3 August 2019 Kotor

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in 2019. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).

Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

The weather forecast in the Viking Daily was Sunny 87°F/31°C.

We woke at 6:45 am and had breakfast delivered to our stateroom at 7:00.

As the Viking Sea headed toward Kotor, we passed the town of Prčanj, Montenegro.

MT Saturday, ‎August 3, ‎2019, 7:08 AM – Prčanj: Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at left near waterfront, with another church high on mountainside above town (telephoto 85 mm).

Prčanj (Italian: Perzagno, pop. 1128) is a small town along the Bay of Kotor, 3 miles west of Kotor. Its architecture bears witness to its prosperity in the 17th and 18th centuries. The town’s waterfront consists of a long line of stone villas with beautiful facades, separated by gardens and olive orchards.

Prčanj: Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary near waterfront (By Lessormore - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37161844).

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Bogorodicin Hram, meaning Our Lady)is the town’s most impressive feat of architecture. It seems out of proportion to the number of inhabitants and took 120 years to build (1788-1909). Designed by a Venetian architect, the church has a monumental Baroque façade with Corinthian and Doric columns.

MT 7:27 AM – Kotor: newer part of town, north of port on Bay of Kotor (mild telephoto 46 mm).

MT 8:31 AM – Kotor: newer part of town, north of port, and sailboats on Bay of Kotor (mild telephoto 37 mm).

The Viking Star was scheduled to dock at the Main Cruise Pier in Kotor, in the country of Montenegro, at 8 am.

The 17-mile-long inlet that links the Adriatic Sea to the heart of Kotor is resplendent with spectacular views. Towering cliffs soar above the narrow Kotor ria—a submerged river canyon often called Europe’s southernmost fjord. Nestled snugly between a limestone wall and a glimmering bay, Kotor is home to one of the Adriatic’s best-preserved medieval Old Towns. The charms of this red-roofed city are endless, from the mismatched towers of its Romanesque cathedral to its narrow streets. Its stunning Venetian walls were built in 1420, remnants from Kotor’s nearly 300 year as a province of the Venetian Republic. The compact Old Town of serene squares, moss-covered sculptures, and Gothic palaces is ideal to explore on foot.

Kotor (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор; Italian: Cattaro) is a city(pop 13,510) in the municipality of the same name (pop. 22,601), of which it is the administrative center. The town of Kotor itself, encompassing only the area of the Old Town, has 961 inhabitants, but the urban area surrounding the town has a total population of over 13.000.

This coastal town is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. It is located on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Some have called it the southernmost fjord in Europe, but it is actually a ria, a submerged river canyon, with the overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovćen.

The exact time of foundation of the first settlement here is now known. According to some sources, the oldest settled area dates back 2,000 years. The town, first mentioned in 168 BC, was settled during Ancient Roman times, when it was known as Acruvium, Ascrivium, or Ascruvium (Ancient Greek: Ἀσκρήβιον) and was part of the Roman province of Dalmatia.

The town has been fortified since the early Middle Ages, when Emperor Justinian built a fortress above Ascrivium in 535, but Ascrivium was plundered by the Saracens in 840. It was further fortified toward the peak of St. Ivan (Fort St. John) in the 10th century. It was one of the more influential Dalmatian city-states of romanized Illyrians throughout the early Middle Ages, and the Dalmatian language was spoken in Kotor until the 11th century. In that period, it was part of Byzantine Dalmatia, and the modern name of Kotor probably originated from the Byzantine name for the town: Dekatera or Dekaderon (from the old Greek words Deka and Thira meaning “Ten” + “Gate,” probably the number of gates of the fortification). However, the local population, taking advantage of its alliance with Dubrovnik, maintained a high degree of autonomy. During this time, the small romanized Illyrian population of Kotor was slowly assimilated by a significant Slav population coming from neighboring areas.

The city was conquered by Serbia in 1185 and had the status of a city under Serbian rule. In the 14th century, the commerce of Cattaro, as the city was named in Latin scripts (in Serbian Котор, град краљев/Kotor, City of the King), rivaled that of the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), and caused the Republic of Venice to be envious.

After the fracturing of the Serbian Empire in 1371, the city repeatedly changed hands between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Republic of Venice in 1371-84. It was held by the Kingdom of Bosnia in 1384-91. After the death of the Bosnian king in 1391, Kotor became fully independent until 1420 when, wary of the looming Ottoman threat, it asked the Republic of Venice for protection. The city then became part of the Venetian province of Albania from 1420 to 1797, although it was besieged by the Ottoman Turks in 1538 and 1657. Four centuries of Venetian domination gave the city typical Venetian architecture. It endured the plague in 1572 and was nearly destroyed by earthquakes in 1563 and 1667.

After a treaty between Napoleon and the Habsburg Monarchy in 1797, the city passed to Austria. In 1805, however, it was assigned to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy and then in 1810 to the French Empire’s Illyrian Provinces. In 1814, it was restored to the Habsburg Monarchy, and until 1918 the town then known as Cattaro was the head of a district of the same name in the Kingdom of Dalmatia.

In WWI, Kotor was one of the three main bases of the Austro-Hungarian Navy and was the site of some of the fiercest battles between local Montenegrin Slavs and Austria-Hungary. After 1918, the city became a part of Yugoslavia and officially became known as Kotor.

During WWII, in 1941-43, the Kingdom of Italy annexed the area of Kotor, which became the Province of Cattaro in the Italian Governate of Dalmatia. After WWI, Kotor was part of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (1945-63) and then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1963-92) in which Montenegro was one of six socialist republics.

Map of Montenegro showing position of Kotor; town in red and municipality in yellow (By en:User:Nije bitno... - Own work, derived from en:Image:Montenegro_municipalities.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=865851).

Montenegro (Montenegrin: Црна Гора/Crna Gora) is a country in Southeast Europe on the Adriatic Sea. During the early Middle Ages, this area changed hands several times. Between 1431 and 1498, the name Montenegro started being used for the country. After falling under Ottoman rule, Montenegro regained de facto independence in 1697, and its de jure (by law) independence was recognized by the Great Powers in 1878, following the Montenegrin-Ottoman War. In 1905, the country became a kingdom. After WWI, it became part of Yugoslavia. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991-92, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro together established a federation known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was renamed as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. In 2006, Montenegro declared its independence and dissolved the federation.

Montenegrin is the normative variety of the Serbo-Croatian language mainly used by Montenegrins and is the official language of Montenegro. The idea of a standardized Montenegrin language separate from Serbian appeared in the 1990s during the breakup of Yugoslavia. The Montenegrin standard is still emerging. The proponents of the separate Montenegrin language prefer using the Latin alphabet over the Cyrillic alphabet, although both can be seen and both are taught in schools.

At 8:45, we met in the Theater for the “Walking Tour of Kotor” shore excursion (included). Our Cruise Documents book described this excursion as follows:

“Tour of This Secluded Seaside Resort

“Discover the charms of this medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled between limestone cliffs and a bay. From your ship, take a short walk with your guide to Kotor’s network of cobblestone streets. In the main square, you can admire the Venetian walls that surround the city. Constructed in 1420, they have been reinforced through the centuries and stand well preserved today. You will visit the 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral of St. Tryphon, a remarkable repository of 14th-century frescoes and valuable artifacts. Over the centuries, the building has suffered earthquake damage—as evidenced by its mismatched towers, one of which was rebuilt with meager funds after a tremor. At the maritime museum, set in a lovely historic building, browse an engaging exhibit depicting the seafaring heritage of Kotor. At tour’s end, you may walk back to your ship at your leisure.”

Kotor: Viking Map – Key: 1 = Port (Kotor Pier), 2 = St. Nicholas Church, 3 = Maritime Museum, 4 = St. Tryphon Cathedral, 5 = St. John Fortress, 6 = St. Michael Church, 7 = St. Joseph Church, 8 = Church of St. Luke, 9 = Church of St. Mary Collegiate, 10 = Kampana Tower, 11 = Southern Town Gate, 12 = North Gate (River Gate), 13 = Western Gate (Sea Gate), 14 = Hospital.

Kotor: Map from Tourist Information Office, showing old Town and all the fortifications, all the way up the mountain to Castle of St. John at top right.

The fortifications of Kotor (Italian: Fortificazioni de Cattaro) are an integrated system that protected the town, containing ramparts, towers, citadels, gates, bastions, forts, cisterns, and a castle. They incorporate military architecture mainly of Venice, but also  few of Illyria, Byzantium, and Austria. The fortified city of Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The top of the mountain of St. John (Italian: San Giovanni; Montenegrin: Sv. Ivan) was already fortified during Illyrian times. In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian I reconstructed the fortress. Construction of the city walls began in the 9th century and was completed in the 14th century. With the retreat of the Byzantines, some independence was gained until 1420, when the independent Republic of Cattaro succumbed to Venetian Rule. As part of the Venetian province of Albania, the fortifications received their current structure. The city walls protect the triangular-shaped Old Town on its northern and southwestern sides, toward the water. The walls are fortified with bastions, the most prominent being the Kampala Tower and Citadel (13th to 14th century). Close to it is the Sea Gate from 1550, allowing access to the Bay of Kotor. The two other gates are the River Gate (North Gate) from 1540, with the nearby Bembo Bastion from 1540, and the Gurdić Gate (South Gate) from the 13th to 17th century, the latter modified many times and fortified by the Gurdić Bastion from 1470. From the Bembo Bastion and the Gurdić Bastion, ramparts climb 1,350 steps up to the top of St. John Mountain. Severe earthquakes that damaged the fortifications occurred in 1563, 1667, and most recently in 1970.

