Ulcinj () is a town in the

Coastal region A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

and the capital of

Ulcinj Municipality Ulcinj Municipality (Montenegrin language, Montenegrin: Opština Ulcinj / Општина Улцињ; Albanian language, Albanian: Komuna e Ulqinit) is the southernmost municipalities of Montenegro, municipality of Montenegro, bordered by Albania t ...

. It has an urban population of 11,488. As one of the oldest settlements in the

Adriatic coast The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to ...

, it was founded in 5th century BC. It was captured by the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

in 163 BC from the

Illyrians The Illyrians (, ; ) were a group of Indo-European languages, Indo-European-speaking people who inhabited the western Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. They constituted one of the three main Paleo-Balkan languages, Paleo-Balkan populations, alon ...

. With the division of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, it was a part of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

and Serbian Kingdom in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

until the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

captured it in 1405. It was known as a base for

piracy Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

. In 1571, Ulcinj was conquered by the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

with the aid of North African corsairs after the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval warfare, naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League (1571), Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of t ...

. The town gradually became a Muslim-majority settlement. Under the Ottomans, numerous

hammam A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...

s and

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

s, and a clock tower were built. Ulcinj remained a den of piracy until this was finally put to an end by

Mehmed Pasha Bushati Mehmed Bushati () was the governor of the Pashalik of Scutari and founder of the Bushati family, Bushatli dynasty of Shkodër History Sanjak of Scutari In 1768, Mehmed Pasha became the governor of the pashalik of Scutari. In 1769, he fought in ...

. In 1673, the self-proclaimed

Jewish Messiah The Messiah in Judaism () is a savior and liberator figure in Jewish eschatology who is believed to be the future redeemer of the Jews. The concept of messianism originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible a messiah is a king or High Priest o ...

Sabbatai Zevi Sabbatai Zevi (, August 1, 1626 – ) was an Ottoman Jewish mystic and ordained rabbi from Smyrna (now İzmir, Turkey). His family were Romaniote Jews from Patras. His two names, ''Shabbethay'' and ''Ṣebi'', mean Saturn and mountain gazelle, ...

was exiled here from

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

. Ulcinj remained an Ottoman town for more than 300 years until it was ceded to the

Principality of Montenegro The Principality of Montenegro () was a principality in Southeastern Europe that existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a Kingdom of Montenegro, kingdom by Nikola I of Montenegro, Nikola I, who then became King of M ...

in 1878. It is a former medieval Catholic bishopric and remains a Latin

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...

. Ulcinj is a popular destination for tourists, because of its

Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

Lake Šas Lake Šas (; ) is a lake located north-east of Ulcinj, near the village of Šas, in Montenegro. It is bordered geographically by Briska Gora (Mali i Brisë) to the southwest, Fraskanjelsko Polje (Këneta e Fraskanjellit) to the east, Ambulsko Br ...

, Ada Bojana Island and for

Ulcinj Castle The Ulcinj Castle ( cnr-Cyrl, Калjаја; ) or Ulcinj Old Town ( cnr-Cyrl, Стари град Улцињ / Stari grad Ulcinj; ) is an ancient castle and neighborhood in Ulcinj, Montenegro. Today it is mostly inhabited by Albanians, it was bui ...

, parts of which date back two millennia. There are 26 mosques in the town and surrounding countryside. Ulcinj is the centre of the Albanian community in Montenegro.

Etymology

Early historian

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...

(59 BC–AD 17) mentioned it, as did

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

(23–79), who mentioned it as ''Olcinium'', its old name ''Colchinium'', "founded by ettlers from

Colchis In classical antiquity and Greco-Roman geography, Colchis (; ) was an exonym for the Georgian polity of Egrisi ( ka, ეგრისი) located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, centered in present-day western Georgia. Its population, the ...

" (Olchinium quod antea Colchinium dictum est a Colchis conditum).

