Sveti Stefan Свети Стефан | |
|---|---|
Town | |
.jpg) Sveti Stefan island | |
  Sveti Stefan Location within Montenegro | |
| Coordinates:42°15′21″N18°53′28″E / 42.25583°N 18.89111°E /42.25583; 18.89111 | |
| Country | Montenegro |
| Region | Coastal |
| Municipality | Budva |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 364 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 85315 |
Sveti Stefan (Montenegrin andSerbian: Свети Стефан,pronounced[sv̞ê̞ːtiːstê̞faːn];lit. "Saint Stephen") is a town inBudva Municipality, on the Adriatic coast ofMontenegro, approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southeast ofBudva.[1] The town is known for the Aman Sveti Stefan resort, a 5-star franchise of the international group ofAman Resorts.
Sveti Stefan consists of a small island now connected to the mainland by a narrowtombolo and the mainland part, where most of the residents live.
The island has a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) coast line in the central part of Montenegro Adriatic coast line. It is situated to the south of Budva betweenPržno andPetrovac na Moru. The pink sandy beaches of Sveti Stefan, Miločer Beach, and Queen's Beach are part of the coastline. The island encompasses an area of 12,400 m2 (133,000 sq ft).[2]
The earliest record of Sveti Stefan is as the capital of thePaštrovići community, which became a protectorate of theRepublic of Venice in 1423, having been independent since the twelfth century. The Paštrovići accepted Venetian sovereignty because they were fearful of attack from theTurks. They retained considerable autonomy and paid no tribute to Venice, in return for ceasing piracy against Venetian ships.[3]
According to a legend recounted byStjepan Mitrov Ljubiša, the town fortification was funded after Paštrovići looted Turkish ships moored in front ofJaz duringBarbarossa'ssiege of Kotor in 1539. The town was razed shortly after, during theFourth Ottoman–Venetian War. After continuous pleas by Paštrovići, the Venetian Republic agreed to rebuild it in the 16th century.[4] In the 15th century, the fortified village was built to defend against the Turks and became a haven for pirates of theAdriatic.[5]
Initially, the island with its fortress had twelve families. In the 1800s, a village was established on the island with a population of about 400 people. Villa Miločer was built between 1934 and 1936 as the summer residence of QueenMarija Karađorđević (1900–1961) of theKarađorđević family ofSerbia, which was refurbished as part of the Aman Sveti Stefan resorts that opened in 2008–2009.[2] The villa, surrounded by 800 olive trees, is laid out over a 32-hectare (79-acre) plot.[6]
The population of the island declined in the first half of the twentieth century, as residents left to join the armed forces or to move overseas. From 400 inhabitants in the nineteenth century, there were just 20 remaining by 1954. TheYugoslav government converted it into a luxury hotel and moved the remaining inhabitants to the mainland, and the island village became an exclusive resort frequented by high-profile elites of the world.[4]
One of the four churches belonging toPraskvica Monastery on Sveti Stefan was turned into a casino by the government.[7] The resort was visited by many celebrities, includingOrson Welles,Elizabeth Taylor,Sophia Loren,Marilyn Monroe,[1]Princess Margaret,Carlo Ponti,Ingemar Stenmark, andKirk Douglas.[8] It was described as "a '70s Adriatic playground on a hilly peninsula that's barely connected to the mainland".[9] It was also a venue for political conferences[10] and an occasional chess venue, attracting top-class players such asBoris Spassky andBobby Fischer.[11][12] However, thebreakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s brought a decline to the resort.
TheGovernment of Montenegro proposed to recreate the old charm of the island, inviting international bids for a revitalization project. The contract was awarded to Aman Resorts in 2007, and the refurbished resort was completed in 2009.[2] The Aman Sveti Stefan has a 30-year lease.[13][14] On 13 July 2010Montenegrin Statehood Day, Italian tenorAndrea Bocelli gave a concert at the resort to mark the Golden Jubilee of the hotel.[15] The hotel won the Hotel of the Year award from Gallivanter's Guide in 2010.
According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 364.
Population by ethnicity in 2011:[16]
| Aman Sveti Stefan | |
|---|---|
Аман Свети Стефан | |
 Villa Miločer | |
 Location within Montenegro | |
| General information | |
| Location | Sveti Stefan,Budva Municipality,Montenegro |
| Opening | December 2008 |
| Closed | 2020 |
| Owner | Aman Resorts |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 51[17] |
| Number of suites | 8 |
| Website | |
| Aman Sveti Stefan | |
Aman Sveti Stefan (formerlySveti Stefan Hotel) is a hotel resort in the town of Sveti Stefan, on the Adriatic coast ofMontenegro.[1] The resort includes the islet of Sveti Stefan and part of the mainland, where theVilla Miločer (pronounced[vîlamîlɔ̝tʃe̞r]) part of the resort is located. The hotel is a 5-star franchise hotel of the international group ofAman Resorts, completed in 2009 and operating under a 30-year lease. The hotel has been closed since early 2020 due toCOVID-19 pandemic, and remains closed with no announced reopening date. In communication to guests and media, Aman has indicated security concerns and conflicts with government entities as reasons for continued closure.[18][19]
The Aman Sveti Stefan resort has 58 guest rooms, cottages, and suites, including 8 suites that are part of the Villa Miločer. The Villa Miločer was built between 1934 and 1936 as the summer residence ofQueen Marija Karađorđević (1900–1961). Out of the eight suites of Villa Miločer, two are Queen Marija Suites forming an annex structure.[2][20] The main dining of the resort on the island of Sveti Stefan is The Piazza, an open-air square in the heart of the island's village which includes theTaverna,Enoteca,Pasticceria, an Antipasti Bar, and a Cigar Room.[2]
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