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Controversial resort on site of former concentration camp gets green light in Montenegro
POSTED 19 Jan 2016 . BY Kim Megson
The 19th century fortress currently lies in near-ruins Credit: Hons084
A former fortress and concentration camp on an island in Montenegro is set to be turned into a luxury resort and spa after a controversial planning proposal was accepted by the government.
Local news reports state that the five-star development – located on Lastavica Island, better known as Mamula, in the Adriatic Sea – will include a hotel complete with a marina, wine bar, restaurant, VIP terrace, open air dance floor, beach bar and spa.
Serbian architects Salt & Water and Juan Navarro Vallejo from the Sima Multimedia company in Gibraltar have designed and produced renderings for the reconstruction of the island’s ruined 19th century Austro-Hungarian fortress.
“The original idea was to completely preserve the existing exterior, known as one of the biggest and best preserved fortifications on the Adriatic Sea, and also as one of the most impressive Austrian architecture landmarks of Montenegro,” said the architects in a statement.
The project has been developed by the Swiss-Egyptian developer Orascom, which is also developing the nearby Lustica Bay into a luxury residential community. According to local reports citing Montenegro’s minister of sustainable development and tourism Branimir Gvozdenovic, Orascom have agreed a 49-year lease period for the island and will invest an initial €15m (US$16.2m, £11.3m) to restore the fortress.
Some local groups have protested the development due to the site’s violent history. The fortress was occupied by Italian forces under the rule of Benito Mussolini during the Second World War and thousands of local people were imprisoned there.
Last year, former United Nations secretary general Boutros Boutros-Ghali co-wrote an open letter to Montenegro’s government calling for the fortress to instead be transformed “into a facility and institution of peace and international cooperation” which would have “wide-ranging public support and consensus.”
He said: “Fort Mamula should come to symbolise the common goals and strivings of humankind, and should be a nursery and source of ideas, initiatives, solutions and actions of global public interest and for global public good.
“It should become an international landmark that Montenegro and its people would be proud of, one that would be an appropriate monument to their illustrious history and national aspirations.”
Orascom have insisted the project will be sympathetic to the local architecture and historical value of the island, and will include a special memorial room remembering the prisoners who were held there. The tourism ministry has said the development will preserve the site and must follow the conservation conditions set out in its laws for protecting cultural monuments.
Local people were imprisoned in the camp by Mussolini's forces during the Second Wordl War Credit: Hons084
The resort will have a hotel complete with a marina, wine bar, restaurant, VIP terrace, open air dance floor, beach bar and spa
Credit: Mamula Island
The project has been developed by the Swiss-Egyptian developer Orascom, which is also developing the nearby Lustica Bay into a luxury residential community Credit: Salt & Water
The resort will have views out towards the Adriatic Sea Credit: Salt & Water
Work is expected to start imminently now the goverment has approved the project Credit: Salt & Water
Orascom have insisted the project will be sympathetic to the local architecture and historical value of the island Credit: Salt & Water
Orascom have agreed a 49-year lease period for the island and will invest an initial €15m (US$16.2m, £11.3m) to restore the fortress Credit: Salt & Water
With the aim of promoting tourism on inland waters that offer untouched areas of nature,
Serbia-based Salt & Water has designed a floating hotel with detachable catamaran
apartments.
Health and wellness expert Henri Chenot is partnering with One&Only Resorts – owned by Kerzner International Holdings – to provide the spa concept for the marina development Portonovi in Kumbor, Montenegro.
The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee in the southeastern US state of Georgia is celebrating a
new milestone after unveiling its newly renovated 27,000sq ft destination spa.
Art’otel, Radisson’s contemporary art-inspired lifestyle hotel brand, has strengthened its
presence in London with a new hotel in Hoxton fusing art, design and hospitality.
Luxury hotel brand Aman, widely known for its strong spa focus, has just launched its much-
talked-about sister brand Janu in Tokyo – complete with a 4,000sq m urban wellness retreat.
