Beskuća Palace

Beskuća Palace is situated in the central part of Prčanj, in front of the Virgin’s Church. It was built at the end of the 18th century during the prosperous era of the Beskuća family. The Beskuća family rose to prominence and acquired considerable property within a short time. The first member of the family settled in Prčanj from Strp in about 1660. It was not long before his descendants started to acquire the titles of Venetian counts. According to folklore, one member of the family, after becoming a count, ordered that ducats be thrown from the palace onto the road, celebrating the acquisition of his title. The Beskućas had a palace in Kotor, which used to house the municipal and district courts during the rule of Austro-Hungary in Boka Kotorska.

Beskuća Palace is a typical Baroque palace of Boka Kotorska. It is a four-storey building with a belvedere, built of finely hewn Korčula stone. On the ground level, there is a large portal, flanked by two small Baroque windows. Under the window on the left, there are two reliefs depicting coats-of arms. The first floor is enhanced by a balustraded balcony, supported by three profiled brackets. Two arched portals open to the balcony. The belvedere has Baroque decorations, i.e. volutes. All door and window frames, made of stone, have the characteristic Baroque form.

In the second half of the 19th century, the palace was a meeting place for respectable guests with whom the family was connected. In the summer of 1844, Petar II Petrovic Njegoš stayed in the palace. The palace was also frequented by Austrian archdukes. In 1878, during the stay of an international fleet which had sailed to the Bay in order to ensure that Turkey ceded the ports of Bar and Ulcinj to Montenegro, the Beskuća brothers entertained in their palace the commanders of the ships and organised lavish gala-dinners and parties for them.

Beskuća Palace is one of the rare palaces built by the sea which has preserved its direct connection with the sea. The coastal road built at the beginning of the 20th century, during the Austrian rule, broke the connection between many houses in Dobrota, Perast and Prčanj with the sea. The road went behind Beskuća Palace. Owing to this, today Beskuća Palace is a unique example of a palace with direct access to the sea, with a paved courtyard in front, and ”ponta” and ”mandrać” (a quay and an enclosure for boats).