Vrakijen Palace

Vrakijen Palace is situated on the square known as Salad Square, south of St. Tryphon’s Cathedral. The palace belonged to the noble family Vrakijen. Although the origins of the palace can be traced to the late Baroque period, the documents from the first Notary Book of Kotor inform us that in the 14th century the site of the palace was occupied by the house of Katena Vrakijen, the widow of Miho Vrakijen, and her son Marin.

The small but nicely proportioned Vrakijen Palace is an example of late Baroque architecture from the second half of the 18th century. The palace is plastered with red mortar made of ground bricks and decorated with ornamental, imitation cordon cornices. Baroque characteristics can also be seen in the rendering of door and window frames. Above the main portal is a composition in stucco mortar depicting two angles which carry a lavishly carved Baroque frame with the family’s coat-of-arms, with a crow in its upper field. The palace was built in two phases. Next to the distinctive eastern part which had two floors, the western part with a staircase and a floor for servants, was built. On the vaulted passage above the street, a family chapel was built. It was unique in Kotor. Unfortunately, it was transformed into a kitchen.

Vrakijen Palace has completely preserved its original interior. The first floor is reached by an elaborate double staircase, and decorated with wall paintings and Marmorino plaster applied in the “al secco” technique. In the second half of the 19th century, such decorations were done in Kotor and Perast by the Italian interior painter Napoleon d’Este. The hall on the first floor has preserved a floor mosaic and “teraco” flooring made of pieces of marble in mortar; and the original doors, inlaid with several types of wood, with their original locks and frames.

Source: Martinović Jovan, Sto kotorskih dragulja, Rijeka Crnojevića, 1995.