The Legend of Saint Stefan – Diversity in Time

According to the tradition, the fortress was built on the islet in 1442 and was immediately settled. The great walls encircling it served to protect the families from the surrounding villages from Turkish invasions and pirates. The legend notes that the village came to be after the Paštreovići armed unit scored a victory over the garrisons of Turkish galleys which were on their way to attack Kotor. The war trophy, a chest of gold, was used to build the fortress with one house for each of the twelve Paštrovići Court had been resolving disputes for decades on the terrace above the entrance gate of Saint Stefan which gave it its rightfully named nickname "the place of justice".

The islet of Saint Stefan presents one of the most beautiful parts of the Riviera of Budva and Montenegro coast. It is of rare appearance encircled with tall ramparts of stone. What used to be a fishermen's town is now a well known and recognized hotel town that does not leave anyone indifferent. It's unique historical islet with 118 villas that have maintained their medieval architecture and are connected with narrow paths of stone. It used to be the fortress of the inhabitants of Paštrovići, the people who settled this region. To show reference to the past, the ramparts of Saint Stefan still have the loopholes for rifle fire and cannons that these courageous people used in the wars of conquest.

Due to its favorable location, Saint Stefan was a trading and transportation center. The village lost its importance during the end of the 19th century when the settlers, mainly fisherman, started leaving the islet. In search of better life they traveled to Constantinople and later to America and the distant Australia. The town made of stone awaited the Second World War deserted. It was totally evacuated in 1955 after a complete adaptation and subsequently it was turned into a unique "Town Hotel," not only for this region but for the the entire world. The street the foofs, and the sidings of the latest interiors and hotel facilities. Famous people and politicians from around the world stayed at the popular "Saint." Among them were the legendary La Pasionaria, authors Marlo and Robert Moravia, Yuri Gagarin - the Soviet astronaut, Mikis Teodorakis - the Greek composer, movie stars Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Jeremy Irons, Monica Vitti, Marina Vlady, Kirk Douglas, Sergei Bondarchuk, Silvester Stallone, Goran Sekulic - the Painter, the chess player Robert Fisher and Boris Spaski, including the German super model, Claudia Shifer...

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Europe / Serbia and Montenegro

Lat: 42° 15' 23.77" N
Long: 18° 53' 34.04" E

→ maps.google.com [EXT]

Precision is: High. Pinpoints the exact spot.

Nikon CP5700 "on hand," PanoTools, PTLens, Enblend, Pano2QTVR. My legend Nikon CP5700 "is dead," this is the last panorama from him.

LEGENDA O SVETOM STEFANU - NEKAD I SAD

Čuveni grad-ostrvo-hotel na crnogorskoj obali

Prema predanju, tvrđava koja je na ostrvu sagrađena 1442. godine, i naseljena prvim stanovnicima bila je opasana zidinama da bi se u njima mogle sklanjati porodice iz okolnih sela pred najezdom Turaka i gusara. Po legendi, naselje je nastalo poslije pobjede paštrovskog oružanog odreda nad posadama turskih galija koje su krenule da napadnu Kotor. Od zarobljenog plijena, kovčega zlata, podignuta je tvrđava sa po jednom kućom za svako od dvanaest paštrovskih plemena. Na Svetom Stefanu, na terasi iznad ulaznih vrata, paštrovski sud je decenijama dijelio pravdu i rješavao sporove, zbog čega je bilo i nazvano "mjesto od pravde".

Nesvakidađnjeg izgleda, opasano visokim kamenim bedemima, ostrvo Sveti Stefan predstavlja jedan od najljepših djelova Budvanske rivijere i Crnogorske obale. Nekada ribarsko naselje, sada svjetski poznat i priznat, grad hotel Sveti Stefan nikoga ne ostavlja ravnodušnim. Unikatno istorijsko ostrvo sa 118 vila koje su zadržale srednjovijekovnu arhitekturu, međusobno povezuju, kamenom popločane, uske ulice. Nekada utvrđenje Paštrovića, naroda koji naseljava ovo područje, na bedemima Svetog Stefana i danas se nalaze puškarnice i topovi koje je ovaj hrabri narod koristio u borbi protiv osvajača.

Zbog pogodnog položaja Sveti Stefan je bio trgovinski i saobraćajni centar. Naselje lagano gubi značaj krajem XIX vijeka, kada se stanovništvo. mahom ribarsko, počelo iseljavati. Tjerani tegobnim životom i oskudicama, napustili su ga i u potrazi za boljim životom odlazili put Carigrada, kasnije Amerike i daleke Australije. Kameni grad dočekuje kraj Drugog svijetskog rata pust, a potpuno iseljavanje izvrše no je 1955 godine, kada je ostrvo kompletno adaptirano i pretvoreno u najneobičniji "grad-hotel" na svijetu. Ulice, zidovi, krovovi, fasade kuća, zadržale su orginalni oblik, a unutrašnjost je dobila najsavremeniji hotelski komfor. Na popularnom "Svecu" ljetovale su poznate ličnosti i državnici iz cijelog svijeta. Među njima i legendarna La Pasionaria, književnici Marlo i Roberto Moravija, sovjetski kosmonaut Gagarin, grčki kompozitor Mikis Teodorakis, filmske zvezde: Elizabet Tejlor, Sofija Loren, Džeremi Ajrons, Monika Viti, Marina Vladi, Kirk Daglas, Sergej Bondarčuk, Silvestee Stalone, slikar Goran Sekulić, šahisti Robert Fišer i Boris Spaski, kao i njemački supermodel Klaudija Šifer...

Oprema: Nikon CP5700 "iz ruke", PanoTools, PTLens, Enblend, Pano2QTVR. Kako je moj legendarni Nikon CP5700 "crkao" ovo je posljednja panorama sa njega.