Kotor, Church Domes

The city of Kotor is situated on a huge cloverleaf-shaped bay with several towns along the shore. A ferryboat crosses the bay near the coast, if we were in a hurry, but we carefully drove around the bay, to enjoy the variety of old villages, and interesting sights. The 1979 earthquake damage was maybe 70% repaired by 1989, and Kotor was impressive. At one place a beautiful stone church had three new copper-covered domes. A tower with two large clocks, was backed by grey-green mountains.

The drive around the Bay of Kotor was right at the water level, with little villages scattered along the way. We stopped in downtown Perast, and parked along the beach to eat some cherries.

Off shore there are two man-made islets, St. George, and Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks), where the original church was built in 1452. The present church was built in 1632. According to legend, the islets were made over the centuries by the seamen who kept an ancient oath. Upon returning from each successful voyage, they laid a rock in the Bay. Over time, Our Lady of the Rocks gradually emerged from the sea.