Bishop Danilo was buried in the Podostrog monastery, near Budva, and his bones were transferred to Cetinje in 1853, during the reign of Prince Danilo. The mausoleum was built in 1896, according to the idea of the prince's daughter Jelena, the future Queen of Italy. The architectural elaboration of the project was made by the French architect Fruše. The mausoleum was made of stone from Ljubovići, the works were managed by engineer Andrija Radović, while the craftsmen were from Korčula and Montenegro.

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With its successful architectural solutions, the monument has almost merged with the Eagle Karst, making it a recognizable and dominant symbol of Cetinje. The monument was erected on an artificially formed plateau, arranged as a small park, on its very edge in the northeast corner so that it would be clearly visible from the city. A monumental stone sarcophagus with a high-placed cross on a wide frontal stone slab with an inscription lies on a spacious stone pedestal, which is reached by three steps. On the upper panel of the sarcophagus, the symbols of Bishop Danilo's secular and spiritual authority are placed in relief, on the sides are stylized decorations and symbols - a cross, a circle and a flower. On the eastern side, in a circular medallion, a bronze relief of the bishop's head in profile is applied. Above the sarcophagus, resting on four slender pillars, rises a canopy representing the firmament. The canopy rests on the pillars by means of four multi-profiled arches, in the centers of which there is a larger stone - the timenac, on which relief representations of different coats of arms are placed: state, family and bishop's. With plaster articles decorated with stylized flowers, the vault is divided into four segments, in the center of which there is a larger rosette. The representation of the firmament is evoked by a large number of plastered gold-colored stars on a blue base.

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An asphalt road leads to the plateau with the monument on the southwest side of the Orlov krs.