BokaBay

“Today, the palaces of Boka Kotorska are almost silent witnesses of its former greatness, splendour and wealth. A complete history of the area, especially the prosperous period is vividly reflected in them … The palaces of Kotor, built at the close of the Middle Ages, throughout the 16th century and in smaller numbers even later, together with the palaces of Perast built throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, and those of Dobrota and Prčanj dating back to the 18th century, speak clearly about the historical changes in the area of Boka Kotorska and reflect the changing social-economic and cultural development of the most important settlements in Boka Kotorska.” Pavao Butorac, the first half of the 20th century)

The development of building in Boka Kotorska in general and the construction of distinctive houses and palaces in particular, are closely connected with historical circumstances and the social, economic and cultural development of the area.

In the Roman period, the first buildings of the type “villa rustica” were constructed in the town of Risan. In Kotor, during the Middle Ages and especially in the period of its greatest prosperity, various “courts” and palaces were built. In the same period, many noble families from Kotor built their summer residences in the area of Tivat. During the 17th and 18th centuries a specific type of Baroque palace developed in the Bay, first in the settlements of Perast, Prčanj and Dobrota, which in that period acquired the status of seafaring communities, and also in Kotor, where noble families built their palaces. In the same period, especially after liberation from Turkish rule, some representative houses and palaces were built on Herceg Novi Riviera.       

The term “specific palaces of Boka Kotorska” includes primarily the Baroque palaces built in this area during the 17th and 18th centuries.

In terms of their inner layout and the way of life that was led in them, the specific palaces of Boka Kotorska represent enlarged townhouses, with a larger number of reception rooms and living quarters.  

The townhouses of Boka Kotorska usually had three floors and were intended for one family. The ground floor served various commercial purposes. The first floor was used for reception, while the second contained the private quarters of family members. The reception rooms on the first floor were usually used to celebrate important holidays and events, to hold baptism and wedding celebrations and also to receive friends, and in the case of a death in the family. The third, i.e. last floor, situated in the attic area, had a spacious kitchen which was used as the main living area and also contained some utility rooms.   

The difference between the palaces and townhouses of Boka Kotorska is not evident so much in the rendering of individual parts as it is in their general architectural concept. The palaces of Boka Kotorska, apart from those built in Kotor which have specific urban character, stand out for their size. The palaces had three or more often four floors (consisting of a ground floor, two floors above it and an attic), with a symmetrical front. Especially in the Baroque period, this symmetry was additionally emphasised by a narrow top floor, which had the form of an extended belvedere and a balcony as an obligatory element. A garden was an inseparable outer part of the houses and especially palaces of Boka Kotorska.   

The typical organisation of space in the palaces of Boka Kotorska was quite simple. It was modelled on the layout found in the townhouses of Boka Kotorska, and was also created under the influence of the representative palaces in Italy, primarily in Venice. A typical layout of rooms in the palaces of the Boka consisted of a central hall, i.e. a salon surrounded by four rooms, two each on two sides, and it is known as the “four rooms and a salon” concept (Ital. “La casa di un padron, quatrro stanze un salon”). In the palaces built by the sea, the salon was always on the side facing the sea. This concept of interior layout was applied on the coast from the 16th century and it derived from a similar gothic concept which was enhanced by enlarging the central salon in accordance with the functional requirements of the Renaissance and Baroque lifestyles.

The interior layout of the palaces, their courtyards and all utility spaces, offer an insight into the culture and way of life of the whole area of Boka Kotorska.   

 “The ground floor usually contained a storage area for boats and navigation equipment, and also had vaults for barrels, wooden tubs and stone oil containers, as well as storerooms for various household supplies and utensils. In some palaces, the ground areas were so large that they could be used as granaries. In the absence of a separate magazine or storehouse built near the palace or in some other part of the town, the ground floor was used as the storage for merchandise accumulated through maritime trade and usually transported by the palace owners in their own ships.      

On the first floor, the space was divided according to the Venetian “four rooms and a salon” concept (Ital. quattro stanze, un salon). The Venetian style of construction was not imitated only in the architectural concept and exterior stylisation of palaces, but also in their interior layout. This especially applies to the first floor which was used as the reception area for friends and guests. A large and spacious salon on the first floor was used for various purposes, including regular visits, guests entertaining and all important family events. At each corner, the salon opened to a room.              
 
All better pieces of furniture usually found their place of display in the salons. Special features of the salons were huge mirrors with wooden gold plated frames, richly carved in Baroque style, of considerable artistic value. Such valuable frames can also be found framing portraits and other paintings. In the houses of the seamen of this area, it was also possible to find the so-called “sailor’s chests” usually made of hardwood, which were given that name because they were used by the sailors for their belongings. The chests were also used for keeping the brides’ dowry.   
The attic contained a kitchen and utility rooms.

The houses had a paved courtyard usually containing storerooms for household supplies, an enclosure for domestic animals, a water cistern and flower beds. Flowers thrive well in the exceptionally mild climate of Boka Kotorska and can be found even in winter. Some palaces had large and nicely arranged courtyards which presented favourite retreating places, especially in summer. The courtyards usually extended into vegetable gardens or orchards. These were mainly terrace gardens consisting of several smaller areas of land encircled by walls. The usual fruits grown were oranges and lemons. It was also possible to find tree species such as oleander, palm, pine, cypress, etc.

A characteristic of houses next to the sea is the so-called ”ponta”.  It is a small quay built of stone extending out into the sea.  It is surrounded by the sea on three sides, while on the fourth it is connected to the coast. On ponte, there are stone seats, locally known as ”pižuli”, usually enclosed by walls.  Ponte are sometimes planted with flowers and trees, usually lemon and oleander.  A ”mandrać“, i.e. a sheltered enclosure for boats can be found by ponta. In the past, every house directly accessing the sea used to have one.  The mandrać consists of a quay-like stone structure which instead of extending straight out into the sea, formed an enclosure in order to provide shelter from storms or invaders.  Every mandrać had a ”tiradur”(Ital. “trirare”,  meaning to pull)  – a space that was used to pull boats on the coast during winter or when they needed to be repaired.

In 1904, the Austro-Hungarians built a new coastal road without taking into consideration the function of the ponte and mandraći, and the inhabitants they served, thus breaking the organic connection between the town and the sea.”¹