Kotor: Map from Tourist Information Office – detail of Old Town.

Our walking tour began with a walk along the shore of the Bay of Kotor (Montenegrin: Boka Kotorska or Kotorski zaliv) from the Port at Kotor Pier to the Sea Gate.

Boka Kotorska, leading from the Adriatic Sea to the city of Kotor, is normally translated as Bay of Kotor, but can also be called the Gulf of Kotor. It consists of three large basins, the innermost (between Perast and Kotor) is Kotorski Zaliv, which confusingly is sometimes translated at Bay of Kotor.

9:08 AM – Kotor: relief of Venetian winged lion on city call near Sea Gate (telephoto 156 mm).

The winged lion of St. Mark is the symbol of Venice. The lion on the wall near the Sea Gate carries an open book, indicating that Venice came in peace when it made Kotor part of the Venetian Republic (1420-1797).

9:08 AM – Kotor: Sea Gate (Western Gate); immediately above the arch is a stone with the date “21-XI-1944” (21 November 1944); above that is a quotation from Tito, and at the top is the red star symbol of the Communist partisans led by Tito; the man in right foreground is using the map from Tourist Information Office that Viking provided.

The Sea Gate (Montenegrin: Vrata od Mora; Cyrillic: Врата од Мора), also known as Western Gate (Cyrillic: Западна врата; Montenegrin: Zapadna vrata) or Main Gate, is the main entrance to the walled Old Town. The locals call it Porta Marina (Sea Gate). It has the date of the liberation from German occupation by the partisans led by Tito in WWII. At the top of the gate is the red star symbol of the Communist partisans, although the red color has faded.

The gate dates from around 1555, when the water lapped right up to it and there was room for only one boat to come alongside. The gate was built in the Renaissance and Baroque styles.

Kotor: entrance to Old Town with sign that reads “TUĐE NEĆEMO SVOJE NE DAMO – TITO” that Wikipedia says is post-World War II and translates “What belongs to others we don’t want, ours we don’t give”; below that is the red star symbol of the Communist partisans led by Tito (By Terrillja - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8566088).

Between the outside and inside arches of the gate is a 15th-century Gothic stone relief of the Madonna and Child flanked by St. Tryphon (on the left, holding a model of the city) and St. Bernard (on the right, holding “hostia”).

Kotor: stone relief of Madonna and Child flanked by St. Tryphon and St. Bernard in passageway between outer and inner arches of Sea Gate (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43366906).

Kotor: detail of stone relief of Madonna and Child flanked by St. Tryphon and St. Bernard in passageway between outer and inner arches of Sea Gate (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43366907).

Kotor: interior arch of Sea Gate, with stone relief of Madonna and Child flanked by St. Tryphon  and St. Bernard visible in passageway between outer and inner arches (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43366905).

9:17 AM – Kotor: Square of Arms (Trg od Oružja) just inside Sea Gate; in right foreground is Meneghello House, and in foreground left is Rector’s Palace; at the far (north) end of the square, to the left, is Napoleon’s Theater.

Entering the Old Town through the Sea Gate, one comes into the Square of Arms (Montenegrin: Trg od Oružja; Cyrillic: Трг од оружја), getting its name from the fact that it used to be an arsenal where munitions were made and stored during Venetian times. It is also called the Square of the October Revolution. This is the town’s largest and main square and has always functioned as a meeting place for the citizens of Kotor. The square is surrounded by beautiful 17th- and 18th-centiury palaces. It also hosts several stores, banks, cafes, bakeries, and pastry shops.

The Rector’s Palace (Montenegrin: Kneževa [Providurova] palata; Cyrillic: Кнежева (Провидурова) палата) was built in the 17th century. It shores up the western side of the Square of Arms and is currently a part of the luxury Hotel Cattaro, which was once a theater.

The Napoleon’s Theater (Montenegrin: Napoleonovo pozorište; Cyrillic: Наполеоново позориште), located at the north end of the Square of Arms, was one of the first theaters in the Balkans and functioned as such until the late 19th century. The building itself was built in the 17th century to store food for military purposes and was also known as the Town Guard Tower. It was remodeled and turned into a theater in 1810 during French occupation. During the 20th century, it functioned as the Town Hall, and today it accommodates the reception of Hotel Cattaro.

The Historic Boutique Hotel Cattaro contains three historic buildings: Napoleon’s Theater, Rector’s Palace, and city guard tower, which used to have a military purpose in the 16th century. The Tower of the City Guard, made of stone covered with mortar, is an example of the so-called utilitarian military architecture. During the French occupation, in 1810, the authorities reconstructed this building so it could be used as a permanent theater, one of the first in the country. The long building that makes up most of the west side of the Square of Arms is called the Rector’s Palace (or Prince’s Palace) because after the earthquake of 1667 it used to be the headquarters of the city’s provedittores (provosts) and princes, seated by the Venetians.

The Meneghello House (Montenegrin: Kuća Meneghello) is a building from the 19th century. It is located just north of the Clock Tower on the east side of the Square of Arms.

9:19 AM – Kotor: Clock Tower in Square of Arms, with Pyramid of Shame at its base.

The Clock Tower (Montenegrin: Toranj za Sat, or Sat kula) was built in 1602 by order of the Governor of Venice. It has two clock faces, and the other two sides are enclosed by embedded buildings. Before the French occupation in 1807-1814, it had only one clock face; the French built another one facing south. The edifice has three aboveground stories and one underground. It was built partly in Baroque style, while the northern and eastern facades were in Gothic style. The front of the tower made of gray stone features a coat of arms that belonged to a Montenegrin prince at the time the tower was built. On the ground level is a watchmaker’s shop that is said to have been there since the 17th century.

One of the symbols of Kotor, the Clock Tower occupies the central place in the Square of Arms, directly opposite the Sea Gate. It was built in 1602, but it is said not to have been finished at the time of the 1667 earthquake, since on that occasion the tower considerably inclined toward the west (i.e., to the sea). Later there had been some attempts to put it back in upright position, but after the 1979 earthquake it was returned to the same position but strengthened to prevent further fall. Its leaning is not so noticeable as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, only 20 cm (at the upper point relative to the foundation).

9:21 AM – Kotor: our tour group in front of Pyramid of Shame at base of Clock Tower in Square of Arms.

Kotor: Pyramid of Shame (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43300372).

At the bottom of the clock is the reconstructed Pyramid of Shame, where criminals were pilloried and subjected to public humiliation in medieval times. The original pyramid was broken in 1945, and it was rebuilt.

9:24 AM – Kotor: view (unfortunately into morning sun) from Square of Arms toward fortress on St. John Mountain east of Old Town.

9:24 AM – Kotor: our guide, with red paddle for “Viking Star 7” tour group, leading us down narrow street to south of Square of Arms; door of Beskuća Palace in right foreground.

Although our guide did not point it out, the portal of the Beskuća Palace is worthy of note.

Kotor: door of Beskuća Palace; sign to left of door says: “Palata Beskuća XV-XVIII V. – Palace of Beskuća Family 15th-18th C.” (By Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada - Montenegro-02371 - Beskuća Palace & Legend, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45848313).

The Beskuća Palace (Montenegrin: Palata Beskuća) dates from the 15th-18th centuries, but its current form dates from 1776. The most notable feature of the palace is its ornate Gothic portal, a masterpiece of floral Gothic architecture. It is assumed that the portal was originally part of another building and that it was assimilated into the design of the Beskuća family palace. The portal depicts images relating to another family, the Bizanti family (which has a palace, from the 17th century, just across the street from this portal). Though damaged in 1945, it is possible to identify the figure of a lion (with a shield bearing a coat of arms with a lion in its top half) on the tympanum, and there are two smaller lions (bearing similar shields) at the tops of the columns beside the door.

The Beskuća family was particularly powerful by the end of the 13th century, when they became a member of the nobility. After the family died out by the beginning of the 19th century, the palace became the property of the City of Kotor. It served as a courthouse under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and then served as a hotel, of which the portal was still the main entrance. Eventually, ownership passed to the Kotor city government. However, the property was purchased in the 1980s by businessman Vojin Lazerević, who sold it in 2016 to the Commercial Bank of Beograd (for €2.9 million), and it was listed as for sale in 2019.

A legend surrounding the Beskuća family, whose name means “homeless,” tells of a count who, after amassing wealth and properties, wanted to change his family’s name to Stokuća, meaning “one hundred houses.” Apparently, the count failed to accumulate 100 houses, falling short of this number by only one.

That narrow street led southward to the Pima Palace on Brašna Square.

9:26 AM – Kotor: Pima Palace – façade on east side of Brašna Square.

