Tivat
The town and municipality of Tivat cover one of the most beautiful parts of Montenegro Riviera, in the gorgeous Boka Kotor Bay in Montenegro. Tivat is tourist center and the International Airport of Montenegro set in the central part of the Kotor Bay, on the southwestern slopes of the Vrmac Hill (765m). Town of Tivat is actually located on the point where the Grbaljsko polje Field joins the gentle western slopes of the Vrmac hill and continues further to the Tivat Bay. Opposite to the town of Tivat spreads the Tivat Bay which makes the largest of the four fjords-bays of the Kotor Bay.
Vrmac is mountain and semi peninsula above the Boka-Kotor Bay that in the past enjoyed huge strategic importance due to the fact that through the Verige strait used to pass border between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetian Republic. Thus there are in the Vrmac area numerous remains of fortified strongholds and structures constructed for defense of the imperial borders. The highest peak of Vrmac Hill is Saint Elijah hill which is 785 meters high, while the other peaks are Velji vrh (712), Čisti vrh (616), Popova Glava (584) and Sveti Vid (440).
Gornja Lastva is tiny Mediterranean village on the Vrmac hill which is mountain and semipeninsula above the Boka Kotor Bay and actually the extention of the Lovcen Mountain that separates the Tivat Bay from the Kotor Bay. Besides the well-preserved nature and a number of rare fragrant plants, the Vrmac hill features beauties of the rural architecture which keeps secrets of the lifestyle of its former inhabitants. Gornja Lastva village is set at the elevation of 300 meters and is some 3 km away from the Adriatic road, accessible by the local paved road. Gornja Lastva is located on the sunny slope of the Vrmac hill, and enjoys magic panorama of the Tivat Bay, and further across the Luštica peninsula – to the open sea. The Church of the Holy Virgin in Gornja Lastva village was built in the 15th century. It is located on the prominent place which dominates the cove where the Gornja Lastva village is set. The Church of Saint Vitus – Crkva Svetog Vida is located above the village of Gornja Lastva, on the hill of Saint Vitus – Brdo Sveti Vid, at the elevation of 440 meters which makes the most distinguished point of the Vrmac Hill towards the Verige strait. The Church of Saint Vitus in Gornja Lastva village is first mentioned in 1327 but it could be much earlier shrine, possibly from the Byzantine time, according to its location and the architectural style. “The hill and supposed Saint Vid hillfort are primarily placed on the extraordinary, strategic position. From the plateau on which the church is situated the perfect territory view is achieved, and in vision are included Tivat bay with Luštica, Prevlaka, Gospin otok, then Verige, partially Boka and Risan bay, forested areas of Vrmac and tumps, from which is distinguished the tump of previous Pasiglav village on which are the remains of the object for which is supposed to be a former church of Saint Nicholas“. Turistička Organizacija Tivat, Dušica Kovačević, Vilma Kovačević, Ana Ivanović
Thanks to the special micro climatic conditions of Prcanj beneath the Vrmac Hill, the Vrmac Institute for treatment of bronchitis, asthma and allergic diseases was established. From Tivat one can reach town of Kotor very quickly by car through the Vrmac tunnel – up to 30 minutes, from Tivat to Risan or Perast in less then an hour along the ferry which connects Lepetani ad Kamenare – ten minutes of ferry ride, while from Budva one reaches Tivat via the Grbaljsko polje Field in an hour – depending on traffic.
The Tivat Bay and the Krtoli Archipelago impress every visitor at first sight by their beauty. “Radovici village is the largest among the former Krtoli Municipality with several connected coastal settlements of Đuraševići, Bogišići, Milovići, Nikovići, Kostići, Gošići, Brda and Krašići in a row spreading along the narrowest and the lowest part of the Lustica peninsula between the open sea and the wonderful bay. Radovići village is famous for its wonderful sandy beach of Plavi horizonti”. Istorija Srpskog pomorstva
Tivat has three islands – Miholjska Prevlaka (Ostrvo cvijeća), Stradioti with the tourist settlement of Saint Marc, and the tiny Island of Gospa od milosti. On the Prevlaka peninsula – Ostrvo cvijeca there are remains of the Saint Archangel Michael Monastery and the Holy Trinity Monastery which echo one of the most significant part of history and life of this area – from the 9th til the 14th century. Remains of the Medieval Monastery complex of Saint Michael – Methochia santi Michaelis on Miholjska Prevlaka Island testify on the former sea of the Zeta Orthodox Bishopric – later Metropolitanate, founded by Saint Sava Nemanjic in 1219 that was one of the most prosperous historical periods of this area.
