THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORICAL DISTRICT OF KOTOR

Thanks to the exceptional bio-geographic conditions prevailing in Boka Kotorska, a unique natural fjord in the Mediterranean, the appearance of human life and passing of cultures and civilizations can be traced back to the earliest times, from findings in the Spila cave near Perast, dating back to the Neolithic, through ancient mosaics in Risan, to the fortified medireview city of Kotor.

The strategic location of the bay oriented the city itself to seamanship and maritime trade, and it became an important harbor and trading center of the south Adriatic as early as the 12th century. Kotor experienced its moments of greatest economic and cultural prosperity during the Middle Ages, as a rival of Dubrovnik and Venice. The citizens and noblemen of Kotor developed a strong trading society, craftsmen joined to form guilds, and seamen formed their own brotherhood, which later became known as the Navy of Boka.

Inside the city walls, shaped in the form of an elongated triangle, the urban plan of the city developed spontaneously, so that the city center now represents a tangled knot of narrow, winding streets and irregularly shaped piazzas holding the important town buildings. From the Romanic, through the Gothic and Renaissance, to the Baroque - all the great artistic styles are present in Kotor. The Palace of the Knez, patrician palaces (Drago, Buca, Bizanti, Pima, Grgurina, originating from the 12th to the 18th century), the Cathedral of St. Tripun and churches of St. Luka, St. Marija of Rijeka, St. Mihailo, and others, testify to the flourishing architecture and high artistic values of this city. During its history, Kotor gave birth to numerous important seamen, painters, writers, builders, scientists, and others who spread the fame of this city throughout Europe and the world over.

The cultural heritage of the Kotor district was always endangered by earthquakes, followed by periods of intensive restoration. A large part of the medireview city, including the old Kotor cathedral, was demolished in the earthquake of 1667. After the earthquake of 1979, Kotor was inscribed in World Heritage List of endangered cultural monuments. After this, new researches complemented the existing body of knowledge of the city's history and architectural heritage and, following a renewal of its town quarters, Kotor was again revived in its civilizational and cultural role.