The Pima Palace (Montenegrin: Palata Pima) was built (or rebuilt) in the late 17th century, after the previous palace of the Pima family was destroyed in the massive earthquake of 1667. It dominates the east side of the Trg od Brašna (Flour Square). The palace portal and the terrace were built in the Renaissance style, while the windows and upper balcony that rests on the 12 consoles were built in the Baroque style. The balcony rail is the work of Kotor blacksmiths. Above the main portal is the coat of arms of the noble Pima family supported by two angels, another example of Baroque style. Although the palace was reconstructed after the earthquake of 1979, the façade is now crumbling. There is an art museum on the building’s left side.

Kotor: Pima Palace – Pima family coat of arms supported by angels above portal (By Wolfgang Sauber - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69373083).

9:26 AM – Kotor: Sign for “Palata Pima XVII V. – Palace of Rima Family 17th C.” (telephoto 119 mm).

9:27 AM – Kotor: Pima Palace – façade on east side of Brašna Square (above the door is the Pima family coat of arms); our tour group and guide with red “Viking Star 7” paddle.

Next, we turned eastward to the St. Tryphon Square (Montenegrin: Trg sv. Tripuna), with the Cathedral of St. Tryphon on its east side.

9:30 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – façade on east side of St. Tryphon Square.

The Cathedral of St. Tryphon (Montenegrin: Katedrala svetog Tripuna, Cyrillic: Катедрала Светог Трипуна) was dedicated to the town’s patron saint (Montenegrin: Sveti Tripun). The three-nave basilica, with its two graceful towers of different heights (33 m and 35 m), is one of the most popular photo spots in Kotor.

In 809, Venetian merchants brought the relics of St. Tryphon from Constantinople to Kotor. Andrea Saracenis, a citizen of Kotor, bought the relics and built the first church of St. Tryphon for the purpose of exhibiting the relics. This small Romanesque first church was mentioned in the 10th-century work of Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenetus called De Administrando Imperio (On the Governance of the Empire). This work was the only evidence of this church until 1987, when there were new findings from archaeological research after the earthquake of 1979.

St. George, who had been the patron saint of Kotor, became the patron of this first church as well when veneration of St. Tryphon increased. That church was completely destroyed in a great fire, and the townspeople decided to rebuild it but in a more stately form. In 1124, construction of a new church began, perhaps due to the need for a larger church or perhaps because the first one had been destroyed. Construction lasted until 1166. It was built in Romanesque style with elements of Byzantine architecture. In 1166, the cathedral was consecrated. It is older than many famous churches and cathedrals in Europe (69 years older than Notre Dame in Paris and an astounding 460 years older than the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome).

The cathedral was seriously damaged by the earthquake of 1667, when the bell towers and part of the façade were destroyed. When it was rebuilt, the new bell towers were made in the Baroque style. However, there were not enough funds for complete reconstruction and the tower on the left remains unfinished. The rose window of the façade was once Romanesque, but today it is with Gothic-Renaissance motifs. The earthquake of 1979 also greatly damaged the cathedral. It has been salvaged, and the careful restoration of parts of its interior was completed only a few years ago. Today, it is the best known tourist attraction in Kotor and a symbol of the city. In 2009, the cathedral was elevated to the honorary title of Papal Basilica.

St. Tryphon (also spelled Trypho, Trifon, or Triphon; Montenegrin: Tripun) was born in 232 in a village of Kampsada in the province of Phrygia in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). He was born into a simple Christian family and from an early age tended to geese and other poultry. The gift of healing, especially of animals, declared itself very early. He repeatedly prevented the invasion of locusts and other creatures to his village and gradually became very popular. When the Roman Emperor Gordian III (ruled 238-244) heard about him, he sought him out for treatment of his daughter, who was possessed by a demon. He found the 17-year-old Tryphon, who agreed to return to Rome with him. Tryphon confronted the demon, who told him that it was easy to move into the emperor’s daughter because everyone there were idolaters, but that he now had to leave because Tryphon was a true Christian. As a result, many Romans accepted Christianity, and Tryphon became known far beyond his homeland. Unfortunately, the next emperor, Trajan Decius (249-251) began a brutal persecution of Christians and threatened to kill them if they refused to worship the Roman gods. The emperor’s viceroy Akilian knew of the fame of Tryphon, whose healings had caused many to convert to Christianity, and sought him out. Tryphon did not hide, but rather handed himself over to Akilian and fearlessly confessed his faith. After a show trial, Akilian had Tryphon beaten and hanged naked from a tree (apparently unintentionally mirroring the passion of Christ) and then, at the point of death, had him beheaded. Tryphon’s death is dated around 250 AD. He is venerated by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches as a great martyr.

9:31 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – lower façade and entrance; on bases of bell towers are the dates 1166 (consecration of cathedral) and 2016 (950 years later); there is a person on the balcony between the two towers.

MT 9:25 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon; left tower with date 1166 (consecration of cathedral) on its base, with lower façade and entrance; there are two people on the balcony between the two towers.

9:31 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – statue of St. Tryphon above main door (telephoto 156 mm).

9:47 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – statue of St. Tryphon above main door (telephoto 156 mm).

9:47 AM (Cropped) – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – detail of statue of St. Tryphon above main door, holding a model of the city showing the Cathedral at the bottom of the mountain and the Fortress of St. John at the top (telephoto 156 mm).

9:32 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – upper façade and towers, with fortress on St. John Mountain behind it.

9:36 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – view from rear of nave to main altar in apse; our guide, near pulpit on left, leading our tour group into interior.

The Romanesque interior is a sedate pink, with slender Corinthian columns alternating with beautiful pillars of pink stone. Plenty of natural light illuminates the interior.

9:37 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – wooden pulpit on left side of central nave.

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – wooden pulpit on left side of central nave (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43340336).

The Pulpit of St. Francis (Italian: Pulpito da S. Francesco) was made in Venice ca. 1650-1700.

9:37 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – main altar in apse.

9:44 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – main altar, with stone baldachin over it, in apse, with fresco fragment on wall behind it to right (our guide said frescoes were discovered after an earthquake).

The gilded-silver bas-relief altar screen on the rear wall of the apse is considered Kotor’s most valuable treasure. It is the masterpiece of Kotor goldsmiths’ work of the first half of the 15th century. It has figures of Christ, the Virgin, St. John the Baptist, St. Tryphon, and 16 other saints.

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – altar screen (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43341668).

Others say that the most important part of the interior decoration is the 14th-century Romanesque-Gothic ciborium (baldachin) above the main altar. Small, intricately carved human figures support the three stepped tiers of the cupola at its top. Around the bottom edge of the cupola are carvings of scenes from the life of St. Tryphon.

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – ciborium over main altar (By Photo: Marcin Konsek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30785062).

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – scenes from life of St. Tryphon below human figures supporting next tier of cupola, 1362 (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43341649).

9:41 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – frescoes inside arches on right side of nave (our guide said they were discovered after an earthquake).

MT 9:38 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – frescoes inside arches on right side of nave (mild telephoto 71 mm).

In the cathedral’s interior are Byzantine-style frescoes from the 14th century.

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – frescoes inside arches on right side of nave (By August Dominus - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73289716).

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – fragment of fresco (including crucifixion) on rear wall of apse (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43340345).

9:45 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – side altar with painting of Ecce Homo, sculpture of God the Father in tympanum over painting, and statue of St. Roch at right.

The Altar of St. Roch has a statue the saint from the 18th century.

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – sculpture of God the Father in tympanum over painting on altar of St. Roch (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43341645).

9:46 AM – Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – lunette with complicated relief (Christ in center, with symbols of the Passion, including triple-armed cross of Calvary, at left, and adoring figures at right); below it is a sign for “Graditeliske Etape Bazilike-Katedrale sv. Tripuna u Kotoru – Construction Phases of St Tryphon’s Cathedral-Basilica in Kotor,” including a photo of the fresco fragment behind the main altar and text in Montenegrin and English.

Kotor: Cathedral of St. Tryphon – lunette, above sign, with Christ and symbols of his Passion, 13th century (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43342255).

A photo, just of the sign for “Graditeliske Etape Bazilike-Katedrale sv. Tripuna u Kotoru – Construction Phases of St Tryphon’s Cathedral-Basilica in Kotor” below the lunette, at https://www.tripmii.com/destination/show/id/17303/imageid/74075 shows the text, in Montenegrin and English, more clearly; the English text reads:

“St. Tryphon’s Cathedral-Basilica is undoubtedly the Moist significant scaral object in Kotor, and one of the first large Romanic [Romanesque] churches in the East Adriatic area. It is dedicated to St. Tryphon (a Phrygian martyr from Campsada killed in Nicaea about the middle of the 3rd century A.D.), whose cult was transferred from Asia Minor at the beginning of the 9th century.

“This representative and artistically unique basilica was erected on the foundations of a much older cult edifice, St. Tryphon’s Martyrium, where the saint’s relics were kept. St. Tryphon’s Martryium was built by a distinguished Kotor nobleman, Andraçije (Andrea Saracenis) in 809, and it was the first church in Kotor built during the period of the church organisation restoration. Its remains have only been discovered recently during archaeological excavations.

