Location Lake Skadar Width 2 km (1.2 mi) Population 218 (2003) Elevation 330 m | Length 1 km (0.6 mi) Highest elevation 330 m (1,080 ft) Ethnic groups Montenegrins, Serbs | |
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Vranjina (BCS: Vrnjina/Vranjina/Врањина; Albanian: Vraninë/Vranina) is an island in Skadar Lake in the Montenegrin municipality of Podgorica. Vranjina is also the village on the island. Until the first half of the 18th century Vranjina, like other islands of Skadar lake, was one of the hills in the Zeta—Skadar lowlands.
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Map of Vranjina, Montenegro
About the island
Created by a delta of the Morača River, the island is in the northern part of the lake. It has an area of 4.6 km2 and its highest point is at 296 meters, making it the highest island in Montenegro.
The island is connected to the mainland by a bridge, towards Podgorica, and a causeway, across the lake towards Bar.
A Serbian Orthodox monastery Vranjina is a well-known feature on the island. According to the legend, the island had different name before the monastery has been built. When Ilarion Šišojević, the first metropolitan bishop of the Zetan Orthodox Metropolitanate, started the construction of the monastery he decided that the island will be named against the first bird he would notice. It was a crow (Serbian: Врана).
Vranjina town, on the shores of the Skadar lake, is called the Montenegrin Venice because of its natural setting. It is a popular fishing spot. Several fish restaurants located on the island include Plantaže restaurant.
A notable local landmarks include the so-called "house of Oso Kuka", named after an Ottoman border guard of Albanian descent who died at the island struggling against Montenegrin forces in 1862.