During our round trips through Albania, I could not help noticing that there are still a lot of socialist realistic monuments, bas-reliefs and sculptures to be found in every corner of the country. One of the finest examples of socialist realism is the huge mosaic called ‘The Albanians’ that decorates the façade of the National […]
war monuments
WAR MONUMENT ROUTE THROUGH BJELOPAVLIĆI
Although I am aware that Bjelopavlići is not exactly the most attractive tourist region in Montenegro, I have made many nice trips through this fertile and densely populated valley between Podgorica and Nikšić. For me, it is a big advantage that this region has not been discovered by hordes of tourists so far. And apart […]
THE VILLAGE OF UTRG: BIRTH PLACE OF A NATIONAL HERO AND AN ORTHODOX SAINT
All over Montenegro you can find war monuments, commemorative plaques, busts …. Some of them remind us of battles against the Turks, but most memorials refer to World War II. They are especially numerous in the central part of the country. In search of such “red star” memorials, we made a trip to the village […]
WAR MONUMENTS IN MONTENEGRO
The former Yugoslavia is dotted with monuments that were built in Tito’s spirit. So is Montenegro. Many friends and relatives from the Netherlands have asked me about the meaning of numerous concrete ‘forks’, ‘wings’, ‘stars’ or social-realistic sculptures they have seen. Can you believe that there are 1,700 war memorials, monuments and memorial plaques in […]
GRAHOVO, WITNESS OF A TURBULENT PAST
Traveling from Podgorica (or Nikšić) to the Bay of Kotor has become much easier by the new highway Žabljak-Risan. The road has been under construction for a long time, but now it is an excellent highway passing through untouched nature, crossing the Grahovo plain (Grahovsko polje) and winding down towards the Bay of Boka Kotorska, […]