“The construction of a new sacral edifice at the same location, meant to become the cathedral of the Bishops of Kotor, started in 1124. The construction was completed and the Cathedral consecrated in 1166. It was built in the form of a three-nave basilica with a dome and three semicircular apses. The idea behind the spatial organisation and the form of the Cathedral reflects the spirit of an earlier time, when the Byzantine and the Romanic art intertwined in the artworks created in Monte Cassino during the reign of Desiderius. The nature of the typological and stylistic characteristics of the Cathedral suggests that they originate from West European architecture of a Byzantine-Lombardian type.

“A document from 1331 tells us that that [sic!] om that year a group of Greek painters finished the frescoes in the basilica. Fragments of those frescoes were preserved in the aps[e[ of the south nave (The Crucifixion and the Descent from the Cross). They are of a typically Gothic character, for they remain within the Byzantine iconography framework.

“Completely different fresco fragments were discovered in the drowns of the arches between the central and the side naves. Ten female and two male saints are depicted standing in couples on each of the arches, and have accidentally avoided the fate met by other wall surfaces in the church, from which the surface layer with the frescoes has been thoroughly hammered off. The painter of the figures on the arches is closer to the Byzantine style.

“In the 2nd half of the 14th century the interior of the basilica was given a solemn appearance by the erection of a very high early-Gothic ciborium of a complex structure. The Cathedral acquired its present appearance through many renovations, the most significant of which took place at the end of the 16th century. That was when this originally Romanic building acquired Baroque features.

“A strong earthquake in 1667 severely damaged the Cathedral. After the 17th-century reconstruction, the Romanic church towers were replaced by new Baroque ones, and a richly embellished Romanic portal was replaced by an arched entrance loggia. A room for keeping St. Tryphon’s relics was added at the North-East corner of the Cathedral. This was probably also the room where the baptismal font was located.

“The side-naves of the cathedral contain galleries, which are visually connected with the space of the central nave by means of triphora. The North and south galleries are connected with each other by the open space of the terrace above the entrance loggia and by the interior of the two towers. The North gallery can be reached from inside the church through a monumental staircase and the entrance area of the Reliquary. The entrance area of the Reliquary is a high arched room separated from the Reliquary itself by a Baroque wrought-iron grate (made in Venice in 1652).

“At the beginning of the 18th century Ivan Bolizza and his wife Vinka née Bacchia financed the decoration of the Cathedral Reliquary. This demanding task was executed by a Venetian sculptor Francesko Cabianca (1666-1737), who stayed in Kotor with his co-workers from 1704 to 1708. The artworks he created here represent the greatest achievements of Baroque sculpture of the time on the Adriatic coast. Cabianca created an elegant semicircle space with niches for the relics.

“The central niche contains a marble holder for the silver sarcophagus containing the relics of St. Tryphon, held by two angels, with a marble statue of St. Tryphon rising above it. Cabianca used eight marble areas to depict the Saint’s life and sacrifice. In the entrance space of the Reliquary Cabianca sculpted an exquisitely refined baroque marble altar, thus turning this area into a chapel. Another earthquake in 1979 again seriously the Cathedral. The reconstruction  following it lasted for 17 years. It started with a detailed archaeological and conservation research that was followed by conservation and restoration activities which gave the Cathedral its present appearance. While following modern principles of conservation, restoration and presentation of historical architecture, all major stages of the Cathedral’s long and rich architectural history have been presented. All the works were managed by the Regional Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments Kotor.”

Next, our guide took us to the Maritime Museum.

9:50 AM – Kotor: our guide leading our tour group toward Maritime Museum; MT in foreground.

The Museum Square used to be called the Square of the Town Administration. After the Gregorina Palace that used to be the Town Administration building became a museum, the square started to be called Museum Square. The Viking map calls it “Trg Grgurina,” and the map from the Tourist Information Office calls it “Pjaca od Cirkula (Pjaca od Mužeja)” Piazza of Circle (Piazza of Museum)].

The Grgurina Palace was built in Baroque style in the early 18th century as the place of the noble family Grgurina. Its façade is dominated by stone balconies and balustrades. In 1813, the building was used as the Town Administration and the Austrian military command, after it was given to them by the Bishop. It was used as the District Government between the two world wars and then in 1938 as the first museum of the Boka Navy. Today, it has become the Maritime Museum of Montenegro.

The Maritime Museum of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Pomorski Muzej Crne Gore) is housed in a beautiful old palace. The museum celebrated Kotor’s seafaring history. In medieval times, ships from Kotor contributed to the Boka Navy, which under Venetian rule fought against the Ottomans. However, Koror’s ships were also used in maritime trade. The museum contains an impressive collection that includes models of ships, seafaring maps, jewelry, weapons, and other artifacts. It grew out of the collection founded by the “Boka Marine” Fraternity around 1880 and opened to the public in 1900. It was gradually enlarged and, in 1938, was rearranged and opened on the first floor of the present building. It was only after WWII, in 1949-52, that the whole building was completely restored and adapted to meet the needs of the museum. Following considerable damage in the disastrous earthquake of 1979, the building was again restored in 1982-84.

10:10 AM – Kotor: banner-sign for “Palata Grgurina XVIII v. – Palace of Grgurina Family 18th C.” (mild telephoto 35 mm).

9:50 AM – Kotor: archway to left of Maritime Museum, with bronze cat (mild telephoto 63 mm).

Kotor has a large population of cats that have become a symbol of the city. The cat population developed from felines left behind by sailors who came to the port in centuries past. The city has several cat stores and a small Cats Museum, as well as the Cats’ Square (Montenegrin: Trg od Mačaka). Water and food are left throughout the city for the cats to feed on, and cardboard boxes are often arranged to be a place for the cats to sleep.

MT 9:45 AM – Kotor: archway to left of Maritime Museum, with bronze cat (telephoto 121 mm).

9:51 AM – Kotor: view to right (east) of Maritime Museum, toward fortifications on mountain.

9:56 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – relief of Venetian Lion of St. Mark, with open book, and St. Tryphon in entrance hall.

In the entrance hall of the museum are six bronze panels in relief, showing the most important events and the most distinguished personalities from the rich past of the Bay of Kotor:

Blockade of the town of Kotor by the pirate Hairudin Barbarosain in 1539.

Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

Disastrous earthquake in Kotor in 1667.

Old shipyard from the 14th century.

Distinguished personalities from the maritime past.

Captain Ivo Visin with his brigantine “Splendido,” the first South Slav to 
                     circumnavigate the world, from 1852 to 1859.

9:56 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – bronze relief of destruction of Cathedral of St. Tryphon in 1667 earthquake in Kotor, in entrance hall (mild telephoto 30 mm).

The second part of the hall (on the ground floor) contains models of ships.

Triera, Greek warship.

Liburna, Illyrian ship from our coasts.

The galley “St. Tryphon,” participated in the battle of Lepanto in 1571.

Karaka.

Galleon.

Tartantela from 17th and 18th centuries.

The staircase with old geographic maps, plans, and vedutas* of Montenegrin coastal towns, leads to collections on the first (US 2nd) floor, the historical-ethnographic section of the museum.

*A veduta (Italian for “View”; plural vedute) is a usually large-scale painting drawing, or etchings a detailed, largely factual painting depicting a city, town, or other place.

10:01 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – model of two-sail “Felucca” ship and larger, three-sail ship, in hall on ground floor, with small sign in foreground.

10:03 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – sign, in Montenegrin and English, for “Feluka / Felucca” (telephoto 93 mm); the English part reads:

“FELUCCA – was a traditional wooden sailing ship used in the Mediterranean and Red Sea during 17th and 18th century. It was a small ship with one or two Latin sail[s].”

[The text of the Montenegrin part is different, with no mention of the seas but references to Kotor, Venice, “Krfa,” and Zadar.]

The central exhibition hall on the 1st (US 2nd) floor contains memories from the legendary period from the 16th to 18th centuries, when seamen from Kotor developed domestic shipping and maritime trade, took active part in building naval and merchant marines in foreign countries, established new maritime trade routes, and fought against pirates and Turks on the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas.

The displays include models of ships:

   Tartana of Dobrota (17th-18th century.)

   Shambek of Captain Petar Zelalic (18th century).

   The nava “Leon Coronato” (first half of 18th century), a sailing ship of Perast.

10:01 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – model of “Tartana” ship, in hall on 2nd floor (our guide in background).

10:03 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – plaque for “Model Broda Tipa Tartana / Model of Tartana,” in Montenegrin and English, with information about the model itself, not the ship (telephoto 93 mm).

10:02 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – model of “Nava” ship, in hall on 2nd floor.

10:02 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – sign in Montenegrin and English for model of Nave / Nava ship, in hall on 2nd floor (telephoto 93 mm); English text reads:

“Model of the sailing ship, type of NAVA (17th and 18th century). Name of this ship was ‘Leon Coronato’. Count Vicko Smekija from Perast, with this ship established merchant line from Venice to Baltic ports (1736-1748). Nava was burned and sunk by pirates in 1748.”

10:03 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – central exhibition hall on 2nd floor, with ship models in glass cases.

10:04 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – another large room on 2nd floor, with vintage costumes.

10:05 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – another large room on 2nd floor, with old weapons; MT on left foreground.

Cold steel weapons and firearms from the 17th-18th centuries are displayed in 17 panels. The arms are chiefly from the Near East province, used in the past by people of the Bay of Kotor in sea battles against pirates.

10:05 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – rifles with inlaid ornamentation (for show).

