Žabljak Crnojevića

Žabljak Crnojevića, also known as Žabljak, is an abandoned medieval fortified town located in Montenegro at the confluence of the Morača River and Lake Skadar. It is believed that the fortress was founded in the 10th century during the reign of the Vojislavljević dynasty in the then-Dioclea, with the first written records dating back to the mid-14th century. The fortress served as the capital of Zeta under the rule of the Crnojević dynasty from 1466 to 1478, functioning as the seat of Stefan and Ivan Crnojević. In 1478, after the town was captured by the Ottomans during the Siege of Shkodra, Ivan Crnojević was forced to relocate the capital, and the town remained under Turkish rule until the decision of the Congress of Berlin in 1878, when it was returned to Montenegrin administration after 400 years of Ottoman domination. Žabljak Crnojevića is characterized by high walls with towers and a single gate. Within the walls, one can find the courtyard of Ivan Crnojević, the Church of St. George (which was converted into a mosque during Ottoman rule), as well as residential and military buildings, a clothing warehouse, and a water reservoir, many of which have been preserved to this day. In the early 17th century, during Ottoman rule, the fortress was inhabited by a single resident, the Turkish official Dizdar Aga. In the past, Žabljak was home to a significant Albanian community, which was largely displaced due to various waves of emigration in the late 19th century, moving towards Turkey, Kosovo (Priština), and Macedonia. The Fortress of Žabljak offers not only interesting architectural features but also a rich history and cultural traces that testify to centuries of coexistence and conflicts in the region. Today, the remains of the fortress and the picturesque views from the castle attract tourists and history enthusiasts, making it an important landmark on the map of Montenegro.