A walk through the city center of the Royal Capital, or rather its lifeblood - Njegoševa Street, despite the history that radiates from every stone, brick and building, has not been complete since 1979. The cafes, shops, old dilapidated buildings and worn sidewalks are impressive, but Cetinje is still missing that last important piece of soul.
This significant cultural detail and hospitality gem was acquired by the city in the mid-1860s, and then Mother Nature took it away in an earthquake in 1979, taking hundreds of lives across Montenegro. Since then, instead of the place near Artists' Square where old poets, diplomats, and weary travelers gather to share their journeys and events in various world languages, there is now only a desolate lot.
However, after almost half a century, someone has looked back at that key missing point in the heart of the city and finally embarked on the process of restoring its former glory to one of the most important pillars of Montenegrin culture - the Lokanda Hotel.
So today, many are pinning their hopes on the restoration of the former historic building, for which they are willing to pay almost 14 million euros.
The first hotel in Montenegro
That Lokanda was more than a hotel, that it was not just a place for travelers to rest, but also the heart of the social life of Cetinje, a witness to the times and changes that shaped Montenegro, said the Deputy Mayor of the Royal Capital, Marko Brnović. As he says, educated Montenegrins living abroad, prominent citizens and foreigners gathered in the hotel, creating the core of the national youth. That is why, as Brnović explains, Lokanda became the spiritual center of the intellectual forces of the state, from which Montenegrin political, democratic, national and literary thought developed.
“Lokanda was also a place where travel writers, poets, artists and famous diplomats gathered. Its guests included Bernard Shaw, who visited Dubrovnik and Cetinje in 1929 and described Montenegrins as simple but very good people, then the poet Byron who was delighted with the beauties of Montenegro and many other important figures, and the atmosphere that prevailed in Lokanda was masterfully described by Momo Kapor in the book ‘The Green Tea of Montenegro’ - as a place where the spirit of Montenegro lived in full glory. After more than a century of existence, when it represented a city legend, Lokanda met its end in the earthquake of 1979. However, its story did not end with the earthquake and ruins. Even today, the mention of the name 'Lokanda' arouses pride among the residents of Cetinje, and while walking along Njegoševa Street where the hotel once stood, one can feel traces of the past that continue to revive memories of those times," said Brnović.
The story of the hotel, he claims, goes back to 1864, when Lokanda was built as the first hotel in Montenegro, thus taking a special place in the history of the city and the country and becoming a vital part of the cultural and historical heritage. Brnović pointed out that it was built during the reign of Prince Nikola I Petrović Njegoš, in parallel with the flourishing of social life, and therefore a greater number of visits from foreigners to this city. He adds that this is precisely what led to the need to build a new accommodation space, because the previous private rooms and taverns could not meet the needs of the arriving guests.
Brnović points out that Lokanda was built in this way at the initiative of the president of the Montenegrin Senate and father of Prince Nikola - Mirko Petrović, and was later named the "Grand Hotel".
The tavern originated at the end of Njegoševa Street, and together with the later built Girls' Institute, the English Embassy building, the post office, and the city park, it formed a square.
According to old photographs, it can be concluded that Cetinje was built with modest funds during that time period, which necessitated simplicity in the construction and furnishing of all buildings, including the Lokanda.
Brnović nevertheless pointed out that nowhere in the documentation and literature is the name of the hotel designer mentioned, but that taking into account that French experts were present in Montenegro at the time and designed several facilities, it can be assumed that Lokanda is their work.
“The hotel was small in terms of the number of rooms, as there were only eight at the beginning, but it soon became known for its service, French cuisine, the best wines, and especially the quality and friendly staff who spoke several foreign languages, which is confirmed by the fact that the menus were printed in several different languages. Later, floors, lounges and restaurants were added on several occasions, and the hotel building was repaired several times, especially in the interwar period when it had 41 rooms and about 100 beds, but it mostly retained its original appearance. The hotel also housed the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in the first half of the twentieth century. Taking into account its historical importance, cultural significance and value for Cetinje, as well as the pride it arouses in the inhabitants of our city, the hotel is classified as a cultural monument of Montenegro, as an immovable cultural property of the III category of national importance. "It was thus placed under protection as an integral part of the cultural property 'Historical Core of Cetinje', which possesses cultural and historical values and as a precious treasure that testifies to the glorious past of Cetinje and Montenegro," Brnović pointed out.
The legend comes to life in February
There is nothing left of the Lokanda in Cetinje today, except for the construction fence surrounding its former plot - which is now covered in excavated sand.
Brnović, however, adds that the legend of the hotel lives on today in the hearts of the locals and those who created memories there, and although the walls are no longer there, the spirit, splendor, and elegance remain forever etched in the history of the Royal Capital.
That is precisely why, he says, reconstruction is of vital importance, in order to ensure the protection of cultural heritage and the valorization of all the city's potential.
That is why, claims Brnović, the Royal Capital announced a tender for a public-private partnership (PPP) on October 30 last year, or rather, for the selection of a private partner for the design, financing, construction and management of the Lokanda hotel with a two-story underground garage and the ground-level development of Artists' Square.
The project is worth 13,78 million euros, and the tender job went to the "Talija Company" from Herceg Novi.
