Perast – Montenegro beauty by Aleksandra Đuričković
The The town Perast is a majestic town, located in the heart of Bay of Kotor, stretched and concealed by Sveti Ilija hill opposite the famous Verige inlet. Named after the Ilyrian tribe known as Pirusti after God Perun, the God of sky and thunder. In the past, it was a town of captains, sailors and boatmen. In Perast there were over a hundred sailing ships in its fleet, mentioning three shipyards from the XIV century, bearing in mind that it was merely recognized for building ships. The spirit of past centuries, splendor and opulence is still felt in Perast today. It preserved material traces of the Neolithic, Illyrian and Roman ages. The brilliant history of Perast begins with the arrival of Venice, and in the XVI century, the town became independent from Kotor and received the status of an independent municipality. In the XVII and XVIII century Perast was at the peak of it’s power, regarding that Perast was under the occupation of the Republic of Venice for around three and a half centuries. It is caracteristical that even though it was under the occupation, it was not entirely subjugated, since it had a kind of autonomy by virtue of the spirit of the people from Perast. They participated in the wars against the Turks together with the Venetians, when the city became a place of pirates and border guards. In the battle against the Turks, Peraštans took the victory, spreading the glory of Perast. Perast is also the most prominent for the famous „Bokelj“ navy and mechant ships, due to the fact that seafaring gave shape to the entire culture of Perast giving it a complete physiognomy and prevaling tendency. The inhabitants of Perast known as “Peraštani” had many privileges from the Venetian authorities, such as: free trade, excuding payment of taxes and custom duties, which was a huge advantage.
The dominant characteristic is that Perast had a relation with Russia, and on the recommendation of Venice, the Russian emperor Peter the Great sent the sons of famous noble families to Perast to be taught by the famous sailor Marko Martinović, a native of Perast. In 1698., Marko Martinović from Perast built a link between the Republic of Venice, Russia and Perast. He had the task of training Russian princes, among whom was the brother of the russian empress Catherine the Great, to provide them with maritime knowledge. From Venice, he sailed with sailing ships to Perast, where the practical part of the teaching was taught, and the theoretical part of the teaching was carried out in his house. In the same year, in the XVII century, the first Naval school in the Balkans was founded, reflecting reputation and prominence. The Peraštans, as skilled sailors and shipowners, were indebted not only to Russia, but also to Argentina. Miloš Vukasović, sea captain and architect from Perast , is one of the founders of the merchant navy in Argentina. The prestige of the city is foremost exhibited through the fact that Perast was also a city of nobles, because they were famous for exceptional captains and sailors, and according the 12 families received the title of noble families with their palaces: Zmajević, Visković, Balović, Krilović, Bujović, etc. In the heart of Perast is located the museum, which preserves the story of Perast from the period when it was at the height of its power, in the period of the 15th19th centuries, as well as the gracefullness of the noble families of Perast and their palaces. The range of the stairs, the sea, the square, the hills represent the untangled life in Perast. In the center of the city there is a square dominated by the church of St. Nicholas with its impressive bell tower, regarding multiple churches: the church of St. Anne as well as the Orthodox church dedicated to the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
There are two remarkable islands with two churches in the Boka bay: Our Lady of the Rocks an artifical island and St. George’s Island as a natural island. The man-made history of the island of Our Lady of the Rocks is seven centuries old. The origin of the island and the church is related to the icon of this Virgin. According to a legend, the icon represented protection and faith, the answer to prayers, as it was gifted out to the monks to keep it in their monastery. However, when the monastery was burned down and demolished, the icon disappeared as well. After some time, the icon Virgin Mary appeared in the middle of the sea on a rock, and two fishermen saw it in the distance. As being rich and reverent, they took her to their family home and decided to build a small chapel to place her inside. In order to build it, they had to sink stones around small rocks, presenting the way on which the island is built, by piling stones and sinking ships. In the XVI century, in the archives, the Peraštans sank around hundred sailing ships in the foundations of the island of the Our Lady of the Rocks. The Church of Our Lady was built in 1484., and the present church was completed in 1690. Over time, the Peraštan people expanded it through the custom of the prominent “Fashinade”. The island is a symbol of love and faith, a shrine in Boka bay dedicated to the Lady of the Rocks in which many sailors strongly believe and are devoted to. Many sailors have brought to the church votive silver plates as she saved their lives during navigation, including the rich history of “bokelj” seafarers. In it’s museum, there are about sixty paintings of ships by local and foreign painters, or else, mariners. In the header of the picture there is the Latin title “Votum feci grattiam accepi” translated as “I made a vow and I received the grace”, as a gratitude for the answered prayer by Our Lady. The museum of the Church of Our Lady preserves a unique painting of a woman named Tinta from Perast, who embroidered it with love and prayed that her sailor husband would return home alive and healthy, and she donated the painting to the Church of Our Lady. She embroidered it for 27 years with a combination of Japanese and Chinese silk, using gold and silver threads, pearls, the precious technique Punto pintura known as “point painting”.
On the other side, the island of St. George commonly known as the “island of the dead” in the middle of the Bay of Kotor, is associated with numerous legends. It is an island with live cypresses, ramparts, church, loopholes and lookouts. Legend has it that the island was first created by the god Poseidon and that the Greek hero Paris brought the kidnapped Helen here, inspired by the motives of the greek mitology “The Iliad and the Odyssey”. Withal, there is a church of the same name on the island, which is surrounded by walls surrounding the old cemetery. The patronage of the church was first held by the people of Kotor, and the residents of Perast had an age old dispute with them. Moreover, the impressive location in Perast embraces the stunning view of Verige, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. Conforming to a legend, Verige represented protection from enemies in the Bay of Kotor, and the people of Perast exceptionally guarded the entrance of the bay. When the Turks attacked Perast, the people of Perast collected Verige meaning “connected chains” and prevented the enemy from invading the bay. On the other hand, potential story unfolds, that the land part of the property in Verige belonged to the Verigo family, and that’s how the area really got its name from.
Perast is a tremendously the personification of majesty and magnificence, as an impersonator of an opulent culture and a rich spirit that echoes throughout the whole town. Among various characteristics, Perast is surely a combination of splendour and serenity, and the attraction of this place is no wonder but astounding. Perast is a pure reflection of its glitter in the Boka bay and a true admirer of its own beauty.