Controversial resort on site of former concentration camp gets green light in Montenegro
POSTED 19 Jan 2016 . BY Kim Megson
The 19th century fortress currently lies in near-ruins Credit: Hons084
A former fortress and concentration camp on an island in Montenegro is set to be turned into a luxury resort and spa after a controversial planning proposal was accepted by the government.
Local news reports state that the five-star development – located on Lastavica Island, better known as Mamula, in the Adriatic Sea – will include a hotel complete with a marina, wine bar, restaurant, VIP terrace, open air dance floor, beach bar and spa.
Serbian architects Salt & Water and Juan Navarro Vallejo from the Sima Multimedia company in Gibraltar have designed and produced renderings for the reconstruction of the island’s ruined 19th century Austro-Hungarian fortress.
“The original idea was to completely preserve the existing exterior, known as one of the biggest and best preserved fortifications on the Adriatic Sea, and also as one of the most impressive Austrian architecture landmarks of Montenegro,” said the architects in a statement.
The project has been developed by the Swiss-Egyptian developer Orascom, which is also developing the nearby Lustica Bay into a luxury residential community. According to local reports citing Montenegro’s minister of sustainable development and tourism Branimir Gvozdenovic, Orascom have agreed a 49-year lease period for the island and will invest an initial €15m (US$16.2m, £11.3m) to restore the fortress.
Some local groups have protested the development due to the site’s violent history. The fortress was occupied by Italian forces under the rule of Benito Mussolini during the Second World War and thousands of local people were imprisoned there.
Last year, former United Nations secretary general Boutros Boutros-Ghali co-wrote an open letter to Montenegro’s government calling for the fortress to instead be transformed “into a facility and institution of peace and international cooperation” which would have “wide-ranging public support and consensus.”
He said: “Fort Mamula should come to symbolise the common goals and strivings of humankind, and should be a nursery and source of ideas, initiatives, solutions and actions of global public interest and for global public good.
“It should become an international landmark that Montenegro and its people would be proud of, one that would be an appropriate monument to their illustrious history and national aspirations.”
Orascom have insisted the project will be sympathetic to the local architecture and historical value of the island, and will include a special memorial room remembering the prisoners who were held there. The tourism ministry has said the development will preserve the site and must follow the conservation conditions set out in its laws for protecting cultural monuments.
Local people were imprisoned in the camp by Mussolini's forces during the Second Wordl War Credit: Hons084
The resort will have a hotel complete with a marina, wine bar, restaurant, VIP terrace, open air dance floor, beach bar and spa
Credit: Mamula Island
The project has been developed by the Swiss-Egyptian developer Orascom, which is also developing the nearby Lustica Bay into a luxury residential community Credit: Salt & Water
The resort will have views out towards the Adriatic Sea Credit: Salt & Water
Work is expected to start imminently now the goverment has approved the project Credit: Salt & Water
Orascom have insisted the project will be sympathetic to the local architecture and historical value of the island Credit: Salt & Water
Orascom have agreed a 49-year lease period for the island and will invest an initial €15m (US$16.2m, £11.3m) to restore the fortress Credit: Salt & Water
With the aim of promoting tourism on inland waters that offer untouched areas of nature,
Serbia-based Salt & Water has designed a floating hotel with detachable catamaran
apartments.
Health and wellness expert Henri Chenot is partnering with One&Only Resorts – owned by Kerzner International Holdings – to provide the spa concept for the marina development Portonovi in Kumbor, Montenegro.
The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee in the southeastern US state of Georgia is celebrating a
new milestone after unveiling its newly renovated 27,000sq ft destination spa.
Art’otel, Radisson’s contemporary art-inspired lifestyle hotel brand, has strengthened its
presence in London with a new hotel in Hoxton fusing art, design and hospitality.
Luxury hotel brand Aman, widely known for its strong spa focus, has just launched its much-
talked-about sister brand Janu in Tokyo – complete with a 4,000sq m urban wellness retreat.
Equinox, has teamed up with health platform, Function Health, to offer 100 comprehensive
laboratory tests, giving members vital insights into their internal health.
Spanish wellness brand SHA Wellness Clinic is busy preparing to bolster its wellness portfolio in
2026 with a hyper-exclusive island wellness enclave in AlJurf, UAE.