Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Butted up against a steep cliff, cradled by a calm sea, naturally sheltered by its deep-in-the-
fjordposition,andwatchedoverbyanimposingnetworkoffortifications,thetownofKotor
is as impressive as it is well-protected. Though it's enjoyed a long and illustrious history,
today's Kotor is a time-capsule retreat for travelers seeking a truly unspoiled Adriatic town.
There's been a settlement in this location at least since the time of Christ. The ancient
town of Catarum—named for the Roman word for “contracted” or “strangled,” as the sea
is at this point in the gnarled fjord—was first mentioned in the first century
A.D.
Like the
rest of the region, Kotor's next two millennia were layered with history as it came under the
control of a series of foreign powers: Illyrians, Romans, Serbs, Venetians, Russians, Napo-
leonic soldiers, Austrians, Tito's Yugoslavia...and now, finally, Montenegrins. Each group
left its mark, and Kotor has its share of both Catholic and Orthodox churches (sometimes
both at once), plus monuments and reminders of plenty of past colonizers and conquerors.
Through all those centuries, Kotor avoided destruction by warfare. But it was damaged
by earthquakes—including the same 1667 quake that leveled Dubrovnik (known here as
the “Great Shaking”), as well as a devastating 1979 earthquake from which the city is still
cleaning up. While only 3,000 people live within the Old Town walls, greater Kotor has a
population of about 12,000.
With an extremely inviting Old Town that seems custom-built for aimless strolling, Ko-
tor is an idyllic place to while away a few hours. Though it's sometimes called a “little
Dubrovnik,” Kotor is more low-key, less ambitious, less historic, flatter, and much smaller
thanitsmorefamousneighbor.Andyet,withitsownspecialspicethat'sexcitingtosample,
Kotor is a hard place to tear yourself away from.
Kotor (or Cattaro in Italian) has a compact Old Town shaped like a triangle. The two sides
facing the bay are heavily fortified by a thick wall, and the third side huddles under the cliff
face.Ameanderingdefensivewallclimbsthemountainsidedirectlybehindandabovetown.
