Kotor

Lore & Background

Kotor was once populated by the Illyrians, with the oldest settled area dating back two millennia. First mentioned in 168 BC, it was a Roman settlement known as Acruvium, part of the province of Dalmatia. The city has been fortified since the early Middle Ages, though the claim that Emperor Justinian built a fortress above Ascrivium in 535 after expelling the Ostrogoths is not reliably attested in widely accepted historical sources; the Gothic War ended in 553, and no such specific fortification date is confirmed for Kotor. It was plundered by Saracens in 840, and while the city's defenses were improved over time, there is no established historical evidence that Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos personally ordered fortifications in Kotor during the 10th century. During the early Middle Ages, the Dalmatian language was still spoken in Kotor, and the modern name likely originated from the Byzantine name Dekatera or Dekaderon.

Reader's Guide

Kotor's significance lies in its well-preserved medieval old town and its role as a major trading port under successive powers. It was part of Byzantine Dalmatia, suffered under the First Bulgarian Empire, and was ceded to Duklja in 1003. Under the Nemanjić dynasty from 1185, Kotor became a partially autonomous city with republican institutions, as evidenced by a 1301 statute. Its commerce rivaled that of Ragusa in the 14th century. After Venetian rule from 1420 to 1797, the city acquired typical Venetian architecture. It later passed to Habsburg and Napoleonic control, was captured by the British in 1814, and restored to the Habsburgs by the Congress of Vienna. During World War I, it was a base for the Austro-Hungarian Navy and site of the Cattaro mutiny in 1918. Annexed by Italy from 1941 to 1943, it became part of Yugoslavia after the war. Today, Kotor attracts tourists for its natural environment and old town, and is a double UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Did You Know?

• Kotor was known as Acruvium, Ascrivium, or Ascruvium in Roman times.
• The city's fortifications were built during the Venetian period and stretch for 4.5 km above the city.
• The Cattaro mutiny of Austro-Hungarian sailors occurred in Kotor starting on 1 February 1918.
• Kotor is part of two UNESCO World Heritage listings: the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor and the Venetian Works of Defence.