Podgorica

Location: North of the Zeta valley

Altitude: 44,5 m

Geographic coordinates:

42 ˚ 26 ‘ north latitude,
19 ˚ 16 ‘ east longitude

Population: 187.085

Language:Montenegrin

Currency: Euro (€)

Time zone: GTM + 1 H

Climate:

• Altitude of 120 m (lower valley of the river Moraca) – Mediterranean climate
• Altitude of 600 m (Upper Moraca) – mountain air
• The Tara Canyon – Mountain air
• Altitude above 1000 m – high mountain air

The average number of summer days:: about 135 (over 25 ˚ C)

Average number of rainy days: 118

The average number of snow days: 3

Precipitation: 1544 mm

Relative Humidity: 59, 67

Electric current: 220 V/50 HZ

Introduction

– The capital of the youngest European country of Montenegro with the constructed image of a quality tourist destination and atypical major city with lots of interesting places to be discovered.

– The joint place between the north and the south, the mountains and the sea. It is only an hour away from the sea and the highest mountain peaks that exceed a height of 2000 meters and a place where both can be feeled the Mediterranean scent and the freshness of mountain peaks.

– Archaeological sites Doclea and Medun – fragments of ancient times from the Illyrian period and the settlement of the Illyrian tribes Docleati and Labeati.

– In region of Podgorica there are two national parks of total five in Montenegro: NP “Skadar Lake” and NP ” Prokletije “.

– Two attractive canyons of the rivers Moraca and Cijevna.

– Active holidays and the possibility of extreme sports ( hiking & biking, birdwatching, climbing, kayaking… ).

– A variety of culinary and wine offer, a mixture of Mediterranean and continental national cuisine and an extensive wine list offers local wines of premium quality.

– A favorable mild climate favors visits throughout the year. An average of 135 sunny days a year make Podgorica the city of the sun.

– Open and dynamic city, the center of events and fun.

History

Podgorica is built on the foundations of ancient settlements. Since the time of the Middle Paleolithic the development and emergence of different cultures can be continuosly observed:. Greeks, Illyrians, Romans, Huns, Goths, Slavs, Byzantines and Ottomans, they were fighting for the benefits of the region where sea and the high mountains flavour combine, and they all left their trace.

Illyrian tribes Labeata and Dokleata lived in this area up until the Roman conquest.The Labeati inhabited the area of the Zeta valley, south of present- day Podgorica to Lake Skadar, as well as the area east of the river Moraca, downstream. West of the river Moraca, along the river Zeta lived the Docleati. Their most important fortification was at the mouth of the rivers Zeta and Moraca which later on developed into the town of Doclea

The earliest settlement at the mouth of Ribnica and Moraca – the caravan settlement, Birziminium, is just indicated in the ancient writings, but drawn by Roman cartographers. Doclea, a town that was first mentioned by Ptolemy in the second century BC, was a great place for that time, with 8 to 10 thousand people in the area with little more than ten miles in diameter, but complete utility infrastructure was there. It was destroyed in 602

The name Podgorica was mentioned for the first time in 1326, when the town development started. Turks conquered powerful fortress of Medun in 1455 and in 1474 Podgorica also. Four centuries of Turkish rule began at that time. Where the river Ribnica joins the Moraca, on the foundations of the medieval city of Ribnica the Turks built a fortress, where later on a settlement developed, nowday’s Stara Varoš.

On Wasteland (sometimes used for camping of Turkish army) Nova Varoš was built – one time called Mirkova town -after the Duke Mirko, the father of King Nikola I Petrovic.

In World War II, Podgorica was bombed over 70 times and was razed to the ground. It was released on December 19th 1944. It was called Titograd from July 13th 1946 (when it became the capital of the Republic of Montenegro) to April 2nd in 1992.