Visit-Montenegro.com : From Cetinje to the Sea in Only 40 Minutes

Cetinje – “Aerial lift which would connect two towns, only of its kind in the world, which would connect Cetinje, Lovcen and Kotor, should be completed by the end of the next year”, president of the National Project Team “Lift” (Zicara), Aleksandar Bogdanovic has confirmed in his statement to “Vijesti.”

He reminds that this type of project has been launched at the initiative of Montenegrin president, Filip Vujanovic, while the Feasibility Study for the Lift had been developed by the Austrian Development Agency. Funds have been provided by the Austrian Government.

“Final Feasibility Study for the Aerial lift between Kotor and Lovcen, as well as the study for the lift from Kotor to its’ Fortress has been completed at the end of June.

Before that, in May, team of experts from the city of Graz, which has the lift in the hill, has invited members of the national team for a visit, in order to get them familiar with the means and techniques of its’ use, as it would be used as a raw-model for the lift in Kotor.

Aerial lift Kotor-Lovcen-Cetinje will provide a unique sight, as it would be the biggest and longest in the Adriatic and unique in the world in the sense that it would connect two towns.

At the same time, this lift would give a magnificent view to the sea, the coastline and Montenegrin mountains, which would turn it into a unique tourist attraction for domestic and foreign guests, with the special emphasis on the enjoyment in a journey to Lovcen with its’ altitude of 1,657 meters”, Bogdanovic stated.

In his opinion, Lift to Lovcen will not only be the central project for the area of Boka Bay, but also for the entire state of Montenegro.

“From its starting point at Kotor’s Dub to Ivanova korita and all the way up to Cetinje, tourists will be taken in the most modern gondolas. One cabin would take between eight and 10 persons and transport capacity of 80 to 90 gondolas will be able to transfer between 1,200 and 1,400 person per hour.

Route from Kotor to Ivanova korita and Cetinje will be 15 kilometers long and it will take 43 minutes to arrive from Kotor to Cetinje via Lovcen. Seen separately, route from Kotor to Lovcen will be 7,6 kilometers and will take 22 minutes, while the route between Lovcen and Cetinje would last 21 minutes. Its’ total length would be 7,4 kilometers.

Incomes from this lift, with the increased number of guests of 150,000, would come up to two million for the route between Kotor and Lovcen and Euro 2,3 Million for the route beween Lovcen and Cetinje”, Bogdanovic estimated.

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He added that this lift would significantly remove pressure for the regular traffic routes between coast and Cetinje, which would, basically turn it into a coastal town. This lift will also be an unseen attraction, as it would be the longest and the most spectacular lift on the Adriatic coast.

Realization of this entire project and building of lift from Kotor to Lovcen and Cetinje will cost Euro 32 Million. Additional infrastructure is also planned, as the lift, in itself, will not be sufficient. Bogdanovic announces that there would be no problems when it comes to the financial construction, as there are many interested domestic and foreign banks, since this project will be most lucrative.

“It is considered that this type of project could be best financed and implemented on the basis of the model of private-public partnership. In that sense, structure of ownership would comprise of state-owned property in one third, one third would be owned by the Municipalities of Kotor and Cetinje and National Park ‘Lovcen’, while the remaining third would be privately owned”, Bogdanovic said.

A Lift to Kotor’s Fortress

When it comes to the part of the lift Kotor-Fortress of Kotor, the aim of the project is to make this site accessible for the tourists, with the building of an attractive facility which would help tourists to reach this attraction. In this part, Bogdanovic explains, aim of Montenegro and UNESCO - to preserve the Old Town and the Fortress - is fully met.

Two lifts with capacity of 16 to 18 persons and transport capacity of 460 to 500 persons per hour have been envisaged. Total costs of the building of the tunnel and the lift, depending on what the research on the composition of rocks would conclude, will vary between Euro 6,2 Million and 11,4 Million.

Drilling and research of the rock composition will begin in 15 days. Project of engineering and geological research is already underway. Additional facilities, which would be envisaged on the summit, would also enrich tourist offer of Kotor.

(7 November 2008)

By: D.JOVIĆEVIĆ