Welcome to the Prčanj, Montenegro – a place where healing wind roses bloom
At the seventh kilometer from the Old town of Kotor, tucked under the slopes of Mount Vrmac, is small village Prčanj.
Legends and history of Prčanj
Legend has it that “guided by the compass of his heart”, this place was founded by Boka warriors and skilled sailors who connected the Perzano (today’s Prčanj), with Venice and Constantinople. History records that it was from this point that Ivo Vizin, with his ship “Splendido”, set out on a journey around the world. He first sailed around the Cape Horn, which was unusual for sailing ships due to unfavorable wind direction. His journey around the world lasted from 1852 to 1859. For this undertaking, decorated with a flag of honor “Merito navali” by the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef, the greatest Austrian maritime decoration ever awarded. His return unraveled the magical attraction and healing properties of this part of the Bay of Kotor, the most beautiful in the southern Adriatic. The first local sailor to sail the world, exhausted by several months of adventure, needed neither medicine nor doctors “only speech of water and air on the Cape of St.Marco”.
All its history has been written at sea because Prčanj was one of the most important maritime centers on southern Adriatic. Prčanj gave numerous scientific workers, artists, sea captains, medical doctors, musicians, politicians, priests, and bishops, who have left deep traces in the history of this settlement, and beyond.
Prčanj architecture
Architecture in Prčanj bears witness to its prosperity in the 17th and 18th centuries. The town’s waterfront consists of a long line of stone houses and villas, unified by their beautiful facades and separated by gardens and olive orchards.
The most impressive feat of architecture in Prčanj is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary church Bogorodicin Hram. It seems out of proportion to the number of inhabitants and took 120 years to build (1789–1909). It was designed by Venetian architect Bernardino Maccaruzzi. Space-wise this is the largest church in Boka Kotorska Bay. The church’s interior is one of the biggest pinacothecas in this area. Besides the paintings of the well-known masters like Ivan Meštrović and Tripo Kokolja, a special attraction is the icon of the Mother of God on wood, on the main altar, the work of the Venetian School of the second half of the 14th century. Apart from precious liturgical objects and jewelry made of silver, it also stores the white silk flag of “Merito navali” awarded to captain Ivo Visin for his undertaking.
The “Three Sisters” Palace (commonly known as “Tre Sorelle”), is the only preserved 15th-century suburban villa in this area, the property of the Buća family. It is associated with the legend of the unfulfilled love of the three sisters in love with the same sea captain. This legend may not be a legend, but a true story resembling a legend. Living separately in their respective parts of the Palace, the sisters kept their secret. Thus, time was passing and they lived in hope that one day their love would be required. Years were catching up with them and they were dying one after the other, walling in each other’s window. When the third sister died, there was no one to wall her window in. The windows “testified”, therefore that the legend might not be a legend after all, but a real-life story.
Prčanj accomodation
Due to the limited space in Kotor itself, in recent years much has gone to the surrounding villages of Prčanj, Muo, and Stoliv to meet the growing accommodation demand. Accommodation in Prčanj can be found in the renovated and transformed sailor’s villas and old stone houses, just as in Kotor. A lot of new accommodations have been built in this area and some of them you can see on our website. More and more people on Booking, Airbnb, and Tripadvisor are looking for accommodation in Prčanj, so buying an apartment or a house in this place would certainly be a good investment.
Situated at the foot of the Vrmac mountain, which cuts the Bay in half, Prčanj faces Kotor, which gives a nice panoramic view of the Old town, city walls, and the Orjen and Lovćen mountains in the back. Prčanj has its history and beauty, which made it a suitable place for tourism development. The indescribable beauty of the Bay, sandy beaches, healing air currents, the healing power of the sea and wind, algae and conifers and doves from Orjen and Lovćen that rise above the coast and protect the Bay from the open sea and cold winter climate – make this small place a unique oasis of health.
