The Church of Our Lady of Angels or Crkva Gospe od Anđela is a small fortified church located on one of the banks of the Verige Strait between Tivat and Kotor. It is dedicated to the feast of Our Lady of the Angels, which the Catholic Church celebrates on 2 August. The first documented mention of it dates back to the 15th century, but it is likely that a church existed here in earlier times.
Building history
The first references found in the archives date back to 1469. Above the entrance to the church are carved two years – 1585 and 1654. During this period the church was acquiring the appearance it has today.
First, in 1585, the inhabitants of Perast built ramparts and walls with loopholes to protect the bay from enemy ships and strengthen their positions.
The Church of Our Lady of the Angels was put to its first severe test on 22 June 1624, when pirates in 16 galleys stormed Perast, causing much distress to the inhabitants. Soon, at the suggestion of Augustine Alberti, an engineer from Venice, the local walls were strengthened, loopholes for guns were added, a water tank was built and a small barracks was built to house the garrison. After this reconstruction, the church acquired Gothic notes.
In 1654, on 15 May, a memorable battle took place for the city of Perast. They managed to capture and decapitate the Turkish commander Mehmed Pasha Rizvanagić, who, together with Bega Aksagić, raided the city. However, the price of this victory was the destruction of many fortifications, including the Church of Our Lady of Angels. Later it was rebuilt, as the inscription carved in stone testifies.
Although originally intended for military use, the Church of Our Lady of the Angels also served as a venue for masses and was used for wedding ceremonies. Its location next to the lighthouse at the end of the Verige Strait made it a prominent landmark for mariners and fishermen.
The Church of Our Lady of the Angels is now recognised as an official cultural heritage site under UNESCO protection and underwent restoration in 2014-2015.
How to get to Church of Our Lady of Angels
By own or rented car
The easiest way to get there, as usual, is by car. There is a parking space next to the church. We also recommend a short hike to see the Austro-Hungarian fortification, Fort Verige. The ascent to this fort starts just outside the church.
By municipal transport
You can reach the Church of Our Lady of Angels by municipal transport, which runs between Kotor and Tivat via Stoliv. The fare is 1 euro. The only inconvenience: this transport runs infrequently, once every 1-2 hours.
