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'Kotor' (Serbian Cyrillic: Котор; Italian, Venetian & Dalmatian: ''Cattaro''; ) is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a most secluded part of Gulf of Kotor. The town has a population of 13,510, and is the administrative center of the Kotor municipality.
The old Mediterranean port of Kotor, surrounded by an impressive city wall built by House of Nemanjić, is very well preserved and protected by UNESCO. Between 1420 and 1797, Kotor and its surroundings were under the rule of the Republic of Venice and the Venetian influence remains dominant among the architectural influences. The Gulf of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea is sometimes called the southern-most fjord in Europe (though it is actually a submerged river canyon). With the nearly overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovćen one of the great Mediterranean landscapes is created.
In recent years, Kotor has seen a steady increase in tourists attracted by both the natural beauty of the Gulf of Kotor and the old town of Kotor itself.

Contents

History

Population

Tourism

Transport

External links

History

Kotor, first mentioned in 168 BC, was settled during Ancient Roman times, when it was known as 'Acruvium', 'Ascrivium', or 'Ascruvium' and was part of the Roman province of Dalmatia.
Kotor has been fortified since the early Middle Ages, when Emperor Justinian built a fortress above Ascrivium in AD 535, after expelling the Goths, and a second town probably grew up on the heights round it, for Constantine Porphyrogenitus, in the 10th century, alludes to Lower Cattaro. The city was plundered by the Saracens in 840.
Until the eleventh century Kotor (the venetian Cattaro) was mainly a romance speaking city, where was spoken the dalmatian language.
In 1002, the city suffered damage under occupation of the First Bulgarian Empire, and in the following year it was ceded to Serbia by the Bulgarian Tsar Samuil, but the locals revolted, in alliance with Ragusa (Dubrovnik), and only submitted in 1184, as a protected state, preserving intact its republican institutions, and its right to conclude treaties and engage in war. It was already an episcopal see, and, in the 13th century, Dominican and Franciscan monasteries were established to check the spread of Bogomilism. In 1185, on his campaign to annex Zeta, Serbian Duke Stefan Nemanja entered Kotor triumphantly which surrendered to him peacefully. He spared the City and built in it an impressive Chateau.
In the 14th century the commerce of 'Cattaro', as the city was then called, rivaled that of the nearby Republic of Ragusa, and provoked the jealousy of Venice. The downfall of Serbia in 1389 left the city without a guardian, and, after being seized and abandoned by the Republic of Venice and Kingdom of Hungary in turn, it passed under Venetian rule in 1420. Cattaro was part of the Albania Veneta of the Republic of Venice from 1420 to 1797 except Ottoman administration between 1538-1571 and 1657-1699. Those four centuries gave to the city the typical venetian-baroque architecture, that has contributed to make Kotor (Cattaro) an UNESCO "world patrimony".
The venetian Cattaro was besieged by the Ottoman Empire in 1538 and 1657, visited by the plague in 1572, and nearly destroyed by earthquakes in 1563 and 1667. Under the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797, it passed to the Habsburg Monarchy, but in 1805, by the Treaty of Pressburg, it was assigned to the French Empire's client state, the Kingdom of Italy.
After the Russians retreated, Kotor was united in 1810 with the French Empire's Illyrian Provinces.

In 1814 it was restored to the new Austrian Empire by the Congress of Vienna. In 1838, The Palace of the Serbian Gathering was built in Kotor as a three-story house as well as the Serbian Library. The following 1839, the Serbian Vocal Society ''Unity'' (''Jedinstvo'') was founded. In 1848, the Serbian People's School under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Church was founded in Kotor. The Serbian Library became the Slavic Library in 1849 to attract local Croats, Slovenians and Czechs. In 1854, the Serbian Memorial Music School was built, in 1862 the Serbian National Guard; in 1868 the Serbian National Charity Society ''Saint George''; in 1869 the Serbian Orthodox School, while the Serbian Orthodox Episcopate was established in Kotor in 1870 and the Schism of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Boka Kotorska and Dubrovnik was first printed in Kotor, in 1874. The attempt to enforce compulsory military service, made and abandoned in 1869, but finally successful in 1881, led to two short-lived revolts among the people of Krivošije on the western branch of mount Orjen, during which Kotor was the Austrian headquarters. In 1893 the Serbian Memorial Women Primary School was opened; in 1895 the Serbian Tamburitza Orchestra; in 1897 the Serbian Music; in 1899 the Serbian Workers' Cooperative; in 1901 the Serbian Credit Union. In 1903 the ''Unity'' was canceled as it joined the Union of Serbian Vocal Societies. The Serbian Falcon Society was founded in Kotor in 1910. In 1912, a massive celebration was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Serbian National Guard in Kotor.
In World War I, Kotor was one of the three bases of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, homeport for the Austrian Fifth Fleet consisting of pre-dreadnought battleships and light cruisers. The area was the site of some of the fiercest battles between local Montenegrin Slavs, and Austria-Hungary. After 1918, the city (called Cattaro until then) became a part of Yugoslavia and became known as 'Kotor' officially. Between 1941 and 1943 Italy annexed the area of Cattaro to the italian ''Governatorato di Dalmazia'', but after 1945 it became a part of the then Socialist Republic of Montenegro within Yugoslavia's second incarnation.
In 1979 (April 15) a major earthquake hit the Montenegrin coastal area. The victims were approx. 100. Half of the Kotor Old Town was destroyed. St. Tryphon Cathedral was partly damaged.
Up until the beginning of the 20th century, Catholics constituted the majority in Kotor as well as in other places around the Gulf of Kotor (the other major ethnic groups in those years were the Serbs and the Italians).
Kotor is still the seat of the Croatian Catholic Bishopric of Kotor, which covers the entire gulf.

