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Native name: Врањина
Montenegro Vranjina 1.jpg
Location Lake Skadar
Coordinates 42°16′27″N 19°08′08″E﻿ / ﻿42.2742°N 19.1356°E﻿ / 42.2742; 19.1356Coordinates: 42°16′27″N 19°08′08″E﻿ / ﻿42.2742°N 19.1356°E﻿ / 42.2742; 19.1356
Length 1 km (0.6 mi)
Width 2 km (1.2 mi)
Highest elevation 330 m (1,080 ft)
Population 218 (as of 2003)
Ethnic groups Montenegrins, Serbs

Vranjina (BCS: Vrnjina/Vranjina/Врањина; Albanian: Vraninë/Vranina[1]) 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.[2]

About the island[edit]

Vranjina, view from Žabljak Crnojevića

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).[3]

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.


  1. ^ Fishta, Gjergj (2006-03-03). "Glossary". In Robert Elsie. The Highland Lute. I.B.Tauris. p. 470. ISBN 9781845111182. Retrieved 28 January 2013. 
  2. ^ Ratko Đurović (1969). Crnom Gorom. "Binoza," Grafički zavod Hrvatske. p. 125. Retrieved 27 July 2013. Ona predstavljaju uzvišenja u nekadašnjoj Zetsko-skadarskoj površi. Vranjina je, na primjer, postala ostrvo u prvoj polovini XIII vijeka, dok je prije toga bila dio kopna, kao i druga ostrva Skadarskog jezera. 
  3. ^ Glasnik Srpskoga učenog društva .... 1870. p. 167. Retrieved 22 June 2013.