Tablja Fortification

Tablja Fortification (Cetinje-Montenegro)

Tablja was erected in 1833 by Peter II. Petrović Njegoš, and was conceived as the defensive fortress of the circular base. Tablja means a watch or fortification, and the word itself comes from the Arabic language. It was built above the Cetinje Monastery, and Njegoš planned to there accommodate 24 soldiers as the last line of Cetinje defense if needed. The Montenegrins were laying chopped Turkish heads on it – this horrible scene dominated Cetinje and horrified the visitors. Only in 1876, Prince Nikola I. Petrović, forbade choping off heads of the Turks in the Battle of Vučija, mainly because of the presence of foreign diplomats and journalists. Later on, Tablja was transformed into a bell tower, which rang the bell for big holidays and greeted significant guests. In 1937 tablja was destroyed and the elevation was piled up for the location of the new church building. The church bell tower, the new tablja was built on a nearby rock.

Category: Other attractions, Cetinje što posjetiti, Crna Gora što posjetiti,