CULTURAL-HISTORIC MONUMENTS

Rich monumental legacy in the area of Herceg Novi resulted from the merging of different peoples and cultures that lived and clashed here throughout its long history.


MONASTERIES AND CHURCHES
Sacral monuments hold the first place in immobile monumental fund of the Herceg Novi area not only according to its number, but also according to its territorial vastness and its cultural and historic value. The area of the municipality encompasses 89 churches (75 orthodox and 14 catholic) and 12 locations with remains of various churches, out of which 3 have been archeologically analyzed. Various written sources mention 7 more churches which locations have not been identified.


THE MONASTERY SAVINA COMPLEX
The Monastery is located 2 km east from Herceg Novi in a unique setting of the Mediterranean vegetation. The Monastery complex consists of two churches dedicated to the Resurrection of Our Blessed Lady, situated in the center of the enclosed courtyard, then, there is the Monastery inn with a Treasury, on the Northern side of the courtyard, and of St. Sava church, which is secluded on the nearby hill.

* Above the door of the Little Church of Our Blessed Lady’s Resurrection, on the inside, there is a fresco-inscription from 1831, which says that this church originated from 1030, however, according to stylistic characteristics it is more likely that it originated from the time of Kosač. On the interior walls, several layers of fresco-paintings were discovered, and the oldest ones were discovered below the layers dating from 1565. It is presumed that the oldest ones originate from the 14th century and have stylistic characteristics of the Lovro Dobričević’s paintings.
The earliest paintings date from 1831. The iconostasis is composed of several parts from different epochs. Czar’s door called »tvrdoške« and the big Resurrection above it were made in 1703 by Dimitrije Daskal, while the temple icon of the Resurrection of Our Blessed Lady was made his son Rafailo.

* Nikola Foretić, a master from Korčula, constructed the Big Church of Our Blessed Lady’s Resurrection (Velika crkva Bogorodicinog uspenja) from 1777 to 1799. In the archectonic sense, this church is a mix of Byzantium, Roman-Greek, baroque styles, and represents a true example of a successful blend of Eastern and Western culture, which fused in this region for centuries creating exquisite art work.
The iconostasis in the church, which was made in 1795 by the icon painter from Bijelo Polje, priest Simeon Lazović, with the help of his son Aleksij, also represents a successful merger of traditional iconography and new baroque forms.

* The St. Sava Church according to some sources, dates from the 15th and some other sources say from the 13th century. The monastery inn was built in 1937, the previous one being torn down, and there is a monastery museum with a Treasury adjacent to it. There are extremely important exponents in the Treasury such as: the crystal cross of St. Sava from the 13th century, a mantle from 1642, a silver “petohljebnica” (a silver server) from 1648, a reliquary from the Tvrdoš monastery from 1615, a chalice from 1650, evangel from 1685, a unique portrait of the Russian Czar Peter the Great.
There is a library with a vast amount of books which were brought by monks from the Tvrdoš monastery.


ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL CHURCH
This church (Sv. Arhandjela Mihaila) is located on the upper square of the Old city, called Belavista, and which is nowadays called the Herceg Stjepan Square. The constructing of the church began in 1883. There very several architects building this church, and the project, which finalized it, was done by Milan Karlovac in 1905.
The church was built from finely carved ashlars of the Korcula stone. It was finished and consecrated in 1911. Due to its overall space concept in the Byzantium style, ornamental elements of Roman-Gothic and Islamic reminiscence, this eclectic edifice represents an incredibly successful and imaginative combination of different styles, and it is one of the most beautiful churches in this area.
The iconostasis was made of white, Italian marble by master Bilinić from Split, and icons were made by the Czech painter Franjo Cigler.


ST. JEROME CHURCH
It is located in the Old city, on the lower square the Mićo Pavlović Square. It was built in 1856. On the same location, in the 17th century there was a Catholic parochial church dedicated to St. Jerome (Sv. Jeronim), the protector of the city. That church was torn down in the 19th century and on the same location the present church was erected, a much more spacious one.
This church holds works from one of the greatest baroque painters, Tripo Kokolja from Perast.


ST. LEOPOLD MANDIĆ CHURCH
Upon the liberation of the city from the Turks, the Venetians built a convent in 1688, and a small church adjacent to it, dedicated to Holy Virgin Mary. Later on, the church was dedicated to St. Franjo, and recently, more precisely in from 1976, it was dedicated to St. Leopold Bogdan Mandić, who was born in Herceg Novi and was proclaimed a saint in 1983 by the Pope John Paul II.
The church is located near the church of St. Jerome, somewhat closer to the sea. The building of the church was ordered by Jeronim Korner after the city was conquered by the Venetians.


ST. ANNE CHURCH
It is located on a small hill, in Savinska Dubrava. Legend says that there was an Orthodox church built in its place, the church of St. Petka (Sv. Petka), which was torn down by the Turks. The new church of St. Anne was built by the Spaniards, by Don Ferante Gonzaga in 1538, when he governed the city of Herceg Novi. When he passed away in 1550, he was buried, along with his family, in the cemetery of the St. Anne church.
The church has been torn down and rebuilt several times.


ST. GEORGE CHURCH
It is located in Topla. The St. George (Sv. Djordje) was built immediately after the Venetians took over the city and was renovated in 1848. The church holds an extremely precious Italo-Crete circular icon of St. Peter and Paul from the 16th century.


ST. SALVATION CHURCH
The building of this church commenced in 1709, next to the church of St. George, and was completed in 1713. It acquired its present look in 1864 when it was renovated almost from its foundation. The church holds very valuable items donated by famous people. Above this and the church of St. George, there is a parochial cemetery, and adjacent to it there is a cell (with a commemorative inscription) in which Josip Tropović taught Petar Petrović Njegoš.
The St. Salvation church (Sv. Spasa) is located in Topla.


ST. ANTHONY CHURCH
It is located in the Western part of the city, within the convent, and was built by the donations of the locals. The church originates from 1710, and it is dedicated to the St. Anthony The Wonder Worker of Padova (Sv. Antuna Cudotvorca). The convent gained its present look in 1790.