Population

Kotor is the administrative centre of Kotor municipality, which includes towns of Dobrota, Risan and Perast, as well as many small hamlets around the Bay of Kotor. The municipality has a population of 23,481 (2003. census). The town of Kotor itself has 5,341, but Kotor and Dobrota are practically one town, they have combined population of 13,510.
Population of Kotor (Including Dobrota):

★ March 03, 1981 - 10,780

★ March 03, 1991 - 12,903

★ November 1, 2003 - 13,510

Ethnic groups (1991 census):

★ Montenegrins (55.24%)

★ Serbs (14.07%)

★ Croats (7.23%)

Ethnic groups (2003 census) - 22,947:

★ Montenegrins - 10,741 (''46.81%'')

★ Serbs - 7,094 (''30.91%'')

★ Croats - 1,762 (''17.68%'')

★ Yugoslavs - 168 (''0.73%'')

★ Muslims - 106 (''0.46%'')

★ Albanians - 76 (''0.33%'')

★ Macedonians - 49 (''0.21%'')

★ Romas - 48 (''0.21%'')

★ Russians - 39 (''0.17%'')

★ Slovenes - 35 (''0.15%'')

★ Italians - 32 (''0.14%'')

★ Hungarians - 32 (''0.14%'')

★ Egyptians - 20 (''0.09%'')

★ Bosniaks - 16 (''0.07%'')

★ Germans - 14 (''0.06%'')

★ others - 133 (''0.58%'')

★ undeclared/undefined - 2,165 (''9.43%'')

★ regionally affiliated - 202 (''0.88%'')

★ no data - 215 (''0.94'')
Up until the beginning of the 20th century, Catholic population constituted the majority in Kotor as well as in other places around the Gulf of Kotor, with the other major ethnic group being the Serbs. (according the documents from 1900: Kotor = 7,617 Catholics, 7,207 Orthodox Christians)
Kotor is still the seat of the Croatian Catholic Bishopric of Kotor, which covers the entire gulf.
The 2003 census listed 23,481 citizens, of whom 78% were Orthodox Christians (predominantly adherents of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with some adherents of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church) and 13% Roman Catholic.

Tourism

Kotor is a major tourist destination. It has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic, listed with UNESCO world heritage sites. It has numerous other sights, such as Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in the old town (built in 1166), and ancient walls which stretch 4,5 km directly above the city. Sveti Đorđe and Gospa od Škrpijela islets off the coast of Perast are also among more popular destinations in Kotor vicinity.
Nightlife is another thing which attracts tourists to Kotor. Old town is filled with pubs, taverns and cafes, and there are some excellent nightclubs in Kotor. With the opening of Maximus nightclub, it has once again become the focus of nightlife of Montenegro's coast.
Summer events, such as ''Summer Carnival'' or ''Bokeljska Noć'', are visited by thousands of tourists. These are the most visited happenings in Montenegro during the summer, with over 30,000 people partying in Kotor during ''Summer Carnival''.
Kotor is not a premium destination for sunbathing, as there are no sandy beaches, and water is not of reasonable quality in this part of the Bay of Kotor. However, the drive is no more than half an hour to some of the beaches on the Budva Riviera.
These beaches have been voted as amongst the finest 5 in the world by Travel Agency Professionals and are amongst the cleanest and most attractive anywhere. There is a beautiful sandy beach in a sheltered bay looking out to the open sea.
Opportunities to buy superb old stone villas or newly constructed top quality houses and apartments as well as land with planning permission for development, is available through a number of different firms.

Transport

Kotor is connected to the Adriatic Motorway and the rest of the coast and inland Montenegro by Vrmac Tunnel. Inland is reachable by detouring from Adriatic motorway at Budva or Sutomore (through Sozina tunnel). There is also a historic road connecting Kotor with Cetinje, which offers spectacular views of the Kotor bay.
Tivat Airport is 5 km away, and there are regular flights to Belgrade and Zürich, and dozens of charter planes land daily on Tivat airport during the summer season.
Podgorica Airport is 65 km away, and it has regular flights to major European destinations throughout the year.

External links

★ UNESCO: Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor

★ Boka Kotorska Photo Gallery

★ Tourist Presentation of Kotor

★ Foundation for Culture and Tradition of Boka Kotorska "Project Rastko-Boka" in Serbian

★ Web portal sa dnevnim informacijama

★ Foto Album

★ Italians of Montenegro