June 6, 2018 - The stories of unhappy love have written some of the most beautiful pages of world literature, those stories have been inspiration for numerous great movie stories, live in poetry and music, but they are also woven into space, through various monuments of love and devotion, such as Bokelian palace of Tre Sorelle (Three sisters) in Prcanj, which is linked to the legend of the same name. The Legend of Tre Sorele is a story about three sisters who gave all the love of this world to one man, never living a day of love for whom they have devoted their whole life.
Filomena, Grazia, and Rina, or as in some of the writings - Nera, Bianca, and Rina, were widely known for their beauty, honesty, congratulations and worth, and all three their virtues wanted to give to the same man - the young captain Jerko from Herceg Novi. The legend says that the sailor of the extinct nature could not decide which of the sisters he liked most, so he resolved to take his boat on a long voyage to think about everything. And the sister, who waited for him until he came back, he would take as a wife. The sisters waited patiently, always looking from their room windows, following each ship and sailboat, hoping that one of them would bring Captain Jerko, the only man to whom they gave love. Young had passed, life spilled lightly, sadness and desires created wrinkles on each of them. So they agreed.
When one of them died, the others would shake the window, so when Jerko returned to Boka Bay, he could see which sister's window is closed and is no longer alive, so she no longer waits. They waited and waited, until old age. When their eldest sister died, the two others buried her window, because there was no one to look through. Then the other sister died, not waiting for her sailor - the third sister, with tears in her eyes, walled up her window. When the youngest Rosa left this world, no one could take care of her window, and it remained open.
Jerko has never returned. In Prčanj there is a preserved palace, which the villagers call "Tre Sorele".
Tre Sorelle palace dates back to the 15th century and is one of the few Gothic-style monuments in Boka Bay. This unique building is first mentioned in the 16th century in the written sources called the Villa trium sororum, which has been preserved to date in the Italian form of Tre Sorele. This palace was, in fact, a mansion of a noble family of Buća, which is shown by the family coats that have been embossed in several places in the palace walls, indicating that the three sisters from our story were probably coming from the Buća family.
The palace of Tre Sorele is made up of three almost identical units that are interconnected to the side walls, but with separate roofs. It is quite probable that the two end tracts were created at the same time and that they were connected to the central terrace which had a defensive function. At the palace, the outer stairway is leading to the first floor. Subsequently, on the former terrace, it was built a third part of the building that is perfectly integrated into a unique building exterior. The façade of the palace is decorated with typical Gothic windows with broken arches. Apart from being the only Gothic palace, the Tre Sorele is also the oldest palace in Prčanj. Although it is unknown exactly when it was built, experts have associated its creation with the 15th century. Within the palace, on the north side, there is a chapel, dedicated to St. Jerome.
Unfortunately, the palace of Tre Sorele today is not a museum of love or a place where you can hear this and other Bokelian legends. This protected cultural and historical heritage is in private hands, in a sad state; in the very legendary windows, there was intervention. Hopefully, this unique love story will be restored to continue in its house for centuries to tell the old story of love, fidelity and sacrifice, love of lovers, and love for sisters; we leave Tre Sorele waiting for the better time and more responsible sons. And some new guests to be told the unique Bokelian story.
