Ulcinj

Ulcinj
Town
Coat of arms
Ulcinj Location of Ulcinj
Coordinates: 41.92°N 19.20°E / 41.92; 19.20
Country	Montenegro
Municipality	Ulcinj Municipality
Settlements	39
Government
• Mayor	Nazif Cungu
• Ruling party	DPS - Forca - DP
Area
• Total	255 km2 (98 sq mi)
Population (2011 census)
• Total	10,828
• Density	79.47/km2 (205.8/sq mi)
• Municipality	20,290
Demonym(s)	Ulcinjani Ulqinakë
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	85360
Area code	+382 30
ISO 3166-2 code	ME-20
Car plates	UL
Website	http://www.komunaeulqinit.com

Ulcinj (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Улцињ, pronounced [ǔlt͡siɲ]; Albanian: Ulqini) is a town on the southern coast of Montenegro and the capital of Ulcinj Municipality. It has an urban population of 10,707 (2011), the majority being Albanians.

As one of the oldest settlements in the Adriatic coast, it was founded in 5th century BC by Ancient Greeks. It was captured by the Romans in 163 BC from the Illyrians. With the division of the Roman Empire, it became part of the Byzantine Empire. During Middle Ages it was under South Slavic rule for a few centuries. In 1405 it became part of Republic of Venice and in 1571 part of Ottoman Empire. Ulcinj was ceded to the Principality of Montenegro in 1880.

Ulcinj is a famous destination for tourists, because of its Long Beach, Lake Šas, Ada Bojana Island, for its two-millennia-old Ulcinj Castle and many religious objects. Ulcinj is also the centre of the Albanian community in Montenegro.

Name

Early historian Livy (59 BC–AD 17) mentioned it, as did Pliny the Elder (23–79), who mentioned it as Olcinium, its old name Colchinium, "founded by [settlers from] Colchis" (Olchinium quod antea Colchinium dictum est a Colchis conditum). Ptolemy (90–168) mentions the city as Greek Oulkinion (Ουλκίνιον). The name, through Late (Vulgar) Roman, became Slavic Ulcinj, Italian: Dulcigno (pronounced [dulˈtʃiɲɲo]) and Turkish: Ülgün.

Geography

Neighbourhoods

• Çarshia (Montenegrin Čaršija), is a neighborhood and town centre which connects the old and new parts (neighbourhoods). In 2009 it was reconstructed, with the asphalt being changed into sett and the water and electrical system were changed. The neighbourhood has some 200 shops. It has an oriental atmosphere. There are two mosques located in this area, the Namazgjahu Mosque and Kryepazari Mosque.
• Pinješ
• Meterizi
• Meraja
• Mala Kolumbija
• Nova Mahala
• Potok
• Liman
• Pristan

History

Antiquity

An old map of Ulcinj

Ulcinj is an ancient seaport. The wider area of Ulcinj has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, 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 Colchis, as mentioned in the 3rd century BC poem by Apollonius of Rhodes. Illyrians lived in the region at the time as there are traces of immense Cyclopean walls still visible in the old Citadel.

All the way in the pre-medieval period, Ulcinj was known as one of the pirate capitals of the Adriatic Sea. This is also seen during the later period of Illyrian Kingdom. Inhabitants of Ulcinj were known before time of Christ, especially from 20 BC to around 300 AD, to be very confrontational to those who were foreigners to their land; they were especially meticulous about border disputes as well.

Roman

In 163 BC, the Romans captured Colchinium and renamed the town Olcinium. Under Roman rule the town received the status of oppidum civium Romanorum (settlement of Roman citizens), only to be later granted municipium (independent town) status. A section of their re-fortification can be distinguished from the Illyrio-Greek by the rustication of the walls.

After the division of the Roman Empire, Ulcinj became a part of the Byzantine province of Prevalis and the population converted to Christianity. From Medieval times, and quiet likely earlier, it was regarded as an important trading and maritime center and still maintained the status of city autonomy.

