Zabljak Crnojevica

Žabljak Crnojevića stands on a low rocky hill rising out of the wetlands where the Morača reaches Lake Skadar, and in the fifteenth century it was briefly the seat of Ivan Crnojević and the capital of Zeta until 1478, when he moved his seat to Obod and later to Cetinje. The walls, towers and a church remain in ruin on the hill, with the marsh spreading around them, and the position makes the strategic logic obvious: it could only be approached across water or a narrow causeway.

History

The fortress is believed to date from the 10th century, under the Vojislavljević dynasty, and is first recorded in the mid-14th century. From 1466 to 1478 it was the capital of Zeta and the seat of Stefan and Ivan Crnojević, and within its walls stand the court of Ivan Crnojević and the church of Saint George (Wikipedia, Žabljak Crnojevića).

What you'll find

• The walls and towers - the ruined fortifications around the hilltop.
• The church - the remains of the church within the walls.
• The wetland setting - marsh and water on all sides of the hill.
• The Zeta capital - the fifteenth-century seat before Cetinje.

When to go

April to June and September to October are the most comfortable. Water levels are highest in spring and can cut off the approach. Summer is very hot on the plain.

Practical notes

The approach can be flooded in spring and impassable. The site is unfenced and unstaffed with no interpretation. Vegetation obscures much of it in summer and ticks are a real problem.

Nearby

Lake Skadar is south, and Podgorica is northeast.

Key facts