Croatia – Dalmatia (Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Knin, Brač, Hvar, Makarska) March 24, 2019
ZADAR
Oštri Rat Lighthouse (Puntamika Lanterna). At the far north end of Zadar, this small (~20m high) round, stone lighthouse has a spiral staircase on the outside. It cannot be accessed. It sits next to a bar that was busy on a lovely Sunday afternoon.
Church of St. Donatus. This church has little that is unusual (virtually all churches in Croatia have an identical structure with multiple marble side chapels or altars). The columns are a mix of styles. The two nicest are spiral marble. A side chapel has a large marble baptismal pool. From the outside, there is a round chapel that cannot be entered.
Episcopal complex. Surrounding St Donatus are several churches and monasteries, all part of this tentative World Heritage Site (01/02/2005):
Orthodox Church of St Elias. The original church here was built on the site of the Roman Capitolum in 1598 to serve Orthodox Greek sailors, it was replaced in 1773 with the present structure.
Posveta Crkvc Sv Pavla (Church of St Paul). Mostly destroyed in WWII, it has a lot of lovely stucco work. 10 nuns were sitting in the choir when I was there.
St Mary’s Benedictine Monastery. Benedictine nuns have been here for over 1000 years. The monastery dates from the 2nd half of the 11th century and the Church of St Mary was completed in 1091. Only moderately damaged in WWII, it has a comprehensive art collection and two wings have a museum of sacred art.
The ruins of the Roman Forum sit next to the church with low walls, a huge amount of stonework including several sarcophagi, and many columns.
SIBENIK
The old medieval town climbs steeply up the hill from the water to St Michael’s Fortress. It is a driving and parking nightmare just to access the top; the medieval town is for pedestrians only.
Barone Fortress. Sitting on a hill at the highest point above Sibenik, this fortress had little to offer other than a view, which is grand, but it is not necessary to pay the 40kn admission fee.
St. Michael’s Fortress. Below Barone Fortress but close to the water on the top of the old medieval town, this fort’s main draw is the view. 40kn
The Cathedral of St James. Succeeding the old Romanesque St James church, this was constructed over 100 years (1431-1536) during the difficult times of the Turkish threat and plague epidemic.
The highlight is the Baptistery created by Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac in the 1440s. It is under the southern apse, where crypts are often located in most churches. The ceiling is covered with lace like Juraj’s sculptures of angels surrounding God’s face. Above the four niches are vaulted seashells of St James. Only two of the small statues in the corners remain (King David and the prophet Simon). The red marble font is supported by three putti angels.
Declared a World Heritage Site in 2000, this church is just above the water.
Monastery of St Lawrence. This Franciscan monastery was established in the late 1700s by monks from Visovac Monastery trying to escape the Turks during the Cretan War (1645-68). During the plaque of 1649, the monks were of great assistance and the grateful king allowed them to stay and build the monastery. It consists of a small church, bell tower, monastery and gardens with medicinal plants around a central fountain.
Next to the church is a 1926 grotto to Our Lady of Lourdes.
Primošten is a lovely seaside village about 18kms south of Sibenik. A park surrounded by a beach occupies a peninsula on the west side and the old town with its church on the high point sits on a peninsula. All surrounded by stone houses and promenades, it is full of tiny cobbled lanes.
Primošten Vineyards, Just south of town covering a low domed hill are these tiny terraces formed by stone walls – there is so much stone, the walls occupy more space than the terrace. Many have only four vines. A large marina is on the water. This is a tentative World Heritage Site (29/01/2007).
TROGIR
Historic City of Trogir. On a small island, this medieval village is all tiny lanes and stone buildings. Saracens demolished it in 1123. I walked around the whole place in about 10 minutes. On the west end is a school, a football pitch and a small castle. Facing south is a large plaza with the town hall. The village is a World Heritage Site. Cross a short bridge to the much larger island of Otok Clovo.
St. Lawrence Cathedral. The building of the present church began in 1240, but it wasn’t finished until the 17th century. The highlight may be the front entrance. Called Radovan’s Portal, Adam and Eve (complete with belly buttons) stand on top of a male and female lion respectively (but Radovan had probably never seen a lion and put a man on the female). Carvings of Bible stories grace the arched portal.
The church itself is remarkably small. The stone floor is completely tombs. The Chapel of St Ivan’s (John in English) ceiling has 100 rosettes, each with a unique face surrounding God holding a round globe (well before it was thought to be round). The other main highlight is climbing the bell tower – 45 steps to a terrace and another 74 to the top for commanding views of the village. I counted the towers of 5 more churches.
