Crkva Svetog Pavla (Church of St. Paul), Kotor

At the foot of Saint John's hill, along the street that connects Kotor's Northern and Southern town gates, lies the inconspicuous Saint Paul's Church. Tucked away behind the apse of Saint Tryphon's Cathedral, this hidden gem often escapes the notice of tourists. Commissioned by Pavle Bari, a prominent citizen of Kotor, in 1263, the church bears witness to its past through a commemorative inscription with mention of Serbian King Uroš I, Pope Urban IV, and Kotor's own Bishop Marko.

Originally established as a male Dominican monastery, Saint Paul's later transitioned to a female monastery in the 16th century. Notably, it was within these hallowed walls that Blessed Ossana, a revered saint of Kotor, spent her final days in 1565, enclosed within her cell.

The church bore witness to a momentous event in Kotor's history during the tumultuous siege of July 1539, when the town faced the onslaught of the infamous Turkish pirate Barbarossa. It was said that Ossana, then a Dominican nun, emerged from her cloistered existence to inspire courage among the defenders, ultimately thwarting Barbarossa's advances and safeguarding her beloved town.

Over the centuries, the structure endured various transformations, serving as barracks during Napoleon's occupation and later as a prison during World War II and the subsequent conflicts. Today, it has been lovingly restored and repurposed as a museum space showcasing the Town Lapidarium's rich collection of stone monuments, as well as a versatile venue for exhibitions, concerts, and scholarly gatherings, ensuring that its storied legacy endures for generations to come.