The tiny ancient village of Dobrota, settled on the Adriatic shore near Kotor, has numerous Christian temples and mansions. The mansions were built mainly in the 18th century, but the churches date from the 10th century to the second half of the 20th century.
First of all, the pride and beauty of Dobrota are two large Catholic churches with high bell towers.
One of these churches, in the northern part of the village, is consecrated in honor of St. Eustahije.
The other, the Church of St. Matthew, is on the opposite side of Dobrota.
Catholics built a temple here in the 13th century. Sadly, it was destroyed by the 1667 earthquake, but a new, more spacious and impressive structure raised on the same site.
The local noble families actively participated in the construction of the churches.
The quadratic belfry was added in the 18th century. Both the temple and the tower are decorated in Baroque style.
The Church of St. Matthew is a popular site among tourists. It is not only imposing and richly decorated shrine, but a wonderful observation platform...
...with breathtaking views of the Kotor Boka Bay, and the mountains, and seaside towns.
The Church of St. Ivan could be the third Catholic temple in Dobrota, but its construction, started in the late 18th century, has not been completed to this day.
The idea to build a temple at the center of the village, between the churches of St. Matthew and St. Eustahije, belonged to the Kamenaroviċ family. They also volunteered to finance the construction.
The times of economic prosperity came and went, and all works at the St. Ivan grounds eventually stopped. A significant part of the project was nevertheless completed, so today we can admire the facade of the church, decorated with a large flower-shaped window.
The main Orthodox church in Dobrota is dedicated to one of the most revered saints of the Serbian Orthodox Church — Vasilij Ostrožský.
This one-nave temple with a semicircular apse on the eastern side is quite contemporary, the construction ended in 1971.
Its central facade is decorated — very unusual — with stone and mosaics.
There is a humble chapel next to the church.
It is not elaborately decorated.
But its doors are always open to believers.
There are some more temples in tiny village of Dobrota. They are built in traditional Montenegrin style and are modest in size and decor.
The graceful Church of Our Lady of Mercy is located at the border of Dobrota and Kotor. The exact age of the temple is unknown, but it was first mentioned in local documents in 1518.
The Church of St. Michael was once a private church of the Radimir family.
It served as a place of prayer and a family burial chamber.
Particularly noteworthy are the doors of this church, embellished with delicate carvings.
The smallest — yet oldest — temple in Dobrota is the Church of St. Elijah. Experts suggest that this temple illuminates the miniature Cape Plagenti since the10th century. Despite the disastrous effects of time and nature, this amusing edifice survived in its original form to the present day.