When the Grbalj riots were suppressed in 1452, the area of Prevlaka came into hands of the Kotor novelty under the rule of Venetians. The full demolition of the Saint Michael Monastery bear witness to those hard times. The monastic complex covered nearly the whole island, and at present there is only the Church of Saint Trinity, endowment of the countess Ekateriina Vlastelinovic erected on the remains of the demolished monastery, Tradition has it, but also the recent archaeological finds still carried out prove, as well as the ongoing reconstruction of the Monastery, that 70 monks were brutally poisoned when the monastic life declined. Today the monastic brethren of the Miholjska prevlaka Monastery is engaged in prayers, planning the reconstruction of the Saint archangel Michael Monastery, publishing, spiritual lectures and culture events and wine production from vineyards in vicinity of Podgorica.
The Church of Saint Anthony – Crkva Svetog Antuna is located in Kalimanj area within the summer residence of the Pima Pasquali Family – distinguished Kotor noble family. This is one of the smallest churches in terms of size, but not for its significance. On the arch of the belfry of Church of Saint Anthony there is inscription from 1373 where the King Tvrto I is mentioned. The interior of the church was decorated with frescoes, which today come in fragments due to destruction by humidity. On the walls of this church there were 14 coats of arms of the old Kotor noble families painted in three rows.
One of the most beautiful spots of the Tivat Bay is the tiny island with the sacral place dedicated to the Holy Virgin – svetilište Gospe od Milosti in the Krtolji archipelago. This small island is 160 meters long an some 60 meters wide, while the closest mainland is some 800 meters away. This island houses the one-nave church of the Gospa od Milosti with the belfry and the convent of the same height, on its southern side. The convent and the statue of the „Gospa od Milosti – Sancta Maria de Gratia“ is work of local artists and date from the second part of the 15th century. This Krtolji island convent is mentioned in 1479 as „Monasterium fratrum de observantia – Sancti Petri Caelestini“ (Celestine convent). During the 16th century the Celestines were in decline and in 1524 the convent was taken by Franciscans. In 1620 Ottomans looted and set aflame the convent of Gospa od Milosti.
The peaks and mountains divide the Kotor Bay into the Herceg Novi Bay, the Tivat, and the Risan and the Kotor Bay, that are connected with the uniquely picturesque straits of Kumbor and Verige, which is the narrowest part of the entire Boka Kotor Bay, only 300 meters wide. Along the entire shore of the Kotor Bay there is the row of small fishermen settlements and towns, with diverse stories and history, which is truly worth-visiting.
To the southwest of Kotor is the flat plain of Tivatsko polje on which Tivat Airport now stands, with a range of low hills lying between the plain and the sea. The Traste Fortress /Grabovac fort/is a fortification built by the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, situated on the hill of Grabovac overlooking the Bay of Trašte on one side and Tivatsko polje on the other side. The main road through the region, now the Adriatic Highway, was of vital strategic importance to the Austrian-Hungarians as it connected their southernmost possessions – Budva and the surrounding area – with the naval base at Kotor and the port at Tivat. At the start of the 20th century, the imperial defenses comprised a series of temporary fortifications established up to 40 years earlier. Montenegro’s 1905 acquisition of powerful new long-range artillery guns, which put the entire coastal strip within range of shellfire, made the existing fortifications obsolete. This prompted the Austrians to set up a “Commission to Secure the Naval Base of Cattaro” in 1906. It was decided to establish a powerful new fortress on Grabovac hill which would be a combined artillery fort and a forward infantry stronghold. It would form part of an integrated defense system to counter the Montenegrin batteries on Mount Lovćen and prevent sea attack. Source Slavorum – total-montenegro-news.com
All along the Boka Kotor Bay there is the row of small fishermen settlements and cozy towns which feature individual stories and history, highly attractive Renaissance palaces that are worth visiting. Thanks to special micro-climate conditions of Prcanj, the Institute for Bronchitis, Asthma and allergic diseases was founded here. The Church of the Holy Virgin in Prcanj was built in the period from 1789 till 1913 under plans of the Venetian constructor Bernardo Macaruzzi. The little town of Prcanj of the Boka Kotor area is easily recognized by the impressive cathedral with large and long approaching stairway, which fully dominate the sea shore and the whole area. The Prcanj cathedral is dedicated to the Birth of the Holy Virgin and is known as the Virgin shrine. By its size, this cathedral in Prcanj is the largest sacral structure in the Boka Kotor Bay, and one of the largest in the Adriatic. The Holy Virgin Church in Prcanj is 35 meters long and 23 meters wide, and its dome rises on the elevation of 31 meters. The maritime captain Ivo Vizin (1806-1868) from Prčanj was the first south Slavic seafarer who sailed around the world with his ship „Splendido”.