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

(90–168) mentions the city as Greek ''Oulkinion'' (Ουλκίνιον). Although the ancient writers preferred a connection with Cholchis, the name of the settlement appears to be connected with the

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

word ''ujk'' or ''ulk'' (meaning

wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...

in English), "Names of individuals peoples may have been formed in a similar fashion, Taulantii from ‘swallow’ (cf. the Albanian tallandushe) or Erchelei the ‘eel-men’ and Chelidoni the ‘snail-men’. The name of the Delmatae appears connected with the Albanian word for ‘sheep’ delmë) and the Dardanians with for ‘pear’ (dardhë). Some place names appear to have similar derivations, including Olcinium (Ulcinj from ‘wolf’ (ukas), although the ancients preferred a connection with Cholchis." from

Proto-Albanian Proto-Albanian is the ancestral reconstructed language of Albanian, before the Gheg– Tosk dialectal diversification (before ). Albanoid and other Paleo-Balkan languages had their formative core in the Balkans after the Indo-European migrat ...

''*(w)ulka'', from

Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. No direct record of Proto-Indo-European exists; its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-Euro ...

''*wĺ̥kʷos''. In modern Albanian, it is known as ''Ulqin''. The name, through Late (Vulgar) Roman, became

Middle Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. It was also the administrative language in the former Roman Provinces of Mauretania, Numidia and Africa Proconsularis under the Vandals ...

Ulcinium, (), and ''Dolchin'', modern Italian ''Dulcigno''

Slavic Slavic, Slav or Slavonic may refer to: Peoples * Slavic peoples, an ethno-linguistic group living in Europe and Asia ** East Slavic peoples, eastern group of Slavic peoples ** South Slavic peoples, southern group of Slavic peoples ** West Slav ...

: ''Ulcinj'', Old Serbian: Льцин, Ульцин and .

History

Antiquity

Ulcinj is an ancient seaport. The wider area of Ulcinj has been inhabited since the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

, based on dating of Illyrian tombs (tumuli) found in the village of Zogaj, in the vicinity of Ulcinj. The town is believed to have been founded in the 5th century BC by colonists from

, as mentioned in the 3rd century BC poem by

Apollonius of Rhodes Apollonius of Rhodes ( ''Apollṓnios Rhódios''; ; fl. first half of 3rd century BC) was an ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek author, best known for the ''Argonautica'', an epic poem about Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Go ...

. Illyrians lived in the region at the time as there are traces of immense

Cyclopean walls Cyclopean masonry is a type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive limestone boulders, roughly fitted together with minimal clearance between adjacent stones and with clay mortar or no use of mortar. The boulders typi ...

still visible in the old Citadel. All through the pre-medieval period, Ulcinj was known as a pirate capital of the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

. This is also seen during the later period of

Illyrian Kingdom The Illyrian kingdom was an Illyrian political entity that existed on the western part of the Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. Regardless of the number of the alternately ruling dynasties, of their tribal affiliation, and of the actual ex ...

. From 20 BC to around 300 AD, the inhabitants of Ulcinj were known to be very confrontational towards foreigners they were especially concerned by border disputes.

Roman

In 168 BC, during the

Third Illyrian War The Illyrian Wars were a series of wars fought between the Roman Republic and the Illyrian kingdom under the Ardiaei and Labeatae. In the ''First Illyrian War'', which lasted from 229 BC to 228 BC, Rome's concern was that the trade across the Adri ...

, Olcinium broke with

Gentius Gentius (, ''Génthios''; 181–168 BC) was an Illyrian king who belonged to the Labeatan dynasty. He ruled in 181–168 BC, being the last attested Illyrian king. He was the son of Pleuratus III, a king who kept positive relations with Rome. ...

and defected to the Romans (

45:26:2). Under Roman rule the town received the status of ''oppidum civium Romanorum'' (settlement of Roman citizens), only to be later granted ''

municipium In ancient Rome, the Latin term (: ) referred to a town or city. Etymologically, the was a social contract among ('duty holders'), or citizens of the town. The duties () were a communal obligation assumed by the in exchange for the privileges ...

'' (independent town) status. The '' Periplus Maris Erythraei'' names several Indian ports from where large ships sailed in an easterly direction to ''Khruse'' (Kruče - seaside village in Ulcinj). From circa 820, the city was the see of a Diocese of Ulcinj, which was only suppressed in 1532, and would be revived as a Latin

titular bishopric A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

Medieval period

In the 9th century, it was in the Dyrrhachium theme, a military governorate of the

. In 1010, ''Tsar''

Samuel of Bulgaria Samuel (also Samoil or Samuil; , ; , ; Old Church Slavonic: Самоилъ; died 6 October 1014) was the Tsar (''Emperor'') of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. From 977 to 997, he was a general under Roman I of Bulgaria, th ...