Medieval period and South Slavic rule

In the 9th century, it was in the Dyrrhachium theme, of the Byzantine Empire. In 1010, Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria (r. 997-1014†) failed to conquer the town during the war against the Byzantines. By 1040, archon Stefan Vojislav of Duklja conquered the region. In 1183, Serbian Prince Stefan Nemanja conquered Olcinium and the town prospered as one of the most significant coastal towns. Ulcinj remained in Nemanjić hands in their Kingdom and Empire, and after the death of Emperor Dušan (r. 1331-1355†), the region, known as Lower Zeta, was under the supervision of gospodin Žarko, a voivode of Emperor Uroš the Weak 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. The Balšić Tower in the upper part of the Old Town was built by the Montenegrins in the late 14th century.

Venetian and Ottoman rule

In 1405 the Venetians conquered the town. Under Venetian control, the city was renamed Dulcigno in Italian, and it was incorporated in the Albania Veneta. The Venetians maintained control until 1571, when the Ottoman Turks conquered Dulcigno with the help of Barbary pirates, who didn't leave the town after conquering. It remained within the Ottoman domain for over 300 years, during which time its far-reaching reputation as a lair of pirates with very strong fleet was established.

In the 17th century a self-proclaimed Jewish Messiah named Sabbatai Zevi caused turmoil throughout the Ottoman Empire with his evangelizing, which attracted thousands of followers. He was eventually captured and exiled to Ulcinj in 1666, where he died quietly ten years later. He was buried in the courtyard of a Muslim house which is still preserved as a mausoleum; along with two Jewish alters in the Balšic Tower.

In 1867, Ulcinj became a kaza of the İşkodra sanjak of Rumeli veyalet of the Ottoman Empire. After the Congress of Berlin in 1878, borders between Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire were redrawn, with Ulcinj becoming part of Montenegro. Although prepared to cede Plav, Gusinje and the villages of Grudë, Hoti and Kastrati, Turkey still wanted to retain Ulcinj. Despite resistance against this decision, Montenegro, supported by British Prime Minister Gladstone and others from western Europe, resisted. Gladstone "threatened to occupy the customs house at Smyrna" On 30 November 1880 the town became part of Montenegro.

XXth century

Throughout the XX century Ulcinj had suffered heavy falls but amazing rises too. Its maritime and trade had a weaker and weaker pulls, so that the town declined.

It was in the thirties of the XX century that it experienced a strong turning point. At this time the Salt factory – Solana and the hotels like Republika, Jadran and Koop (later Galeb) were built, which made Ulcinj to an economic and tourist centre in the state. Unfortunately, World War II definitely ended this zest.

Ulcinj had to wait two decades after the end of the war to see its most beautiful time in this century. A lot of modern hotels were built in the town and on Velika Plaža – Long Beach, and huge companies such as HTP “Ulcinjska Rivijera”, “Agroulcinj”, the civil engineering company “Primorje”, “Otrantkomerc”, “Ultep”… were founded, which contributed to a great economic development. By the end of the eighties Ulcinj had made almost 40 % of the total tourist turnover in Montenegro, and two thirds of the tourists were from abroad, mostly from Germany.

In the catastrophic earthquake on April 1979 the town suffered severe damages; however, it was just a couple of years later that it was renewed thanks to the solidarity of the citizens of the whole SFR Yugoslavia.

Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006

During the 2006 referendum on Montenegro's independence, the Ulcinj municipality voted overwhelmingly to leave the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. This was partly due to the region's large Albanian population. Other regions of Montenegro with large minority populations also voted in favor of independence.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1948	4,385	—
1953	4,919	+12.2%
1961	5,705	+16.0%
1971	7,459	+30.7%
1981	9,140	+22.5%
1991	10,025	+9.7%
2003	10,828	+8.0%
2011	10,707	−1.1%

Bilingual sign in Ulcinj.

Bilingual sign in Ulcinj.

Ulcinj is the administrative centre of Ulcinj Municipality, which has a population of 19,921. The town of Ulcinj itself has a population of 10,707. Ulcinj Municipality is the centre of the Albanian community in Montenegro. It is the only municipality in Montenegro where Albanians form the majority with 60%.

