Herceg Novi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Herceg Novi Херцег нови
Town and municipality
Herceg Novi
Flag Coat of arms
Herceg Novi Location in Montenegro Show map of Montenegro Herceg Novi Location in Balkans Show map of Balkans
Country	Montenegro
Municipality	Herceg Novi
Founded as Sveti Stefan	1382
Settlements	27
Area
• Town and municipality	235 km2 (91 sq mi)
Population  (2011 census)
• Rank	3rd in Montenegro
• Density	140/km2 (400/sq mi)
• Urban	19,536
• Rural	11,328
• Municipality	30,864
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	85340
Area code	+382 31
ISO 3166-2 code	ME-08
Car plates	HN
Website

Herceg Novi (Cyrillic: Херцег Нови) is a town in the coastal region of Montenegro. It is located at the western entrance to the beautiful Bay of Kotor. The town sits at the foot of Mount Orjen.

Herceg Novi is the main town of the Herceg Novi Municipality. About 33,000 people live there. The town was first built as a fortress in 1382. It was founded by the King of Bosnia, Tvrtko I Kotromanić. He named it after Saint Stephen, but people soon called it Novi, meaning "New". In Italian, it was known as Castelnuovo, which also means "New Castle".

Herceg Novi has a long and interesting history. It has been ruled by many different groups. This has given the city a mix of cool and different building styles. Even though it's one of the newer towns on the Adriatic coast, it has seen a lot of changes!

What's in a Name?

When Tvrtko I of Bosnia founded the town, he named it after Saint Stephen. But people quickly started calling it Novi, which means "New" in the local language. It was also known as Castelnuovo in Italian, meaning "New Castle".

Later, the town came under the control of the Kosača noble family. It became their winter home. During this time, the town got a new name. They added the title herceg (which means "duke" in Serbo-Croatian) from Stjepan Vukčić Kosača to the name Novi. This is how it got its current name, Herceg Novi.

In Montenegrin, it's called Herceg Novi or Херцег Нови. In Italian, it's Castelnuovo. In Greek, it's Neòkastron. All these names mean 'new castle'. The name Herceg Novi, as we know it today, was first written down in a Turkish document in 1726.

A Look Back: Herceg Novi's History

Long, long ago, people lived in this area. Archeological finds show that people were here during the Stone Age and early Bronze Age. In the 3rd century BC, the Roman Republic took control after winning against the Illyrians.

After the Roman Empire split, the area was ruled by the Byzantine Empire. Slavic tribes then moved into these lands around the 7th century AD. The small settlement was part of a Byzantine area called Dračevica. This area later belonged to the Principality of Travunija.

How Herceg Novi Was Founded

The fortress of Novi built by Tvrtko I, overlooking the Old Town of Herceg Novi and the Adriatic Sea.

The Bosnian kingdom needed a good port on the Adriatic Sea. King Tvrtko I of Bosnia decided to build a new town. In 1382, he built a new fortress in the Bay of Kotor. It was built where a small fishing village used to be. He wanted it to be a new center for trading salt.

He first named the city after Saint Stephen. But people quickly started calling it Novi, meaning "new".

After King Tvrtko died, Duke Sandalj Hranić took over Novi. During his time, the town became important for salt trading. When he died, his nephew, Duke Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, inherited it. The town grew even more important and became Stjepan's winter home. This is when it got its new name: Herceg Novi.

Under Ottoman Rule

The Ottomans took over Herceg Novi in 1481. They ruled for about 200 years. The Ottomans built the Kanli Tower, which is still there today.

For a short time, between 1538 and 1539, the Spanish held the town. They built a fort called Hispaniola above the city. This fort is still very well-preserved.

In 1608, a big earthquake hit Herceg Novi and caused a lot of damage.

Herceg Novi in 1700, when it was part of Albania Veneta.

Modern Times

In 1687, the city was captured by the Republic of Venice. It became part of their territory called Albania Veneta. The Venetians made the old town walls and towers stronger. They also added a Citadella tower, but it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1979.

Herceg Novi was then taken by Austria in 1798. But it was later given to Russia in 1805. The Russians officially controlled Herceg Novi from 1806 to 1807.

Then, in 1807, Herceg Novi was given to Napoleon I Bonaparte's French Empire. The French ruled the city from 1807. It was part of Dalmatia and then the new Illyrian Provinces.

Herceg Novi in 1837.

In 1813, Montenegrin forces took over Herceg Novi. It was under a temporary government supported by Montenegro. But in 1814, Austrian forces arrived. The Prince-Bishop of Montenegro handed the territory over to Austrian control. The Bay of Kotor, including Herceg Novi, was under Austro-Hungarian control until 1918.