In panels 2, 6, and 15 are old rifles with barrels and butts decorated in mother-of-pearl, so-called “džeferdars.”

10:06 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – rifles and pistols with inlaid ornamentation (for show).

10:05 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – rifles for use.

This could be panel 9, with rifles with enlarged barrel diameter, so-called “trombun” (18th-19th century).

10:06 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – horizontal showcase with fancy swords, rifle, and pistols.

The museum’s web site at http://www.museummaritimum.com/eng/eng.htm, which helped identify many items in the museum, describes this display as follows:

“The showcases contain silver- and gold-plated short rifles ‘ledenice’ or ‘zlatke’ (XVIII a [18th century]), pouches, and silver- and gold-plated knives, as well as a set or arms - the gift of the Lazari family of Prčanj.”

10:06 AM – Kotor: Maritime Museum – sign for showcase with fancy swords, rifle, and pistols, in Montenegrin only; although partly obscured by reflection of light fixture, most of the text is legible:

“KOMPLET ORUŽJA – DONACIJA P[ORO]DICE LAZARI SA PRČANJA

-Dva pištolja, kremenjače, karakteristiki za Boku Kotorsku, gdje su i izrađivani do sredine XIX vijeka. Cljev i sistem za okidanje uveženi su iz Italije (Beša), a domaći majstori su formirali pištolje kao male puška ili ledenice.

-Puška kremenjače tipa ‘Džeferdar’

-Tri srebrne ćese

-Sablja u koricama”

Although no internet site offers translation from Montenegrin to English, translation from the closely related Serbian and Croatian languages produced the same results, apparently accurate except for “ledenice”:

“WEAPONS SET – DONATION OF LAZARI FAMILY FROM PRČANJA

-Two flintlock pistols, characteristic of Bay of Kotor, were milled and made by the middle of the 19th century. The barrel and trigger system were imported from Italy (Besha), with local craftsmen forming pistols like small rifles or [ledenice = icicles in Croatian; freezers or glaciers in Croatian (from Czech)].

-Flintlock rifle of ‘Džeferdar’ type

-Three silver pouches

-Saber in cover”

10:11 AM – Kotor: Karampana Well in front of “Snack & Wine Bar” next to Maritime Museum.

Just outside the museum is the Karampana Well (Montenegrin: Česma Karampana) with an ornate wrought-iron fence from the Baroque epoch. It was the only well in the Old Town and, for centuries, this tiny well provided all of Kotor’s fresh drinking water. This is where the townspeople came for water and to find out the news of the day. Women used to carry water from the well to the houses of the wealthy. The water-carriers also spread news and gossip. Since 1917, the well is no longer in use.

The local legend tells a story about Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanji and the Karampana Well. The Prince wanted to move the city up to the mountains, above the Fortress of St. John. However, the coastal fairy Karampana talked him out of this idea, arguing that neither could ships land nor horses drink. The city stayed by the sea and thrived, and the Prince bragged endlessly about his decision, not mentioning the role of the fairy. She got angry and turned all fresh water in the area into salty water. After many years and apologies, Karampana gave the people one tiny well with fresh water.

Next, we headed northwest toward St. Luke’s Square.

10:11 AM – Kotor: attention-getting “DO NOT READ” sign for Art Bar Letrika on corner of St. Luke’s Square; apse of Church of St. Luke in left background.

MT 10:05 AM – Kotor: apse of Church of St. Luke (left) on narrow street (or part of St. Luke’s Square) with “Suvenirica” souvenir shop.

10:11 AM – Kotor: St. Luke’s Square - apse and south side of Church of St. Luke; our guide, with red “Viking Star 7” paddle near side of church, with tower of Church of St. Nicholas in background.

The Church of St. Luke (Montenegrin: Crkva sv. Luka) is a tiny one-nave church with a beautiful history and a gorgeous interior. The Romanesque structure with Byzantine elements was built 1195, one of the oldest churches in Montenegro. The Baroque bell gable was added in the mid-18th century. Surprisingly, it was not harmed by the many earthquakes that damaged much of Kotor. It is the only building in the Old Town that escaped damage in the earthquake of 1979. It sits in the square of the same name. Although it was originally built as a Catholic church, for several generations it was shared by Orthodox Christians (Serbians) and Catholics (Croatians) after the arrival of Orthodox people in the mid-17th century, seeking refuge during a war with the Turks. From 1657 until 1812, it had two altars, Catholic and Orthodox, standing side-by-side, with each faith taking turns holding services here. Ultimately, during the French occupation (1807-1814), the church was gifted to the Orthodox church, and today it is a Serbian Orthodox church. Inside are beautiful iconostases and fragments of the frescoes (12th-century, from soon after the church was built) that once decorated the walls. Daskal Dimitgrij, founder of the Bay of Kotor (Montenegrin: Boka Kotorska) painting school, painted the wall of the church with icons and religious paintings in the 17th century. Another interesting feature is that the floor was made of gravestones, since until the 1930s people of Kotor were buried inside the church.

Next to the north wall of St. Luke’s, the small chapel of St. Spirodon, another saint venerated by both Catholic and Orthodox faiths, was built in 1747. It, too, has a wonderfully painted iconostasis.

St. Luke’s Square (Montenegrin: Trg sv. Luka) takes its name from the Church of St. Luke. The map from the tourist office calls this “Trg sv. Luka” (St. Luke Square), but the Viking map calls it “Trg sv. Nikole” (St. Nicholas Square). (The confusion seems to be from the fact that the Church of St. Nicholas is on the north side of this square, and the Church of St. Luke is on the east side.) Other sources (such as www.visit-montenegro.com) say the Church of St. Luke is on the Greek Square (Montenegrin: Pjaca Greka; Italian: Piazza Greca); this could stem from the fact that the Casamento della Chiesa Parrocchiale Greca (Italian for “Tenement of the Greek Parish Church”) had a terrace facing the Church of St. Nicholas.

10:12 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Luke – façade and Baroque bell gable.

10:19 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Luke – façade  with Baroque bell gable and cupola (mild telephoto 62 mm).

Nearby, we came to the Church of St. Nicholas.

10:12 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Nicholas – façade (with Serbian flag) and bell towers; our guide, with red “Viking Star 7” paddle near door of church.

The Church of St. Nicholas (Montenegrin: Crkva sv. Nikola) is a Serbian Orthodox church with a beautiful stone façade and twin towers. One of the most important Orthodox churches in Kotor, it typically has the Serbian flag draped on the façade. This church is relatively new, built between 1902 and 1909 on the site where an earlier church from the mid-17th century was destroyed by fire in 1896. In 1540, the Dominican monastery of St. Nicholas used to be in the area where the church was built. The present single-nave church is in the Pseudo-Byzantine style. The main façade is framed by two bell towers. The golden crosses of the black domes were presents from Russia. The icons and religious paintings in the church are by the Czech artist Frantisek Ziegler.

10:12 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Nicholas – tympanum, with mosaic of St. Nicholas, over door of façade (telephoto 105 mm).

10:17 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Nicholas – view from rear of nave to apse with iconostasis.

MT 10:10 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Nicholas – apse with iconostasis.

10:17 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Nicholas – iconostasis.

Kotor: Church of St. Nicholas – iconostasis (By Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada - Montenegro-02421 - St. Nicholas' Church, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45848345).

In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, an iconostasis (plural: iconostases) is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, only men can enter the altar portion behind the iconostasis. The  word comes from the Greek εἰκονοστάσι(-ον) (eikonostási(-on), which means “icon stand.”

10:21 AM – Kotor: Ulica 1 street toward next square (Cinema Square), with Beba Kids sign at right.

The Beba Kids clothing store is on Ulica 1 (Istok-Zapad) [Street 1 (East-West], which leads from St. Luke’s Square (Montenegrin: Trg sv. Luka), aka St. Nicholas Square (Trg sv. Nikole), southwest toward Cinema Square (Pjaca od Kina).

10:21 AM – Kotor: Church of St. Claire – façade with rose window.

The Church of St. Claire (Montenegrin: Crkva sv. Klara), or Church of the Franciscan Monastery of Santa Clara, is near St. Michael’s Church. In 1288, the first Franciscan Monastery was built by the Serbian Queen. It was located outside the town walls near the southern gate (Gudrić Gate). It was destroyed by the Venetians in 1656, since they wanted to prevent its use by the Ottomans who were attacking the town. The second monastery was built in 1695. The current monastery is situated where the Benedictine women’s Monastery of St. Bernard with the Church of St. Bartholomew had been. The monastery was taken over by Franciscan nuns in the 14th century. It was dedicated to Santa Clara (St. Claire) of Assisi. It is also known by the locals as the church of St. Anthony of Padua (who, like Claire, was an early Franciscan). The church received its present form in the 18th century.

Kotor: Church of St. Claire – IHS monogram of Christ on triangular pediment above main door in façade (By Wolfgang Sauber - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69404069).

In the triangular pediment above the main door is the monogram of Jesus Christ (IHS), and above that is a rose window. It is an abbreviation of the Greek name of Christ, IHΣΟΥΣ (Jesus), using the first three letters of the Greek (iota, eta [represented by H], and sigma). The abbreviation appeared for the first time in coins of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian II at the turn of the 7th and 8th centuries.

