Ulcinj

Ulcinj
Улцињ
Ulqin
Town and municipality
View over Ulcinj
The Pasha's Mosque
The Clocktower
Flag of Ulcinj
Flag
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Ulcinj is located in Montenegro
Ulcinj
Ulcinj
Location within Montenegro
Coordinates: 41°55′N 19°12′E / 41.92°N 19.20°E / 41.92; 19.20
CountryMontenegro
RegionCoastal
MunicipalityUlcinj
Settlements39
Government
 • TypeMayor-Assembly
 • MayorGenci Nimanbegu (FORCA)
Area
 • Town and municipality255 km2 (98 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 census)
 • Rank11th in Montenegro
 • Density79.47/km2 (205.8/sq mi)
 • Urban
11,488 Increase
 • Rural
9,907 Increase
 • Municipality
21,395 Increase
Demonym(s)Ulcinjani
Ulqinakë
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
85360
Area code+382 30
ISO 3166-2 codeME-20
Car platesUL
WebsiteOfficial Website

Ulcinj (Cyrillic: Улцињ, pronounced [ǔlt͡siɲ]; Albanian: Ulqin or Ulqini; Italian: Dulcigno) is a town in the Coastal region of Montenegro and the capital of Ulcinj Municipality.[1] It has an urban population of 11,488.[2]

As one of the oldest settlements in the Adriatic coast, it was founded in 5th century BC. It was captured by the Romans in 163 BC from the Illyrians. With the division of the Roman Empire, it was a part of the Byzantine Empire and Serbian Kingdom in the Middle Ages until the Republic of Venice captured it in 1405.[3] It was known as a base for piracy.[4] In 1571, Ulcinj was conquered by the Ottoman Empire with the aid of North African corsairs after the Battle of Lepanto.[5] The town gradually became a Muslim-majority settlement. Under the Ottomans, numerous hammams and mosques, and a clock tower were built. Ulcinj remained a den of piracy until this was finally put to an end by Mehmed Pasha Bushati. In 1673, the self-proclaimed Jewish Messiah Sabbatai Zevi was exiled here from Istanbul.[6] Ulcinj remained an Ottoman town for more than 300 years until it was ceded to the Principality of Montenegro in 1878.[7] It is a former medieval Catholic bishopric and remains a Latin titular see.[8]

Ulcinj is a popular destination for tourists, because of its Long Beach, Lake Šas, Ada Bojana Island and for Ulcinj Castle, parts of which date back two millennia[9] There are 26 mosques in the town and surrounding countryside.[10] Ulcinj is the centre of the Albanian community in Montenegro.[11]

  1. ^ "Visit Ulcinj". Inspire your travels - latest. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  2. ^ "Statistical Office of Montenegro". MONSTAT. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  3. ^ "Ulcinj". Discover Montenegro. 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  4. ^ "The Ulcinj pirates – TO Ulcinj". TO Ulcinj – Welcome to TO Ulcinj. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  5. ^ "Ulcinj in Middle Age – TO Ulcinj". TO Ulcinj – Welcome to TO Ulcinj. 2018-11-10. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  6. ^ "Sabbatai Zevi – TO Ulcinj". TO Ulcinj – Welcome to TO Ulcinj. 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  7. ^ "The History of Ulcinj". Visit Montenegro. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  8. ^ Čoralić, Lovorka (2011). "Verita d'alcuni heretici": The archbishop of Bar vs the count of Ulcinj - Two accusations, two testimonies (the sixteenth century)". Acta Histriae. 19 (3): 407–418.
  9. ^ "Ulcinj". My Guide Montenegro. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  10. ^ "Ulcinj travel - Montenegro, Europe". Lonely Planet. 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  11. ^ "Montenegro - People". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-06-18.