Most Croatians speak reasonable English. The lady at the church also spoke Spanish and German, all were learned by watching TV with subtitles. The young fellow I met in Pula learned his good English by watching South Park.
Pazar Market. In a seaside village about 10kms north of Split, this is a small local market held on 5 large marble tables. This is an active fishing port with boats unloading fish 25m away.
Salona Amphitheatre. This small, oval Roman amphitheatre was built in the latter half of the 2nd century. 125m x 100m, it had three tiers of seats on one side (covered with a porch) and two on the other and was able to hold 17,000 spectators. It held gladiator fights and animal sacrifices. In Diocletian’s last persecution of Christians in 304, the bishop, priest and 4 guards were executed here. The amphitheatre was damaged by the Turks in the 17th century and then the Venetians had it demolished for strategic purposes. All that remains are low walls with some intact arches on the first level.
I put on my shorts, the first time I have worn them so far on the trip. Temperatures were in the low 20s.
SPLIT
Outside of the palace, Split is a very modern-looking city with many high rises. A tunnel goes through the mountain to access the Old Town and the water.
Archaeological Museum. Housed in a 1610 monastery, it has the usual Roman mosaic floors, stone remnants and sarcophagi lining a semi-circular courtyard, and then lots of metal, coins and glass inside – most is Roman but some is ancient and medieval. 40Kn
Gallery of Fine Arts.
Ivan Meštrović Gallery. Unfortunately, this was closed. He was Croatia’s greatest sculptor. One of his pieces is a great 8m tall statue of the Bishop of Nia, in a wonderful style, just outside the east side of Diocletian’s Palace.
Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian is a World Heritage Site and Diocletian’s Palace and the Historical Nucleus of Split is a Tentative WHS (extension) (01/02/2005). This is a confusing place as over the centuries, the city has usurped large parts of the Palace – what is enclosed in its walls comprises the Old Town.
Emperor Gaius Aurelus Valeries Diocletian built a luxurious summer palace in Split at the end of the 3rd century AD. The original palace was a 215m x 180m rectangle with four gates and two main streets dividing the palace into equal quadrants. There were four towers on each corner (no longer present). Diocletian’s quarters were on the south side and had a porch overlooking the sea. The north side had the lodgings of his servants, guards and soldiers. In the middle was a square framed with marble columns, a domed vestibule, Temples to Venus and Cybel (both no longer present) and his mausoleum.
What is present now comprises:
Cathedral of St Domnius. Diocletian’s former mausoleum, Bishop John of Ravena converted it into the cathedral in the 7th century. Octagonal on the outside with marble buttresses, it is a small round structure with a dome supported by 8 grand marble columns with massive double capitals. Behind the canopied altar is a rectangular room with art that was being renovated and couldn’t be entered. The one side chapel had a large tomb to Ivan Pavas II. A small section of the original tiled floor has been uncovered about 6” under the present marble floor.
The bell tower sits over a large arch through which stairs climb up to the cathedral accessed via great copper doors with bas-reliefs. It too was being renovated and normally can be climbed as part of the ticket. 25 Kn
Vestibule. A round domed structure, it was the gateway to the Emperor’s private quarters and had a terrace with great views.
Ethnographic Museum. Diocletian’s private quarters were deconstructed, rebuilt, abandoned and reinhabited over the centuries serving as a noble family’s quarters and a nunnery. It contains the 7th century St Andrew’s church, a wine press, Dalmatian folk costumes, jewelry, weapons, chairs and lace.
Cellars. The vaulted ceiling cellars of the palace have a market in the center that opens up to the promenade around the port and also the Split City Museum. 45Kn
The drive south from Split was on a slow road with local traffic and many curves but the views were terrific as it bordered right on the ocean. It eventually climbed up for panoramic views before the beach.
Punta Rata Beach. This is a beauty. Drive about 4 km down a steeply switchbacking road off the highway. The small pebble beach extends along the coast in front of homes and hotels on either side of the small point and the green waters of the Aegean. A restaurant, a lovely sidewalk, pine trees, a shower and benches in the trees. There were 3 fishers on the beach each with about 5 lines in the water. Nobody was catching anything.
I had decided to take a detour into the west side of Bosnia Herzegovina to see Mostar and the surroundings. Just after Punta Rata, a 4.2km tunnel went through the high limestone mountains joining Highway A1 that was coming from Split. This is easily the most beautifully constructed road I have ever driven on – 4-lane divided, new black pavement with wide grey shoulders – and 130 seemed like an easy speed.