(r. 997-1014†) failed to conquer the town during the war against the Byzantines. By 1040, ''archon''

Stefan Vojislav Stefan Vojislav ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Војислав, ; 1034–d. 1043) was the Prince of Duklja from 1018 to 1043. Beginning in the year 1018, he served as a Byzantine governor, until 1034 when he led an unsuccessful revolt that landed him i ...

Duklja Duklja ( sr-Cyrl, Дукља; ; ) was a medieval South Slavs, South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana river in the east, and to the sou ...

conquered the region. In 1183, Serbian Prince

Stefan Nemanja Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...

conquered Olcinium and the town prospered as one of the most significant coastal towns. Ulcinj remained in Nemanjić hands in their Kingdom and

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

, and after the death of Emperor Dušan (r. 1331-1355†), the region, known as ''Lower

Zeta Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...

'', was under the supervision of ''gospodin'' Žarko, a ''voivode'' of Emperor

Uroš the Weak __NOTOC__ Uroš ( sr-Cyrl, Урош) is a South Slavic masculine given name used primarily by Slovenes and Serbs. This noun has been interpreted as "lords", because it usually appears in conjunction with ''velmõžie'' () "magnates", as in the phra ...

until his death in 1360. Žarko's lands were then held by the Balšić family. Under Balšić control, Ulcinj continued to be an important town and also minted coins.

Venetian and Ottoman rule

According to historian Luigi Paulucci at the time of the Venetians the town was half Albanian, a quarter Venetian and one quarter Slavic. In 1496

Arnold von Harff 250px, Page of Arnold von Harff's book, with the Breton-low German vocabulary with a drawing of the way Nantes people were dressed Arnold von Harff (1471 in Castell Harff, Bedburg – January 1505) was a 15th-century German traveler from Köl ...

created a German-Albanian

dictionary A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged Alphabetical order, alphabetically (or by Semitic root, consonantal root for Semitic languages or radical-and-stroke sorting, radical an ...

simply by interacting with the population of the city. The Venetians attempted to capture the town twice, in

1696 Events January–March * January 21 – The Recoinage Act, passed by the Parliament of England to pull counterfeit silver coins out of circulation, becomes law.James E. Thorold Rogers, ''The First Nine Years of the Bank of E ...

and

1718 Events January – March * January 7 – In India, Sufi rebel leader Shah Inayat Shaheed from Sindh who had led attacks against the Mughal Empire, is beheaded days after being tricked into meeting with the Mughals to discuss ...

, but were unsuccessful on both occasions. During the 19th century, the town began to regain its position as a flourishing port. The geographer Antonio Baldacci reported a merchant marine of 500 ships plying the trade routes between the Adriatic and Mediterranean coasts. In 1867, Ulcinj became a

kaza A kaza (, "judgment" or "jurisdiction") was an administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. It is also discussed in English under the names district, subdistrict, and juridical district. Kazas co ...

of the İşkodra sanjak of

Rumeli Rumelia (; ; ) was a historical region in Southeastern Europe that was administered by the Ottoman Empire, roughly corresponding to the Balkans. In its wider sense, it was used to refer to all Ottoman possessions and vassals in Europe. These ...

veyalet. After the

Congress of Berlin At the Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878), the major European powers revised the territorial and political terms imposed by the Russian Empire on the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of San Stefano (March 1878), which had ended the Rus ...

in 1878, borders between Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire were redrawn, with Plav and

Gusinje Gusinje (, ; ) is a small town in Montenegro in the northern region. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 1,673 and is the administrative center of Gusinje Municipality. Name Two alternative etymologies have been proposed ...

