History

Its final appearance of the urban architecture Perast received during the XVII and XVIII centuries and today is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture on the Adriatic coast. There are two main features of Perast, as urban ensemble. First of all, it was a historical need to create solid supports for secure military defense, and then there are the monumental palace and the small stone buildings, religious buildings intertwined with lavish beauty.

This delicate border village according to the Turks (1482-1684), never got from the Venetians linked defensive walls around the city, but only one stronghold (St. Kriz, 1570.) above the village. However, 10 towers, called "čardaci" represented a deliberate system of checkpoints, which protect the whole village from the attack and gave a special character appearance to the village.

More than 300 houses and palaces, densely arranged along the shore and the hillsides, are closely aligned statistics in eighteenth century architecture in one selected line (207) and one regular (117), while for 14 states and churches are patronage of most prominent families.

The new monumental church of St. Nicholas was left unfinished, so other churches should be mentioned, "Our Lady of the Rosary" with outstanding octagonal tower, which is from 1678. Archbishop Andrija Zmajević built it near his palace, high above the village. Then there is the church of St. Marko from 1760.with richly decorated facade, which had gathered citizens in Bratovština. It should be mentioned monastery and church of St. Antun, donor of Mazarovića, near the fort, from 1679., and the Church of St. Ivan the Baptist, St. Ana et al. and unfinished parish church St. Nikola leaves some important clues in the monumental project of Giuseppe Beati, who earns a Venetian-Roman version of the baroque XVII-XVIII centuries. In 1691 priest Giovanni Scarpa began to build the imposing tower 55 m high, on five floors, with articulated number of lodges, which had cost 55 000 coins and record the Venetian conquest of Herceg Novi and Risan, stopped threatening the Turkish neighborhood. In the silhouette of Perast remains, though unfinished and open, large apse of the main altar, with two sacristy.

Palace that should be mentioned is the lavish palace Bujovic from 1694., now city museum, with five arcade monumental portico in "bunjata" and five harmonic balconies on three facades. Although the new road embankment along the sea gives the impression that it is "sunk", and thus lost its full power of art, the palace Bujovic remains among the most beautiful of our entire coast. In addition, the silhouette of Perast enriches palace Smekja, with two large balconies, balustrades, and narrow third floor of the expanded type "vidionice". Also valuable are the palaces Viskovic, Bronza with a marble relief of "Annunciation", and Balović, Mazarovića, Šestokrilovića, Brajkovic and others.

Thanks to all of this, contemporary art historians have rated very highly the force of the baroque aesthetic of Perast "... in which with no poetic phrases, each with its patina of stone, each with its elegant portal created Dalmatian baroque apotheosis where the flavor of eternal provinces is lost. But more than that in a particular monument, speaks to us from the whole atmosphere that combines in a single chord and domes of churches and Stubice balconies and golden patina of time ... Perast is the culmination of Dalmatian baroque. "(Dr. Kruno Prijatelj). Whole of that wealth was devised on the basis of intensive sea trade and tariff preferences, which Perast received for participation in the fighting, especially in clashes with ruthless pirates.

Although an ancient town, Perast is only since the mid-fifteenth century, economically, politically and culturally more developed. It is the time when Boka Bay became part of the Venetian Republic (1420), and the Ottoman forces approaching Boka bays specifying its fate for two full centuries. Until then, Perast is a small town with a lot of excellent ship builders, and has a smaller boats for trade and fishing. Kotor's jurisdiction over the island and abbey of St. Đorđe (IX century) began to bother Perast, which becomes more and more independent in economic sense and rises to gain strategically and politically important position after the Turkish conquest of the Bay from Herceg Novi to Risan (1482).

Venice encourages the development of Perast fleet, which is used not only in trade but also very successfully in fight against the Ottoman pirates. Excellent sailors and traders become known also as good warriors. This gives them especially honorable privilege of being the guardians of the war flag of admiral's ship of the Republic St. Marko "Gonfalonea" and so they carry the title of Gonfaloniera - those who guarded the flag with their life in the naval battles. Until the collapse of Republic in 1797. Perast has retained that privilege.

Given the marginal position that gave the city an important significance, Perast is developed under dramatic circumstances conditioned byl conflicts between Turkey and Venice, which in this area is felt very strongly. However, this situation does not prevent, but as if it favors the cultural rise of the city. This is particularly reflected in the strong architectural activities.

The sumptuous palaces, numerous churches and chapels, the import of works of art, literary creations, are all testimony of an intense historical events to us today from the perspective of time and acting disproportionately the size of the population.

NOBLE FAMILIES FROM PERAST - Kazadi - tradition says that for centuries Perast had 12 family clans, which stud out. From the Middle Ages those are the famous casada named by their original families. Kazade were an integral part of the commune of Perast and their chiefs were elected to city council every few years. Kazade were the following:

1. Studeni
2. Dentali
3. Vukasović
4. Brajković
5. Šestokrilović
6. Bratica
7. Stoišić
8. Smilojević
9. Silopi
10. Čizmaj
11. Perojević
12. Mioković.

Each casada gave one bearers, which consisted of a total of 12 bearers.

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