The 20th Century

An Austrian stamp from 1867 with "Castelnuovo" (Herceg Novi) on it.

Former coat of arms of Herceg Novi.

During World War I, the Kingdom of Montenegro tried to take back the Bay of Kotor. But by 1916, Austria-Hungary defeated Montenegro.

In 1918, the Serbian Army entered the bay. People welcomed them as Slavic liberators. The bay then became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was later called Yugoslavia.

During World War II, Herceg Novi was taken by Italy in 1941. It became part of the province of Cattaro.

Yugoslav Partisan forces later took back Herceg Novi in 1943. After the war, Herceg Novi became part of the People's Republic of Montenegro within Yugoslavia.

In 1970, a famous blitz chess tournament was held in Herceg Novi. It featured four World Champions and was considered one of the strongest blitz tournaments ever!

People of Herceg Novi

Old town gate at night.

The Herceg Novi municipality stretches along the coast. Many towns are located along this strip. In 2011, about 30,864 people lived in the municipality.

Different Backgrounds

People from many different backgrounds live in Herceg Novi. Here's a look at the main groups from the 2011 census:

Religions in Herceg Novi

People in Herceg Novi follow different religions. Here are the numbers from the 2011 census:

Fun Things to Do: Tourism

Mirište Beach.

Statue of Tvrtko I of Bosnia in the downtown harbour of Herceg Novi.

Herceg Novi is a popular place for tourists in Montenegro. It's known as a spa and health center. Nearby Igalo has lots of "igaljsko blato" (healing sea mud) and "igaljske slatine" (mineral springs). These are great for health treatments!

Some famous places to visit in Herceg Novi include:

• Forte Mare castle: Built by the Bosnian king Tvrtko I in 1382.
• Clock tower: Built by the Austrians in the 19th century.
• Kanli tower: Built by the Turks.
• Old churches and monasteries: Like the Church of St. Ilija, the Church of the Holy Salvation, and the Savina Monastery.

While the city itself doesn't have long sandy beaches, you can easily reach many beaches by boat. Tourist companies offer one-day boat trips to the Luštica peninsula. This peninsula is right across from the town. Popular beaches there include Žanjic, Mirište, and Rose.

Culture and Arts

A walkway in Herceg Novi.

"JUK Herceg-Fest" is a cultural center that started in 1992. It helps organize many fun events in the city. These include the mimosa celebration, local plays, and film and music festivals.

The Operosa Opera Festival happens in the summer. It takes place in the Kanli Kula amphitheater, which is inside the old fortress. It also uses the Forte Mare fortress.

The Herceg Novi City Archive keeps old documents and records. The oldest document there is from 1685! The archive also has a library with about 30,000 books. It's open to the public.

The Historical Museum opened in 1953. The building was a gift to the city from a former mayor, Mirko Komnenović.

The City library has at least 30,000 books. Many people have donated books to this collection.

Getting Around: Transportation

A panoramic view of Herceg Novi in August 2017.

Herceg Novi is often the last stop for buses coming from Montenegro and Serbia. The Adriatic Motorway, a two-lane road along the coast, goes through Herceg Novi. It connects to the Croatian road network at the Debeli Brijeg border.

A ferry operates across the Verige Strait. This ferry helps you avoid driving all the way around the Bay of Kotor. It makes it easier to reach towns like Tivat, Kotor, and Budva.

Tivat Airport is about 23 kilometers (14 miles) away if you take the ferry. It has regular flights to Belgrade and Zürich. Many charter planes also land there in the summer. Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) away. It has regular flights to many European cities.

Weather in Herceg Novi

A pomegranate tree near the bus station in Herceg Novi in September 2018.

The Bay of Kotor area has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain in the winter. Herceg Novi has its own special weather. This is because it's close to the sea and has mountains behind it. The mountains help block cold air.

Herceg Novi gets about 200 sunny days each year. In July and August, there are about 11 sunny hours every day.

The average temperature for the whole year is about 16.2°C (61.2°F). This is similar to cities like Naples and Lisbon. The temperature doesn't change much during the day, usually only about 4°C (7.2°F). In summer, from May to September, the average temperature is around 25°C (77°F). The sea temperature in summer is also warm, between 22°C and 26°C (72°F and 79°F).

The area gets about 1930 mm (76 inches) of rain each year. The air is most humid (80%) in the fall. It's least humid (63%) in the summer.

Friends Around the World: Sister Cities

Herceg Novi is twinned with many cities around the world. This means they are friendly partners and often share culture and ideas.

Images for kids

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  Catholic church in Herceg Novi.

See Also

In Spanish: Herceg Novi para niños