The text is || The old way to do it
None of the medieval ancient cities in Europe that have survived to this day are like Kotor: fateful and indomitable, despite hardships but still struggling, tenaciously continuing the glorious history of the city in the recovery and reconstruction after repeated disasters.
This is a city with many disasters, but also a city that has been reborn from the fire, and it is also a dazzling city.
Let's take a look at the vicissitudes and extraordinary courses that Kotor has traveled for more than 2,000 years from ancient times to the present:
- In the 3rd century BC, the Illyrians began to settle here;
- 168-1185 BC, first a vassal state of the Roman Empire and later to the Byzantine Empire;
- In 840, the Saracens sacked Kotor;
- In 1002, it was occupied by the First Bulgarian Empire and destroyed;
- From 1185 to 1420, it experienced the rule of serbia, Hungary and Bosnian dynasties;
From 1420 to 1797, the Venetian Empire was dominated by Kotor. During this period, it was besieged and occupied by the Ottoman Turkish Empire twice;
- In 1572, the plague struck the city, killing countless people and animals;
In 1677, a major earthquake nearly wiped Kotor off the earth. In 1979, an earthquake destroyed half of the old town's buildings;
--After 1805, there was smoke and smoke here, war continued, it was devastated, and life was destroyed, and France, Britain, Russia, Austria, Italy, Nazi Germany and other countries invaded Kotor, it was really "you sang and I appeared", until 1944, when the partisans led by Tito liberated here, kotor became part of the Yugoslav Federation.
- Since 2006, Kotor has been an administrative region of the independent Republic of Montenegro.
From these thick-lined chronicles, you can understand why Kotor, an ancient city of just over 5,000 people, has so many churches and 4.5 kilometers of walls.
Obviously, these are closely related to the city's tortuous history and ill-fated fate.
Therefore, the main attraction of the ancient city of Kotor, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1979, is the numerous churches and ancient city walls that wrap around the hill behind the ancient city, as well as the relatively well-preserved urban layout.
The ancient city of Kotor is a small town hidden deep in the gulf of the Adriatic Sea, although small, but it has 3 gates, 17 defensive facilities, 14 churches and religious sites, 9 palaces and 17 public facilities. It sits east to west, back to the mountains and the sea, the terrain is dangerous, only immersive, can appreciate why in history this place has become a place of contention for soldiers.
The Sea Gate is the west gate of Kotor, built 500 years ago, and is the main entrance and exit route among the three gates of the ancient city. The city emblem at the top was originally a Venetian sculpture, later changed to symbolize the habsburg royal family of the double-headed eagle, now the symbol of the former Yugoslav Tito era, the lintel is engraved with a red five-star and November 21, 1944 words, which should be tito's guerrillas from the Nazis to retake the ancient city. The long stone between the stone plaque and the city emblem is engraved with Tito's domineering famous words: Our Hugh wants to take it, and I don't want others.
Fortunately, the commemorative symbol left by tito's time is still preserved here, and I hope it will last a long time, because it represents a history of Montenegro, and it is a history of washing away shame.
On the inner wall of the West City Gate are carved floating statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Mother and Son, which come to life. There is a horizontal slit under the relief, and it is said that believers must put their hands in to tell the truth when praying, and if they lie, their hands will be cut off in an instant. Sounds weird and scary. It seems that any religion has written or unwritten means and rules to restrain its own followers.
The "lion statue" on the walls of Kotor, which is the symbol of Venice. Since Venice ruled Kotor for more than 400 years, the cultural imprint left by Venice can be seen in many parts of the city.
There are many large and small squares in the ancient city. The first square to enter from the west gate is the largest square in the ancient city, with a very special name, called "Arms Square", also known as "Army Square". Just by listening to the name, one can guess what must have happened in the history of the city. The row of houses on the west side of the square used to be barracks for the army, and there is no doubt that it was originally a barracks. Today's Arms Square, there are neither soldiers nor weapons, and there are many shops and cafes, which is a lively scene of peace and prosperity.
The bell tower is generally the center of a city. Kotor's bell tower, located next to the Plaza de Armas, is a city landmark. It was built in 1602 and was destroyed twice by major earthquakes, but was rebuilt twice. It can be seen how tenacious and persistent the people of this city are. The current bell tower was rebuilt after 1979. Several constructions in different periods have given the bell tower both medieval Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. This, in turn, shows the generosity and tolerance of the city.
