#678 Globally
βͺ Our Lady of the Rocks Perast
Montenegro
About This Sacred Site
Our Lady of the Rocks is a church built on an artificial island in the Bay of Kotor near Perast. According to legend, local sailors found an icon of the Madonna and Child on a rock in the bay in 1452 and vowed to build a church on the spot. Over centuries, locals dropped rocks and sank old ships to create the island. The church interior is adorned with 68 paintings by the 17th-century Montenegrin artist Tripo Kokolja.
Key Facts
- β’Built on an artificial island created over centuries by dropping rocks into the bay
- β’Legend dates to 1452 when sailors found a miraculous icon on a rock
- β’The tradition of throwing rocks continues with the annual FaΕ‘inada festival each July 22
- β’The church houses 68 paintings by Montenegrin artist Tripo Kokolja
- β’An embroidered icon inside was made by a woman who waited 25 years for her sailor husband
Location
Coordinates: 42.4872, 18.6875
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