Cathedral of St. Tryphon
Katedrala sv. Tripuna
Kotor’s principal cathedral with Baroque towers.
Consecrated in 1166. The facade was rebuilt after earthquakes and took its present form in the 17th century. Inside are reliquaries and frescoes linked to Saint Tryphon.
How to Get There
On foot from Kotor center ~3-5 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~14 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~60 min.
Description
What this place is
The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon is Kotor’s main Catholic church and a landmark of the Old Town. It stands on the eponymous square by the Bishop’s Palace and Drago Palace, and houses the relics of the city’s patron saint, Tryphon.
Key features
- The first shrine here was built in 809 as a martyrium; local patron Andrea Saracenis purchased and brought the saint’s relics.
- The present cathedral rose in 1124–1166 and was solemnly consecrated on 19 June 1166; it blends early Romanesque with Byzantine traits.
- West front with twin bell towers (north ~33 m, south ~35 m) and a large rose window reflects post-quake rebuilds.
- After major earthquakes in 1537, 1563, 1667, and 1979, the church was repeatedly repaired; in 2002 it received an EU/Europa Nostra award for restoration and seismic strengthening.
What to see
- Reliquary of St Tryphon, a silver-gilt pala, and the relics chapel with marble sculpture.
- Fragments of 14th-century frescoes by “Greek painters” and individual works by Italo-Ragusan masters.
- Facade with its rose window and twin towers, the Gothic triforium of the main apse, and 18th-century marble altars.
History
The first martyrium arose in 809 thanks to Andrea Saracenis; it is mentioned by Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. Excavations in 1987 clarified that this early church was vaulted rather than a circular rotunda.
Cathedral construction began in 1124 under Bishop Ursacius and culminated in consecration on 19 June 1166. In the 16th century, after earthquakes, the dome over the central bay was removed; the devastating 1667 quake led to a rebuilt façade with two new towers.
In modern times the cathedral underwent several restorations, including after 1979; in 2002 its restoration and seismic upgrade won an EU/Europa Nostra prize. It forms part of UNESCO’s “Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor”.
