For centuries, nature created traces of beauties of Boka Kotorska bay

Boka Kotorska Bay had been created on the south-eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, along the courses of the former rivers. Its appearance is as interesting as its origin. Former rivers, the sources of which had been in the present-day Kotor and Risan, would meet in front of Verige Strait, 2 325 meters long and 340 meters wide, pushing through and continuing to flow along the present-day Tivat and Topla Bay, where they would be joined by the rivers coming from the direction of Grbalj Plain and Sutorina, creating thus a 2 950 meters wide gateway in between the present-day promontories of Oštro and Mirište, at the entrance to Boka Kotorska.

Among different theories on the origin of Boka Kotorska Bay, widely accepted is the one on the flooding of the former river valleys, around 10 000 years ago, when the intricate bay started to be perceived.

Former complex river valleys, with the straits of Verige and Kumbor, make Boka unique by its origin, complexity of the relief and the appearance.

Until the 5th^th century AD, present-day Risan had been the principal town of Boka, which had then been called Sinus Rhizonicus. Kotor then assumes the role of the principal town and the entire bay gets to be called after it - Bocche di Cattaro. The word “Boka” derives from the word “bocca” which means: mouth, river mouth, opening.

Within the framework of the administrative boundaries of the three municipalities of Herceg Novi, Tivat and Kotor, Boka Kotorska encompasses the area of 616 km², with the municipality of Kotor participating with 335 square kilometres, or 54.38%.

Boka Kotorska Bay enters deep into the land, i.e. 29.6 kilometres. The length of the coastline is 105.7 kilometres.

The total of 47.6 kilometres of the coastline in Boka belongs to the Municipality of Kotor, with 25.6 kilometres of the coast facing the open sea from Trašte promontory to the Jaška River.

The area of the Bay covered by the sea is 87.3 km², 12 km² of which belonging to Kotor – Risan Bay. Maximum depth in Boka (67.96 metres) was measured in Kotor Bay, in between Dražin vrt and Perast.

There are eight islands in Boka Kotorska Bay, two of which are located in Kotor – Risan Bay. One of them is St. George islet, and the other one Our Lady of the Rock, both particularly interesting, the former by its name “Island of the dead“, and the latter by its origin.

St. George island, natural by origin, has 720 metres long coastline and the area of 0.018 km². It is large enough for a church with the same name to be built there in the 12^th century, with the graveyard where the citizens of Perast would be buried.

There is a legend associated with this islet and its graveyard, the legend about the unfortunate love between two young, separated by life but joined in death. Namely, when the inhabitants of Perast had conquered the fortress above the town called Holly Cross in 1813, the French withdrew to the islet of St. George, where they placed the cannons. Upon the order issued by his superior officer, Ante Slović, a French soldier, originally from the island of Cres, opened fire in the direction of the fortress. Instead of the fortress, he hit the house where Katica Kalfić lived, his girlfriend. She died and was buried on the islet of St. George, in the old Perast graveyard. The unfortunate soldier decided to stay in the monastery on the islet, to become friar Frane, from where he would chime the bell every day, until his own death. According to his will, he was buried next to his beloved one.

The story of the unfortunate love between the French soldier and Katica Kalfić, served as the inspiration to the famous Swiss painter Böcklin for the painting entitled “Island of the Dead”.

The islet of Our Lady of the Rock is an artificial island created by sinking stones and old sailing vessels around a crag, in order to create an area of around 3 000 m² for the construction of the existing church of Our Lady, constructed in 1630. The main altar is located above the crag on which brothers Mortešić, as legend has it, found the painting of the Mother of God. Alongside the Church there is a building of the archaeological-ethnological museum. The islet is called the “Floating Gallery”, which is one reason more for paying a visit to it. Another reason to visit this place is the solemn occasion of sinking stones around the islet, which is linked to the manner of its creation.

Kotor ̶̵ Risan Bay is surrounded by the slopes and ranges of the high mountains of Orjen (1895 m) and Lovćen (1 749 m), while Vrmac peninsula (768 m) separates it from Tivat Bay.

Coordinated action of several forces that took part in the creation of Boka Kotorska Bay has revealed itself most in Kotor–Risan Bay, where there are temperature variations between individual micro locations, because of their horizontal fragmentation and increase of the quantity of precipitation with the rise in the elevation, which is the consequence of the prominent vertical fragmentation.

One should also be aware that it is not only the vertical fragmentation, but the horizontal one as well. Although solely three kilometres away, Risan receives greater quantity of precipitation, has lower air temperature levels and has shorter exposure to sunshine in relation to Perast. While at the horizontal distance of 5.8 km from Risan, at the altitude of 1 050 metres, there is Crkvice, which with over 5 300 mm of precipitation, holds the top of the ranking in Europe.

The climate here is quite specific, enriched with the influence of mountain air and marine aerosols, which make it suitable as a natural factor for the treatment of non-specific pulmonary diseases in the rehabilitation institution “Vrmac” in Prčanj.

Relatively mild winters, with average air temperature in January of 7.4⁰ C and the hottest month of July, with the average temperature of around 25⁰ C, are essential features of the climate in the area of the Kotor Municipality, with the exception of Krivošije, which has all the characteristics of mountain climate. Autumn is warmer than spring by 2.9⁰ C on average.

Most of rainfalls come in autumn months, 248 mm, and in wintertime, 243 mm, with only 68 mm during summer.

Taken generally, Tivat–Topla Bay has somewhat lower air temperatures during summer in relation to Kotor–Risan Bay, and somewhat higher in winter, which is the consequence of its openness towards the sea.

Even the sea temperature during summer is higher in Tivat-Topla Bay in relation to Kotor-Risan Bay by about 1⁰ C, which is the consequence of greater influx of fresh water coming from the submarine springs in the region of Kotor-Risan Bay.

The seawater temperature of + 18⁰ C, coupled with the corresponding air temperature, determines the length of the bathing season, which starts in Kotor– Risan Bay in mid-May and ends at the beginning of October, totalling around 140 days.

With regards to the number of wind-free days, there is a pronounced difference between Kotor and Risan Bay. The periods of lull, or windless days, are very frequent in Kotor Bay, on average 213 days during a year, which is not the case with Risan Bay, which is exposed to air currents coming through Verige Strait.

The consequence of the fragmentation of the relief and related climate variations is the vegetation as an indicator of such diversity. Thus, in Risan Bay, at the distance of 5 to 6 kilometres of airline, palm trees grow, as a feature of the Mediterranean climate, as well as pine and Bosnian pine, as an indicator of sub-Alpine climate, which in this area has come closest to the sea.

In the area of Risan there is another rarity. Namely, oleander community stretches here in the area of 40 ha. This is a self-grown species, protected as a nature reserve, and according to some opinions the native area of oleanders in Europe.

Obviously, the nature in the region of Boka Kotorska Bay, has left deep positive traces, from the origin of the Bay to its natural beauties and content, mountainous hinterland of Krivošije, fragmentation of the coast and the relief of Grbalj Plain, which constitute nowadays a part of the tourist offer.

In this area, mankind has for centuries been adapting to the laws of nature, respecting what has been given to it, and nature, in turn has obviously been all but sparing.

MAN’S PRESENCE AND CREATIVITY – LESSON AND MESSAGE TO GENERATIONS

The symbiosis between the living world and nature has long been established in this area. This is testified by the presence of man whose traces of material culture date as far back as to the Neolithic Age and Early Bronze Age, therefore about 3 000 years ago. The oldest prehistoric drawings on the cave walls at Lipci and the Neolithic findings in the cave above Perast, stone tumuli in Grbalj all bear testimony to that. Their position and type are a consequence of the morphological features of the relief, socio-cultural and socio-economic circumstances at the time of their origin. These circumstances were being changed during history, and the history of this region had started being written by the Illyrians as of the 3^rd century BC up to the year 168 BC. Numerous tumuli, minted money, jewellery, place-names, remains of edifices date back to that period.

In 168 BC, the Romans overpowered the Illyrians and ruled over Boka until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476. At that time Risan was the principal town of Boka after which it was called Sinus Rhizonicus. In the 1^st century AD, Pliny the Elder mentions Acruvium, located in the territory of the present-day Kotor.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Boka came under the rule of the Eastern Empire (Byzantium), with Kotor as its principal town. From that time onwards the bay has been called Boka Kotorska Bay. With brief interruption and the rule of Doclean and Zeta rulers from the immediate hinterland, Boka Kotorska had remained within Byzantium until 1185, when it becomes a part of Raška, Serbian state under the Nemanjićs. Kotor became an important port thanks to its geographical position, where maritime route encountered the caravan one that led through the Škurda River Canyon on to the mines of Brskovo, Drvenik, Trepča and Novo Brdo.

In 1371, Kotor falls under the rule of Louis I, the king of Hungary and Croatia, until his death in 1384.

Bosnian king Tvrtko Kotromanić ruled over Kotor from 1384 to 1391.

In the period from 1391 to 1420, Kotor enjoyed autonomy, after which it comes under the dominion of the Venetian Republic until its fall in 1797.

After the fall of the Venetian Republic, Boka Kotorska was ceded to Austria until 1806 when it comes under the rule of Russia, but only briefly, as already in 1807 it is ceded to France.

Appreciating the desire of the peoples to live in one state, Montenegro and Boka Kotorska Bay decided to make a union at the national assembly on which occasion so called Central Commission was established. The Central Commission was chaired by Peter I. The unification act was officially sealed by Kotor Bishopric. However, this unification lasted solely nine months, from 11^th September 1813 to 10^th June 1814.