Kotor: Church of St. Claire – rose window on façade (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43315881).

10:21 AM – Kotor: next, narrow street (possibly still Ulica 1) toward Pjaca od Kina.

10:22 AM – Kotor: our guide telling us about the large tree in Pjaca od Kina.

Kotor’s St. Mary of the Angels Square (Montenegrin: Trg Svete Gospe od Andela), or in common use, the Cinema Square (Montenegrin: Pjaca od Kina), has the only large tree in the Old Town.Our guide said that, after the 17th-century earthquake, the people planted the black poplar. In 2013, a unique Cats Museum opened here, a homage to the city’s whiskered inhabitants.

10:34 AM – Kotor: large tree in Pjaca od Kina.

MT 10:28 AM – Kotor: Don and MT with large tree in Pjaca od Kina.

10:22 AM – Kotor: sign in Montenegrin and English about the large tree in Pjaca od Kina; English text reads:

“A centuries old black poplar (Populus nigra) is the ‘landmark’ of the Piazza of the Cinema in the Old Town. It was planted aster the strong earthquake in 1667 in the courtyard of the former Franciscan monastery of Our Lady of the Angels. The poplar, which dates back to the Venetian period, with its intertwined curvy branches and knotted cracked trunk, was and still is the favorite place of tourists and travelers, while for many residents of this part of the city it is the symbol of childhood happiness. Numerous cultural and entertainment programs were and still are being held under the canopy of this majestic tree.

“At the time when the Monastery of Our Lady of the Angels was seated here, the poplar was hidden from the public eye and surrounded by a 12 meters high wall. When the wall was torn down, besides the residents of Kotor, excursion groups and numerous tourists came to take a photo of this giant tree in the middle of the square. It is so today. The tree is the symbol of numerous cultural events, especially during the Kotor festival of theater for children.”

After the end of the guided tour, we would go back to see the old tree in Pjaca od Kina.

Then, not wishing to attempt the long, arduous, and time-consuming hike up to the Fortress of St. John, we tried to walk around the top of the city wall to the northeast, starting from near the Square of Arms, with the idea of following the wall as far as the River Gate (North Gate) and then taking the much shorter City Walls Trail around to the Salad Square and back into the south end of the Old Town. However, the way to the northeast was blocked by construction.

We met a family from Italy, took their photo and they took ours.

MT 10:34 AM – Kotor: Don and MT by café tables on top of north wall, with newer part of Kotor beyond Škurda River.

MT 10:34 AM – Kotor: Don and MT by café tables on top of north wall, with newer part of Kotor beyond Škurda River.

MT 10:36 AM – Kotor: Don with sign for “Montenegro” on top of northwest corner of wall, with dome and towers of Church of St. Nicholas in background.

MT 10:38 AM – Kotor: Don and MT with sign for “Montenegro” on top of northwest corner of wall, with part of Napoleon’s Theater at right and dome and towers of Church of St. Nicholas in background.

10:43 AM – Kotor: view from top of wall eastward to dome and towers of Church of St. Nicholas, with mountains beyond.

MT 10:43 AM – Kotor: Don and MT on top of northwest corner of wall, with Viking Star in port in background.

10:45 AM – Kotor: view from top of wall of Viking Star in port.

MT 10:45 AM – Kotor: flowers near northwest corner of wall.

MT 10:45 AM – Kotor: view, from top of wall, of man playing a violin.

10:45 AM – Kotor: view from top of wall of Fortress of St. John.

The Fortress of St. John (Montenegrin: sv. Ivan, Italian: Castello di San Giovanni) is located on St. John’s Mountain where the ancient city walls rise up to 280 m (306 yards) above sea level. There are 1,350 steps (an elevation gain of more than 700 feet) called the Ladder of Kotor, leading up to the fortress along steep switchback paths. Entrances to the Ladder of Kotor are from the River Gate at the northeast corner of the Old Town or the Salad Square (Trg of Salate)  at the south.

The first fortifications existed in the Illyrian era (remains from the 3rd century BC are just beyond the fort), and later they were rebuilt and upgraded in the 6th century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (ruled 527-565). The present appearance of the fortress dates from the late 15th century, with the Venetians and Turks taking turns defending it. The Venetians completed the project over the centuries, and the fortress stayed in service even during WWI and WWII. The Austrians were the last to man the fortress as a defensive position after their defeat in WWI, and Axis Forces took control of the area in WWII. In the olden days, the walls of the fortress, up to 20 m thick in some places,  carried 38 cannons, so the approaches to the city were completely protected.

Kotor: Church of Our Lady of Remedy (lower left) partway up path to Fortress of St. John (top right) (By Gzzz - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45451547).

Kotor: Church of Our Lady of Remedy partway up path to Fortress of St. John (By Александр Апатин, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49414213).

Perched on the slope of St. John Mountain, about half of the way up to the fortress at an altitude of 100 m, stands the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Remedy (Montenegrin: Crkva Gospe od Zdravlj). The church can only be reached on foot: the rocks and stairs that lead up the mountain slope to it make this church a difficult and time-consuming place to reach. It was constructed in 1518 after a horrible plague epidemic that threatened the city at the end of the 15th century. Archaeological evidence of the oldest known building in Montenegro, a Christian basilica dating from the 6th century, has been found under the Church of Our Lady of Remedy.

10:49 AM – Kotor: view from top of wall of Square of Arms with Clock Tower; the giant lampshade on the near corner of the square was left over from the children’s festival.

With the way to the northeast blocked, we followed the top of the city wall back to the south toward the Gudrić Gate (South Gate).

10:52 AM – Kotor: MT on narrow part of top of city wall between Square of Arms and Gudrić Gate, with Bay of Kotor at right.

10:56 AM – Kotor: view from top of city wall toward Gudrić Bastion (with flags), with Bay of Kotor at right.

Kotor: Gudrić Bastion - lower level (with turret and rounded base) at left, upper level (with arrow slots) at right, and outer part of Gudrić Gate at water level at lower right (By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43366909).

The Gudrić Gate (Montenegrin: Vrata od Gudrića), or South Gate, is hidden away at the water’s edge at the southern tip of the Old Town, near the round Gudrić Bastion (from 1470) and the mouth of the Gudrić Spring. The lower part of the robust bastion looks rather similar to the Kampana Tower at the northeast corner of the Old Town. This is the oldest gate into Kotor, initially constructed in the 9th century. The current version dates back to the 13th century, although changes were made up to the 18th century. It is located at the foot of the steep eastern wall that leads up to the Fortress of St. John. There is just a narrow passageway beyond a drawbridge over the Gudrić Spring, leading into the city, and a stone staircase leading up to a higher level that overlooks the gate itself and the outskirts of the walls. It once had three belts of gateways. The twisting passages, drawbridge, steep stairs, and narrow arrow slits would have helped medieval defenders of the city.

10:58 AM – Kotor: turret on Gudrić Bastion, with view of fortifications and path leading up to Fortress of St. John.

10:59 AM – Kotor: view, from Gudrić Bastion, of lower wall (belt) and outer gate at water level.

10:59 AM – Kotor: view, from  lower level to upper level of Gudrić Bastion, with of lower wall (belt) and outer gate at water level and part of fortifications leading up the mountain toward Fortress of St. John.

MT 10:54 AM – Kotor: Don and MT on Gudrić Bastion, with of upper level in background.

11:00 AM – Kotor: view, from upper level of Gudrić Bastion, of lower level of bastion (with turret), lower wall (belt), and steps that led down to the inner and outer parts of Gudrić Gate.

Then we went down the stairs from the Gudrić Bastion to passageway leading to the outer Gudrić Gate.

11:05 AM – Kotor: MT on passageway leading down to outer Gudrić Gate.

MT 11:05 AM – Kotor: Don on passageway leading down to outer Gudrić Gate.

When we reached the ground level, we exited the city wall through the outer Gudrić Gate.

11:06 AM – Kotor: view, from ground level, of lower level of Gudrić Bastion (left, with turret and rounded base) and the outer Gudrić Gate (right).

11:07 AM – Kotor: view, from ground level, of lower level of Gudrić Bastion (left, with turret and rounded base) and upper level of bastion (right).

MT 10:59 AM – Kotor: view, from ground level, of lower level of Gudrić Bastion (with turret and rounded base).

Outside the city wall, we followed the street, Jadranski Put (Adriatic Road), back to the Viking Star in the port.

MT 11:05 AM – Kotor: Jadranski Put – sculpture make of plastic bottles; the sign reads: “Zarobljena Riba \ The Trapped Fish” by Kotor high school art students.

11:10 AM – Kotor: view, from Jadranski Put, outside city wall, back to Gudrić Bastion (far right with flags).

11:12 AM – Kotor: view, from farther toward ship on Jadranski Put, of outside city wall, back to Gudrić Bastion (with flags).

Back onboard the Viking Star, we went to our room for a bit. Then, around noon, we went to the World Café in Deck 7 for lunch. While eating, we noticed a great view of the Old Town through the windows of the World Café.

Immediately after lunch, we went down to the Explorer’s Desk on Deck 1 to get a map of Kotor and also get one for the next day’s stop in Corfu.

