History of Kotor

Between 1941 and 1943 Italy annexed the area of Kotor (with the original venetian name "Bocche di Cattaro") to the Italian "Governorship of Dalmatia" and created a new Italian Province: the Provincia di Cattaro, with 1,075 km (415 sq mi) and 128,000 population 

But after 1945 it became a part of the then Socialist Republic of Montenegro within Yugoslavia's second incarnation.

On April 15, 1979, a major earthquake hit the Montenegrin coastal area. There were approximately 100 casualties. Half of Kotor's Old Town was destroyed and St. Tryphon's Cathedral was partly damaged.

Up until the beginning of the 20th century, Croatian Catholics constituted the majority around the Gulf of Kotor.

Kotor is still the seat of the Croatian Catholic Bishopric of Kotor, which covers the entire gulf.

After the so-called "people's revolution" or "ab revolution" in Montenegro in 1988/89 the young socialists came to power. Under their rule Yugoslavia was torn apart in a bloody war. Since then the decline of Kotor has been obvious. The city was the hometown of "Jugooceanija", a maritime company with more than 20 ships trading around the world. It was a big company that provided a living for many people (crew and their families), but between 1990 and 2000 the company was completely destroyed in a corruption scandal. The hotel "Fjord" which was built after the earthquake in 1979 became a ruin near the Jugooceanija building. It was a big hotel which owned many tourist-related buildings. Since the proclamation of Montenegrin independence, all the financial and cultural establishments were drawn to Podgorica which is now the capital of Montenegro. The potential of Kotor as a tourist attraction has become limited