The destiny of Boka was decided in 1814 following a treaty signed among the great powers. According to the decision of the Congress of Vienna, Boka Kotorska came under the dominion of Austria where it remained until 1918. The dissatisfaction of the inhabitants of Boka with their position and status in the country was manifested through Grbalj uprising in in 1848, Boka uprising in 1869 and Krivošije uprising in 1882.

As of the year 1918, Montenegro followed the destiny of the Yugoslav states, within the joint country, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, then in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and then after the World War II in the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia until 1991, and then in the union with Serbia until 2006, when it became an independent state following the popular vote at the referendum.

The geographical position of Kotor, an intermediary in between the countries in its hinterland and those on the coasts of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, as well as it terrestrial links via caravan routes with the hinterland, promoted Kotor into a very important port, but also a centre of crafts known by its goldsmiths, blacksmiths, masons. During the middle ages, craftsmanship in Kotor reached the levels of extraordinary art, the objects of which are preserved in the sacral edifices (gilded altarpiece in St. Tryphon’s Cathedral), but also as museum objects or pieces of architecture (Collegiate Church of St. Mary’s). Goldsmiths reached their golden peak in the 14^th and the 15^th centuries, with the gilded altarpiece on which only one element, Jesus Christ, was the work of the Swiss goldsmith Johann from Basel. The exhibition hall of St. Tryphon’s Cathedral stores the masterpieces of Kotor goldsmiths.

The incursion of Turks in the hinterland of Kotor, in the first half of the 15^th century, the vulnerability of the links with the hinterland and famous mines there, caused the decline of goldsmith’s trade, but not its extinction. The proof of this is the manufacturing of the silver plating for the legendary hero - Marko Kraljević.

Kotor was the home to famous shoemakers and shield makers who equipped numerous participants of Kosovo battle in 1389, as well as to other craftsmen.

The skilfulness and artistry of the craftsmen was not evident solely on the products which are still preserved in Kotor. It was being spread far from Kotor via caravan routes. Visoki Dečani Monastery, the construction of which was completed in 1335, is the work of the Kotor builder - friar Vito of Kotor, and the works of Kotor painters were being spread all the way to Macedonia.

Painting in Boka Kotorska has a very long tradition. This is confirmed by the examples of artistic expression on the cave walls at Lipci, created in the prehistoric era. The floor mosaics in Risan, dating back to the 2^nd century AD, with the image of Hypnos, God of Dreams, are considered the most beautiful examples of floor painting in this region.

Fresco painting has also got a long tradition, but only fragments have been preserved in the churches of St. Tryphon, St. Luke, St. Mary Collegiate in Kotor. In St. Basil’s Church in Lower Stoliv, unique samples of wall paintings have been preserved, depicting the saints of both Western and Eastern Church, with the names of the authors written in the alphabet used by the respective church.

The most famous representative of Kotor School of painting is Lovro Marinov Dobričević (1420–1478). Most of his works have been preserved in the churches of Dubrovnik. In Kotor region, his most significant work of art is Our Lady of the Rock, made around 1452, and preserved on the altar of the church with the same name.

The last representatives of the byzantine tradition in this area are found among the icon painters from the family Dimitrijević-Rafailović from Risan. Best known among them is Dimitrije Rafailović, known as the author of the fresco paintings in the churches of St. Nicholas in Pelinovo and St. George in Šišići - Grbalj, at the end of the 17^th century and the first decades of the 18^th century. The best icon works of this family are found in the church of St. Luke and in the annexed Chapel of St. Spyridon.

Famous domestic icon painters are: Todor Vuković, whose activity is linked to the 16^th century, and Maksim Tujković from Grbalj, who was painting icons in the 18^th century.

The influence of the Venetians gradually overpowered the domestic artists and consequently, in the region of Boka Kotorska, there were more and more works of Italian painters, sculptors and architects, many of which being the masterpieces of the Renaissance and Baroque era.

Although under the influence of the Venetian school of painting, during Baroque era, Tripo Kokolja (1661–1713) from Perast, successor of the domestic painting tradition, made the paintings for the walls and ceiling of the Church of Our Lady of the Rock, with the altar painting in the same church being the work of Lovro Dobričević.

Like many other coastal towns, Kotor had a well-developed literary life. Golden Era of Kotor poetry belongs to the 16^th century. Those who excelled at their works were: Ljudevit Paskvalić, whose poems ensured him a very high position in the Italian literature, then Ivan Bona Boliris, Bernard Pima and others. Contrary to their predecessors, Kotor writers of the 17^th century, write in vernacular. In the 18^th century, patriotic and love poetry surfaced, with Ivan Nenadić being the most prominent representative.

Literary work in the 19^th century is mostly reduced to collecting and processing folk literature, like the collector’s work of Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, as well as of his collaborators in this field, Vuk Popović (1806–1876) and Vuk Vrčević (1811–1882), both from Risan.

At the end of the 19^th century, Srećko Vulović from Perast and Pavo Kamenarović iz Dobrota, the author of the verses for the Boka Navy dance, excel at their works. The successors of the tradition related to the studying of Boka Kotorska, Kotor in particular, during the 20^th century are the following: don Niko Luković, Miloš Milošević PhD, Maksim and Ignjatije Zloković, Slavko Mijušković PhD, Risto Kovijanić, don Gracija Brajković, don Pavao Butorac, don Ivo Stjepčević, don Anton Milošević, don Srećko Vulović, Predrag Kovačević from the field of history, Vasko Lipovac creating his works of art, Rajko Vujičić, in the field of art history.

Back in 1838 regular marine traffic was established between Trieste and Kotor, and in 1860 there was a family boarding-house in Kotor – “Graz”, whilst in 1923 the first hotel was constructed – “Slavija”.

Local marine traffic in the area of Boka Kotorska was established on 1^st January 1892. With the establishment of the railway traffic on Zelenika ̶ Sarajevo route in 1903, Kotor rounded off its connections with the continental part of its hinterland, having first established the maritime link with one part of Europe via Trieste.

The construction of the road from the Austrian border to Cetinje started in mid-1879. The road was completed and opened for traffic on 21^st June 1881, on which day stagecoach line was established between Cetinje and Kotor. The transport of mail and passengers with a more advanced stagecoach started in 1895. The first automobile on Cetinje – Kotor route started operating on 9^th July 1903.

The establishment of the Steamboat Company “Boka” in 1920, with the head office in Kotor, marked the beginning of the local traffic through Boka Bay, as well as of the line traffic with Dubrovnik and along the coast to Ulcinj.

The first written guide through Kotor entitled “Mali vođ po Kotoru” (Small Guide through Kotor) by Adolf Čekada, was published in 1923, and two years later don Ivo Stjepčević published his own “Vođa po Kotoru” (Guide through Kotor).

Natural treatment factors had long been known in this region, or specifically the combination of mountain and marine air, thus in 1926 sanatorium was established in Prčanj.

The first associations for the embellishment of settlements are established in Prčanj and Morinj in 1924, in Dobrota in 1927, and in Perast in 1928.

The first known cruise ships, 2 of them, were recorded in 1926, and yachts, 25 of them, in 1931.

The World War II left deep negative traces in the territory of the Municipality of Kotor, and even wider, which was manifested in the following: establishment of the concentration camp (Mamula), sinking of the fleet, burning of the settlements (Upper Orahovac and Ljuta), destruction of bridges etc.

Local naval traffic through Boka Kotorska Bay was established on 9^th December 1944, using the vessels of “Zetska Plovidba” company until 1947, when “Jadranska linijska plovidba“ from Rijeka took over, until 31^st September 1967, when local naval traffic was abolished.

Air traffic from Tivat Airport started in 1954 thanks to its modernization and adjustment to contemporary types of aircraft. In this way the Airport was gradually assuming an important role in the transport of tourists.

Finally, tourist turnover in Boka Kotorska Bay receives a new impulse with the construction of Belgrade – Bar railroad in 1976.

Administrative management of state bodies had its reflection in tourism management, too. So, the year 1949 saw the establishment of Kotor District People’s Committee Tourism Administration. One year later, in 1950, Tourism Administration is replaced by the Committee for Tourism and Hospitality Industry, which is transformed into the Tourism Promotion Bureau. With the cessation of administrative management and the Law on the Division of People’s Republic of Montenegro into Municipalities, in 1957, tourism activities in the municipalities are managed within the framework of the line body for economy.

In 1953, tourism entities in the territory of Boka Kotorska Bay are organized as tourism societies. In the territory of Kotor Municipality there were eight tourism societies: “Morinj”, “Risan”, “Perast”, “Dobrota”, “Kotor”, “Prčanj”, “Jadran” in Stoliv and “Bigova”. The societies were members of the Tourism Federation of Boka where they had their representatives.

After World War II, Montenegrin tourism was supported with the means of market communication, starting from the first edition of the leaflet “Boka Kotorska and its Surroundings”, in 1946, published by the Chief Directorate for Tourism and Hotel Industry of Montenegro, and two years later the first video clips and slides on Boka Kotorska are made.

Publishing activity from the area of tourism continues as testified by this publication.

Disastrous earthquake of 15^th April 1979, with the epicentre 25.6 kilometres south of Petrovac, at 7:19 a.m. lasting 42.3 seconds, with 9⁰ measured on the Mercalli Intensity Scale, hit Kotor and its surroundings, killing 13 citizens of Kotor. The damage sustained by cultural heritage in the Municipality of Kotor was estimated in the range of USD 18 658 930, or 35.52% of the overall damage sustained by Montenegro.