Crkva Gospe od anđela – Our Lady of Grace in Tivat has been constructed on the rocky cliff of the sea strait of Verige, opposite to the town of Perast, few kilometers north of the town of Tivat. In 1585 the locals of Perast erected stronghold with gun wholes around the church and created strategically important facility for defense of the city. Within the walls there is a small one-floor structure which can be used to enter the church and where probably were stationed guardians soldiers. The earliest records on the Church of the Lady of Grace date from the 16th century although there are some sources which record existence of this shrine much earlier on the foundations of some Illyric stronghold. It is interesting that around the Gospa od andjela church – the Lady of Grace church there is defensive wall with gun wholes as the position of the church provides excellent point for guarding the water way towards the central part of the Boka Kotor Bay. From the cape of the Gospa od andjela church spreads exceptional view to the town of Perast and wonderful Perast islands of Gospa od Škrpjela and Sveti Djordje. In the past the Island of Sveti Djordje – Saint George Island was also fortified and along with the cape stronghold of the Gospa od andjela – the Lady of Grace, supported defense of the town from the sea. From this point verige – iron chains were erected and extended from the sea that prevented enemy ships to enter the interior of the Boka Bay. Hence the name of this strait – the Verige straits. Locals of the Boka area often used to call the Crkva of andjela – the Church of the Lady of Grace with the name of Gospa od Oriza /osmeh-smile/, because smile always returned to faces of seafarers when they entered the Verige straits, knowing that they arrived home well and safe from distant journeys. The Crkva Gospe od anđela – the Lady of Grace church in Tivat is protected cultural site of small dimensions and cute appearance that makes rare and beautiful example of the medieval church architecture.
Town of Tivat covers the area of 46 sq km, of which about 5 sq km exits the open sea. Along the census from 2011, Tivat has some 14000 inhabitants. One of the advantages of Tivat is its International airport which makes it highly popular destination for foreign visitors who arrive to Montenegro by plane. Of course, Tivat offers hundreds of reasons for visit and holidays by other visitors, from the surrounding and neighboring countries.
There are different opinions on origin of the name of Tivat. According to one, the name of Tivat was derived by the name of the Illyrian queen Teuta, who resided in Risan for some time, but also possibly possessed summer residences close to the present day Tivat. By another version, the name of the town of Tivat might derive from the names of the Christian saints – Sanctus Theodorus, Theodosius, Theodotus, Theodulus or the Medieval expression from the 12th century of Theudo or Teodo. The third version explains that the name of Tivat comes from the Celtic word of “touto” meaning a town. Tivat was founded in the 3rd century BC and in the 14th and the 15th century it was important religious center. In 1420 Tivat and the surrounding area was occupied by the Venetian Republic whose reign lasted until 1797 and the decline of the Venetian rulers. There were other rulers of this area until 1814 when it was taken by the Austria-Hungary Empire which lasted until 1918. Development of Tivat as a town started only at the end of the 19th century, when the maritime port of Tivat Arsenal was established. Until that time, the possessions of properties belonged mainly to the feudal nobility of Prcanj, Perast, Dobrota and Kotor.
