Crkva Svetog Luke (Church of St. Luke), Kotor

As you exit the Church of Saint Nicholas, directly in front of you stands the much smaller Church of Saint Luke, one of Kotor’s five surviving Romanesque churches. Built in 1195, during a period of strong Byzantine influence—just before Kotor came under the rule of the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty—its compact size and restrained exterior set it apart from the larger churches nearby.

The church follows a single-nave plan, with a semicircular apse extending from the eastern end. Above the central bay rises a dome set on a circular drum, visible from outside. The building’s modest scale played a practical role: it helped the church withstand the earthquakes that damaged many larger monuments in Kotor.

Step inside and look along the southern wall, where fragments of medieval frescoes survive, offering a glimpse of the church’s original interior decoration. Moving your gaze toward the sanctuary, you’ll see the iconostasis, dating from the 17th century and attributed to Dimitrije Daskal. Its style reflects the Boka Kotorska painting school, which combined Orthodox iconographic traditions with local artistic influences.

Saint Luke’s is especially notable for its dual Catholic and Orthodox history. In 1657, during an Ottoman incursion into the region, Orthodox refugees from Grbalj were allowed by Venetian authorities to worship here, even though the church was then Catholic. As a result, a second altar was installed along the north side of the interior, allowing both rites to be practiced side by side.

This unusual arrangement lasted until the French administration from 1807 to 1814, after which the church became exclusively Orthodox. Before leaving, look down at the floor. The stone slabs beneath your feet are tombstones from communal graves, used for burials inside the church until the 1930s.