Urban population, displaced after the earthquake, did not return to the Town in the expected numbers. Consequently, the contents in the town considerably changed its original functions.

A positive move was made with the transfer of industrial plants from the suburban area to the industrial zone in Grbalj Plain on 1^st May 1987. It needs to be said, however, that this was not the only move. The multi-purpose tunnel of “Vrmac”, intended for traffic and transport of waste waters outside the Bay, 1 637 metres long, was opened for traffic on 15^th July 1992. It reduced the distance from Kotor to Tivat Airport to 8 kilometres.

Kotor seafront, for the mooring of ships and other vessels, was extended and enlarged, increasing thus the depth to enable the mooring of vessels with greater draught. Electricity, water and telephone connections were installed to accommodate yachts. All this coupled with the fact that Kotor and its surroundings attract ever so greater number of visitors, positioned the Port of Kotor among the first three in the Adriatic Sea and seventh in the Mediterranean. Also, Risan Port is technically equipped for the reception and mooring of smaller ships.

Kotor and its region find the confirmation of its natural and cultural values in the number of visitors, which has come close to one million. It is a special recognition for the values that attract visitors, both natural and manmade ones.

However, this does not render complete the tourist offer of Kotor and its region. There are other unused natural and artificial potentials, which can and should render it complete. One should primarily have in mind congress, health, sport and village tourism.

CULTURAL HERITAGE – WITNESS TO HISTORY

Men wrote history in this area, and the heritage left behind stands witness to that history, more than 2 500 years old, the history written on the border between the East and the West, the traces of which are present in the written sources, architecture, art, historical events, literature and customs. It is exactly that presence, on the borderline between civilizations that created such wealth of diversity which is hard to find in one place.

But, one should not forget the autochthonous creation which is manifested in the works of numerous writers, historians, artists, poets, craftsmen and seamen as the intermediaries in transmitting numerous cultural influences. Cultural heritage is objectified in: edifices, settlements, towns, churches, church treasuries, museum and private collections, libraries, archives and customs. History in this region is not preserved solely in documents, but also in customs. The proof of this is seen in the tradition cherished by the “Boka Navy”, according to popular legend more than 12 centuries old, and definitely dating back to 1353, which is the year found in the first written document.

Kotor, like many other towns/cities in the world, has got the legend of its origin. And the legend has it that Greek fairy Alkima, resided in Vilnica cave, in the mountain above the area of the present-day town, where former settlers had intended to erect a settlement. “Seashore should be your home, since there is no life for you without the sea. In the mountain there is no berth for a ship or a playground for a horse.“ And the town was built on the present-day spot, at the foot of St. John hill (260 m), alongside a branch of the Škurda River in the north, Vauclusian spring of Gurdić in the south and the seashore in the west. The Town of Kotor covers the area of 7.90 ha. It was linked to the hinterland via a Caravan route, while the sea provided its connection to the rest of the world. For centuries Kotor had acted as an intermediary between the East and the West, terrestrial hinterland and the sea. This gave it the functions of a merchant port and navy port. The port served not only for the exchange of goods, but also of cultural influences.

The quay, commonly called “Riva”, got its present-day size and appearance following the damages sustained during the 1979 earthquake. Namely, the quay was extended by 50 metres, enlarged by 6 metres, the water deepened, by which conditions were created for the reception of larger ships.

The length of the coast is 671 metre, and the area covered is 10 000 m². The southern part of the coast is intended for the reception of recreational boats. In that area there are 27 connections installed for electricity, telephone and water. In the northern part of the coast there is a lighthouse. It was constructed in the form of a mast with a sail with the inscribed important dates from the maritime history and the year of the 1979 earthquake.

Walls (Ramparts) ̶ encompass the town following the natural configuration of the terrain it covers. With their length of 4.5 km, the degree of preservation, belong to the longest in the Mediterranean. With their height, in places up to 20 metres, and width from 2 to 15 metres, they were being adjusted to the strength of the weapons and aggressors’ skills. They were being built from the 9^th to the 18^th century, adjusted to the technique and technology of the armaments and vessels. Following the configuration of the terrain, on the eastern side formed by the slopes of St. John hill (260 m), at the time of their construction Kotor got natural observation post, today a vantage point which numerous visitors strive to “conquer”. Not less attractive view of the town and wider area extends from the porch of the church of Our Lady of Health, erected in the 15^th century. The realization of the planned cable car project, will most certainly conquer it, just as the planned content of the former fortification will captivate the visitors.

As stated in the historical sources, present-day walls, as early as by the 13^th century, encompassed the “Lower Town”, i.e. the ancient urban core mentioned already in the 9^th century, as well as St. John hill, defining thus the present-day contours of the town walls. The oldest parts of the walls are located in the north-eastern part of the fortification system.

The Škurda River flows along the northern walls of the town. That branch of the river used to be navigable. The southern section of the ramparts is washed by the waters of Gurdić, a Vauclusian spring, which becomes active during rainy seasons. The western part of the walls stretches along the seafront road.

Town gate ̶ The Town can be accessed through three gates: the principal one in the west, one in the north and one in the south.

The principal gate was built in 1555, in the Renaissance style. The original height was reduced by 0.86 m, as a consequence of earth settlement. The original appearance of the gate was altered after the World War II, when lion ornament was replaced by the date 21^st November 1944, and the coat of arms of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by the coat of arms of the new Yugoslavia.

The norther town gate, with the drawbridge over the river Škurda, was erected in 1540, in memory of the defence of the town against the fleet under the command of the Turkish pirate Haireddin Barbarossa, who had intended to conquer the town. He had led his fleet to the spot where the town gate was subsequently constructed.

From the south, the town is accessed through triple gate: inner from the 16^th century, middle from the 12^th and the 13^th century, and external, with the wooden drawbridge from the 18^th century.

October Revolution Square, called PIAZZA d’ARMI during the times of Venetian dominion, which is the Italian for Square of Arms – The principal gate leads to the main and the largest town square, originally named after the former Venetian arsenal that had been located there. It stretches in the form of the capital Latin letter “L”. Along the western side of the square there is Governor’s Palace, the construction of which had commenced in the Renaissance style, then partially collapsed during the 1667 earthquake, and rebuilt in the Baroque style, only to be partially demolished during the 1979 earthquake and finally reconstructed to its original style. On its southern side, there is the Tower of the Town Guard, the construction of which had commenced in the renaissance style, as testified by the remains of the broken arch in the ground floor, which leads to the assumption that the former square was of somewhat smaller area and partly enclosed by means of arcades. In the northern section of the Governor’s Palace there is the edifice of the Napoleon’s Theatre, constructed at the beginning of the 11^th century. At the beginning of the 20^th century it was reconstructed in the Neo-Renaissance style and was assigned a new purpose – Town Hall. It was damaged during the 1979 earthquake, reconstructed in the same style, but was yet again assigned a new purpose - hotel, together with the former Governor’s Palace.

In between the building of the former Town Hall, current hotel, and the building of the CKB Bank, former Venetian arsenal, the street leads to the town walls and “Maximus” Dance and Night Club.

In the eastern part of the square, there are 19th century profane buildings, and the Clock Tower, built in 1602, is located on the site of the former Torture Tower. The Clock Tower leaned for about 20 cm after the earthquake that struck Kotor on 15^th April 1979, but it was stabilized and stands monument to the consequences of the earthquake. At its foot, there is a pyramidal monument called Pillory.

The southern front of the square is composed of the 19th century profane buildings and the northern facade of Bizanti Palace (1692). In between them runs the street with on both sides the facades of Bizanti and Beskuća Palaces (1778), leading to once called Square of Flour.

Liberation Square (FLOUR SQUARE) – the former name – Square of Flour dates back to the times when there were warehouses and flour stores. The western front of the square consists of the oldest preserved buildings that once belonged to Buća noble family, 12^th 14^th century. The eastern facade of the square is dominated by the palace of Pima noble family, erected on the foundations of an older 14^th century building. Its construction commenced in the Renaissance style and completed in the Baroque style. In the ground floor of this building, on its northern side, there is the Gallery of Solidarity, called so after the donors of paintings from all over former Yugoslavia following the disastrous 1979 earthquake. The Gallery organizes exhibitions of the works of art made by the renowned authors.

The southern side of the square is enclosed by the Baroque building which houses the Faculty of Tourism.

A narrow and short street going towards the east leads to Square of Sailors’ Uprising, popularly known as Square of St. Tryphon (PIAZZA DEL DUOMO), the patron saint of the Town of Kotor and Boka Kotorska. The square is famous for numerous events that were going on there: sessions of the town council, trade, public trials, among which also the trial to the leaders of the uprising of the sailors on board Austro-Hungarian vessels in 1918, after which it was named.

The Cathedral dominates with its bell towers, 33 and 35 metres high respectively, consecrated in 1166 and built on the foundations of a 9^th century church, which was confirmed during the archaeological explorations carried out on the occasion of the static consolidation of the Cathedral following the 1979 earthquake. Fragmentary contours of the original church are marked on the floor of the sacristy.

For eight and a half centuries of its existence, the Cathedral has undergone big changes resulting from the reconstructions following numerous earthquakes. The first one is related to the construction of the altar ciborium around the year 1362. After the 1537 earthquake, the one from the year 1563 in particular, in the period between 1583 and 1613, significant works were being performed on which occasion the dome was removed. The disastrous earthquake from the year 1667 caused the destruction of the bell towers and the facade, which were being rebuilt at the end of the 17^th century. For that reason their style, with minor exceptions, seems Baroque, and as for the bell towers, their floor distribution, three instead of former four, reflects the Romanesque style. The northern, lower bell tower, remained unfinished, with unworked pilasters, because of the scarcity of funds during difficult economic circumstances Kotor was going through at that time.

