The inhabitants of the Montenegrin Kotor throughout the entire history of its existence were engaged in navigation and trade with other Mediterranean countries, which allowed the city to grow into the most important center of the Adriatic. The history of Kotor is full of bright events, ups and downs, which are reflected, among other things, in the architectural appearance. The entire center of the old city is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and therefore there is something to see on its streets. In Kotor, it will be interesting for lovers of antiquity, and for history fans, and for those who cannot imagine their vacation without visiting museums and art galleries. The city is also rich in natural attractions, and the Bay of Kotor is rightfully ranked in the list of the most beautiful places on the Adriatic coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
TOP-10 attractions of Kotor
Fortress walls
The old town is surrounded by ancient fortress walls, the construction of which began in the 9th century. The total length of the walls is more than four kilometers, the height reaches 20 meters, and the thickness in some places exceeds 15 meters.
There are several ways to get to the old city. The city gates were built in the 16th century and each has its own history:
- The main or Sea gate is made of large stone blocks. They frame the passage, on the right side of which the fortress wall is decorated with a bas-relief. The sculptural composition depicting the Virgin Mary with Jesus and Saints Bernard and Tryphon dates back to the 15th century.
- The southern or Gurdich Gate is separated from the road by a medieval bridge over a cave.
- The Northern or River Gate was built in 1539 in memory of the battle with the Turkish armada led by Admiral Hayruddin Barbarossa. Kotortsy withstood 70 ships and 30,000 enemy soldiers.
The fortress walls of Kotor, going around the old town, climb a high hill, where another attraction of the seaside resort was built - the fortress of St. John.
Fortress of St. John
Most of the panoramic photographs of Kotor are taken from the height of the hill, climbing which you can look at the ruins of the ancient fortress of St. John. The top of the mountain of the same name had fortifications even at the time when the Balkans were called Illyria. The first mention of the fortress on Mount St. John dates back to the 6th century, when Emperor Justinian I restored the ancient fortifications. The fortress survived two Ottoman sieges, became the property of the Habsburgs and the Napoleonic kingdom, was attacked by the British in 1814 and, finally, at the end of the First World War, lost its military purpose.
Unfortunately, the fortifications of Kotor were badly damaged during several earthquakes, but today all tourists coming to Montenegro strive to climb Mount St. John and look at Kotor from a height.
To get there: 1400 steps lead to the fortress. Admission is paid (3 euros) in summer and free from November to March.
Clock tower
At the central entrance to the old town, guests of Kotor are greeted by the Clock Tower. It was built in 1602. Today it is one of the city's attractions that has successfully survived many historical shocks and earthquakes and is well preserved at the same time.
The tower stands on the Armory Square. The coat of arms in front of the front entrance to it is engraved with the initials of the governor of the Venetian Republic, Antonio Grimaldi, who ruled the city at the beginning of the 17th century. During the construction of the tower, a special masonry was used, adopted in the Renaissance era - the edges of massive stone blocks seem to be slightly concave.
Near the tower during the Middle Ages there was a Pillar of Shame, to which convicted criminals were tied for public censure.
Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
Kotor Cathedral belongs to the local Catholic diocese and serves as the spiritual center of the Croats, who make up the majority of the local population. The first stone in the foundation of the temple was laid at the beginning of the 12th century. Then the cathedral was rebuilt several times, but despite this it retained the features of the Romanesque style.
St. Tryphon, in whose honor the cathedral was consecrated in 1166, who is considered the patron saint of the city.
The temple has undergone many trials during its existence. The greatest amount of destruction was caused by earthquakes. As a result, the bell towers were completely rebuilt and acquired some features of the Baroque architectural style, and the rosette window in the upper part of the facade reminds of the fascination of medieval architects with Gothic.
The main shrine of the cathedral is the relics of St. Tryphon, resting in the ark in the chapel attached to the temple in the XIV century. The townspeople Andria Saracenis bought them from Venetian merchants in the 9th century. He is buried near the entrance to the cathedral.
The interiors are decorated with a carved canopy over the tabernacle of red marble and the remains of frescoes from the 14th century.
Old Kotor churches
While walking around the city, you will see several more Christian churches of great historical value and creating a special atmosphere for a person interested in medieval architecture:
- The Church of St. Clara dates back to the 18th century. The temple is famous for its library, which contains old handwritten books, the oldest of which was written in the 10th century. The collection of the church library also contains the first printed books belonging to the South Slavic book printer Andriya Paltashich, who lived in the 15th century.