being ceded to Montenegro. But Muslim Albanian resistance prevented the Montenegrins from taking over Plav and Gusinje, so the Great Powers in 1880 decided to reverse the territorial transfer and offered Ulcinj, then also known as Dulcigno, to Montenegro as compensation. This led to a dispute between the Ottoman Empire and the Principality of Montenegro as the Ottoman Empire initially refused to recognize the treaty's provisions regarding Dulcigno. The Ottoman garrison in the town had been in place since the 16th century, but Montenegro claimed that the town and its surrounding territory were historically part of its territory. In May 1880, the Great Powers (Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Russia) protested diplomatically and organized a naval demonstration off the coast of Dulcigno to put pressure on the Ottoman Empire to resolve the dispute peacefully. The Ottoman Empire eventually agreed to cede the town and surrounding territory to Montenegro in exchange for compensation. The surrender of Dulcigno to Montenegro marked a significant expansion of Montenegro's territory and was seen as a diplomatic victory for the Great Powers, who had prevented a potentially violent conflict in the region. After the city's annexation to Montenegro, of its 8,000-strong population about 3,000 Albanians left and settled elsewhere in northern Albania. 142 Montenegrin families were brought to settle in the outskirts of Ulcinj in the 1880s. The population of Ulcinj steadily decreased until the post-WWII period.

20th century to present

Ulcinj became a part of the

Kingdom of Montenegro The Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe, present-day Montenegro, during the tumultuous period of time on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Officially it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolu ...

from 1878 until 1918 when Montenegro was absorbed into the

Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...

for a short time before all would be incorporated into the first of the Yugoslav federations at the end of the year. Ulcinj remained within a Montenegrin entity whilst a South Slavic state had existed until 2006 when which it became part of an independent Montenegro following a referendum. During the 20th century, Ulcinj survived heavy declines and new ascents. Ulcinj was the second biggest town of Montenegro when it joined the kingdom in 1880. In just three decades, it slid back to 6th place for economic development and number of inhabitants (after Podgorica, Niksic, Cetinje, Tivat and Plava). During World War I Ulcinj was conquered by Austria-Hungary in 1916 and Italy on November 4, 1918, and since 1920 it was part of the Serbo-Croatian-Slovenian Kingdom, later known as the

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

. As the southernmost city of the coast of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Ulcinj had a strong turnaround in the 1930s with the development of the tourist industry. At that time hotels were built such as Krištja, Republic, Jadran and Koop (later Galeb). World War II halted economic momentum. From 1941 to 1944, Ulcinj was under the Albanian administration. On November 7, 1943, Ulcinj was bombarded by Allied forces, with over 46 people killed and many more injured. The

Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...

took Ulcinj on November 26, 1944, and the city become part of

Socialist Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...

. The 1950s and 1960s marked the greatest period of economic development for Ulcinj, with the construction of a range of modern hotels in the city and the Great Plain, as well as major economic collectives (NHT "Riviera of Ulcinj", "Agroulqini", Primary Building Company, "Otrantkomerc", "Ultep" and others). It demarcated the southernmost end of the

Adriatic Highway The Adriatic Highway () is a road that stretches along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and is part of the European route E65. The road passes through Croatia, with smaller stretches through Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro and end ...

("magistrala"), also constructed in the 50s and 60s. In the catastrophic Montenegro earthquake on April 15, 1979, the city was severely damaged, but after only a few years, with the solidarity of the citizens of entire Yugoslavia, it was quickly renovated. Ulcinj at the end of the eighties had about 40 percent of the tourist turnover in Montenegro, while two-thirds of the guests were foreign, mostly German. During the

Kosovo War The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...

, in 1998 and 1999, thousands of

Kosovo Albanians The Albanians of Kosovo (, ), also commonly called Kosovo Albanians, Kosovan Albanians or Kosovars (), constitute the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. Kosovo Albanians belong to the Albanians, ethnic Albanian sub-group of Ghegs, who inhabit the ...

flocked to Ulcinj and its surroundings, where they were welcomed in the best possible conditions by the ethnic Albanian population of Ulcinj and the surrounding area.

Geography

Neighbourhoods

*''Çarshia'' (mn. ''Čaršija''), is a

neighbourhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neighbourh ...

and town centre which connects the old and new parts (neighbourhoods). In 2009 it was reconstructed, with the

asphalt Asphalt most often refers to: * Bitumen, also known as "liquid asphalt cement" or simply "asphalt", a viscous form of petroleum mainly used as a binder in asphalt concrete * Asphalt concrete, a mixture of bitumen with coarse and fine aggregates, u ...

being changed into

sett A sett or set is a badger's den. It usually consists of a network of tunnels and numerous entrances. The largest setts are spacious enough to accommodate 15 or more animals with up to of tunnels and as many as 40 openings. Such elaborate setts ...

and the water and electrical system were changed. The neighbourhood has some 200 shops. There are two

mosques A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were simple p ...

located in this area, the Namazgjahu Mosque and Kryepazari Mosque.