The interior of the Cathedral, which has preserved different layers of interventions of the past epochs, is the result of almost two decades’ long restoration-conservation works, following the 1979 earthquake.

The stone ciborium above the main altar constitutes the greatest artistic value of the Cathedral. It was made in 1362, and it is considered a real masterpiece on the eastern Adriatic coast. The pillars that support the three-layered crown were made of red stone from Đurići, a quarry in the vicinity of Verige Strait. On the frieze of the ciborium, its relief, there are scenes of the miracles of St. Tryphon, the patron saint of the church.

Gilded altarpiece constitutes exceptional artistic value. It was made in Gothic style, with the embossed images of the saints, and considered a real masterpiece of Kotor goldsmiths of the 14^th and the 15^th century.

The reliquary constitutes the third masterpiece. This architectural-sculptural design of the Venetian Baroque sculptor Francesco Cabianca houses previous relics, objects and paintings of the venetian and local masters from Kotor-Dubrovnik school of Lovro Marinov Dobričević. There is also a 9^th century baptistery.

This, however, does not exhaust the reasons for visiting the Cathedral. The visit to the Museum of Sacral Art in the area where there are exhibits from the 5^th to the 20^th century, some of which deserve special attention, like: clay lamp 4^th 5^th century, wooden crucifix, 15^th century, reliquary of the Holy Cross, 16^th century, Reliquary – Cross by which Bl. Marco d’Aviano, blessed the Polish army in the battle against Turks near Vienna in 1683, then various relics, especially anthropomorphic ones, made from the 18^th to the 19^th century, textile objects, lace etc.

The Reliquary was constructed in 1652 as a special wing having a separate entrance on the northern side of the Cathedral. After the 1667 earthquake, monumental staircase was constructed to secure the entrance to the reliquary from the interior of the church. The interior of the treasury, its architectural design and sculptural decoration is the work of art of the Baroque painter Francesco Cabianca from Venice, who stayed in Kotor from 1704 to 1708.

The building of the noble family Drago makes the northern front of the square. The southern façade of the building looking towards the Cathedral was constructed in the 16^th century in the Renaissance and Baroque style, and the northern one in the 15^th century mature Gothic style.

The southern and western front of the square enclose the buildings of vernacular architecture from the 18^th and the 19^th century. In the building on the southern side, there is the seat of the municipal administration. In this very building, back in 1918, the Court-marshal sentenced to death by firing squad the leaders of the uprising of the sailors on board the vessels of the Austro-Hungarian Navy.

In the row of buildings on the western side of the square, opposite the Cathedral, there is the building of the State Archives-Kotor Historical Archives with the exhibition hall on the ground floor. The oldest document stored in the Archives dates back to the year 1309. It was written on parchment in Latin language and with Gothic script. The oldest document written in Cyrillic alphabet dates back to the year 1539. The Historical Archives possesses around one kilometre of archives, which classifies this institution among the well-known ones in the wider region.

The street stretching northward leads to Square of Boka Navy (Museum Square), formerly known as PIAZZA GREGORINA after the Baroque palace which adorns the northern section of the square (18^th century). The Palace houses Maritime History Museum, the custodian of history and tradition of the maritime affair of Boka Kotorska. By viewing its exhibits, a visitor experiences history as the presence, and not as the past.

From this square, a northbound street takes you to a tiny square with the town fountain - Karampana from the 17^th century, known as the place where former maidservants to Kotor noble families would meet to collect water taking the opportunity for gossiping. Satirical newspaper “Karampana”, which is issued during the carnival time in Kotor, preserves the memory of those times.

Continuing along the same northbound street one reaches Square of Brotherhood and Unity, formerly called St. Luke’s Square (PIAZZA DI S. LUCA). The square is predominantly enclosed by houses, vernacular architecture from the 17^th to the 19^th century. The square is dominated by Saint Nicholas’s Church, located in its northern side, constructed in 1909 on the site of the former Dominican church which had had the same name from 1545. The church possesses several interesting icons from the 17^th and the 18^th century. The iconostasis was painted by František Cigler, a Czech academic painter in 1908. The church possesses a rich treasury of church objects, icons, a library and archives.

Central position in the square is occupied by the Church of St. Luke. It was erected in 1195 taking as a model a similar church in Raška and another one in Southern Italy. The reconstruction of its roof cover, after the 1979 earthquake, was carried out in the same style. Mavro Kazafranka and his wife Buona (Dobre) had had the church built during the rule of the Grand Prince Nemanja and his son Vukan, as can be read on the Latin inscription mounted on the facade. The church had been a Catholic one, but with the influx of Orthodox believers, another altar was constructed, thus from 1657 to 1812 it functioned as a two-altar church, when it became solely Orthodox. Present-day appearance is the result of the restoration-conservation works executed there after the 1979 earthquake.

The iconostasis in the church is of great artistic value, the work of local masters from Dimitrijević-Rafailović icon-painting school. In the chapel, constructed in 1747, next to the northern side of the church, the iconostasis is the work of a master from the Italo-Cretan 18^th century school.

On the southern side of the square, there is a building of Lombardić family, which used to house Russian Consulate (1804–1806) and where Peter I and Peter II Petrović stayed, while on the western side of the square, there is the edifice of the Music School, next to which, in the neighbouring street, in the former Church of the Holy Spirit, there is a concert hall.

The street leading from Brotherhood and Unity Square, passing by the Church of St. Luke, up to PAŠTROVNICA Square, formerly known as (DAIRY MARKET), nowadays a residential area with hospitality facilities. Only two buildings in this square are characterized by the elements of the 15^th century Gothic architecture, and as such architecturally interesting. Narrow and short streets branch off from this square leading to the longest streets in the Town, i.e. east-west and north-south.

STREETS - Kotor constitutes a unique network of winding streets which meet in the squares of different sizes and branch off from there.

East-west Street connects the main square - October Revolution Square, with north-south Street, which connects the northern gate with the southern one. A short branch connects it to Cinema Square where there is a medieval church of St. Michael, erected on the foundations of the former Benedictine church of St. Michael, from the 6^th century, currently adapted to house the Lapidarium. The original appearance of the church with Lovro Dobričević’s frescoes had been preserved until the beginning of the 19^th century when it was turned into a warehouse, only to receive the current function in the second half of the past century.

Half way up the street, on its northern side, there is the church of St. Clare (14^th 17^th century) commonly known as St. Anthony’s church, erected on the remains of an older church. In the church, there is a Baroque altar, made of multi-coloured marble, with the sculptures of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare, the works of the Venetian painter Francesco Cabianca.

The Monastery houses a rich library with the holdings of around 30 000 books, 50 incunabula and considerable number of quasi-incunabula. In the immediate vicinity of this complex, there are remains of a Dominican monastery of St. Nicholas with a cloister constructed in mid-16^th century and destroyed in the fire at the end of the 19^th century.

In the eastern part of the street, there are two interesting buildings with the 15^th century biforas.

The street ends in a small square, November 21^st, in memory of the liberation of the Town and its surroundings from fascists’ occupation, formerly known under the name PIAZZA DELLE LEGNA (Timber market), where timber used to be sold. On the southern side of the square, there is the church of St. Mary of the River (1221), popularly known as Blessed Osanna, for her remains are kept in the Church. It was erected on the foundations of an older church where the 5^th century baptistery was found, as the oldest architectural finding in the area of the Town. The church preserves the fragments of fresco paintings from the end of the 13^th century. Embossed bronze door of the Church show the life of the Blessed Osanna of Kotor. The door is the work of Vasko Lipovac, a famous artist from Kotor.

On the northern side of the square, starting from the northern town gate, runs the longest street in the Town, November 29^th, at the beginning of which, from the east a road-stairway branches off leading to the church of Our Lady of Health and the Fortress of St. John. Along the street, there is the church of St. Anne, one of the most beautiful and most original churches in Kotor from the first half of the 13^th century. Three layers of frescoes were discovered in the Church: the oldest layer dates back to the time of the construction of the Church; the middle layer from the 14^th century, and the most recent from the 15^th century. The fresco composition on the facades of the Church dates back to the 14^th century and represents St. Christopher. The exterior of the Church was altered considerably during the earlier reconstructions following the 16^th and 17^th century earthquakes. Restoration interventions on the facade, after the 1979 earthquake, partially marked the earlier interventions on the added apse.

The church of St. Joseph, in the same street, was built in 1633. Floor tombs from the 17^th and the 18^th century are of special interest with very interesting coats of arms. The main altar in the Church is the work of master Cabianca.

The church of St. Paul (13^th century) presently functions as an audio-visual hall. Inside there is the preserved cell where Blessed Osanna used to reside.

Škaljari Market Place, in the immediate vicinity of the Cathedral, known once as PIAZZA D‘ERBE, called by some Salad Market, for the sale of green produce from the suburb of Škaljari, nowadays functioning as an open-air stage for different music performances.

The church of St. Francis (17^th century), until recently a ruin, is about to have a new function – Kotor Bishopric Library with the holdings of around 30 000 titles.

November 29^th Street ends at the south Town gate at Gurdić.