"This is the first public call for the award of a PPP contract in Montenegro in accordance with the new PPP Law. The public call was completed on December 26, 2024, and after the procedure for assessing the correctness and obtaining the consent of the competent state institutions for the decision to award the contract, in mid-February 2025 we expect to sign the contract with the selected private partner and finally begin the implementation of this project. In addition to its cultural and historical significance, the construction of the hotel will improve tourism and accommodation capacities and create conditions for the creation of new jobs. The project also includes the construction of an underground garage with 130 new parking spaces in the very center of the city, given that it is a protected cultural property, the hotel will be in the same building as before. This means that it will have about 30 rooms and between 40 and 50 beds. "The draft PPP contract foresees 30 months for the implementation of the project, six months for the preparation of project and technical documentation, and after obtaining all approvals for the project and technical documentation, 24 months are foreseen for the construction of the hotel and underground garage," he emphasized, adding that this is one of the most significant projects for the Royal Capital and that they expect multiple benefits from the hotel.
Brnović reminded that they have been working on the renovation of the Lokanda for three years and that they have met all legal requirements and obtained all approvals for the project, and that the PPP feasibility analysis, draft contract for the work, conservation research to obtain precise data on the hotel's dimensions, construction method and other information have been completed...
Center for Cosmopolitan Dialogue
The importance of the hotel was not diminished by Cetinje historian Petar Glendža, who told "Vijesti" that Lokanda has immeasurable significance for Cetinje, both in the period when it was built and 50 years after its demolition, so he is very happy about the news of its restoration.
However, he says that this is the first step and that he believes that in addition to organizing the functioning of the hotel at a high level, it is necessary to take into account the elements that will convince anyone who visits Lokanda that they have not come to just any hotel, but to a cult place with tradition. As he says, this is important not only for foreigners but also for Montenegro, to remember that in Cetinje at the end of the 19th century, it was completely normal to discuss current world and Montenegrin topics at one table in Lokanda - in nine different languages.
Glendža said that the hotel was built between 1863 and 1864 as a state project in the form of a joint-stock company, which attempted to resolve the issue of servicing various diplomatic and other foreign visitors. He also emphasized that there were more and more such guests during that period, and that the initiator of the project was Duke Mirko Petrović.
He pointed out that it was built with elements of classicism and that, despite major renovations, it managed to preserve a harmonious appearance that left an impression on all guests. He emphasized that the inn initially consisted of eight rooms and a restaurant, and then at the beginning of the 20th century it had XNUMX rooms, two restaurants, a café and a very well-equipped wine cellar. Glendža added that renovations were also carried out in the interwar period, during which the capacity of the rooms was doubled.
“All the prominent guests of the Montenegrin court, Montenegro and Cetinje, were in fact guests of the Lokanda. From all the mentions in travelogues and periodicals, we see that the Lokanda was in fact the main gathering center for all foreigners, which made it a portal connecting Montenegro and Cetinje with the then modern world. The impressions of travel writers that they could drink French cognacs or German beers there; that they could find and read German literary magazines or European newspapers; that they could communicate with the staff in French, English, German, Italian, Russian and Greek... are examples that speak first of all of the seriousness that was dedicated to the organization and functioning of the hotel, and then of the importance that it obviously had. "And the fact that it was also the official address of the US diplomatic mission is confirmation of its status," Glendža said, emphasizing that the hotel was demolished after the 1979 earthquake, meaning that it was too damaged, which is why the decision to demolish it was made.
He says that even today, people in Cetinje say that the decision to demolish the building was taken lightly, and that these arguments are mainly based on photographs from the demolition - which show that the damage is not that visible - and the need to use a huge amount of explosives. Glendža added that the powerful detonation is the main memory, still etched in the collective memory of the city.
"I would not venture to make such an assessment, but I would like to point out that the decision is truly surprising. Unless we consider it as part of the overall treatment of Cetinje after 1945 by the republican authorities, and conclude that for these reasons no attempt was made to find another solution that does not mean the complete elimination of such an important and significant witness to the glorious past of the Montenegrin capital," said Glendža.
The people of Cetinje cannot - and do not hide - that they love this hotel, but it is clear to everyone that the center of the Royal Capital, already rich in history and buildings, will not be complete until the last missing jewel is added to its crown - Lokanda.
Received conservation conditions
The restaurant has the status of immovable cultural property based on a decision from 1960. It belonged to the cultural and historical entity "Historical Core of Cetinje" which has the same status, so work on buildings in this entity is subject to the provisions of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property.
This was officially stated to "Vijesti" by the Ministry of Culture and Media, when asked whether Lokanda is part of cultural heritage and whether they are participating in its restoration.
They explained that the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, at the request of the Royal Capital, issued conservation conditions, which are the basis for the preparation of project documentation for the renovation.
"Its status has not changed, given that there is documentation on its visual appearance and content, which is the basis for reconstruction. The Directorate for Cultural Heritage, as an organizational unit of the Ministry, is responsible for developing strategies for the protection, preservation, valorization and presentation of immovable, movable and intangible cultural heritage, achieving public interest, creating conditions for the commissioning and sustainable development of facilities, its economic valorization and presentation, strategic planning for sustainable development, improving the situation, providing a material basis, conditions and incentive measures for the development of cultural heritage," the department said.
Bonus video:
