Perast, Montenegro

Perast is a wonderful small bay town with a rich maritime past, rows of baroque palaces, and even two islands in front - each of which is a story in itself. Shots or photos from Perast can be found on every promotional film or prospectus on the Montenegrin coast. Not without reason ...   

Perast is different from everything that the tourist eye can see (and lips!) Along the Montenegrin coast. It is a baroque city-museum. It is located at the foot of Kason (873 m), one of the many high mountains within the fjord of the Bay of Kotor. The city is reminiscent of a mosaic, composed of dozens of harmoniously blended baroque palaces of exceptional beauty, churches and stone houses, with a fortress in the hinterland, and with two nearby islands. Even today, it is customary for women from Perast to greet every ship that enters the Gulf with ironed white sheets from the windows of their palaces. When a Primorac is found on these ships, he usually cries - because he remembers the verses of the old song: 

With a stone everywhere behind his back, Perast sent all his sons to the sea early, to be sailors, officers and captains, shipowners, then patrons, but also warriors throughout history. Walking along the waterfront, and as we tour the palaces and museums, we are aware of the maritime surname of the city of Perast.

Shells found in the nearby cave of Spila, testify that man has lived here since time immemorial. The name comes from Pirust, a member of the Illyrian tribe. 

Perast was for a long time in the shadow of neighboring Kotor, until 1580, when due to its trade and war merits the Venetian Republic gained independent status. Nautical pedagogue Marko Martinović trained in his Maritime School in 1698. 17 cadets of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great. At almost the same time live Matija Zmajević (admiral of the Russian fleet, under whose command the victory over the Swedes was won, 1721), Bishop Andrija Zmajević and the most famous baroque painter from this area - Tripo Kokolja. 

The city had its own shipyard as early as 1336. Towards the end of the 18th century, the golden age of the Gulf of the Gulf, it had as many as 80 ships. Throughout history, more than 100 ships (!) Bore the name of Our Lady of Skrpjela, as part of the patron saint of local sailors. The island of Our Lady of Skrpjela is located not far from Perast and is a famous Catholic sanctuary. It was built on a small cliff, which, according to tradition, was built on July 22, 1452. the icon of the Mother of God with Christ miraculously arrived. From that day until today, the famous Peraška "fascination" lasts, ie. the custom is that from the boats filled with stones, around the former small cliff and today the islands (over 3,000 m2), stone is still poured, and that the island continues to expand (see Our Lady of Skrpjela, Perast, Montenegro). This is a unique example in the world! And about the unique Maritime Museum in the world! The walls of the church are decorated with 2. 

Another island, the one decorated with cypresses, the island of Sv. George, has been the seat of the Kotor diocese for centuries. For a long time now, there has been a church and a cemetery of old Peraš families on it. At the same time, it is a place where a truly amazing love story ends. During the French occupation of the city (1813), an officer opened cannon fire from the island, and instead of hitting the Peraška fortress of Sv. Cross or Cross, he hit the house of his beloved. After her death, he bequeathed his own life to God. He was buried on the "island of the dead". 

The streets of Peraška are parallel to the shoreline, and a narrow ancient staircase leads to the upper floors. The coastal main square is dominated by the church of Sv. Nicholas (17th century) with a bell tower 55 meters high (construction cost 50,000 ducats). There are palaces and many churches around. In the Bujović Palace (1694) today is the city Museum with a rich exhibition that testifies to the splendor of the Baroque and the greatness of maritime exploits. Zmajevic Palace, on the coast, is one of the largest and most beautiful. Palaces are arranged: Visković, Smekia (with the family church of St. Mark) from the 16th century, then, Mazarović, Balović, Bronze ... Between the palaces, there are churches. The city is dominated by the so-called. the diocese built by A. Zmajević in 1678. Next to it is the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary (the mausoleum of Bishop Zmajević), and the octagonal bell tower - one of the most beautiful on the Adriatic coast. Church of St. Anne is located above the city. In addition to the Catholic Church of St. Antuna.

Stone Perast is ruled by the Baroque. 

What is baroque - it is best illustrated by the example of a round bell tower on the island of Our Lady of Skrpjelo. Of course it was easier to build a bell tower with a square base, but where would the decoration be in that? Baroque is therefore a style that decorates. It follows that every photo taken in Perast is baroque, because it captures part of the atmosphere decorated with an unforgettable summer!

Who likes to walk along the mountain, will easily find the old Austrian road behind the last houses in Peraška and in 2 and a half hours reach the dilapidated fortress (former border of Austria and Montenegro). Also, you should ask the locals how to find the way to the Spila cave. There are regular local traffic lines to nearby Kotor or Herceg Novi, or Budva, a bit further away. To the nearby island of Our Lady of the Rocks, choose a rowboat. It will be cheaper and more romantic. On the main square, the Klapa Song Festival is held every summer. It's worth listening to.