In the immediate vicinity of the south gate, there are the remains of the Franciscan Monastery erected in 1286, the endowment of the Queen Jelena, wife to the King Uroš I. In the monastery, there is a graveyard where numerous respectable citizens of Kotor had been buried. Alongside the Monastery, there is the Benedictine Monastery of St. Peter.

However, this does not render complete the picture of Kotor cultural heritage or the continuity of its presence in this area, either on site, or as archival document, exhibit, sacral, architectural, historical object or custom.

Because of this, it is worth while visiting the following settlements:

Goodness (8 291 inhabitants) ̶ The most populated settlement in the Municipality of Kotor, stretching from the Škurda River in the south to the Ljuta River in the north, in the length of 7 kilometres. Its indented coastline stretches along 10.3 kilometres. In the documents stored in Kotor Archives, it is mentioned for the first time in 1260 as Dabratum, which is the etymology of the present-day name. The original settlement had been created on the elevated part of the coast in between 80 – 120 metres above the sea level, because of the then imminent danger coming from pirates. It was during the 18^th and the 19^th century that it acquired its present-day position, along the coastline. The proof of that are the names of different neighbourhoods, which, apart from Ljuta, bear the names of various fraternities: Marović, Radimir, Tripković, Kamenarović, Tomić, Andrić. For a long time, Dobrota and other settlements in Kotor – Risan Bay, had had the features of linear settlements, with green spaces in between the groups of houses. Due to intensive construction activity during the past several decades, Dobrota, as well as other similar settlements, has lost this feature.

Dobrota is known as a settlement which even during the Venetian rule cherished its national feelings and language, but also good neighbourly relations with the hinterland, which is testified by the hospitality of Count Ivanović and his family, who entertained Njegoš II, Montenegrin bishop prince in 1833. The inhabitants of Dobrota distinguished themselves, not solely as seamen, but also as warriors, participating in the famous battles. For this it got to be called “Valliant Nest“ and was hailed by Andrija Kačić-Miošić, a famous poet. The inhabitants of Dobrota became famous for their poetry, Pavo Kamenarović being one of their poets who write the famous poem “Boka Navy Dance”. Special monument to its patriotic feelings is the building called “Slavic Reading Room”, erected in 1903.

Besides the preserved Illyrian place names and the material remains from the Roman era, the oldest preserved monument is the Church of St. Elijah from the 11^th century, built on the cliff next to the present-day Marine Biology Institute.

The Church of St. Matthew was erected in 1670 on the foundations of an older, 13^th century church. The Church stores the painting of the Mother of God with Child, the work of art of Giovanni Bellini. Besides this one, there is a collection of paintings and sculptures of the Venetian 17^th and 18^th century School. The Church also houses rich collection of textile, silver and golden relics, particularly rare of which is the relic of Christ’s Blood from the 16^th century.

The Church of St. Eustace, had originally been built on the seashore, in the 14^th century. Present-day church was erected in 1773, the interior of which is a typical example of Baroque art, with the paintings of the famous masters: Paolo Veronese, Carlo Dolci, Ivan Soliman, Frano Potenza, with the ceiling from 1938 covered in the paintings depicting the life of St. Eustace by Josip Kljaković.

The altars, especially the main altar, were made of Carrara marble.

The Church treasury stores a rich collection of relics, church robes, paintings of famous authors, particularly rich collection of Dobrota lace, some 130 pieces, made during the period of Renaissance and Baroque, proposed for UNESCO cultural heritage list.

The Church of St. Peter in Ljuta was constructed in 1780. It has got three altars, two of which commissioned by the families Dabinović and Radimir. The Church is particularly famous for its altar dedicated to Our Lady of Health, as a sign of gratitude for being spared from cholera which had raged in the area in 1850.

The prisoners, some thirty of them from Dobrota region, imprisoned by the soldiers of the 81^st German Division, during their retreat on 7^th November 1944, lined them up in the vestibule of St. Peter’s Church in Ljuta intending to shoot them dead. Upon the request of Don Gracija Ivanović, they allowed them to say a prayer to the Mother of God, whom their ancestors prayed to in order to be spared from cholera. After the prayer, the enemy soldiers changed their mind.

Then, however, started the burning of Ljuta, because there had been located the headquarters of the members of the Second Company, of the Fourth Battalion, of the Second Dalmatian Brigade, seven of whom and one female citizen falling victims to the enemy troops. The burning of Ljuta lasted until 20^th November 1944, when German and Italian soldiers retreated towards Risan and Grahovo. Out of the total of 41 houses in Ljuta 34 were burned. Nowadays, Ljuta, with the exception of several buildings, has preserved its ambience and architectural appearance and type of settlement.

The palaces of the famous maritime families of Dobrota: Ivanović, Tripković, Dabinović, Milošević, changed their owners but they have preserved their original looks, typical of the similar 18^th and 19^th century edifices.

The River Ljuta makes the northern frontier of Dobrota. The river source – the Eye, is the canal which this river flows from. The depth of the canal is about 100 metres, which enables the influence of the sea on the ground waters. Minimum profusion of the main source of the Ljuta River is about 100 litres per second, while the maximum one is 170 m³/sec. The name Ljuta in Montenegrin means angry because during high water-level water gushes angrily from the source.

Lower Orahovac (296 inhabitants) ̶ Settlement on the northern shore of Kotor Bay, characterized by gravel beaches and maritime tradition, which has been testified by numerous and well-known seamen and fishermen. Certain number of its inhabitants still continues that tradition. New construction activities have considerably altered its urban and architectural physiognomy. A three hundred years old oak tree is a real rarity of this settlement. On a rock above the settlement, there is a church, and from there one can enjoy a fantastic view of the entire bay. The Church is dedicated to Saint George. In the older part of the Church there are very interesting frescoes from the end of the 15^th or the beginning of the 16^th century. The iconostasis is the 19^th century work of Špiro Đuranović from Đurići.

Upper Orahovac was destroyed during the World War II. The houses were burnt down by the Fascists and the people were moved out. After the end of the War, certain number of displaced inhabitants returned there and started a new life, only to move once again in the 1960-ies in search for job due to the strengthening of the economy, especially the maritime one.

Going towards Perast, on the very seashore, standing above 60 metres long gravel beach, there is Bajo Pivljanin’s Tower that once belonged to a reputed Montenegrin 17^th century hero. As “haiduks’” chief, he would protect Kotor Bay from Turkish onslaughts, because of which he was rewarded by the Venetians. He died in the Battle of Vrtijeljka, at the beginning of May 1685.

Perast (274 inhabitants) ̶ Settlement opposite Verige Strait, the entrance to Kotor – Risan Bay, at the foot of Mount Kason (873 m). Such topographic position is manifested in specific micro-climatic features, first of all with regards to the duration of sunshine and smaller quantities of rainfall. This is confirmed by the measurements performed from 1932 to 1934, when Perast received on average 1 710 mm of rainfall or 1 506 mm less than Risan, which is three kilometres away. As for the duration of sunshine, it was classified among the first settlements in Boka Kotorska Bay. Although these measurements are quite old, there are no significant changes.

Constructed at the foot of the mountain, on a promontory opposite Verige Strait, strategically very important entrance to Kotor – Risan Bay, Perast was, relatively early, oriented towards the sea, both because of economy or defence. Because of that, as early as in 1336 Perast had its shipyard, which was conducting its production activities up until 1813. In the last year of the Venetian rule in Boka, in 1797, Perast possessed 80 ships out of the total of 525 then present in Boka Kotorska Bay.

During the history, the inhabitants of Perast have managed to preserve their language and culture, as well as the Town itself, which the Turks never conquered, not even on 15^th May 1654, when, although with limited number of troops, they managed to repel powerful Turkish army led by Mehmed agha Rizvanagić, who himself was killed in the battle. Silver relief depicting this battle is stored in the treasury of the church in Perast, far and wide famous for its wealth and diversity of cultural heritage it stores.

Perast acquired municipal status in 1580 and managed to keep the same until 1950.

Perast got its urban physiognomy by following the configuration of the foot of Mount Kason and its slope, up to the Fortress of the Holy Cross, from the beginning of the 17^th century, which dominates the Town. Perast is one of the most beautiful and most prominent examples of Baroque architecture on the eastern Adriatic coast.

The urban plan is straightforward. There is a road running along the seafront, and parallel to it, to a larger extent, a street, which stairways branch off from leading to the upper parts of the Town. The street is formed with rows of buildings on both sides. In the centre of the Town, there is a square with the Church of St. Nicholas, built in Renaissance and Baroque style of the 17^th century, with the 55 metres tall bell tower. The initiated construction of a newer church in the first half of the 18^th century was interrupted due to Napoleonic wars, which destroyed maritime affairs of Perast, thus also its economic power. The church of Our Lady of the Rock on the islet with the same name, does not have solely sacral character, it is a special gallery containing the paintings made by renowned artists: Tripo Kokolja, Lovro Marinov Dobričević, those modern ones like Vojo Stanić and others. Its treasury is a special archaeological-ethnological museum, while the islet, its authenticity, rarity, degree of preservation, its historical, technical and social importance, recommended it for the inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among 17 churches that exist in Perast, the oldest one is Holy Cross (9^th century), after which the fortress above the Town got its name.

Perast gave many famous personalities: Marko Martinović (1663–1716), teacher of maritime skills, who trained 17 cadets sent by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great in 1698, Matija Zmajević (1680–1735), admiral in service of the Russian fleet under whose command Russians conquered the Swedes in 1721, after which Russians emerged to the Baltic Sea, Andrija Zmajević (1624–1894), Archbishop of Bar and the Primate of Serbia, Vicko Zmajević (1670–1745), Archbishop of Bar and Zadar, Julije Balović (1672–1727), sea captain, writer and prominent fighter against pirates, Tripo Kokolja (1661–1713), famous Baroque painter. In the Church of St. Anne, there is one preserved Tripo Kokolja’s fresco painting, and in the Church of St. Anthony (17^th century) there is one painting made in oil-on-canvas technique.

