Perast, Montenegro (see on Montenegro map) is considered to be one of the most elegant and beautiful towns on the coast Bay of Kotor. Once a prosperous port and a reliable stronghold of sea pirates, modern Perast occupies a narrow strip at the very edge of the water opposite the Verige Strait and two tiny islands - St. George and Gospa od Shkrpela - which are legendary. Palaces and houses in the Venetian Baroque style remind of the glorious past of this town, which now has only about 200 local residents. For almost five centuries, the inhabitants of Perast, which was then part of the Republic of Venice, steadfastly repelled the attacks of the Turks, who conquered a good half of the Bay of Kotor up to Risan. At the peak of its power (the middle of the 18th century), 4 shipyards functioned in the city at the same time, and up to 1000 ships stood in the port at the same time. It is known that future sailors from Venice and Russia were sent here for training. Subsequently, time, natural and political factors led the city into decline, but did not deprive it of its former greatness, which is still evident in its stone walls, pavements, bell towers and piers. It is hard to imagine, but the tiny town has 16 churches and 17 palaces, one of which now houses the Perast Museum. Modern Perast is small and easy to get around in a couple of hours. But use the services of boatmen and float to the island of Gospa od Shkrpela, where the Church of the Mother of God is located, have lunch in one of the restaurants in Perast - and you will surely come back here again to linger in search of inspiration or peace.
Sights of Perast
Most of the significant places in Perast are concentrated on the embankment. Marko Martinovich. It is here that the baroque houses and palazzos that once belonged to the deeply respected captain Marko Martinovich and Matiya Zmaevich, who served as an admiral of the Russian Baltic fleet, are located. Now most of these architectural monuments are mute evidence of the former prosperity of Perast and do not perform any functions that their appearance could promise. A pleasant exception is Bujović Palacewhich is the most beautiful in Perast. It is believed that it was built from stone taken from the ruined walls of Herceg Novi after the expulsion of the Turks from this city in 1687. The palace was designed by the Venetian architect Giovanni Battista Fontana. On the facade it is indicated that the palace was founded in 1694 at the expense of the Venetian Republic in gratitude for the heroism of Vickko Bujovic. The main entrance to the palace is decorated with the family coat of arms of the Bujović family. Currently, Bujović Palace houses Perast City Museum, which exhibits a rich collection of documents, paintings and objects related to the history of navigation in Perast.
Among the churches of Perast stands out Church of St. Nicholas (Crkva Sv Nikole) (1616), located on the square of the same name. The modest façade hides a majestic interior, consisting of a wooden ceiling and carved marble altars in the Baroque style, painted by the artist Tripo Kokolya. Next to the Church of St. Nicholas rises a 55-meter bell tower (1691), which is still decorated with bells delivered from Venice in 1730. The bell tower, which offers a magnificent panoramic view of the bay, is open to tourists from May to October (admission fee , 2 euros). You can easily recognize the Church of St. Nikola by the three busts that adorn the square of St. Nikola: Marko Martinovic, Matija Zmajevic and Tripo Kokol.
Saint George Island - a natural reef on which a Benedictine monastery is located, surrounded by a ring of cypresses. St. George's Island is privately owned and not often open to tourists.
Island Gospa od Skrpela
(Italian Madonna dello Scarpello, which means "Madonna on the reef" or "Mother of God on the rock")
A fabulous tiny island with a blue dome in the middle of the turquoise sea surface is a symbol of the Bay of Kotor and all of Montenegro. The island is of artificial origin, and its foundation dates back to the 15th century. The year 1630 is considered the year of completion of the construction of the Church of the Mother of God. According to one legend, a sailor who escaped from a shipwreck in the bay, clinging to a rocky ledge, vowed to build a church on it in honor of the Virgin Mary. And he kept his word - throwing huge stones around the ledge, he erected a small island, which became the foundation of the famous "Mother of God on the rock." According to another - a little less exciting - version, two sailors found the icon of the Mother of God with the Child on a rocky ledge and brought it to Perast. The next morning, they discovered that the icon had disappeared, after which they found it on a rock ledge. The extraordinary event was taken as a providence, and a church was erected on the site of the ledge.
Holidays in Perast
A festival is associated with the island of Gospa od Shkrpela in Perast "Fashinada" (Fasinada). Every year on July 22, all the inhabitants of Perast go out in boats in the amount of 50 units and throw stones from the surrounding mountains around the islet as a sign of the history of the origin of this island. In addition, Perast is famous for the holiday "Fortune-telling Cocotte", which means "shooting at the rooster." The rooster shooting takes place annually on May 15 and attracts local shooting enthusiasts. The unfortunate rooster is tied to a wooden plank and brought to the depths, after which slender volleys are heard at the target. The most accurate shooter receives the corresponding title and treats the whole city with a barrel of wine.