The black triangular stone pillar in front of the bell tower is called the Column of Shame, which was used in ancient times to punish criminals. The prisoners were locked to stone pillars, and a wooden sign with writing hung on their chests, which was displayed in the street, which means "to kill one to make an example". It may be similar to the ancient Chinese practice of locking up prisoners in wooden cages and paraded in the streets. This "inhumane" approach has long been a thing of the past at home and abroad, and it is a manifestation of social progress.
Built in 1166, st. Terifen's Cathedral, which was not devastated by two major earthquakes in Kotor, is now the oldest, grandest and most beautiful religious building in the old town. Its spire, which also serves as a beacon, is the first building seen by sailors traveling through the Gulf of the Adriatic Sea. The church has now been converted into a Catholic History Museum. We just looked at the exterior of the church and didn't go in. Because the churches in Europe are much the same, the more you see, the less interest you have.
Since Kotor was ruled by Venice for a long time in history, the urban pattern and architectural style are very similar to those of Venice: that is, the entire city is composed of several squares, each surrounded by buildings of different shapes, and the squares are connected by narrow streets and alleys. However, it is precisely because of such a narrow and long street that people feel the charm of the medieval ancient city.
The Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, built in 1909 on the north side of Kotor's Old Town, is new because of its late construction and lacks a sense of vicissitudes. It is another landmark of the ancient city and a major place of prayer for Orthodox believers, who make up more than 70% of the city's population. I took a closer look, and the church was very distinctive: the top of the church was not in the shape of an "onion head", but a neo-Byzantine style hexagonal pavilion, there were no seats in the church interior, and the interior decoration was relatively simple and simple, which was in stark contrast to some of the golden and splendid churches.
Built in the mid-18th century as a private building, it was the residence of the nobility, and the carving above the gate is the family's clan crest. It is said that all members of the family died in an earthquake in the early 19th century. It was used as a magistrate during Austrian rule. It is now a museum.
The ancient streets and alleys coupled with the modern leisurely romance, the ancient city is still quite flavorful.
This is the church of San Luca, built in 1195, and is the oldest Christian church in the old city, which was early in Roman style and later changed to a mixture of Romans and Byzantines. The church was converted to Orthodox use in the 17th century, so there are now two altars. Perhaps by God's mercy, the church survived several earthquakes. I heard that there were 13th-century frescoes in the room, but unfortunately the door was closed, and we didn't have the opportunity to go in and admire it.
A well in the ancient city, built in the 17th century, was the only source of water for the inhabitants of the city at that time. It is now used as a cultural relic for tourists to visit.
The Maritime Museum and the cannons and anchors placed at the door. It may be the role of genetics, and the children here are particularly fond of the remnants of war.
It is worthy of the baptism of countless wars, and even the small pets here have a military temperament. You see if the puppy on the balcony resembles a majestic general who is inspecting the tourists entering the ancient city.
The Shkurda River, a fortified fortified by the Venetians, stretches from the northwest corner of the old city to the foothills of the steep hills and is now the moat of the ancient city of Kotor.
The Kotor City Wall, which winds from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, is a bit like the Great Wall of China, which is the best-preserved ancient city wall in all of Europe and is also a major attraction of this tourist city. The city walls began construction in the 9th century and took shape in the 18th century. It ranges from 6 feet to 50 feet thick and the walls are up to 65 feet tall. The construction cost of this project is said to be higher than any palace in Europe. The Kotors are particularly proud that the city walls have stood the test of history, and in 1657, the Kotors relied on this strong defense to withstand the invasion of the Ottoman army.
Because it was too late, we didn't have time to climb the castle on the top of the hill to see the beautiful scenery of the Kotor Fjord. You can only get over your eyes with the help of online photos.
Coming out of the ancient city, I suddenly saw a huge cruise ship docked on the seashore, which formed a strong contrast with the surrounding environment, which suddenly made people a little "foggy". I didn't expect to see such a "tall" behemoth in such a "ravine", which is really incredible!
In fact, this is not surprising at all: Kotor is located in the southernmost gulf of the Adriatic Sea, kotor bay, surrounded by mountains, originally a natural harbor, historically it was one of the three major ports of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and it is for this reason that Kotor has suffered a lot since the age of great navigation. This is what people often say, "good things can become bad things"!
Today, however, the bad thing has become a good thing: the experience of suffering has become a valuable asset in the old town of Kotor. Nowadays, it is attracting more and more people to explore and visit with its rich history and rich culture. No, aren't we here too?
(Finished in July 2017, revised in July 2022)
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