The small palace was built from 1863 to 1867 as a permanent residence for
Darinka, Princess of Montenegro, widow of
Danilo I of Montenegro, and their infant daughter,
Princess Olga. It was built in a simple style typical of Cetinje houses with certain elements of
neoclassicism. The interiors were designed in style of
Historicism and
Art Nouveau. Architects and engineers alternate - the Austrian Wolfgang Pakler, the Italian E. Sale, Marko Đukanović and
Andrija Radović (the first Montenegrin architects). According to a report by the Russian consul in Dubrovnik, the construction of their palace was quite costly (up to that point 110,000
Austrian guldens), and to satisfy their whims, its completion was financed with funds from grain aid Russia had sent to Montenegro, later sold by Prince Nicholas and his father Mirko. After their exile from Montenegro to
Venice in 1867, the palace became home of King Nicholas I, his wife
Queen Milena and their growing family. After Darinka's exile from Montenegro to
Venice in 1867, the palace became home of her nephew,
Nicholas I of Montenegro, his wife
Milena of Montenegro and their growing family. The court was partially redecorated and extended on several occasions, and the final adaptation took place in 1910 for the proclamation of the
Kingdom of Montenegro with the architect Fernando Balak. In the entrance hall are exposed the Montenegrin crown jewels, which are the most popular exhibition of the
National Museum of Montenegro.
The Royal Garden was built in 1870 as a pine alley. The Gardens were refurbished in 1971. There are many flower beds with crocuses, geraniums, tulips and rose and jasmine bushes. In the back of garden there is a cedar grove with dominant villa with a small summer-house, which served as a guest house for foreign royal visitors. ==See also==