OLD TOWN OF BAR (STARI BAR)

Ancient fortified city, built at the foot of Mount Rumija in a spectacular natural site. It is the largest archaeological site of medieval origin in Montenegro. Today in ruins and uninhabited, it deserves the interest of the visitor. Along its narrow streets lined with fig and cypress trees, you can discover the remains of several hundred public and religious buildings.

Stamped with the seal of the various civilizations that succeeded each other, they form an invaluable testimony to the eventful history of Montenegro. Recent excavations have shown that the site was occupied as early as 800 BC. Buses drive there every hour (from 5am to 11:30pm).

Guided tour. The visit of the old city requires at least 2 hours. The best way to discover it is to stroll through its streets in search of architectural details adorning the ruins of its buildings. The panorama is splendid and allows to fully appreciate its strategic position with on one side the sea and on the other a succession of mountains. Here are the main points to remember:

In the northwest of the site, we can see an aqueduct built in the ^seventeenth century during the Ottoman occupation. It was partly destroyed, like the whole city, during the earthquake of 1979.

From the Ottoman period , the city has preserved two other important testimonies: Turkish baths of the ^18th century installed in a Venetian palace and a clock tower. This tower occupies the site of an older tower dating from the ^15th century.

At the eastern end of the ramparts remain the foundations of a church dedicated to Saint George, the patron saint of Bar. Transformed into a mosque in the ^17th century, it was destroyed by an explosion in 1882. Under its walls, archaeologists have found traces of the foundations of a church of the ^sixth century.

On the main alley, in the center of the citadel, an Orthodox church Sveti Luka (Saint Luke) with a very Latin look. It is known for its frescoes and Byzantine icons that decorate its interior.

Not far from there, stands the church of St. Veneranda, built in the ^fourteenth century, it is in a perfect state of preservation and has been converted into a concert hall.

The church of St. Nicholas, now in ruins, and was transformed into a mosque under the Turkish occupation. It retains traces of frescoes Serbo-Byzantine.

The upper part of the fortress built in the ^11th century was used as a prison during the Second World War.