Climate

Ulcinj has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(''Csa'') in the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

.Peel, M. C. et a
''Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification.''
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 2007, Volume 11(1027–5606) pp1633–1644 DOI 10.5194 Hess-11-1633-2007. Winters are cool and very rainy, and summers are hot and humid with possible afternoon thunder showers. Unlike

Podgorica Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...

which is located inland, temperatures rarely exceed and seldom drop below .

Demographics

Ulcinj is the administrative centre of

, which has a population of 21,395. The town of Ulcinj itself has a population of 11,488. Ulcinj Municipality is the centre of the Albanian community in Montenegro. It is one of two municipalities in Montenegro where

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

form the majority with 70%, the other being

Tuzi Tuzi (, ; or ''Tuzi'') is a small town in the central region of Montenegro, and the seat of Tuzi Municipality. It is located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers north of Lake S ...

with a 68% majority.

Ethnicity, language and religion

The majority ethnic group in Ulcinj are

. The largest spoken language is

. Population by ethnicity (2011 census): Population by mother tongue (2011 census): Population by religion (2011 census):

Tourism

Ulcinj is a tourist destination in summer. In January 2010, the

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

named ranked the south coast region of Montenegro, featuring

Velika Plaza Velika (Cyrillic: Велика; "great" (fem.) in South Slavic) may refer to: Places * Velika (bishopric), a medieval bishopric associated with Clement of Ohrid * Velika, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village in Derventa * Velika, Bulgaria, a village ...

Ada Bojana Ada Bojana ( cnr-Cyrl, Ада Бојана, ; ) is an island in the Ulcinj, Ulcinj Municipality in Montenegro. The name ''Ada'' means "river island" in Montenegrin language, Montenegrin. The island is created by a river delta of the Buna (Adriat ...

, and the

Hotel Mediteran The Hotel Mediteran Ulcinj, located in the coastal town of Ulcinj in Montenegro, is one of the first privatization deals completed by the new nation of Montenegro. The hotel was acquired by in July 2005 through the Commerce Court of Podgorica. ...

, as one of "The Top 31 Places to Go in 2010". Although Ulcinj is still undiscovered by many travelers from larger countries, repeat tourists and an increasing number of first-time visitors make it a hot spot for vacationers between the months of May and September. It is most famous for its sandy beaches. The most valuable resource of the Ulcinj riviera is

Velika plaža Velika Plaža (; ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Велика Плажа), ;, lit. "Big Beach") is a beach in Ulcinj Municipality, Montenegro. It stretches from Port Milena in Ulcinj to the Bojana River, which separates it from Ada Bojana.

(), which is a long stretch of sandy beach and the longest beach on the Montenegrin coast. There is a small pebble beach called Ladies Beach which folk tradition holds to have qualities conducive to fertility. There is also a beach called '' Mala Plaža'' () which is much smaller in size, but is located in the centre of town and very popular with visitors. "The Korzo", as it is called by locals, is a

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortification, fortress or city walls ...

which separates a street lined with coffee shops from Mala plaža. At night during the summer months, the Korzo is pedestrianised and families and young people gather. There are many more less known smaller beaches that serve as get-aways from the main tourist areas. Ulcinj has also a large number of religious buildings like

türbe ''Türbe'' refers to a Muslim mausoleum, tomb or grave often in the Turkish-speaking areas and for the mausolea of Ottoman sultans, nobles and notables. A typical türbe is located in the grounds of a mosque or complex, often endowed by the ...

s and churches, including

Pasha's Mosque Pasha's Mosque (; ) is one of six mosques in the city of Ulcinj, in Montenegro. History It was built by citizens of Ulcinj using goods from captured Venetian ships following an attack on Ulcinj by the Republic of Venice. The mosque was built in ...

, Sailors' Mosque and St. Nicholas' Church. Ulcinj's old town is a well preserved citadel surviving from medieval times. The old town sits atop a rocky bluff overlooking the shore and is being rapidly restored as a tourist centre.

is popular among foreign tourists from

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...

for its peace and atmosphere. A large

naturist Naturism is a lifestyle of practicing non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to the cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism. Though the two terms a ...

campsite is located in Ada Bojana.

and Ulcinj's salt pond are visited by birdwatchers, because Ulcinj and its surroundings are major resting points for over 200 bird species on their migration paths. There are numerous cafés, discos, and bars that dot the city that are usually filled to capacity throughout the summer. The majority of tourists that visit Ulcinj are

, Serbians, Croatians, Bosnians, Slovenians, Macedonians, Russians, Ukrainians, and other Europeans.