Then Don went back to our room on Deck 4 to get his camera, and we went up on Deck 7 (around the outside of the World Café) and then higher up on Deck 9 to get good views of the city.

12:57 AM – Kotor: (horizontal) view, from Deck 7 of Viking Star, of Old Town: northern city wall along Škurda River at left, Kampana Tower at corner of north and west walls, and Mountain of St. John with fortifications in background; Jadranski Put outside wall at right and dock in right foreground.

The Škurda River flows from the mountains of Montenegro into Kotor Bay. It runs along the north wall of the Kotor fortifications.

12:57 AM – Kotor: (vertical) view, from Deck 7 of Viking Star, of Old Town: northern city wall along Škurda River at left, Kampana Tower at corner of north and west walls, and Mountain of St. John with fortifications in background; Jadranski Put outside wall at right and dock in right foreground.

12:57 AM (Cropped) – Kotor: view, from Deck 7 of Viking Star, of Kampana Tower at corner of north and west walls; dome and towers of Church of St. Nicholas in left background; Napoleon's Theater above white umbrellas just behind the bastion.

Kotor: Kampana Tower, with dome of Church of St. Nicholas behind north wall and Church of Our Lady of Remedy partway up mountain (By Avi1111 dr. avishai teicher - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34499523).

The Kampana Tower (Montenegrin: Kula Kampana) is a massive structure at the corner of the north and west walls, at the point where the Škurda River flows into the Bay of Kotor. The tower, close to the sea, was once a separate rampart. Its name, for its unusual round shape, comes from the Italian campana (bell). It is also known as the Citadel. Although called a “tower,” it is rather a bastion, since it is not very high. Its angled stone sides made it more difficult to scale with ladders and also deflected cannonballs. It was built in the 13th and 14th centuries when the city walls were upgraded. The tower was probably created after 1420, when the sovereign Republic of Cattaro (Kotor) was subordinated by the Venetian Republic. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

12:58 AM – Kotor: view, from Deck 7 of Viking Star, toward narrow neck of Bay of Kotor, with another cruise ship (of MSC line) approaching port.

1:02 PM – Kotor: view to south, from Deck 9 over bow of Viking Star, of Old Town: Sea Gate in wall at left; towers of Cathedral of St. Tryphon in center; Gurdić Bastion at far end of wall; and Jadranski Put outside wall at right.

1:03 PM – Kotor: view to north, from Deck 9 of Viking Star, of Old Town: Kampana Tower at northwest corner of wall; dome and towers of Church of St. Nicholas (behind Napoleon’s Theater) toward right.

1:04 PM – Kotor: view to north, from Deck 9 of Viking Star, of Old Town: Kampana Tower at northwest corner of wall; Bembo Bastion on Škurda River in distance; dome and towers of Church of St. Nicholas toward right; and Napoleon’s Theater at far right (telephoto 81 mm).

Kotor: Bembo Bastion (By No machine-readable author provided. Norwood assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1312895).

The Bembo Bastion, from 1540, is one of the older fortification structures in Kotor, located on the Škurda River near the North Gate (River Gate, 1540), which it was built to protect.

1:03 PM – Kotor: view to east, from Deck 9 of Viking Star, of Old Town: Church of St. Nicholas (behind Napoleon’s Theater) in left center; Sea Gate in wall at right; towers of Cathedral of St. Tryphon at far right.

1:03 PM – Kotor: view to east, from Deck 9 of Viking Star, of Church of St. Nicholas (behind Napoleon’s Theater) (telephoto 93 mm).

The Napoleon’s Theater (Montenegrin: Napoleonovo pozorište; Cyrillic: Наполеоново позориште), located at the north end of the Square of Arms, was one of the first theaters in the Balkans and functioned as such until the late 19th century. The building itself was built in the 17th century to store food for military purposes and was also known as the Town Guard Tower. It was remodeled and turned into a theater in 1810 during French occupation. During the 20th century, it functioned as the Town Hall, and today it accommodates the reception of Hotel Cattaro.

1:04 PM – Kotor: view to north, from Deck 9 of Viking Star, of Kampana Tower (telephoto 93 mm).

1:05PM – Kotor: view, from Deck 9 of Viking Star, of Old Town: northern city wall along Škurda River at left, Kampana Tower at corner of north and west walls; Bembo Bastion on north wall in distance on river; Church of St. Nicholas (behind Napoleon’s Theater) in left center; Sea Gate in wall toward right; towers of Cathedral of St. Tryphon at far right; Jadranski Put outside wall in right foreground.

The Viking Star was scheduled to set sail around 3 pm for our next stop in Corfu (207 nautical miles).

Around 2:30, Don went to Deck 3 forward (outdoors) for the “Scenic Bow Sail Away,” scheduled for 2:45; MT joined him a bit later, when a large crowd had gathered. There we enjoyed champagne and another panoramic view of Kotor from a spot along the railing that Don had staked out.

2:39 PM – Kotor: view to north, from Deck 3 of Viking Star, of Kampana Tower; top of Napoleon’s Theater and dome of Church of St. Nicholas at right.

2:39 PM – Kotor: view to east, from Deck 3 of Viking Star, of city wall; top of Napoleon’s Theater and dome of Church of St. Nicholas at center; and mountains in background.

2:40 PM – Kotor: view to east, from Deck 3 of Viking Star, of city wall; Sea Gate (in center, behind palm tree); towers of Cathedral of St. Tryphon behind Valier Bastion (right of center, behind white van); and mountains in background, including Fortress of St. John (top right).

To the right of the Sea Gate, the city walls meet on a slight corner at the Valier Bastion, from 16th-17th century. On the outer side of the bastion, near ground level is the relief sculpture of the winged Lion of St. Mark, a symbol of the Venetian Republic, which ruled over Kotor from 1420 to 1797. The sculpture represents St. Mark the Evangelist, in the form of a lion, and the book he holds under his front paw is the Bible opened his Gospel.

9:08 AM – Kotor: Winged Lion of Venice on Valier Bastion (telephoto 156 mm, Cropped).

2:40 PM – Kotor: Deck 3 of Viking Star, forward, with other passengers starting to arrive for “Scenic Bow Sail Away.”

2:40 PM – Kotor: view to south, from Deck 3 of Viking Star, of city wall; Valier Bastion (at left, behind white van); towers of Cathedral of St. Tryphon (behind Valier Bastion); St. Francis Position and St. Stephen Position (barely visible) above Gurdić Bastion at far end of wall; and mountains in background, including Fortress of St. John (top, just left of center).

From the Bembo Bastion on the north side of the Old Town and the Gurdić Bastion on the south side, ramparts of Kotor’s fortifications climb up to the top of St. John Mountain. The ramparts have defensive positions at various points.

2:42 PM – Kotor: St. Francis Position and St. Stephen Position along wall extending up from Gurdić Bastion toward the Fortress of St. John (telephoto 119 mm).

2:42 PM – Kotor: Fortress of St. John (telephoto 250 mm).

The Fortress of St. John is also called Castle of St. John (Montenegrin: Tvrđava sv. Ivan, Italian: Fortezza di San Giovanni or Castello di San Giovanni) or Kotor Castle. Its name comes from the church of the same name, first mentioned in 1440, which was located in the main fortress and was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The fortress is located on St. John’s Mountain where the ancient city walls rise up to 280 m (306 yards) above sea level. There are 1,350 steps (an elevation gain of more than 700 feet) called the Ladder of Kotor, leading up to the fortress along steep switchback paths. There are around 70 switchbacks. The hike up to the fortress takes about 2 to 2.5 hours (round trip, if you are fit). Entrances to the Ladder of Kotor are from the River Gate at the northeast corner of the Old Town or the Salad Square (Trg od Salate) at the south.

The fortress was built to protect the town of Kotor from invaders and to prevent invading forces from moving farther inland. Construction started in the 5th century, but it was  rebuilt and modified until in the 19th century. It was originally built as a hill fort by the Illyrians around the 5th century. It was first reconstructed by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century (531 or 532). However, the one there now is a comparatively modern medieval replacement, which is more of a castle. After Kotor came under Venetian rule in 1420, the fortifications were extended to take their current form. Thus it was the Venetians who constructed most of its present structures, which are a good example of Venetian defensive military architecture. From 1797 until after WWI (except for 1805-1814), the Austrians held Kotor. So, while the Venetians were responsible for the bulk of the fortifications, Illyrians, Byzantines, and Austrians also left their marks.

The fortress is just one part of the fortifications of Kotor, since walls extend from it down St. John Mountain to surround the city, incorporating bastions, towers, and other defensive structures.

2:43 PM – Kotor: Fortress of St. John, with more of building to right (telephoto 250 mm).

2:42 PM – Kotor: wider view of Fortress of St. John and other fortifications at top of St. John Mountain (telephoto 81 mm).

MT Around 2:45 PM – Kotor: panorama view from Deck 3 forward (with surprise at end) (VIDEO).

At 3:00, we went to the Explorers’ Lounge on Deck 7 (forward) for the “Scenic Sailing Commentary” by Guest Lecturer Dr. Mary Jane Cryan. She described the sights we were seeing as the Viking Star sailed through the Bay of Kotor.

3:13 PM – Kotor: view, from Explorers’ Lounge on Deck 7, of dock and Old Town, with Church of Our Lady of Remedy and wall fortifications on St. John Mountain in background.

