Our Lady of the Rocks

The island of Gospa od Škrpjela (i.e. the Island of the Virgin Mary on the Rock) is one of two islets off the coast of Perast in the Bay of Kotor. It is the only artificial island in the Adriatic Sea. An interesting legend is connected with its creation. Apparently, on a rock protruding from the sea, sailors found a picture of the Mother of God. Hundreds of stones laden with stones were sunk in this place to form an island, and then a church was built. Every year, on July 22, the inhabitants of Perast come here by boats filled with stones and throw them right next to the island to the bottom of the sea.

The Church of Our Lady on the Rock was built in 1630, and in the mid-eighteenth century a round bell tower was added to it. The interior is richly decorated. It is worth paying attention to the marble main altar from the 18th century, the Gothic painting of the Virgin Mary with the Child and baroque oil paintings by Tryfon (Tripo) Kokolji from Perast. On the walls around the nave there are also numerous silver votive plates with engraved silhouettes of ships from Boka Kotorska put under the protection of the Mother of God.