Crkva Svete Klare (Monastery and Church of St. Clare), Kotor

Adjacent to the city walls, this place of worship, erected in the 17th century, is one of the few Catholic churches in Kotor. Its unassuming stone and brick exterior hide a stunning interior containing the grand Baroque main altar crafted from white and red marble by Francesco Cabianca in 1708. The side altars, adorned with paintings by Venetian artists, also exhibit Baroque characteristics. Additionally, a large painting depicting Saint Clare and the four evangelists, was more recently created by local painter Špiro Đuranović.

Originally, the site housed a Benedictine monastery, which was handed over to the nuns of Saint Clare from the 14th to the 16th century; however, due to a lack of interest in joining the order, it was eventually entrusted to the Franciscans. The monastery's chambers have undergone numerous reconstructions, demolitions, and renovations spanning from the 14th to the 19th century.

Over time, the church itself has undergone several renovations, with its current appearance dating back to the 18th century. Featuring Renaissance-inspired spatial design and a Baroque interior, the central part of the church reveals a dynamic scene populated by numerous figures, including an Italo-Byzantine icon and realistic-looking marble curtains drawn by cherubs.

Within the church treasury, numerous valuable paintings, icons, and artistic artifacts are safeguarded. Notably, among them is the painting "Ecce Homo", attributed to the Spanish painter Morales, famously known as El Divino. Furthermore, the Franciscan library contains a rich collection of manuscripts and ancient printed books, including a significant number of incunabula.

Despite enduring extensive demolitions and undergoing multiple reconstructions, the Franciscan monastery complex has managed to retain its fundamental spatial-architectural and cultural-historical significance.