3:14 PM – Kotor: view of dock, as our ship began to move northward, and Old Town, with Church of Our Lady of Remedy, Fortress of St. John, and other wall fortifications on St. John Mountain in background.

3:15 PM – Kotor: Church of Our Lady of Remedy and wall fortifications on St. John Mountain (telephoto 119 mm).

3:15 PM – Kotor: newer part of city and obelisk at north end of port.

3:16 PM – After Kotor: view toward narrow neck of the Bay of Kotor.

Kotor and Bay of Kotor – view from city wall (By Pudelek (Marcin Szala) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11843689).

The Bay of Kotor (Montenegrin: Boka Kotorska) is a winding, natural fjord near the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The Bay is about 28 km (17 mi) long with a shoreline extending 107.3 km (66.7 mi). At its narrowest point, the Verige Strait, the bay is only 340 m (1,120 ft) wide.

Kotor and Bay of Kotor – view from Fortress of St. John (By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33293981).

16th-century (Venetian?) engraving - Map of Bay of Kotor, with “Citta de Cataro” (Kotor) at top right and small church on island off “Perasto” (Perast); it makes the bay seem somewhat straighter than modern maps show (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boka_oldmap.gif Uploaded by User: Orjen from English Wikipedia / National Archive of Kotor); saved as JPG file.

Wikimedia map of Bay of Kotor (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gospa_od_%C5%A0krpjela#/map/0); it shows that, as our ship departed from Kotor that afternoon, it would first sail north from Kotor (see red circle), then west, turning south just short of Our Lady of the Rocks island (see blue marker) near the town of Perast to continue on the winding bay toward the Adriatic Sea.

Map of Churches in Bay of Kotor (1 = from 9th century; 2 = from 10th and 11th century) (By Bratislav Tabaš - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17781252); it shows that our ship would sail north from “Sv. Tripun” (St. Tryphon) in Kotor, then west, turning south just short of “Sv. Djordje” (St. George, out in the water) to continue on the winding bay toward the Adriatic Sea.

As we passed two small islands, we understood the Guest Lecturer to say they were created by ships dropping rocks they had carried as ballast. This turned out not to be correct.

3:50 PM – After Kotor: approaching two small islands in Bay of Kotor.

3:50 PM – After Kotor: view of two small islands: St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks (telephoto 119 mm).

3:51 PM – After Kotor: view of two small islands: St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks (telephoto 218 mm).

Our Lady of the Rocks and St. George, two islands in Bay of Kotor off Perast (By LeCardinal - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7049120).

Our Lady of the Rocks island in Bay of Kotor off Perast (By Brian Dell - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4319244).

Our Lady of the Rocks (Montenegrin: Gospa od Škrpjela; Italian: Chiesa della Madonna dello Scarpello), sometimes translated as Our Lady of the Reef, is one of two small islets off the coast of the town of Perast in the Bay of Kotor, the other being Sveti Juraj (St. George) Island. It is an artificial island created by a bulwark of rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks. The islet grew, perhaps, out of remorse for the heinous act perpetrated on St. George. Around a small crag (skripio in Dalmatian dialect), local people started to build another island. It began with the hulls of scuttled ships and was reinforced by stones carried by boatload after boatload to form a seat for a votive chapel, which they dedicated to the intercession of Mary, the mother of Christ. The island was built by 1484, when the original tiny Orthodox chapel was built. That chapel lost most of its treasure in 1624, when pirates from Tunisia and Carthage attacked Perast, destroyed the churches, and took most of the population into slavery.

Church of Our Lady of the Rocks – octagonal apse with dome, with bell tower in background; photo on cover of Viking Daily newsletter for Aug 3 in Kotor; a smaller version of same photo was at the beginning of the entry for Kotor in the Viking Cruise Documents with the caption “Our Lady of the Rock Church,” although only one of the optional shore excursions “Baroque Palaces and Seascapes” (scheduled at the same time as our included tour) actually went there, after  a cruise on the Bay of Kotor, as part of a “panoramic drive … to nearby Perast” part of the summary reads:

“Embark a boat for the island of Gospa od Skrepjela, of Our Lady of the Rocks. This tiny manmade islet was created over the centuries by sailors who placed rocks here in thanks for a safe return from the sea.”

The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rocks (Montenegrin: Crkva Gospa od Škrpjela; Italian: Chiesa della Madonna dello Scarpello), in the Baroque style, is the largest building on the islet; attached to it is a small museum dedicated to the history of Perast. There is also a small gift shop close to the church and a navigation light at the western end of the islet. Today’s church was built in 1630 by the Venetians, who built a Catholic chapel in place of the original Orthodox one. It was renovated in 1722-1725, when the original chapel had been enlarged by the addition of an octagonal sanctuary (presbytery, apse) with a distinctive dome and a round bell tower. On the façade is a portal with a pediment and a small statue of Our Lady and the Christ Child.

Church of Our Lady of the Rocks – façade, bell tower and dome, on island in Bay of Kotor off Perast (By Antidiskriminator - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2593249).

According to legend, the islet was made over the centuries by local seamen from Perast who kept an ancient oath after finding the icon of Madonna and Child on the rock in the sea on July 22, 1452. Two brothers were returning to Perast from a dangerous voyage; one of them had an injured leg. As they passed the island of St. George, they saw something caught on a rocky outcropping, and found the icon. The brothers went home and took the icon with them. The next day, the injured brother’s leg was miraculously healed. They took this as an omen that they should build a church dedicated to the Virgin on the rock where they found the icon. Of course, there wasn’t enough rock to build a church at that time. So, upon returning from each successful voyage, they laid a rock in the Bay. Over time, the islet gradually emerged from the sea. The custom of throwing rocks into the sea is still alive today. Every year, at sunset on July 22, in an event called fašinada (“scattering stones”) in the local dialect, local residents take their boats and throw rocks into the sea, widening the surface of the island. Whether by chance or by design, the island has taken the outline of a galleon.

St. George Island in Bay of Kotor, viewed  from Our Lady of the Rocks (By Photo: Marcin Konsek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30906170).

The island of St. George (Montenegrin: Sv. Djordje or Sv. Đorđe), unlike Our Lady of the Rocks, is a natural island off the coast of Perast in the Bay of Kotor. The name of the island derives from the patron saint of Kotor in ancient times. It is also known as the “island of the dead.” This may be due to the fact that the island has an old cemetery, where until 1866 many prominent people from Perast and the whole Bay of Kotor were buried; on the island there are also ancient Illyrian graves. However, it may be because, according to legend, a tragic event occurred during the Napoleonic invasion in 1813. The men of Perast had holed up in the tower of Sv. Kriz above Perast, while the French retreated to Sv. Djordje (St. George) One French soldier, Ante Slovic, was betrothed to a girl from Perast. When the French soldiers, including Ante, fired cannons toward Sv. Kriz, they instead hit a house of his beloved girlfriend and killed her. The devastated Ante stayed on Sv. Djordje and became a monk in the monastery.

St. George is also called the “cursed island” since the Pope officially cursed it because of a terrible crime that occurred on it. After the Benedictine monks settled on the island, the small abbey had gained so much influence that the Pope himself undertook to supply the abbots, and the surrounding lands became his monastic parishes. This situation did not suit the local residents. In 1535, the inhabitants of Perast killed the abbot right on the altar. In the same year, the Pope excommunicated the townspeople. Christians were afraid to set foot on the island because they feared the Pope’s anathema.

The island is guarded by century-old cypresses, evergreen trees that were a symbol of death for the ancient Romans but of eternal life for Christians.

The Church of St. George (Crkva Sv. Djordje or Sv. Đorđe) belonged to the St. George Benedictine monastery built in the 12th century but said to have been founded in the 7th century. The first archival record of the church and priory of Sv. Đorđe “Sanctus Georgius de Gulfo” dates back to 1166, when Ivan, abbot of Sv. Jurje attended the consecration of the new Romanesque church of St. Tripun in Kotor. However, according to the findings on the ornaments on the church, it is assumed that the Benedictines have lived in the church since at least the 9th century. The original church is not preserved, apart from individual details, since it was destroyed by invaders and earthquakes, particularly the earthquake of 1667. Construction of the present church was begun in 1740 by a Venetian architect. Only the belfry and apse were built at that time.

Church of St. George (By Wolfgang Sauber - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69285988).

The two islands are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor.

Perast is a small old town (pop. 274) on the Bay of Kotor, overlooking the Verige Strait, which is the narrowest part of the bay. It is situated a few kilometers northwest of Koror, still in the Municipality of Kotor. Although the first settlements appeared in the area in the Neolithic era, the first records of Perast are from 1336, when there was a small fishing village, which had a shipyard. However, since the strategically important island of St. George, which belonged to Kotor, was in the immediate vicinity, the development of Perast was going very slowly. It became a city in the Venetian period (15th century) because it occupied an important border area. After Napoleon defeated the Republic of Venice in 1797, Perast began to decline.

3:51 PM – After Kotor: view of two small islands: St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks as we passed them (telephoto 105 mm).

Then, at 4:00, we went to the Theater on Deck 2 for the “Port Talk – Corfu.”