Among numerous buildings in Perast, those that stand out by their architectural solutions are the following: castle of Andrija Zmajević, Archbishop of Bar and Primate of Serbia (1624–1694), with a church and characteristic octagonal bell-tower from the second half of the 17^th century, Viskovic Palace (16^th - 19^th century), and the most beautiful edifice of Renaissance-Baroque architecture in Boka Kotorska Bay from the end of the 17^th century, Bujović Palace, which houses the Museum of the Town of Perast.

The Museum of the Town of Perast stores rich treasury and preserves the history of this town. Documents, weapons, traditional costumes, coats of arms of Perast families, portraits of famous historical personalities, “narrate” in the best possible way about the history of Perast, which would otherwise be difficult to comprehend.

Rich archives dating back to the 16^th, 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century render complete the evidence of the rich history of Perast.

In the building located next to the Church of Our Lady of the Rock, there is a museum the exhibits of which are archaeological objects, paintings of Perast ships, parts of ship equipment and instruments, and particularly attractive embroidery showing the altar of the Church of Our Lady of the Rock, made by Hijacinta Kunić from Perast, who even applied her own hair.

RISAN (2048 inhabitants) ̶ The oldest settlement in Boka Kotorska Bay, mentioned in the 3^rd century AD as a fortified Illyrian town. The presence of the Illyrians is testified by the excavated coins from the local mint. According to popular tradition, Risan offered shelter to the Illyrian Queen Teuta during the Roman onslaught.

The presence of former civilizations in the area of Risan is testified by more recent archaeological excavations at the sites of Carine and Gradina.

At Carine, the remains have been found of a Roman settlement, while at Gradina the remains have been found of an Illyrian town: foundations of a 3^rd century BC palace that had belonged to Illyrian kings, parts of the town gate, street and remains of monumental architectural objects. On the same site, below Gradina necropolis, Teuta’s fortress, on the right bank of the River Spila, king Ballaios coins were found.

Risan, indisputably confirms its past and on the basis of the same announces its future.

Roman 2^nd century AD mosaic with ornaments and figurative solutions, among which there is the image of Hypnos, God of Dreams, the only image of this deity in the wider region.

Ongoing archaeological explorations confirm the antiquity of this town, not only on land, but also in the sea, where the remains were found of a Classical port. Until the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Risan had been the principal town of Boka Kotorska Bay.

The site called Gabela constitutes the urban core of the Town. It is paved in Oriental style, with a row of civic houses from the 17^th-19^th century, among which stands out captain Ivelić’s Palace stands out dating back to the second half of the 18^th century. This is a rarely preserved part of the urban core from the period of Turkish rule (1539 –1687).

The Orthodox church of St. Peter and Paul, from the end of the 18^th century, at the periphery of the town park, with the facade decorated in rosette, possesses several important handicraft objects of Russian origin from the end of the 18^th century or the beginning of the 19^th century. The catholic church of St. Michael is mentioned in the 16^th century. In the park, there is a monument to the soldiers fallen during the People’s Liberation War.

Vaso Ćuković, a benefactor from Risan, with his contribution supported the construction of the well-known hospital for traumatology, neurology and neurosurgery, as well as the former building of the Cultural Centre. Risan is the birthplace to the national hero Nikola Đurković, famous sea captains, nine icon painters from the family Dimitrijević-Rafailović, as well as to the writer Vuk Vrčević.

On the way to Perast, there is Banja Monastery, built at the beginning of the 18^th century, on the foundations of an older one from the 13^th century, with rich collection of icons of Dimitrijević- Rafailović School from Risan.

From Risan, the road takes you to the hinterland, to the place called Crkvice, 15 kilometres away, and further towards Nikšić, 75 kilometres away.

CROWN-HEAD plateau makes Risan hinterland, with the area of 114 km² and inhabited by 141 inhabitants. This is an area of deep karst, covered by thick deposits brought by the glaciers from Mount Orjen (1895 m) coming down through its beds (waves) towards Dragalj and Grahovo. Krivošije plateau is covered in beech tree forests, which on higher slopes of Mount Orjena turn into Bosnian pine tree forests, typical representative of sub-Alpine climate. The village of Crkvice at Krivošije, lying 1 050 metres above the sea level, 5.8 kilometres of airline away from Risan, receives the greatest quantity of precipitations in Europe (5 317 m), which is on average 2 101 mm more than the average recorded in Risan in the period between 1929–1940.

In the eastern part of this plateau, there are two karstic valleys, Grahovo and Dragalj.

Dragalj Valley stretches in the immediate hinterland of Risan, at the altitude of 600–660 metres above the sea, in the length of 6.5 kilometres and the width of up to 2.5 kilometres. Its area is about 8 km². Despite great quantity of precipitations, around 3 000 mm/year, Dragalj Valley is dry and arid. The largest settlement is Dragalj, 27 kilometres away from Risan.

By means of a low pass called Ljut, Drgalj Valley is connected to Grahovo Valley, which is surrounded by high mountains. It stretches in the length of 6.5 kilometres and the width of up to 1.5 kilometres. The bottom of the Valley is located at the altitude of 695–780 metres above the sea. The aridity in this valley is the consequence of the karstic relief.

By the year 1684, Krivošije had been under the Turkish rule, and then under the venetians up to 1797, when it falls under Austro-Hungarian rule. From 1807 to 1813, Krivošije is under the French rule, and then briefly under the Montenegrin dominion, only to fall once again under the rule of Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1814 until the establishment of Yugoslavia in 1918.

This was a strategically very important part of Risan hinterland, which is testified, amongst other things, by its military character. Besides the very inhabitants of this area, its contents satisfied the needs of 7 000 soldiers. One should mention numerous shops, school, Hotel “Crkvice”, owned by Simo Petković from Risan, and especially the military bakery, second in Europe by its capacity.

In Krivošije, there are several churches: St. John from the 17^th century in the village of Zvečava, St. Parascheva of the Balkans in the village of Poljice (17^th 18^th century), Nativity of the Mother of God from 1831 in the village of Malov Do, and the Intercession of the Theotokos in the village of Dragalj from 1867. The Catholic church from the 19^th century dedicated to Our Lady was destroyed after 1935.

During the World War II, famous twenty-day-long battle was fought at Ledenice, the birthplace to the national hero Savo Ilić, between the members of the First Boka Strike Brigade, the First Company of the Second Dalmatian Brigade, and the retreating German soldiers, in November 1944, after which Kotor was liberated on 21^st November.

The inhabitants of Krivošije continued leaving the area even after the World War II, as a consequence of the development of industry and marine shipping in the coastal settlements of Boka Kotorska Bay, but also in other places. This is testified by the number of inhabitants left in the area: Dragalj (27 inhabitants), Han (48 inhabitants), Knežlaz (18 inhabitants), Ledenice (18 inhabitants) and Zvečava (10 inhabitants). In plain words, with the loss of strategic importance Krivošije also lost its population.

But, this does not mean that Krivošije has no resources to be used for the development of tourism in the first place, based on micro-climatic benefits and particularities of the Mediterranean and sub-Alpine climate, both in summer and winter months.

After all, have there not been three projects ready for the construction of three hotels?

Let’s go back down to the coastal road.

Autochthonous oleander community stretches along the road from Risan towards Herceg Novi, in the area of 40 ha.

Along the same road, there is Sopot cave, with the opening of 12 m wide and up to 4 m high. A corridor of similar dimensions stretches inside the cave, but after some twenty meres it widens up to 20–30 metres with the height declining to 2.5 metres. During the melting of snow in the hinterland, or heavy rainfalls, water gushes out of the cave opening and partly also through its submarine canal, discharging water up to 1.5 m above the sea level, forming concentric circles up to 100 m in diameter.

STRP (50 inhabitants) – Settlement along the road from Risan to Herceg Novi, some 3 km away from Risan. The preservation of the settlement type and architecture reminds of seamen and fishermen who used to be its predominant inhabitants. Nowadays, it is more and more recognized as a summer resort.

In the submarine area, an archaeological site was found dating back to the 4^th - 7^th century.

Farther on, we come to the settlement called LIPCI (50 inhabitants). There is a rock shelter there on the wall of which there are prehistoric drawings, showing the scenes of a deer hunt, geometric motifs, a swastika etc. These are among the oldest examples of wall painting in the Balkan region, which are believed to date back to the Iron Age, about 800 years BC.

At Lipci, there is a roundabout from where one may take the northbound road towards Nikšić and further on to Žabljak and Durmitor.

MORINJ (222 inhabitants) ̶ the largest settlement on the western coast of Kotor-Risan Bay. This is a settlement with longstanding, rich history written by skilled seamen, participants of numerous sea battles and achievements which helped open new merchant routes. There were also schools, like the Primary School from 1803, as well as the library in 1843. Famous seafarers’ family Milinović distinguished itself in the sea battles, but also as cannon constructors, in which captain Tomo Đurov Milinović (1770–1846) particularly excelled, as well as a commander-in-chief during the uprising of the Serbian leader Karađorđe.

The Church of S. Tryphon dates back to the 14^th century, while the Church of St. John the Apostle, built on the hill above the settlement in the 18^th century.

