Virpazar is a small fishing village on the road between Podgorica and the Montenegrin coast. It lies at the point where the rivers Crmnica and Orahovštica meet and flow into the Skadar Lake.
Virpazar used to be the most important market in the country. Today it is mostly a tourist place. The village is located in the central part of Crmnica, a fertile region with a climate favorable for growing vines, olives and all other fruits and vegetables. Virpazar is also the starting point for most boat trips on Skadar Lake. The place Vir is first mentioned in 1242 and it was a small shopping center for all the surrounding villages, even at that time. In the 15th century, Vir was captured by the Turks and the Besac fortress was built, which still stands on the hill above the village.
When the Turks were expelled from the fortress at the beginning of the 18th century, the village became the most important trade center in Montenegro, visited by merchants from Podgorica and Shkodra. The market’s role during this period left a lasting mark on Vir by adding the word Pazar (market) to his name.
Virpazar had a busy port, and in 1908 it was connected to Bar by a small railway, the first in Montenegro. It is also known for the July 13 uprising of 1941, when the inhabitants of the surrounding villages attacked the Italian garrison and liberated Virpazar, after hearing that the Italian occupiers had declared the independence of Montenegro.