- The Church of St. Luke is one of the oldest in Montenegro. It was built in 1195. In the middle of the 17th century, an Orthodox was added to the Catholic altar in the temple. This happened at the behest of the Venetian city administration. In 1657, Orthodox refugees came to Kotor to hide from Turkish persecution.
- The Church of Mary on the River was consecrated in 1221. The main relic of this temple is the relics of Blessed Hosanna of Kotorska.
- In the church of St. Michael of the XIV century, the coats of arms of the noble families of Kotor, carved from stone, are kept.
In Kotor, the 17th century Church of St. Matthew and the Church of St. Eustachius in the resort village of Dobrota are also noteworthy.
Church of the Mother of God on the Rock
In 1453, local sailors found a miraculous image of the Virgin on the reefs. Having recovered from his illness, one of them began to build an island in the place of the found icon. Over the next two centuries, the inhabitants of the town of Perast, which is 17 km from Kotor, collected stones, and eventually the island reached the desired size. In 1630, a temple was erected on a man-made piece of land, damaged by the earthquake of 1667, but lovingly restored.
The Church of Our Lady on the Rock is not too big. Its height is only 11 meters. During the heyday of Perast at the end of the 17th century, the townspeople richly decorated their temple, inviting the famous Mediterranean artist Tripo Kokolya to paint its interiors.
Gifts from wealthy families and ship captains who come to the port of Perast have turned the temple into a museum and treasury. On the walls of the church, 2500 plates of silver and gold are fixed, donated to the temple by people for getting rid of diseases and other troubles.
Boka Kotorska
This is how the name of the Bay of Kotor sounds in Montenegrin, the most beautiful pearl of the Adriatic, which is called the southernmost fjord of the Old World and the Mediterranean. The Boka Kotorska bay is a series of natural bays connected by canals. Several resort towns of Montenegro are located on the banks of the harbor. The most beautiful view opens from the sea to Kotor and its fortifications, rising in the form of powerful fortress walls from the old city to the summit of Mount St. John.
Boat trips and excursions along the Bay of Kotor are offered by all travel agencies in Montenegro. The program usually includes visits to the cities of Kotor, Perast and Herceg Novi.
Risan
29 kilometers north of Kotor, on the Adriatic coast, there is a small resort village where you can spend a whole day in leisurely walks along the old streets. In the list of the main attractions of Risan, popular with tourists, the ruins of a villa built during the existence of the Roman Empire invariably lead. Remains of paintings have been preserved on the walls of the building, but the main value of the ruins is the mosaic floor depicting the god Hypnos. It is believed that the villa belonged to a noble nobleman and was used by him as a holiday residence.
Maritime Museum of Montenegro
The city of sailors, Kotor not only piously honors maritime traditions, but also gladly introduces them to all guests arriving on vacation on the Adriatic coast. Since 1880, the Maritime Museum has been operating here, which displays exhibits telling about the history of the development of maritime business in Montenegro.
The exposition is located in the palace that belonged to the noble Montenegrin family of Gregurin. The mansion was built at the beginning of the 18th century.
The original collection of the museum was a collection of rarities of the naval brotherhood called "Bokelska Mornarica". A professional sailing community was organized in the Bay of Kotor in 1859. Its goal was a memorial organization for the protection of the traditions of sailors.
The collection of exhibits of the Maritime Museum of Montenegro tells about the development of navigation in the Bay of Kotor. At the exhibition stands you will see interior items for captain's houses and portraits of famous sailors, old maps of Boka Kotorska and the entire Adriatic, ship models and coats of arms of noble families associated with maritime affairs. The museum organizers are especially proud of the collection of weapons captured in military battles.
Cat museum
In Kotor, as in all of Montenegro, cats are very fond of. They are even considered an unofficial symbol of the city, and all tourists who come here will certainly take away many photographs of furry residents, postcards and souvenirs with their image.
Love for the four-legged motivated the creators of a small museum dedicated to cats. It is located in an old house in the historical part of the city. The exposition presents paintings and figurines, stamps and souvenirs dedicated to the tailed inhabitants of Kotor.
Ticket price: 1 euro.
