Church of St. Nicholas
Crkva sv. Nikole
The Old Town’s main Orthodox church.
Early 20th-century Neo-Byzantine architecture with strong portals and domes. Inside are an iconostasis and festive icons by local artists.
How to Get There
On foot from Kotor center ~2-3 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 Church of Saint Nicholas is the main Serbian Orthodox church in the northern part of Kotor’s Old Town, under the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral. The present building dates to the early 20th century and serves as the center of Kotor’s Orthodox community.
Key features
- Built in 1902–1909 on the site of an earlier church destroyed by fire in 1896.
- Designed by Ciril (Kiril) Ivekovic in a Byzantine-Raška idiom, with twin western towers.
- Not strictly east-facing due to the dense medieval street grid.
- Iconostasis crafted by Czech masters and completed in 1908.
- Next door is the Orthodox Treasury with icons, manuscripts, and liturgical objects.
What to see
- Twin-tower façade with a large cross-shaped window and stone detailing
- Spacious single-nave interior with dome and early-1900s iconostasis
- The Treasury exhibiting icons and church silver, including revered relics
History
A Dominican monastery from 1545 once stood here, abandoned by the late 18th century. After Napoleon’s conquest in 1808, part of the plot was granted to the Orthodox; a church consecrated on 19 December 1810 served until it burned down on Christmas Eve 1896.
The new church, designed by Ciril Ivekovic, had its foundations blessed on 18 August 1902 and was consecrated on 17 May 1909. Interior works culminated in 1908 with the completion of the iconostasis, while the adjacent Treasury formed from donations by Kotor’s families.
Practical information
Location: north of Kotor Old Town, near St. Luke’s Church.
How to get there: 6–8 minutes on foot from the Sea Gate through the northern lanes.
Access: free entry; restricted during services.
Visiting hours: daily; services are celebrated regularly.
Visit duration: 15–25 minutes for the interior and Treasury.
Best time: morning or late evening for softer light and fewer crowds.
