Description
14120 Palazzo Jerovitsa is one of the most significant historical estates in the magnificent Bay of Kotor (Montenegro), which is under the protection of UNESCO. The palace, located in the quiet village of Jerovitsa, offers incredible views of the calm waters of the Bay of Kotor and the majestic mountains. The peace and quiet is broken only by the chirping of crickets and the twittering of numerous birds living in the surrounding forest. Palazzo Jerovitsa consists of 5 buildings with a living area of approximately 800 m2 on a magnificent plot of land of 9,000 m2. Three buildings of the complex have 10 bedrooms, extensive terraces and gardens, a 12 x 6 m swimming pool, a separate sauna and a building for storing garden equipment. Believed to be over 200 years old, Palazzo Jerovica was lovingly restored by its current owners between 2016 and 2018. It is now up for sale for the first time in two decades. Ideal for a holiday or as an exclusive boutique hotel, the property is a short walk from the Hyatt Regency and a short walk from the restaurants and shops of Prcanj. Kotor Old Town is 8 km away and the five-star luxury Porto Montenegro is a 25-minute drive away. The nearest marina is in Prcanj if you want to berth your yacht. The current owners love the Palazzo for its amazing tranquility and the healthy, fragrant mountain air. The terraces offer magnificent views of the mountains, sea and sky. You can spend hours sipping local wine and watching the yachts and boats sail past on the glassy waters. Occasionally you may see a turtle or a colorful butterfly to keep you company. The estate is home to several hundred trees and shrubs. Entry to the Jerovica Palace is through an electronically controlled gate. As you approach the palace along a private paved road, you will see the historic main house and guest house. There is a large parking lot for several cars to the side of the house, ideal for hosting lavish parties for friends and family. There is also the possibility of creating additional parking elsewhere on the estate. Main House Breathtaking The main house was rebuilt in 2016-2018 to a high architectural standard. The focal point of the property is the magnificent triple-height living room. The living room is accessed through double doors, offering stunning views of the large pool, the Bay of Kotor and the mountains. The living room has Italian marble floors and a huge marble fireplace with a wood-burning stove, perfect for cozy winter evenings. Light floods in through double doors and several original windows. A unique architectural feature is the hanging staircase made of wood and steel that leads to the third level of the mansion. A reading gallery looks down onto the marble floors of the living room. The current owners are fans of minimalism, so they furnished the room sparingly, adding a light Italian sofa. The wall overlooking the Bay of Kotor has exposed limestone masonry, and many of the period features of this historic property are still visible. The doors, windows, shutters and kitchens throughout Palazzo Jerovica were handcrafted by local woodworkers in a workshop located nearby. The living room is an act of whimsy and creativity by the current owners, and has a wow factor that is rare in Montenegrin real estate. From the living room, two stone-clad arches lead into the kitchen of the main house. Light enters the kitchen through a double-height window and the entrance doorway. Below the window, the historic window sill has been preserved. On the ground floor there is also a guest toilet and a small storage room (it stores the boiler for the house's hot water). Stone steps lead to the bedroom, located on the second level of the main house. The bedroom has 3 double glazed windows offering stunning views of the bay and the garden. Two windows face east, offering a breathtaking view of the sunrise over the karst mountains. The master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with a window to the garden. A "hanging" wooden staircase leads to the third level and into a charming "minstrels' gallery" with two walls clad in stone. 4 double glazed windows offer beautiful views of the olive groves of Palazzo Jerovitsa, the village of Prcanj, the village of Jerovica and the Bay of Kotor. There is enough space for a sofa, soft armchairs and perhaps a bookcase or two. A second spacious bedroom is also located on the third level. The son of the current owners always occupies this bedroom. He loves the stone walls, wooden floors and four double-hung windows that offer views on three sides of the house. The painted metal ceiling beams are another interesting architectural feature. The second bedroom is furnished with a double bed, a wardrobe, two easy chairs and two bedside tables. Dyson Cool fans are installed in most bedrooms, a pleasant alternative to the ubiquitous air conditioning in many homes. The second bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with a window overlooking the cliff at the back of the house. A curved "hanging" wooden staircase leads to the fourth level of this stunning mansion and to bedrooms 3 and 4. Bedroom three is the smallest but coziest of all the bedrooms, always chosen by the current owners' daughter as her summer retreat. Windows overlook the side and back of the house. The compact bathroom has a toilet, a large sink, an open-plan shower and a window overlooking the sky. The fourth bedroom also has an en-suite bathroom with a window overlooking the cliff at the rear of the property. There is a small hallway between the third and fourth bedrooms on the fourth level of the main house. External terraces, lawns and swimming pool There are 2 front doors from the main house onto a flagstone terrace. This is where the current owners store the kitchen table, chairs, sun loungers and some colourful potted plants. The swimming pool is a generous 6m x 12m in blue tiles with 2 metal steps leading into the water. The pool is approximately 2m deep with a shallow end (on the north side) of about 1m. The pool is surrounded by flagstones and then a 'rough lawn' with yucca plants. There are 2 more small lawns between the main house and the guest house and 3 lawns on the way to the charming studio house. These are great places to relax on a sun lounger and take a break from the frivolity of the pool terraces. In front of the guest house is a large terrace. A large stone wall