Whilst Montenegro is a pearl, the Kotor-Lovcen Gondola Lift is a jewel of ever growing value

When told that the view from Lovcen over Boka Bay is a million dollar worth, do not believe it for a moment. Total value of the Kotor-Lovcen Gondola Lift project, being the largest capital investment in Montenegro in 2023, is almost 30 million Euro. This figure has exceeded by even 10 million EUR value of the con- tract between the Government of Montenegro and concessionaire, the Leitner–Novi Volvox Consortium. A 30-year concession contract was signed in 2021.

This is undoubtedly a unique tourism attraction and likewise an investment opportunity.

A single thread is set to connect Boka, the historical and cultural heartbeat of Montenegro, the old royal capital Cetinje, the Port of Kotor – the heart of the Mediterranean cruise, Tivat Airport and the most popular tourism destination in this part of Europe – Budva.

The appeal of investment opportunities for amenities and facilities is best confirmed by opening of exclusive restau- rants, children’s playgrounds, and even a bobsleigh run.

The designed capacity of the gondola lift featuring 40 cabins is 1.200 passengers per hour with the expected number of 400.000 passengers in the first year of operation.

The ropeway is strung between Dub at 65 meters above sea level (Kotor) and Kuk at 1.350 meters above sea level (Lovcen). Travel time between the stations Dub and Kuk will take barely 11 minutes.

Location of the Dub terminal belongs to Grbalj Plain that is situated 200 meters away from the main road Budva – Tivat and 500 meters from Tivat Airport. The Kuk terminal is ment and innovations. the car cable complex. The cable car project, as previously explained, will provide for avoiding of the old road over Njegusi, contributing not only to its preservation but also to the air pollution mitigation by reducing emissions from vehicles. The investments is also expected to make a positive impact on the local food and beverage manufacturers not only from Kotor and Cetinje but from across Montenegro.

Evidently, the Kotor-Lovcen gondola lift is paving the way to fantastic investment opportunities. This particular project has placed Montenegro, today already, on the map of countries in Europe which presently includes only Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Norway and Spain.

Once a cableway for transport of weapons, ammunition and food supplies, today a European attraction located on the Kuk plateau on mountain Lovcen, at 1.348 meters above sea level. Hence, the height difference between two end points is 1.316. The spanning distance is 3.900 meters.

It is less known to the general public that there was a cableway at this very place more than a century ago. The one not built by Montenegro but Austria-Hungary. After declaring a war on the great Austro-Hungarian Empire, Montenegro fell under occupation in 1916.

All the stakeholders in tourism, hospitality, construction, transport, ecology and related activities expects the gondola lift will give a fresh impetus to develop-

Development of complementary facilities and eco-friendly environment

According to the investor, international and local visitors will have a chance to enjoy the unique panoramic view of the bay, a fast and green way of travelling from Kotor to Lovcen and various facilities and amenities enriching the offer of

Logo of the company is in a form of a gondola with the inner field containing contours of the Kotor serpentine road forming the shape of letter M, the mountain contours symbolizing Lovcen and the mountain top sunrise.

The legend says that the M-shaped section of serpentines cherishes the memory of Queen Milena by using the initial letter of her name in the design. And now, the local tale has been subtly incorporated in a new brand.

As history would have it, what is to become the lifeblood and driving force of the economy in this region of Montenegro was built in the early 20th century out of sheer necessity. The details of this cableway were recorded, among others, by Radojica Rašo Pavićević, in the publication “The Austro-Hungarian Cableway Kotor-Cetinje 1916 “.

Constructed in winter time and in the midst of war, this cable way served not passenger transport but transport of goods. Fast advancement in the cableway construction was credited to the extensive experience of the cableway formation of the Austro-Hungarian army in construction of cableways in Austria and Switzerland. The Austro-Hungarian army managed to build this three-route, slightly more than 18 km long transport cableway (Kotor-Krstac-Njeguši-Cetinje) in just six months in 1916.

„It was an extremely important, significant and complex venture. I have come across the records of a lieutenant captain of the battleship who described the weather conditions for execution of works in January as extremely severe and demanding. It took one hour to transport 7.500 kilos of material to Njeguši. As this was deemed insufficient, they built another branch to Škaljari and the final branch leading to Cetinje, which enabled transportation of the fascinating 110 tons of material per day” , records Pavićević.

The cableway capacity per load unit was 100 kilos, however it was designed to enable transport of 7.500 kilos of load per hour.

At the time of its occupation, Montenegro was placed under military administration governed by General Weber von Webenau, Commander of the 47th Infantry Division, delegated by Vienna, a man of experience in establishment and organization of government. The battles fought by the 3rd Army required the state of security and peace in Montenegro to make advance while having logistic support provided by cableway from Kotor to the hinterlands and further towards the military front.

The war-torn Montenegro was racked by famine. The cableway helped slightly improve the circumstances.

In addition to the weapons and ammunition, the logistic support also included food supplies for the troops. Given that the occupier had assumed responsibility for the seized territories and local population, it was necessary to provide about 200 thousand meals daily. All food supplies would be delivered at Kotor to be then transported by the cableway all the way to Lovćen.

In March 1916, the Ministry of War of Austria-Hungary ap- proved the supply of 200 thousand kilos of maize flour and 70 thousand kilos of bread to feed the troops and the population of Montenegro. Almost all food supplies were transported by this very cableway.

During the war, two middle stations were burned down, aerial cableway Kotor-Cetinje. As two middle stations burned down and parts of the machinery missing, procurement of the replacement parts would take long. Aware that the missing parts have never left the country, we appeal to the patriotism of those in possession to return the parts to the nearest followed by stealing of the cableway parts. With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the use of the cableway ceased.

With the war ended and Montenegro liberated, the allies were willing to reconstruct the partially damaged cableway.

Herald „New Age“ 1919 called for reconstruction of the Kotor-Cetinje Cableway.

„Our dear allies, the noble Americans, wanting to expedite delivery of food supplies, which have been increasingly piling up in Kotor, have thrown themselves into rehabilitation of the authorities…” reported the herald “New Age” at the time.

Nevertheless, the cableway has never seen its reconstruction. Never until now. The cableway is to become a European and world attraction.

Instead of weapons and food supplies, the cableway will serve the transport of tourists, connecting the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Kotor and National Park Lovćen with the Njegoš Mausoleum at its heart.

Source: “Austrougarska žičara Kotor-Cetinje 1916”, Radojica Rašo Pavićević, 2013. godina, AD Pobjeda