JELENA VOJNIC
After all, everything revolves around love. It all began when the supreme Greek god Zeus caused confusion by abducting the Phoenician princess Europa. While searching for his sister, Cadmus endured many trials, starting from the oracle at Delphi and ending up with the killing of a dragon. Because of this mythological sin, in his old age Cadmus was expelled from his hometown of Thebes together with his wife and daughter of the gods, Harmonia. Butoe (Budva) was named after the oxen that pulled the wagon of the legendary couple to their new abode that fate had decreed them.
So says the myth. The harmony between 2,500 years of tangible town history and even older natural environment in which it developed, tells us that the gods must have had a hand in it somehow.
The Old Town of Budva
According to the archeological data from the 4th century BC, the impressive ramparts of the Old Town of Budva rushed straight into the Adriatic as far back as when it was founded as a Hellenic colony. To this very day, the town walls have remained literally thrust in the sea, which proved to be the most faithful ally of the local people throughout their long history.
View of the sea from the Old Town
The town ramparts
The sea has always been the richest source of life, as well as the widest route leading out into the world and bringing the world into Budva. The bread winner of the town. Long time ago, it used to bring conquerors and traders to the city, today tourists come to enjoy it.
One can still get the best sea view from the Old Town if they go to the town walls, carefully directing their gaze through the stone loopholes. The city walls used to guard the settlement and its inhabitants from enemy attacks, but today they are good places for romantic rendezvous, strolling and moments of solitude. The ramparts widen into the Citadel, once a mighty military fortification, which today sometimes still succeeds in disguising itself into one of the “Theatre City” Festival stages.
The Town Ramparts
Plays are also performed on the smaller stage “between the churches” which is protected by the saints of different confessions - “Saint Mary in Punta” (840), “Saint Sava” (12th-13th centuries) and “Holy Trinity” (1804). The theatre tradition has gradually developed from the ancient tradition of religious processions and masked balls that grew and matured together with the city. The bright, cheerful spirit of the masked dancers is still thriving through the “Festadjuni" of Budva.
Saint Mary in Punta
Underneath the plateau in front of the church of Saint John (believed to be originally built in the 7th century), hidden from view, lie the Roman public baths (terme) from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.
Preserved parts of the Roman streets still lead into the building of the Town Museum of Budva. After many centuries, the traces of life left behind by the Illyrians, Greeks, and Romans are finally displayed in the new museum building: terra-cotta dishes which the people of Budva used to eat from in the 5th and 6th centuries BC; stone jars from which they tasted the thick, smooth Mediterranean wine; amphora for keeping the valuable golden yellow olive oil. Also urns, jewelry, coins, buckles, cutlery, medical instruments, and miniature multi-colored glass vessels for collecting sweet-smelling ointments or women tears, which might have been useful when their men would sail off to sea…
The remains of the ancient city gates through which those same sailors perhaps came back to their homes, are now displayed in the premises of a boutique where today one can find some modern items from Rome. Outside the walls of the Old Town, in a part of one of the popular cafes, lie the remains of Roman mosaics.
And so, yesterday and yoday learned to live side by side. Outside the protection of the Old Town stonewalls - today it leads, offering entertainments to suit different tastes – hotels, restaurants, discothèques, children’s entertainments and cafes packed together like sardines. "Saint Nicholas" still keeps a watchful eye on the shore and its numerous sandy beaches - being the only island in the vicinity.
Island "St. Nikola" (View through a loophole)
In the meantime, following its mythological founder, Budva is still searching for Europa. It hopes to find her again.
The Old Town of Budva
According to the archeological data from the 4th century BC, the impressive ramparts of the Old Town of Budva rushed straight into the Adriatic as far back as when it was founded as a Hellenic colony. To this very day, the town walls have remained literally thrust in the sea, which proved to be the most faithful ally of the local people throughout their long history.
View of the sea from the Old Town
The town ramparts
The sea has always been the richest source of life, as well as the widest route leading out into the world and bringing the world into Budva. The bread winner of the town. Long time ago, it used to bring conquerors and traders to the city, today tourists come to enjoy it.
One can still get the best sea view from the Old Town if they go to the town walls, carefully directing their gaze through the stone loopholes. The city walls used to guard the settlement and its inhabitants from enemy attacks, but today they are good places for romantic rendezvous, strolling and moments of solitude. The ramparts widen into the Citadel, once a mighty military fortification, which today sometimes still succeeds in disguising itself into one of the “Theatre City” Festival stages.
The Town Ramparts
Plays are also performed on the smaller stage “between the churches” which is protected by the saints of different confessions - “Saint Mary in Punta” (840), “Saint Sava” (12th-13th centuries) and “Holy Trinity” (1804). The theatre tradition has gradually developed from the ancient tradition of religious processions and masked balls that grew and matured together with the city. The bright, cheerful spirit of the masked dancers is still thriving through the “Festadjuni" of Budva.
Saint Mary in Punta
Underneath the plateau in front of the church of Saint John (believed to be originally built in the 7th century), hidden from view, lie the Roman public baths (terme) from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.
Preserved parts of the Roman streets still lead into the building of the Town Museum of Budva. After many centuries, the traces of life left behind by the Illyrians, Greeks, and Romans are finally displayed in the new museum building: terra-cotta dishes which the people of Budva used to eat from in the 5th and 6th centuries BC; stone jars from which they tasted the thick, smooth Mediterranean wine; amphora for keeping the valuable golden yellow olive oil. Also urns, jewelry, coins, buckles, cutlery, medical instruments, and miniature multi-colored glass vessels for collecting sweet-smelling ointments or women tears, which might have been useful when their men would sail off to sea…
The remains of the ancient city gates through which those same sailors perhaps came back to their homes, are now displayed in the premises of a boutique where today one can find some modern items from Rome. Outside the walls of the Old Town, in a part of one of the popular cafes, lie the remains of Roman mosaics.
And so, yesterday and yoday learned to live side by side. Outside the protection of the Old Town stonewalls - today it leads, offering entertainments to suit different tastes – hotels, restaurants, discothèques, children’s entertainments and cafes packed together like sardines. "Saint Nicholas" still keeps a watchful eye on the shore and its numerous sandy beaches - being the only island in the vicinity.
Island "St. Nikola" (View through a loophole)
In the meantime, following its mythological founder, Budva is still searching for Europa. It hopes to find her again.