In the settlement there is a gravel beach. In the hinterland, there is a settlement called Upper Morinj, which is not permanently inhabited.

CHESTNUT (126 inhabitants) – the last in the sequence of settlements in this part of Kotor – Risan Bay, located in the green oasis of chestnut trees, after which it got its name. This settlement of fishermen and seafarers is becoming more and more interesting for tourists because of its specific micro-climate, characterized by small variations of daily temperatures.

This is the end of the inhabited part of this section of Kotor-Risan Bay, and the coast continues towards Verige Strait, where there is the so called Turkish Promontory, named so because this area had been under the Turkish rule.

On the opposite side of Verige, which was once under the Venetian rule, there is the promontory called Our Lady of Angels, after the church built there and reconstructed in 2015.

The road leading along the coast, along the foot of the peninsula and mountain of Vrmac (768 m), takes you to LOWER STOLIV (352 inhabitants) – a dual settlement, on the north-eastern side of Vrmac peninsula, opposite Perast. The settlement was created with the process of gradual moving of the inhabitants of the Upper Stoliv, during the 17^th and the 18^th century, motivated by the strengthening of the role of maritime trade and maritime orientation of Lower Stoliv, known at that time as “New Village”. For this reason, Lower Stoliv got the status of a maritime settlement in 1721. This feature was evident even in the 1960-ies, when with the strengthening of the merchant fleet of the shipping company “JUGOOCEANIJA” from Kotor there was growing need for seafarers. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1961 Upper Stoliv had 15 inhabitants, which was the largest number after World War II. Nowadays, there are no inhabitants there.

Lower Stoliv is surrounded by a chestnut tree forest, the fruits of which it celebrates during the traditional event called “Kostanjada”. It also celebrates Camellia, a rare flowering plant brought from East Asia by local seafarers. They organize special event on which occasion they make various decorative objects and flower arrangements made with Camellia. These two events have placed it onto the map of well-known tourist destinations. This is confirmed by the fact that Lower Stoliv has 136 households, but 757 newly built apartments, or 5.56 apartment per one inhabitant. However, although these indicators confirm tourists’ interest for this destination, excessive construction activity, with regards to the character and capacity of the area, can also have its negative consequences.

In the Church of St. Mary in Lower Stoliv, there are several paintings of the Slovene painter Josip Tominc. The most valuable monument is the church of St. Basil, at Markov rt, with 15^th century fresco paintings, depicting the images of saints from the eastern and Western church, with both Cyrillic and Latin inscriptions, which speaks of particular symbiosis of eastern and western influences on the medieval painting in this area.

UPPER STOLIV is one of rare settlements of village type which, thanks to its planning solution, resembles a town rather than a village. The settlement lies at the altitude of 200–240 m above the sea. It is surrounded by a chestnut tree forest, and it has preserved its original urban and architectural physiognomy. Far from automobiles and concrete, it conjures up the time of its origin and development.

The settlement is dominated by the Church of St. Elijah, 15^th 16^th century, with the clock striking hours from the bell tower not to its inhabitants any more, but to tourists who could bring it back to life. In the Church, there are the works of the Slovene artist Josip Tominc.

The settlement is accessed via a maintained pedestrian footpath which leads through the chestnut tree forest.

Driving along the coast, one reaches a famous settlement called SPRING (1 128 inhabitants), which has “grown together” with Lower Stoliv for the reason of intensive construction activity. Formerly, just like in the case of other settlements in Kotors – Risan Bay, Prčanj had had the character of a linear settlement, with the houses mainly placed in one line. Present-day position and the original appearance were being created during the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th century.

The Church of St. Thomas the Apostle from the 10^th century falls among the oldest monuments of culture. It is located in the upper part of the settlement, currently in ruinous condition and seriously endangered. Similar is the condition of the Church of St. John from 1221.

The “Three Sisters” Palace (commonly known as “Tre sorelle”), represents a unique building and the only preserved 15^th century suburban villa in this area. It was the property of Buća family. It is associated with the legend of unfulfilled love of the three sisters in love with the same sea captain.

This legend may not be a legend, but a true story resembling a legend. Living separately in their respective parts of the Palace, the sisters kept their secret. Thus, time was passing and they lived in hope that one day their love would be requited. Years were catching up with them and they were dying one after the other, walling in each other’s window. When the third sister died, there was no one to wall her window in. The windows “testified”, therefore that the legend might not be a legend after all, but a real-life story. Just as it is a reality that the new owner was somehow bothered by the walled-in windows, so they are not walled in any more, eliminating, thus the “proof” of the content of the legend.

Prčanj, just like many other settlements on the shores of Kotor – Risan Bay, based its economic prosperity on maritime activities, more precisely on marine shipping, only to reach its height in the 18^th century. Thanks to its fast ships and skilled seamen, they gained the trust of Venice, and as of the beginning of the 17^th century started transporting post from and to Venice, establishing thus the first regular postal service along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.

Among its numerous primacies, there is one more primacy that belongs to Prčanj. Namely, it is the birthplace to Ivo Visin (1806), a sea captain, the first South Slav who circumnavigated the world with its sailing ship “Splendido”, sailing for commercial purposes. He first sailed around the Cape Horn, which was unusual for sailing ships due to unfavourable wind direction. His journey around the world lasted from 1852 to 1859. For this undertaking, decorated with a flag of honour “Naval Merit" by the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef, the greatest Austrian maritime decoration ever awarded.

Prčanj gave numerous scientific workers, artists, sea captains, medical doctors, musicians, politicians, priests and bishops, who have left deep traces in the history of this settlement, and beyond.

The Church of St. Nicholas, erected around 1730, on the seashore, with the Franciscan Monastery, spacious and well-known courtyard, where on 13^th June 1848, People’s Assembly of Boka Kotorska champions was held, under the spiritual patronage of Njegoš. At the Assembly, the decision was made on the unification of South Slavic lands within Austrian boundaries in one state union. This meant the beginning of maturing of Yugoslav statehood idea, which actually came to life a lot later. In Prčanj, there was also the Slavic Reading Room, established in 1861, which was a special confirmation of the support to the ideas of the national revival.

In the Monastery, during the 18^th and the 19^th century, private elementary and maritime schools were active, like the ones in Kotor, Dobrota and Herceg Novi. The earthquake in 1979 damaged considerably the Franciscan Monastery and its facilities, as well as the church. The rehabilitation has been completed, but the damage sustained by the facilities and the inventory have remained.

The most monumental edifice is the parish church dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God, built in the Renaissance-Baroque style, according to the design of the Venetian 18^th century architect, Bernardino Macaruzzi. The construction of the Church was interrupted because of Napoleon’s wars and the crisis which engulfed naval shipping, which caused for the construction to be completed in 1908. Space-wise this is the largest church in Boka Kotorska Bay.

The Church is not only a spiritual building; its interior is one of biggest pinacotheca in this area. The three-nave interior of the Church, decorated in Corinthian capitals, is adorned by the paintings of the well-known masters, special attraction being the icon of the Mother of God on wood, on the main altar, the work of the Venetian School of the second half of the 14^th century, as well as three stone angels, on the altar of Our Lady of Rosary, the work of Giovanni Maria Morlaiter, a well-known Venetian 18^th century sculptor. One feature of this church is in the fact that it houses the works of local painters and sculptors: Ivan Meštrović, Toma Rosandić, Sreten Stojanović, Mihailo Tomić, Tripo Kokolja, Celestin Medović, Milo Milunović, Artur Verona, Josip Tominc and others, and in that sense, it constitutes a real gallery. Its sacristy is a real museum of precious liturgical objects and jewellery made of silver. It also stores the white silk flag of “Merito navali” awarded to captain Ivo Visin for his undertaking.

In the vestibule of the Church, there are busts of famous personalities: bishop Strossmayer, Uccellini-Tice, Andrija Zmajević, Andrija Kačić-Miošić, Njegoš, don Niko Luković, the work of Ivan Meštrović, Toma Rosandić, Petar Palavićini, Luka and Branko Tomanović.

The monumental stairway built in 1912-1913 according to the drawing of the engineer Milan Karlovac lead to the church vestibule.

In 1982, the Church of St. Basil of Ostrog was built in Prčanj. It is of modest size and interesting architecture.

Specific topographic position, at the foot of Mount Vrmac, enables the mixing of the marine and mountain air, confirmed natural treatment factor in Prčanj for more than one century. This was confirmed by the famous bishop-prince and poet Peter Petrović Njegoš, while undergoing treatment for his illness in this settlement. The earthquake in 1979 put some of the residential structures out of use for unjustifiably too long a time.

muo (620 inhabitants) – Farther on towards Kotor, southeast of Prčanj, there is Muo, a well-known fishing village, mentioned as such in the 15^th century documents stored in Kotor Historical Archives. Some words and names used by the inhabitants of Muo in their fishing vocabulary are of Greek and Roman origin, which indicates that they had started practicing fishing a long time ago. The buildings of modest architecture and ambient setting point out to their modest lifestyle.

The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, its older part, dates back to the 13^th century and constitutes the oldest preserved monument of culture in this settlement. The new church, dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, commonly known as the Church of Blessed Gratia of Kotor, since in 1810 his body was translated there. He was born in Muo in 1438, and died in Venice in 1508 as a monk of the Order of St. Augustine.

Besides this, Muo is known in the tourist offer for its fish specialities served during the event known as “Fishermen’s evenings“.

As a consequence of the intensive residential construction in the southeast Muo grew together with Kotor suburban area of Škaljari through the neighbourhood of Peluzica.

