Katedrala Svetog Tripuna (Saint Tryphon Cathedral and Square), Kotor (must see)

Saint Tryphon Cathedral is one of the city’s most important historical monuments, consecrated in 1166 and built on the site of an earlier 9th-century church dedicated to Saint Tryphon, Kotor’s patron saint.

The cathedral is a three-nave Romanesque structure that has undergone multiple phases of restoration. The most significant changes followed the 1667 earthquake, which damaged much of the facade and caused the collapse of the original bell towers. The towers were rebuilt in a Baroque style, giving the cathedral its present silhouette, while the facade retains Romanesque elements alongside later decorative additions. The rose windows, altered over time, reflect a blend of stylistic influences rather than a single medieval form.

Inside, the cathedral preserves an important collection of religious art and liturgical objects made of gold and silver, many produced by local craftsmen. Traces of medieval fresco decoration, attributed to Greek-trained painters, survive, though much has been lost. One of the interior’s focal points is the 14th-century ciborium above the main altar, combining Romanesque and Gothic features. Behind it stands the Golden Altarpiece, depicting Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Tryphon, and sixteen additional saints, a key work of Kotor’s goldsmith tradition.

Access to the cathedral includes entry to the Sacral Art Collection, which displays reliquaries, icons, manuscripts, and vestments associated with the cathedral’s history. The modest entrance fee supports conservation while allowing the cathedral to function primarily as a place of worship.

Adjacent to the cathedral is the Bishop’s Palace, historically the residence of Kotor’s bishops. The building incorporates elements of earlier noble residences, including associations with the Drago family, reflecting the close ties between ecclesiastical authority and local aristocracy.