St. John the Baptist Church is the oldest in the fortified town of Budva; it dates back to the 7th century. Its bell tower is also the tallest; it was built in 1867. Look closely and you’ll notice it consists of three attached yet separate structures: the belfry, the church in the middle and on the right was the bishop’s palace when this was a cathedral and the seat of the diocese until 1828. Inside this Catholic church is the precious Madonna of Bulva, a 14th century religious icon believed to have protected the town from plagues since it was brought to St. John’s Church in 1807 from the Santa Maria in Punta.