Ethnicity

The majority ethnic group in Ulcinj are Albanians. The largest spoken language is Albanian.

Population by ethnicity (2011 census):

Population of Ulcinj (municipality) by ethnicity Albanians    60% Montenegrins    12.44% Bosniaks    6.12% Serbs    5.75% Roma/Egyptians    1.17% other    3.86%

Population of Ulcinj (town) by ethnicity Albanians    60.89% Montenegrins    17.07% Serbs    8.54% Bosniaks    7.30% Roma/Egyptians    2.12% other    4.08%

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Montenegro

Twin towns – Sister cities

Ulcinj is twinned with:

– Liesing (23rd district of Vienna), Austria – Lukavac, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Stari Grad, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Prizren, Kosovo – Uzhhorod, Ukraine

– Berat, Albania – Durrës, Albania – Serik, Turkey

Tourism

The old town of Ulcinj

Ulcinj is a popular tourist destination in summer. In January 2010, the New York Times named ranked the south coast region of Montenegro, featuring Velika Plaza, Ada Bojana, and the Hotel Mediteran, as one of "The Top 31 Places to Go in 2010".

Although still undiscovered by many travelers from larger countries, repeat tourists and an increasing amount of first time visitors make Ulcinj a hot spot for vacationers between the months of May and September. It is most famous for its sandy beaches, which are considered the most beautiful in Montenegro. The most valuable resource of the Ulcinj riviera is Velika plaža (Albanian: Plazha e Madhe, English: Long Beach), which is a 12 km (7.5 mi) 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 (Albanian: Plazha e Vogël, English: Small Beach) 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 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 mosques, tyrbes and churches, including: Pasha's Mosque, Sailors' Mosque and St. Nicholas' Church.

Ulcinj's old town is a well preserved castle-looking community that is left over from medieval times. The old town sits atop a mountain overlooking the shore and is a tourist attraction on its own.

Ada Bojana (Albanian: Ada Buna) is popular among foreign tourists from Western Europe for its peace and unique atmosphere. A large naturist campsite is located in Ada Bojana.

Šaško lake and Ulcinj's salt pond are popular among 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 Albanians (mostly from the United States), Serbians, Bosnians, Russians, Poles, Czechs and other Europeans.

Ulcinj Panorama

Sports and recreation

The Ulcinj "south coast" region is well known for its active sports, recreation possibilities and hunting . Kitesurfing at Ada Bojana, all manner of water sports at Velika plaža, scuba diving among wrecks and sunken town near Kruče, mountain biking, hiking, orienteering, cycling through the olive groves at Valdanos, long walks along the pristine beaches of the south coast of Montenegro, even deep sea fishing on the Adriatic, lake fishing at Lake Skadar, and river fishing in Ada Bojana, Due to the fact that the favorable habitat for wild life, has excellent conditions of hunting tourism.This place is the haven of omithological (gourmand) hunting in Reč and Shenkol most common wildlife are woodcock, Hare, Wild boar, and ducks. The beautiful attraction with flora and fauna in Ulcinj makes it an unforgettable journey in hunting activities.

Climate

Ulcinj has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa), with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Unlike Podgorica temperatures very rarely exceed 35 °C (95 °F) and seldom drop below 0 °C (32 °F).

