Saint Nicholas Church Perast

Church

Church · Perast, Montenegro 42.4863°N 18.6992°E

Why you should go

Ninety seconds on Saint Nicholas Church Perast

Time needed

30 minutesChurch, tower, treasury

Best time

From about tenClosing time varies

Cost

TicketedTower and treasury

Effort

Steep stone stairLow headroom in parts

Season

Tower May to OctShut the winter through

Access

No under 15sOn the tower

Denomination

Is St Nicholas Church in Perast Catholic or Orthodox?

Roman Catholic. The church on the square in Perast took its present form in 1616, and its 55 metre bell tower was added in 1691. Our Lady of the Rocks, the island church offshore, is Catholic as well.

Tower height

How tall is the St Nicholas Church tower in Perast, and what is the view like?

55 metres. The bell tower stands beside the church in the centre of Perast and dates from 1691, designed by the Venetian architect Giuseppe Beati. From the top, the panorama opens across the whole bay, with the town's roofs and both islands below.

The islands

Is St Nicholas Church in Perast the church on the island?

No. St Nicholas stands on the main square in the central part of Perast, on the mainland. The two islands off the town are St George and Our Lady of the Rocks, the second with its own museum and Catholic church. Boat tours on the bay call at Our Lady of the Rocks.

The view from the top of this bell tower puts Perast's roofs, Our Lady of the Rocks and St George directly below you, and you can step into the church at its foot on the way up.

What makes it special

The tower is the most recognisable landmark in Perast: a stone shaft 55 metres high, the tallest in the Bay of Kotor, with three bells in the belfry. The church at its foot is a 17th century Baroque building. Inside, look for the frescoes and the silver votive tablets, small plaques given as offerings.

Walk round behind the church to find the second St Nicholas. A far larger church was begun there in 1740, but only its apse and sacristies were built before the plan was abandoned. Both buildings go by the name St Nikola Church, so a sign or a local pointing you to it may mean either.

Give the church a few minutes even if you came for the climb. It is worth the stop whether or not you are religious, and the frescoes and tablets take little time to see.

Visiting

Start inside the church and give the nave a few minutes. The church treasury has its own entrance fee, and the tower is ticketed separately at the tower door.

The stair is about 150 steps, narrow and winding, crumbling in places, with low stretches of wall where you have to duck. Take it slowly, and let your eyes adjust in the darker stretches.

At the top, Perast's roofs are below you and the bay runs away toward Kotor. The view is closer and lower than the one from the fortress above Kotor, so do both if you can.

Tips

If tight spaces bother you, skip the tower: the headroom drops low in parts. Children under 15 are not allowed up. Expect a small fee at the tower door, and bring cash in case.

Climb before you take the boat out to Our Lady of the Rocks, so you have the layout of the bay in your head when you cross.

Know before you goThe tower opens around ten in the morning and closes at a time that varies, so climb it early in your day in Perast rather than at the end. It shuts for the winter, from about mid-October to mid-May.