Građen je po projektu trogirskog inžinjera Josipa Slade Šilovića, koji je zahvaljujući Jovanu Sundečiću u Crnu Goru došao 1866.godine, i tu ostao narednih dvadeset godina. Radove je izvodio Miloš Lepetić sa neimarima ( kamenorescima i zidarima ) iz Boke i Dalmacije, uz pomoć vojnih bataljona crnogorske narodne vojske u besplatnom, obaveznom radu.
Glavni nadzornik je bio ing. Marko Đukanović, a organizator radova Jefto Miletin Nikolić. Most je sagrađen uz znatnu novčanu donaciju ruskog cara Aleksandra III, po kojem je i dobio zvanično ime, ali je u narodu ostao uvriježen skraćeni naziv „Carev most“.
Kamen temeljac je postavio Vojvoda Božo Petrović, predsjednik Državnog Savjeta, a pet mjeseci kasnije, svečano ga je otvorio crnogorski knjaz, i osvještao, mitropolit Mitrofan ban.
Prva vozila koja su saobraćala mostom, bile su poštanske kočije. Preko prvobitne makadamske podloge, krajem šeste decenije prošlog vijeka, izveden je asfaltni kolovoz. Do 1976. godine, preko njega se odvijao motorni saobraćaj između Podgorice i Nikšića, sve do izgradnje novog magistralnog puta, koji je prošao kroz planinu Budoš. Zbog ratnih oštećenja i prolaska kroz vrijeme, most je saniran 1986. godine.
Prema kazivanjima koja su i publikovana, prilikom gradnje Carevog mosta, knjaz Nikola je naredio da se most pozlati, pa je u svaki stub u visini od jednog metra uzidan po jedan zlatnik.
The Emperors Bridge
After the Berlin Congress, at the time of the modernization of Montenegro, with the dedaction of Prince Nikola and the Government of the Principality of Montenegro, in May 1894, the construction of the Emperor's bridge, on Zeta River in Klicevo, began.
It was built in accirdance with the project of Josip Slade Silovic, an engineer from Trogir, who came to Montenegro in 1866 thanks to Jovan Sundecic, and remained there for the next twenty years. The works were performed by Milos Lepetic with builders (stonemasons and bricklayers) from Boka and Dalmatia, with the help of the Montenegrin National Army’s military battalion and their free, compulsory labor.
The main supervisor was an engineer Marko Djukanovic and the work organizer Jefto Miletin Nikolic. The bridge was built with the substantial donation of Russian Tsar Alexander III, after whom it got its official name; however, the abbreviated name “Emperor’s Bridge” remained ingrained amongst the people.
The foundation stone was laid by the Duke Bozo Petrovic, the president of the State Council, and five months later, opened by the Prince of Montenegro, and consecrated by the Metropolitan Mitrofan ban.
The first vehicles that communicated over the bridge were stagecoaches. At the end of 1960’s asphalt was laid over the original gravel surface. Motor traffic between Podgorica and Niksic was passing over it until 1975 and the construction of the new main road, which passed through the mountain Budos. Due to the war damage and the traffic throughout years, the bridge had to be repaired in 1986.
According to the published stories, during the construction of the Emperor’s bridge, Prince Nikola ordered to gild the bridge, and in each pillar, at the height of one meter, one golden coin was built in.