Climate data for Ulcinj, Montenegro
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	17.8 (64)	20.0 (68)	22.8 (73)	25.0 (77)	30.0 (86)	33.9 (93)	37.8 (100)	40.0 (104)	32.8 (91)	28.9 (84)	23.3 (73.9)	18.9 (66)	40.0 (104)
Average high °C (°F)	11.2 (52.2)	11.4 (52.5)	14.6 (58.3)	17.9 (64.2)	22.1 (71.8)	26.2 (79.2)	29.2 (84.6)	29.2 (84.6)	26.1 (79)	21.3 (70.3)	16.1 (61)	11.8 (53.2)	19.76 (67.58)
Average low °C (°F)	4.1 (39.4)	4.7 (40.5)	6.2 (43.2)	10.1 (50.2)	14.1 (57.4)	17.7 (63.9)	21.2 (70.2)	21.1 (70)	17.3 (63.1)	13.1 (55.6)	9.0 (48.2)	4.6 (40.3)	11.93 (53.5)
Record low °C (°F)	−7.8 (18)	−6.1 (21)	−3.0 (26.6)	3.9 (39)	6.7 (44.1)	10.0 (50)	13.1 (55.6)	13.3 (55.9)	9.8 (49.6)	6.1 (43)	−1.1 (30)	−5.3 (22.5)	−7.8 (18)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	149 (5.87)	138 (5.43)	116 (4.57)	115 (4.53)	67 (2.64)	46 (1.81)	25 (0.98)	49 (1.93)	85 (3.35)	148 (5.83)	174 (6.85)	146 (5.75)	1,258 (49.54)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	12.3	12.1	11.8	11.8	8.2	6.7	3.8	4.3	6.6	9.7	12.8	12.4	112.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours	124.0	127.1	170.5	204.0	269.7	297.0	350.3	322.4	252.0	198.4	132.0	114.7	2,562.1
Source: Hydrological and Meteorological Service of Montenegro

Transport

Community Health Centre in Ulcinj

Ulcinj is connected with the rest of Montenegro by two-lane highway. It is connected with other coastal towns by the Adriatic Motorway. Reaching inland is made possible by detouring from the Adriatic Motorway at Budva or Sutomore (through the Sozina tunnel).

As of today, there are no airports in the city of Ulcinj. However, nearby airports in Tivat and Podgorica are both around 70 km (43 mi) away. There are regular flights to Belgrade and Zürich from Tivat. Podgorica Airport has regular flights to major European 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.

People

Notable people who lived in Ulcinj or its surroundings:

• Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish writer
• Đurađ II Balšić, Lord of Zeta from 1385 to 1403, member of the Balšić noble family.
• Jelena Balšić, Serbian noblewoman of Lazarević dynasty, author of Gorički zbornik, first woman writer in South Slavs
• Gjon Buzuku, Catholic priest who wrote the first known printed book in Albanian
• Pjetër Gjoka, actor and People's Artist of Albania
• Gasparo Bruni, Knight of the Order of Malta (16th Century), Fought in the Battle of Lepanto (1571)
• John VIII or Giovanni Bruni, archbishop of Bar, 1551-1571
• Adrian Lulgjuraj, singer
• Ndoc Martini, painter
• Alex Rudaj, Albanian-American mobster
• Likaceni, Captain and Pirate Commander
• Kaplan Burović, dissident, poet, Albanologist
• Rade Tovladijac, Serbian comic book artist
• Mujo Ulqinaku, Albanian officer and a People's Hero of Albania
• Sabbatai Zevi, İzmir born mystic, founder of the Jewish Sabbatean movement
• Andrej Nikolaidis, Montenegrin writer
• Cafo Beg Ulqini, Leader of Second League of Prizren and Knight in the Order of Skandebeg
• Božidar Đurašković, Montenegrin athlete, gold medal winner at Mediterranean Games
• Vladimir Mihailović, Montenegrin basketball national team player

See also

• Albanians in Montenegro
• List of mayors of Ulcinj
• List of mosques in Ulcinj
• Tourism in Montenegro
• Ulcinj Airport
• Ulcinj Municipality

References

• Istorija Ulcinja. Balkan. 2009. 
• Istorija i poreklo stanovništva Ulcinja i njegovih sela. Institut za poljoprivredu. 1990. 
• Maksud Hadžibrahimović; Ismet Kalezić; Miodrag Mirović; Mileva Nikolaidis, Abaz Rečica (1989). Ulcinj. Tourist Alliance of the Commune. ISBN 978-86-7133-141-8. 
•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dulcigno". Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 652. 
• World Climate staff (2011). "WorldClimate: Ulcinj". Retrieved July 2012. 

External links

• "Travel Guide Ulcinj". Retrieved July 2012. 
• "Visit Ulcinj Tourism Official Guide". Retrieved July 2012. 
• "Ulcinj Muzeum". Retrieved January 2017.