Today, the building, primarily a museum, demonstrates the Montenegrin state’s great emphasis on contemporary social, cultural, and architectural trends of the 19th and first decades of the 20th centuries under the reign of King Nikola I Petrović. The “Castle in Topolica,” also known as King Nikola’s Castle due to its location, was built in 1885 by Nikola’s brother-in-law, Prince Petar Karadjordjevic, after purchasing it from him. The building also includes a small castle, chapels, guardhouses, and winter gardens. A large ballroom was added to the castle’s side in early 1919.
The king’s castle enhances the Mediterranean park, rich with magnificent vegetation. Today, the castle complex serves Bar’s cultural needs. King Nicholas’ castle also serves as a museum of the Motherland, and the castle halls host special literary evenings, musical concerts, festivals, events, and art exhibitions.
Because the castle was located near the seashore, it had a wooden water gate used for docking ships, as King Nicholas had 10 yachts. Interestingly, the famous yacht “Sibil,” which King Nicholas purchased from novelist Gil Verne, and his last yacht, “Rumija,” were sunk by the Austro-Hungarian Navy in 1915, right where the aquarium stands today. Nearby, there is a flower house of durable construction, a gift from King Emanuel of Italy, which stands today as a representative holiday complex, better known as the Prince’s Garden.