St. Nicholas Church

St. Nicholas Church is the main parish church of Cavtat, standing in the centre of town overlooking Luka Bay. The present church dates from 1484 and is particularly interesting for its Baroque interior, paintings by Vlaho Bukovac and the valuable Pinacotheca art collection beside the church.

Is St. Nicholas Church worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you are already walking through central Cavtat. The church is easy to reach from the waterfront and gives you a quick introduction to the town's religious and artistic history without requiring a long detour.

The strongest reasons to step inside are the historic interior, the paintings connected with Cavtat-born artist Vlaho Bukovac and the church Pinacotheca, which preserves paintings, sculpture and liturgical objects collected by the parish.

A short history of St. Nicholas Church

The present parish church of St. Nicholas dates from 1484. It was enlarged in 1737, when the bell tower was also built, and the church was formally consecrated on 1 June 1835.

The building was altered several times over the centuries, with another substantial renovation and enlargement carried out in 1996-97. The result combines its late-medieval origins with later Baroque and modern interventions.

What to see inside St. Nicholas Church

The church contains several important works of art associated with Dubrovnik and Cavtat.

• Main-altarpiece painting: a work by Carmelo Reggio from the early 19th century.
• The Four Evangelists: four paintings by Vlaho Bukovac, painted in 1910.
• Historic liturgical art: additional paintings, sculpture and church objects connected with the parish collection.

The Baroque interior and wooden altars are also worth a closer look, even if you are not specifically visiting for the art collection.

St. Nicholas Pinacotheca

The Pinacotheca beside the church is much more than a small side gallery. The parish art collection was formally opened in 1952 and today includes around 70 objects of significant cultural and historical value.

Highlights include a 15th-century alabaster relief of the head of St. John, a 15th-century icon of St. Nicholas, 16th-century processional objects, Baroque paintings, works by Carmelo Reggio and 20th-century works by artists including Vlaho Bukovac.

The Pinacotheca building itself has an unusual history. It was constructed in 1938 on part of the parish garden and was known locally as the mali teatrino, or "little theatre", because its interior was designed as a small performance hall. It was later adapted to house the parish art collection.

Mass times and visiting

St. Nicholas remains an active parish church, so it should not be treated as a museum with permanent visitor opening hours. Access can vary around Masses, weddings, funerals and other parish services.

The Dubrovnik Diocese currently publishes the following summer Mass schedule for St. Nicholas Church in Cavtat:

• Weekdays: 20:00
• Sundays: 08:00 and 10:30

If you are visiting outside summer or specifically want to see the church or Pinacotheca interior, check locally or contact the parish before making a special trip.

Location in central Cavtat

St. Nicholas Church is in the eastern part of Cavtat's historic centre, close to the waterfront and Luka Bay. Its central position makes it easy to combine with a walk around the harbour and other Cavtat sights.

The Franciscan Monastery of Our Lady of the Snows is another important religious and artistic site in Cavtat and works well as part of the same walking route.

Address & contact details

Church: Svetog Nikole 1
Parish office: Ulica sv. Nikole 2
Postcode: 20210
City: Cavtat
Phone: +385 20 478 249