SCHALJARS (3 841 inhabitants) – Kotor suburban settlement, the second by the number of inhabitants in the Municipality of Kotor. Once an industrial settlement, up until 1^st May 1987, when the industry moved to the Industrial Zone in Grbalj, Škaljari is nowadays a sports and medical centre of Kotor.

The oldest preserved monument of culture is the two-storeyed church of St. Domnius from the 13^th or the beginning of the 14^th century, the southernmost church on the Adriatic coast dedicated to this saint. After the reconstruction, the church had its function reinstated.

In Škaljari, there is a memorial to the sailors who were shot dead as the leaders of the Uprising of Sailors of the Austro-Hungarian Navy in 1918.

During the World War II, Škaljari was known as partisans’ base. The first victims of the fascists’ terror fell exactly in Škaljari on 18^th October 1941.

From Škaljari towards Njeguši, there is an old automobile road, known for its 25 serpentines, which offer fabulous view of Kotor Bay. At the crossroads called Trojica one can choose among three roads: one going toward Mount Vrmac, one towards the Austro-Hungarian fortress called “Goražde”, Mirac and Njeguši, and one going towards Grbalj Plain.

Each of these roads leads to the places which have their particularities and charm.

GRABALJ (3 094 inhabitants) – taking a downward road from the Fort Trojica or passing through the Vrmac tunnel, one reaches Grbalj Plain, which stretches for 15 km in the direction north-south and covers the area of around 95 km². From the east, Grbalj Plain is enclosed with the slopes of Mount Lovćen, where there are the following villages: Dub (304 inhabitants), Sutvara (330 inhabitants), Nalježići (129 inhabitants), Pelinovo (70 inhabitants), Šišići (88 inhabitants), Prijeradi (12 inhabitants), Bratešići (47 inhabitants), Gorovići (37 inhabitants), Lastva Grbaljska (537 inhabitants), all of them having their own fresh water sources, and commonly called Upper Grbalj.

Lower Grbalj envelops a hilly terrain with the highest peak being Gradište, at the altitude of 424 m above the sea. In the west, the terrain turns into a steep coast, stretching for 25.6 km, with different coves and well-known beaches: Trsteno, Ploče, Krekavica, Zagora sand, Žukovica and Bigovo cove.

The settlements, except for Bigovo (101 inhabitants), which is located in the cove with the same name, encompass depressions or the sloping hillsides: Krimovice (74 inhabitants), Višnjeva (12 inhabitants), Zagora (35 inhabitants), Glavati (393 inhabitants), Kovači (104 inhabitants), Kubasi (14 inhabitants), hamlets of Trešnjica and Ukropci, Glavatičići (71 inbabitants), Pobrđe (109 inhabitants), Vranovići (133 inhabitants) and Lješevići (196 inhabitants).

The first notion of Grbalj dates back to the second half of the 12^th century, and the first preserved document on Grbalj was written in 1246.

The villages of Lower and Upper Grbalj are mutually connected by road infrastructure.

Grbalj Plain, which trunk road passes through, is well known for the production of agricultural products, fruit and vegetable in particular, which it supplies the surrounding settlements with. Nowadays, it has been increasingly recognized for its urban facilities. Its largest centre is called Radanovići (754 inhabitants).

Grbalj had been inhabited very early, which is testified by the findings called Velika and Mala Gruda, with the remains of ceramics and metal, as well as the remains of Classical walls and mosaics below Podlastva Monastery.

Natural conditions and favourable geographic position of Grbalj had been decisive factors for its settlers to make their homes there already in the ancient times. Thanks to such conditions, this area has given evidence of developed life in the Classical times, like the walls of a Classical edifice in Orašće, below the Church of St. Stephen, in Vranovići, then the remains of the Classical walls at Gomilica and Mirine in Sutvara.

Material evidence on the oldest inhabitants of Grbalj, more than 4 000 years old, were found in the tombs located at Mala and Velika Gruda in Grbalj Plain (silver axe with golden cap, golden dagger, golden pendants, terra-cotta bowls, flint blades, awls and arrows).

Podlastva Monastery, dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God, is a well-known religious, cultural and political centre in the history of Grbalj. It was mentioned for the first time in 1417, and then in 1427 as the place where the Assembly was held at which well-known “Grbalj Charter” was adopted. It was being demolished by the Venetians, French and Austrians. After the destruction in the World War I, it was reconstructed in 1936. In the catastrophic earthquake of 1979, it sustained significant damage. It was rebuilt in 1984.

The inhabitants of Grbalj are well-known fighters for freedom and citizens’ rights, which was confirmed during the armed uprising against Austria in 1848, as well as in 1869 when they joined the participants of Krivošije Uprising. They proved to be fighters also in later wars in this area.

In the area of Grbalj there are 61 churches and 3 monasteries. Some of them are fresco painted by Dimitrije Daskal Dimitrijević from Risan, with frescoes showing calendar days during the year. He painted frescoes in the Church of St. Nicholas in Pelinovo, in 1718. In 1747, this icon-painter made the frescoes in the Church of St. George in Šišići. Maksim Tujković from Grbalj is a well-known 18^th century icon-painter who made numerous frescoes.

The Industrial Zone was officially opened in the north of Grbalj on 1^st May 1987, in the area of 107 ha.

“TIVAT” Airport is situated in the immediate vicinity of Grbalj.

Grbalj is a specific tourist destination which, in such a small area, offers micro-climatic conveniences, combination of the Mediterranean and mountain climate, natural beaches and medicinal mud, rich cultural heritage in the way the monuments of culture and customs, natural produce – fruit and vegetable, residential facilities and naturally sheltered port of Bigovo.

That is Grbalj, a bridge between the towns of Kotor, Tivat and Budva.

KOTOR AND ITS SURROUNDINGS – PART OF THE WORLD NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

We might not have been aware of the values and beauty around us, either manmade or natural ones. Numerous earthquakes, the epicentres of which were being recorded in the region of the southern Adriatic, starting from 1520, up to the most recent one recorded on 15^th April 1979, have left many traces which are preserved as archaeological values, style anachronism in relation to the time of the creation of various structures, as well as literary or artistic motifs. Some of these were renovated in the style of the time when the earthquakes struck. In that way, the cultural layers of Kotor are not exclusively the product of the socio-historical circumstances at the times in which they had been being created, but also the consequence of subsequent interventions.

Not even nature was spared in the earthquakes, which have left their traces in the form of scars on the surrounding mountains, but also on the coast due to the demolition or damaging of the constructed sections or edifices.

The catastrophic earthquake that struck on 15^th April 1979, at 7:19 a.m. and lasted 42.3 seconds, with the intensity of 9⁰ MRC in the epicentre south of the town of Petrovac, was yet another confirmation of the abovementioned assertions.

Namely, this most recent earthquake has left the traces on numerous structures, like on Governor’s Palace, Clock Tower and St. Tryphon’s Cathedral in the Old Town of Kotor, to mention but few of the structures in the Town and beyond. Their pre-earthquake appearance was returned, but unfortunately, 12 lives were lost forever.

The reasons behind the Decision on Declaring Kotor and its Region as Natural and Culturo-Historical Property of Particular Importance lie in several facts.

Kotor region is specific from the point of view of its origin and genesis, but also for its morphological forms, nature objects, aesthetics, endemic and rare plant and animal species.

Human presence in this area and creative human activity have lasted for five consecutive millennia.

The culturo-historical heritage of Kotor is characterized by its rarity, its indigeneity, uniqueness, universality, which are the prerequisites for the inscription onto the World Cultural Heritage List.

The inscription onto UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage is preceded by the procedure in which local administration makes appropriate decision, Kotor Local Council in this case. Thus, on 14^th June 1979, Kotor Local Council adopted the Decision on Declaring Kotor and its Region as Natural and Culturo-Historical Property of Particular Importance.

The procedure of drafting the Study and its adoption were completed during the summer 1979. Both the Study and the proposal of the Federal Executive Council were submitted to UNESCO Office in Paris at the beginning of September 1979.

The International Committee for the inscription onto the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List, at its session held in Cairo and Luxor on 22^nd - 26^th October 1979, accepted the proposal for the inscription of Kotor and its region onto the List, and the Town of Kotor itself onto the List of Heritage in Danger. Ten years later Kotor was removed from the Heritage in Danger List.

The protected area of Kotor region encompassed 12 000 ha of land and 2 600 ha of the sea, which is a rare example in the world. The boundary of the protected land followed the peaks of the surrounding mountains, as a natural boundary.

The abovementioned decision was in force until the adoption of the new Law on the Protection of Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, enacted by the Parliament of Montenegro, at its session on 22^nd November 2013. This law reduced the overall area of the protected region to 8 620 hectares, of which 6 120 ha on land and 2 500 ha on the sea.

The beauty of Boka Kotorska Bay is not only recognized in Kotor – Risan Bay. Boka is recognized as a unique bay and one of the most beautiful in the world. This was confirmed at the meeting of the representatives of the most beautiful bays of the world, held on 10^th March 1997. On that occasion the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World was established, and Boka Kotorska was inscribed among 28 most beautiful ones. In this way, all those things that make Boka unique, inimitable were confirmed once again, as well as the things that make it competitive in the tourist offer and attractive for those who look for the unity of diversities.

The text about Kotor is taken from the book "Symbiosis of Nature and Man", published by the Tourist Organization of Kotor in 2017. The author of the text is the late Prof. Milenko Pasinović, and the translation was done by Mr. Joško Katelan from Kotor.