Ivelić Palace

Ivelić Palace is situated in the central part of Risan, by the east side of Gabela Street. The palace was built in the 18th century and belonged to the Ivelić family. One of the most important members of the family was Count Marko Ivelić (1740-1825). In 1770, he entered the service of the Russian admiral and count Aleksej F. Orlov. During the Russian-Turkish war, the Russian government entrusted him with a mission to organise an uprising against the Turks in Boka Kotorska, Montenegro and Herzegovina. In 1800, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general of the Russian army. He assisted a squadron of General D. M. Senjavin during the Russian capture of Boka Kotorska on 21 February 1806. Together with the Russian counsellor Stefan Sankovski he attended the meeting with the Montenegrin prince-bishop Petar I Petrović Njegoš at Savina monastery near Herceg Novi. In 1814, he became a member of the National council of senators.
It is a four-storey building, with ”konobas” (store and food processing rooms) in the ground level, a “piano nobile” with reception and banquet rooms on the first floor, the second floor which was the main living area and an attic with two belvederes, used as kitchens. The main façade was made of finely hewn stone, while other façades are less impressive and have fewer openings. The palace was built in two phases. In the first phase the central part, enhanced by a Baroque balcony and two doors on the first floor, was built. Two lateral wings and an outer stairway were built subsequently, together with a 3-metre high defensive wall around the palace. The square-shaped courtyard is paved with stone plates. The defensive wall has two round towers, standing next to the front and back gates. The towers used to be connected with wooden walkways.
At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, Ivelić Palace was used as a mustering place for people from Trebjesa and other Montenegrins who were emigrating to Russia.