded as the most beautiful of these. Cetinje made great progress under the rule of Prince Nikola I Petrovic when numerous public edifices were built. Those include the first hotel, called ‘Lokanda’, then the new Prince’s palace, the Girls’ Institute and the hospital. This period also saw the first tenancy houses. In the 1860 report Cetinja had 34 households. Montenegro was proclaimed a Kingdom in 1910 which had a great effect on its development. At this time the Government House, the symbol of the state power, was built. The population census from the same year recorded a massive growth in the world's smallest capital, registering 5,895 inhabitants. Between 1878 and 1914 Cetinje flourished in every sense. Many renowned intellectuals from other South-Slavic parts came to stay there and made a contribution to the cultural, educational and every other aspect of life. At the time between the two  World Wars,  Cetinje expanded its territory, as it was now a center of the Zeta region. But when it was decided by the Parliament of Montenegro that the administrative organs should be located in Titograd /previously and presently Podgorica/ Cetinje went through a harsh crisis. By building certain industrial sections and at the same time neglecting the development of the city's traditional and potential cultural and tourist capacities, the chance to create a strong basis for more solid prosperity was lost.

The Cetinje Monastery also known as the New Cetinje Monastery is the most famous Serb Orthodox Monastery in Montenegro. It is the seat of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and its name derives from Saint Peter of Cetinje. As center of historical and cultural importance, it was founded between 1701 and 1704 by Prince-Bishop Danilo I Petrovic on the site of the former court of  Ivan the Black. In the New Cetinje Monastery there are several relics:  remains of Saint Peter of Cetinje, Right hand of Saint John the Baptist,  Remains of Petar II Petrovic – Njegos were moved here and Crown of Stefan Uros IV Decanski, the Medieval Emperor of Serbia, the oktoih printed in 1493 at the Crnojevic printing house in Obod – the Orthodox liturgical book of eight tones used weekly during the church services throughout the ecclesiastical year. The National Museum of Montenegro which is complex museum institution of Montenegro, nowadays exhibits several significant units in Cetinje : The Historical Museum of Montenegro, Ethnographic Museum of Montenegro, Court of King Nikola Petrovic and Njegos Museum.

Only ten kilometers away from the old royal capital is the village of Njeguši, famous as the birthplace of many Montenegrin rulers. The village of Njeguši is located beneath Mount Lovćen, known for, among other things, its numerous delicacies: prosciutto, cheese, kastradina (smoked sheep meat) and sausages. Prosciutto is made from pork and the special flavor is obtained thanks to the mixture of the sea and mountain air and the woods used for drying.

Narrow and winding road leads from Cetinje to Kotor. In ancient times until the late 19th century this mule track road was the only connection of Cetinje and littoral and to the outside world as supply line for essential provisions. Scenery is breathtaking and view to BokaKotorska Bay from up here is unreal. All Boka Bay in its blue sea and Kotor town tucked sleep in breasts of high Montenegrin cliffs.

REVIEW TOURS INCLUDING CETINJE:

Enchanting Balkan Tour

Golden Byzantine Tour

Serbia and Montenegro Tour