The Ottomans captured Žabljak Crnojevića in 1478 after they had defeated the main army of Ivan Crnojević in late 1477 or early 1478.

[1] Ivan moved his seat to Obod (fortified by him in 1475[2]) which was soon renamed to Rijeka Crnojevića, and became the new capital of Montenegro.

For a century, local hydro power plant still remains active, being one of the oldest in Montenegro, covering needs of consumers in the region.

Town boasts a collection of buildings built in different periods, with variations of styles, varying from Dinaric vernacular to Mediterranean architecture.

On the left bank of the river, adjacent to the bridge, Danilo also built a one-story house, popularly called Mostina.

With the demographic decline, many buildings lay abandoned, most notably Petrović palace which, after many decades, saw entire roof collapsing.