Education

Sports and recreation

Ulcinj's southern coast is well known for its active sports, recreation possibilities and hunting.

Kitesurfing Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, snow, sand, or other surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snow ...

, all manner of water sports at

, scuba diving among wrecks and sunken cities,

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

orienteering Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigation, navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specia ...

cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

through the olive groves at

Valdanos Valdanos ( sr-cyrl, Валданос; Albanian: Valdanosi) is a beach and major olive production region in Ulcinj Municipality, Montenegro. Valdanos Bay is one of many beaches in Montenegro's South Coast well-known to Montenegrins and visitors, wh ...

, long walks along the pristine beaches of the south coast of Montenegro, even deep sea fishing on the Adriatic, lake fishing at

Lake Skadar Lake Skadar or Lake Scutari (, ; cnr-Cyrl-Latn, Скадарско језеро, Skadarsko jezero, )also called Lake Shkodra (and ''Lake Shkodër'')lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, and is the largest lake in Southern Europe. It is n ...

, and river fishing in

, Due to the fact that the favorable habitat for wild life, has excellent conditions of hunting tourism. This place is the haven of

ornithological Ornithology, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (''órnis''), meaning "bird", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study", is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related discip ...

(gourmand) hunting in Reč and Shenkol most common wildlife are

woodcock The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of sandpipers in the genus ''Scolopax''. The genus name is Latin for a snipe or woodcock, and until around 1800 was used to refer to a variety of waders. The English name ...

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves ...

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

, and

ducks Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

. List of sport clubs in Ulcinj:

Transport

Ulcinj is connected with the rest of Montenegro by a two-lane highway. It is connected with other coastal towns by the

. Reaching inland is made possible by detouring from the Adriatic Highway at

Budva Budva (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 27,445 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budv ...

Sutomore Sutomore (, , , ) is a town in Coastal region of Montenegro in Bar Municipality. A 2011 census put the population at 2,004. History When it was under the control of the Republic of Venice from 1420 to 1797, Sutomore was called ''Spizza'' (in ...

(through the Sozina Tunnel). As of today, there are no airports in the city of Ulcinj. However, nearby airports in

Tivat Tivat (Serbo-Croatian: Tivat/Тиват, ) is a town in Coastal region of Montenegro, located in the Bay of Kotor. , its population was 9,367. Tivat is the centre of Tivat Municipality, which is the smallest municipality by area in Montenegro. ...

and

are both around away. There are regular flights to

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

and

Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

from Tivat. Podgorica Airport has regular flights to major

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and destinations throughout the year. Many tourists traveling to Ulcinj from abroad arrive to the city from the airport in Tivat due to its recent renovations and general ease of navigation. There are also intercity buses that connect to other towns in the country and buses that go to

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

, and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

(during tourist seasons) as well

Flixbus FlixBus (; styled FLiXBUS) is a German brand that offers low-cost Intercity bus service, intercity coach services in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. It is owned by , which also operates FlixTrain, FlixCar, , and Greyhound Lines. F ...

operates in this area connecting to Shkoder and

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...

for the moment.

International relations

Ulcinj is a founding member of the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Region. Ulcinj is twinned with: *

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and ea ...

, Albania *

Deçan Deçan (, ; , ) is a town and municipality in the district of Gjakova, Kosovo. The municipality has an area of and it includes the town and 37 smaller settlements. According to the last census of 2024, the municipality has a population of 27,7 ...

, Kosovo * Liesing (Vienna), Austria *

Lukavac Lukavac ( cyrl, Лукавац) is a city located in the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the urban centre has a population of 12,061 inhabitants, with 44 ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina *

Serik Serik is a municipality and district of Antalya Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,263 km2, and its population is 139,545 (2022). It is east of the city of Antalya, along the Mediterranean coast. Geography Towards the coast the district is ma ...

, Turkey * Stari Grad (Sarajevo), Bosnia and Herzegovina *

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

, USA *

Uzhhorod Uzhhorod (, ; , ; , ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality on the Uzh, Uzh River in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. The city is approximately equidistan ...

