[1] It was devastated in 1692, during the Morean War, and rebuilt between 1701 and 1704 by Metropolitan Danilo Petrović-Njegoš on the site of the former court of Ivan Crnojević.

During his stay in Ancona, Crnojević was inspired by Basilica della Santa Casa in Loreto where he took an oath that he will build a church also dedicated to Mother of God upon his return in Zeta.

In an etching in the book Oktoih, it seems the medieval Cetinje Monastery was a three-naved basilica, with a cupola on the center nave with elements of renaissance architecture.

Apparently, during the first plunder of Cetinje, after the Battle of Vrtijeljka, the forces of Süleyman Bushati did not gravely damage the monastery.

The popular tale has it that expeditionary force did start to rob the monastery, however, as one of the soldiers was trying to take down a cross from the top of the roof, he was struck by lightning, which was immediately perceived as Gods sign.

The original site of the monastery, known as Ćipur (after Greek word Κήπος - Garden) was used in 1886 by Prince Nicholas of Montenegro for his Court church.