End of the First World War in 1918 brought dramatic events which involved the Kingdom of Italy and the National Committee in taking over the powerful Austrian fleet stationed in the Arsenal of the Tivat Bay that was decided to be delivered to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Then, on 31 October 1918, on the „Kaiser Franz Joseph I“ cruiser, the complete K.u.K. Kriegsmarine was officially transferred into hands and under the administrated ownership of the National Committee of the Kingdom of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, with strict compliance to the ownership rights of non-Slavic countries of the then existing Austria-Hungary Monarchy. The entire impressive Austria-Hungarian military base in Boka and the Fleet of the Austria-Hungary Imperial Navy found here ceased to exist by the act of taking over, and consisted of 3 war ships (Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, Erzherzog Friedrich and Erzherzog Karl), a Sankt Georg armored cruiser, Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf guardian ship, Monarch shore armoured ship, 4 cruisers (Helgoland, Novara, Panther and Kaiser Franz Josef I), 3 guided missile destroyers (Reka, Pandur and Scharfshutze), 17 torpedo boats and 7 submarines. Besides those war facilities, here there were also 13 tug boats – flatboats, 5 small transport steamships, 2 floating docks, 3 gutted hulks and 3 pontoons while in Kumbor, the hydro-plane base with 6 depots and 47 hydroplanes as over taken. However this story prolonged until the end of the Versailles Peace Conference and deal on division of the war facilities, so in the period from 21 December 1919 until the end of January 1920 Italians and French took the remaining large and modern ship, seizured from Austria-Hungary, so the Kingdom of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs took over in Tivat only 12 torpedo boats and several outdated accessory boats. All the other staff was plundered and taken over in direction of Italy, France, Great Britain and USA. Source Bokanews – Matica Boke and General Consulate of Serbia in Herceg Novi
At present, Tivat is a modern town, entirely turned towards the development of tourism. By its central location in the Boka Kotor Bay, and by its small bays, ravines and coves, as well as by its peninsula of Prevlaka and the Saint Mark Island, and the famous beach of Przno, and the Porto Montenegro Resort, Tivat became highly popular and attractive destination on tourist maps. This was largely enhanced by speed development of luxury and the most modern tourist product of the famous Porto Montenegro, that took only 5 years to be achieved, when started from a project presentation. Besides the Tivat Marina, the tourist resort of Porto Montenegro is designed to fulfill all expectations of owners and crew of yachts and other clients, as it contains spacious residences and apartments on the very seaside shore, unique restaurants, cafes with excellent clubbing and nightlife, as well as large choice of sport, recreation and cultural amenities and activities and events awaiting visitors. At the very sea shore, and featuring architecture that echoes spirit of Kotor and Perast, the Porto Montenegro in Tivat makes a special blend of spectacular destination, marina and the residence quarters, as well as nautical and shopping facilities of the highest international standards. Berthing at Porto Montenegro offers marina guests and crew a full home-port solution amidst one of the world’s most spectacular cruising grounds. The marina’s 450 berths for yachts ranging from 12 to 150 meters, with berths to be completed for yachts larger than 45 meters, are complemented by an extensive range of services and amenities winning 5 Gold Anchor recognition from The Yacht Harbor Association (THYA). Porto Montenegro already represents the residence of the international character, an intimate urban core at the very seaside, and along the promenade, with living spaces of extraordinary quality, ranging from the one bed suites to four-bed suites and residences, duplex and penthouse apartments.The existing residences of the Porto Montenegro at present contains five of completed residence structures – Teuta, Ozana, Zeta, Milena and Tara, with total of 128 residence units.
Tivat features typical Mediterranean climate, with mild but rainy winters, and bright and warm summers. It could be said that Tivat has characteristic climate, caused by in-homogeneous relief, so that on such small space local climatic differences can be experienced. The average air temperature in Tivat is 15° C. Tivat is also the sunniest town of the Boka Kotor Bay, with total of 2446,2 sunny hours per year. The bathing season in Tivat lasts for 6 months – from May till October. The most frequent winds are bura (north-east wind) in winters, and maestral (north-west wind) in summers. The warm wind jugo brings lots of rain to Tivat, making it an often natural phenomenon in autumn and winter. Precipitation come in Tivat exclusively in rain, while the other forms of precipitation are very rare. The average precipitation rate in Tivat is 1755 mm. Such climatic conditions enabled Tivat to become a pleasant and suitable tourist destination throughout the year.
The sea in Tivat Riviera is clean, and air is invigorating and mild. Thanks to uniquely pleasant and suitable climatic conditions, and good geographic location, Tivat is extensively rich in vegetation. Besides the variety of locally grown Mediterranean plants, there is rich variety of exotic plants, brought here by seafarers from all over the world. Thus there in Tivat are wonderful plants such as magnolia, mimosa, camellia, oleander, agave, bougainvillea, eucalyptus, Chilean sensitive spruce and other plants, that are well adjusted to those wonderful Adriatic climate.
Tivat Riviera features more than 10 beaches of total length of several km. The estimated beach surfaces in Tivat, with a number of coves and small bays, reaches over 30000 sq meters and features well arranged infrastructure and variety of tourist facilities. The beaches of Tivat are: Belane, the town beach by the Palma Hotel, the Kalardovo beach out from the town /relatively close to the Tivat Airport/, the town beach of Kamelija, the Kukoljina beach out of the town, the Oblatno, the Opatovo beach in the village of Opatovo with several small beaches, mostly sandy, the arranged beach next to the Palma Hotel, the Plavi horizont beach – the largest and most important beach or Tivat close to Radovici, Ponta Seljanova, Pržno, Nova and Stara Račica beach, Verige beach and Waikiki beach.