The coast south between Split and Dubrovnik is strewn with islands, most requiring ferry access and some long drives. I didn’t go to any (and actually missed driving this part of the coast when I went to Bosnia Herzegovina) but will list them here for completeness’s sake. From north to south:
BRAČ Island
Hermitage Blaca. A tentative WHS (29/01/2007)
Zlatni Rat Beach
Brač. Small town
Pučišća. Small town
HVAR Island
Stari Grad Plain. A World Heritage Site.
Hvar town. A NM small town and sight
Jagodna Bay Beach
VIS Island
Stiniva Beach
BISEVO Island This tiny island is on the far west of all the islands just off Vis. Blue Cave of Bisevo
KORČULA Island
The historic town of Korčula. A tentative WHS: (29/01/2007)
Korčula Town
MLJET Island
Mljet Nature and Culture
PELJESAC – This peninsula looks like an island but has a good land connection. Mali Ston and Ston are at the SE tip.
Mali Ston & Ston. The tentative WHS listing is the Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston with Mali Ston, connecting walls, the Mali Ston Bay nature reserve, Stonsko Polje and the salt pans (01/02/2005).
This amazing set of walls reminded me of most of the Great Wall of China. Mali Ston is on the east side of the mountain and Ston on the west – a double set of walls (separated by 300m) climbs up and over the mountain, complete with guard towers and a large fort on the top. The wall at Ston forms a large V connecting the two walls.
A large complex of salt pans is next to Ston.
Trsteno Arboretum. The villa was built in 500 and restored after the 1669 earthquake. Besides the amazing collection of trees (all labelled with their Latin name, but also their common name in 5 languages) are an aqueduct and a very special fountain, bread oven, olive press and chapel. 40Kn, free the day I went.
DUBROVNIK
Old City of Dubrovnik (Grad Dubrovnik). This is a World Heritage Site – a magnificent walled fortress enclosing a large town. The limestone walls have curved bastions that are lovely. Walking the walls may be the best way to appreciate the vastness of the Old City as the west side sits directly on the water. A main street traverses everything north of the churches with tiny lanes extending on both sides. It. Some testimonials were referring to the December 1991 attack by the Serbian and Montenegro army where several houses were hit by mortars.
Just by the north gate is an unusual 16-sided fountain with 16 different grotesques spouting water from a mouth faucet. It has an incongruous red brick dome.
Dubrovnik Cathedral. As it did not open until 4:30 for mass, I waited around to see it. It has great marble chapels in the transepts. The treasury has 38 relics, of which those of St Blaise (arms, skull, legs, feet) comprise the majority. There is even a piece of the cross!!! Free
Church of St. Blaise. Again it did not open until 4:30 for mass. This small church has a lot of gilt around the organ and paintings in the apse. The modern stained glass may be the most unusual part of this church. Free
Orthodox Church. This church was open all day – and had a lovely altar screen as in most orthodox churches.
Sina Goga. Up a side street, this is the second oldest synagogue in Europe (after Prague). It is a museum and closes at 3 pm.
Dubrovnik Aquarium. Underneath the Maritime Museum, I had difficulty finding this aquarium and arrived 8 minutes before closing time. The nice woman at the desk let me have a quick look for free. It is small and has only small tanks with few interesting fish.
Maritime Museum. At the far southern tip of the Old Town, this 2-story museum is in a lovely barrel-vaulted building. It has mainly painted pictures of ships, portraits and ship models with a slightly confusing order of dates. The entry can only be purchased as part of a 9 museum ticket (€130). The nice woman at the desk let me go in for free. I give exuberant thanks when this happens.
Dubrovnik Cable Car. This cable car goes to the top of the mountain above Dubrovnik.
War Photo Limited. In the NM “The Dark Side” series, this closed early and I missed it.
After Dubrovnik, I had wanted to return to Bosnia Herzegovina to see Trebinje in the extreme southwestern tip of the country but the border was closed and involved a long detour. From there the plan was to enter Montenegro to visit Niksik and the Ostrog Monastery, but had to abandon this idea.
Kupari (ghost town). In the NM “XL” series, Kupari is home to the Kupari Tourist Complex, a disused military tourist resort. The complex includes several large hotels which were severely damaged during the Croatian War of Independence.
I slept at a nice layby high above the coast on another very windy night. I entered Montenegro the next morning.