Montenegro Tours & Activities 
Ostrog Monastery Tour
Tour details
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Ostrog Monastery Tour
The Ostrog complex is comprised of the Lower and Upper monastery, respectively named Donji Ostrog and Gornji Ostrog. The Upper Monastery is built at the place where Sveti Vasilije spent many years as a monk praying and fasting. Sveti Vasilije/St. Basil is known as a healer and there are countless stories of his miracles. Pilgrims from all over the world, regardless of religion, language, nationality and other differences, come to pray by the earthly remains of the THE MIRACLEMAKER as he is known throughout the world. Until recently, the pilgrims in Ostrog went on foot. Some still go to fulfill a vow. Modern transportation is much easier for the arrival of the faithful in Ostrog. On big holidays, national assemblies are held, and several thousands of pilgrims visit the Monastery at this time.
This tour starts in Podgorica. The tour continues on the Podgorica-Niksic highway towards the village Bogetici. From the settlement to the monastery, the road is 9 km long. The main points of this tour are the Lower Monastry and the Upper Monastery where the holy remains of St. Vasilije are preserved.
The first point is the Lower Monastery. The Trinity Church in the Lower monastery dates from 1824 and is a modest stone architecture with a high belfry. On the plateau above the Lower monastery is a church consecrated to Saint Martyrs Stanko, built in year 2004. The building of ex-sanctuary serves as an accommodation for the visitors.
As well as for its religious importance The Upper Monastery is known for its unique setting. From far away, it looks like a small dot lost in amongst the gray wall of the mountain. One can see the Upper Monastery from afar situated atop the vertical cliff high above the valley of the river Zeta that emerges beneath it. The Upper Monastery can be reached by a short drive up the serpents (this section of the road is in perfect condition), or by a half an hour through the woods, the path that many of the believers cover bare-footed. The Upper Monastery is composed of two small churches in the cave, built into the steep rock. The Holy Cross Church was built in 1665. It is placed within a cave.
Very close to the church is a corner where the miraculous vine grape grows, in spite of bad conditions for grapes on a rock 900 m above sea level.
According to legend, when Basil fell to his death coming he fell on his knees and prayed that his body be buried in that cavern. He died on 29th April, 1972. Seven years later, he appeared in a dream to a monk Gavrilo and bid him to reopen his sepulcher, in which his body was found intact. The miraculous relics of St Basil are placed in the other church consecrated to the Presentation of Our Lady.
Beside the monastery is the konak (night quarters), a peaceful resting place. Among the candles, icons, books and jewelry in the souvenir shops, visitors could be given pay free bottled saint water and oil.
After this tour the travellers can decide to have a lunch in the national restaurant in Bogetici, famous for variety of Montenegrin specialities offer.
Participant guidelines
It is desirable that visitors to the monastery could be properly dressed (without shorts and low neckline).
Where to eat: The national restaurant "Koliba" is located in the center of the village, on the beginning (or the end) of a paint staking tour to Ostrog. His restaurant is almost always jam-packed. Nevertheless, the hurried waiters manage it all and you will promptly be served with a plate from a wide choice of national dishes, some of which are more than enormous.
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