separates the guest house from the footpath leading from Prčanj into the mountains behind the Jerovica Palace. This path is accessed through a high metal gate. The footpath to Gornji Stoliv can be challenging at times (avoid the huge spider webs), but you will be rewarded with magnificent views of the bay along the way. Low stone walls separate the terrace from the Bay of Kotor to the east. This terrace has been the site of many barbecues and late-night al fresco dinners, washed down with delicious local wines and beers. Evenings at Palazzo Jerovitsa often last until the early hours of the morning and even until sunrise the following day. Guest House This historic guest house has 5 bedrooms spread over 4 levels. The guest house is entered through one of three double doors from the large sun terrace. The left door leads into a charming living room with vaulted ceilings. It is designed as a 'nook' for young (and young at heart) guests. This room is often used as a cinema room or a place to watch football on TV. Two windows look out onto the garden, allowing a pleasant breeze to come in when the weather is nice. The living room has a wood burning stove (perfect for the winter months) and one of the rooms has exposed stonework. The current owner wrote his autobiography in this room during the off-season. The middle double doors lead into a spacious entrance hall with Italian marble floors. One wall has exposed stonework and some original features. Off the hall is a convenient guest bathroom. This bathroom houses the boiler for the guest house's water supply. The large kitchen is entered through the right double doors. The kitchen has a large granite island for food preparation and floor to ceiling glass cabinetry for storing your finest glassware or jewellery. The second floor of the guest house is accessed via a stone staircase. On this floor is a bathroom with a window looking out onto the rear garden terrace. Also on this floor are the first and second bedrooms, both with double glazed windows looking out onto the delightful Kotor Bar. A curious feature of both rooms are the original holes in the stonework that were used to hang flags or banners from the front of the house (we assume). These have been glazed and preserved for posterity. Two walls have exposed stonework, showing off some of the delightful features of this historic building. A stone staircase leads up to the third floor of the guest house. On this floor is a tiled bathroom with windows looking out onto the rear garden terraces and the side of the house (where there is a public footpath leading up to the mountains). Off the bathroom is a small utility room with a washing machine. In the Montenegrin summer heat, clothes dry in minutes. Bedrooms 3 and 4 are located on this floor and both have 2 double glazed windows overlooking the delightful Kotor Bar. Stone stairs lead up to the fourth and top floor of the guest house. Bedroom 5 is located under the eaves of the house. One window overlooks the main house and one window overlooks the rear garden terrace. The bathroom has 2 windows at the rear of the house and 2 original icon places. Studio House The Studio House is a hidden gem where the current owners stay in the off-season (thanks to the air conditioning, which doubles as an effective heater). It is accessible via a path from the parking lot or via a pedestrian walkway from the Main House or Guest House. The Studio House offers one of the best views of the Bay of Kotor from the grounds of Palazzo Jerovicha and 3 charming flagstone terraces, one facing east and two facing south (perfect for the summer sun). In the off-season, the windows offer stunning views of the snow-capped mountains of Montenegro. The studio house resembles a suite in a five-star hotel. It has a high vaulted ceiling. There is also a mini-kitchen. On the other side of the studio house is a double bed, 2 bedside tables and an open wardrobe designed by the architect. Two double windows look out onto the guest house, which offers magnificent views of the Bay of Kotor. The studio house was originally conceived as an art gallery and studio for the owner's wife, who was an oil painter. It would have been a wonderful living space for the property manager. Surprisingly, the studio house has become the home that guests seek out because of the unique views and the sense of peace. Outbuildings The sauna-gym building is located between the studio house and the main house. The "Finnish" Harvia sauna can accommodate 8-10 people at a time. Next to it is a small bathroom with a toilet, sink and a Duravit shower. The "gym" contains water polo nets, bicycles and other outdoor furniture. Double glazed windows overlook the Bay of Kotor. If you purchase an exercise bike, the view will be absolutely stunning! To the right of the gym/sauna is a storage room. It was originally intended to be a wine cellar, but is currently used to store excess building materials and gardening equipment. The storage room has a vaulted ceiling and light. Opposite the storage room is a firewood store with a tiled roof supported by four concrete pillars. The firewood is used for the wood stoves in the Main House and Guest House. However, a new owner may consider creating a stone "fire pit" somewhere on the property. Garden The total land area is 9,000 m2. Over the past 5 years, the current owners have restored all the old stone walls on the property, using local stone and craftsmen where possible. They also restored the stream bed that runs from the private road to the bottom of the property and made steps between all the terraces. There are several hundred trees and shrubs on the grounds of Palazzo Jerovitsa. The new owners have the opportunity to create one of the most stunning gardens in the Bay of Kotor area. The current owners have paid special attention to planting hardy native flora, avoiding the need for irrigation. We see local turtles almost daily, and there are plenty of birds and butterflies. - Property tax ("poreza") is around 2,500 euros per year. Tourist tax is additional if you are not a resident. - The current owners have an informal contract with a pool maintenance man who is also an electrician. During the summer months he comes to the property once a week to maintain the pool. - The current owners have an informal contract with a local cleaner and a local team of gardeners (who trim the grounds 3-4 times a year).