, Ukraine

Cooperation and friendship

Ulcinj also cooperates with: *

Durrës Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the List of cities and towns in Albania#List, second most populous city of the Albania, Republic of Albania and county seat, seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest ...

, Albania

Notable people

Đurađ II Balšić Đurađ II Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ II Балшић; ) or George II Balsha 1385 – April 1403), was the Lord of Zeta from 1385 to 1403, as a member of the Balšić noble family. He was the son of Stracimir Balšić, and succeeded ...

, Lord of

from 1385 to 1403, member of the

Balšić noble family The House of Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Балшићи; ), or Balsha, were a noble family that ruled " Zeta and the coastlands" (current-day southern Montenegro and northern Albania), from 1362 to 1421, during and after the fall of the Serbian Empire. ...

. * Dritan Abazović, Prime Minister of Montenegro * Jelena Balšić, daughter of

Lazar of Serbia Lazar Hrebeljanović ( sr-Cyrl, Лазар Хребељановић; – 15 June 1389) was a medieval Serbian ruler who created the largest and most powerful state on the territory of the disintegrated Serbian Empire. Lazar's state, referre ...

, author of

Gorički zbornik The Gorički zbornik ( sr-cyr, Горички зборник) or the Gorica's Almanac or Gorica Miscellany or the Manuscript of Gorica is a Serbian medieval manuscript collection written by Jelena Lazarević and monk Nikon of Jerusalem in 1441 a ...

, first woman writer in South Slavs * Gjon Buzuku, Catholic priest who wrote the first known printed book in Albanian * Cafo Beg Ulqini, First Albanian born Mayor of the Ulcinj Municipality, Regent of the Albanian Kingdom, Leader of Second League of Prizren and Knight of the Order of Skanderbeg *

Pjetër Gjoka Pjetër Gjoka (3 August 1912 – 12 May 1982) was an Albanian film and theatre actor. He started his theatre activity with the amateur groups in Shkodër in 1929. In 1947 he started to work as a full-time actor in the National Theatre of Albani ...

, actor and People's Artist of Albania * Rizo Šurla, photographer, and actor of African descent * John VIII or Giovanni Bruni, archbishop of Bar (1551–1571) * Adrian Lulgjuraj, Montenegrin-Albanian singer * Alex Rudaj, Albanian-American mobster * Lika Ceni, Captain and Pirate Commander * Rade Tovladijac, Serbian comic book artist * Mark Gjonaj, Albanian-American politician * Mujo Ulqinaku, Albanian officer and a People's Hero of Albania *

, İzmir born mystic, founder of the Jewish

Sabbatean The Sabbateans (or Sabbatians) are a variety of Jewish followers, disciples, and believers in Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676), an Ottoman Jewish rabbi and Kabbalist who was proclaimed to be the Jewish Messiah in 1666 by Nathan of Gaza. Vast ...

movement *

Andrej Nikolaidis Andrej Nikolaidis (; born May 7, 1974) is a Montenegrin- Bosnian novelist, columnist, and political adviser. His novel ''Sin'' (The Son) won the European Union Prize for Literature in 2011. The English translation was published in 2013 by Istro ...

, writer *

Božidar Đurašković Božidar Ðurašković ( sr-cyr, Божидар Ђурашковић; born 27 December 1924) is a former Yugoslav middle distance runner who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was born in Ulcinj Ulcinj () is a town in the Coastal Montene ...

, athlete *

Vladimir Mihailović Vladimir Mihailović, ( born August 10, 1990) is a Montenegrin professional basketball player for Zadar of the Croatian League and the ABA League. Standing at , he plays as a guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Body ...

, basketball player *

Gazmend Çitaku Gazmend Çitaku is an Albanian Montenegrin photographer, publisher, and librarian. Born on December 4, 1970, in Skenderaj, Kosovo, he lives and works in Ulcinj, Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat ...

is an Albanian Montenegrin photographer, publisher, and librarian * , Serbian musician

Bibliography

Notes

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ulcinj Populated places in Ulcinj Municipality Mediterranean port cities and towns in Montenegro Illyrian Montenegro Cities in ancient Illyria Greek colonies in Illyria Gegëri Albanian communities in Montenegro