Culture of Hvar Island. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

According to the archeologists, Hvar was inhabited three thousand years before our era. If you do not believe it, then go to the Grapceva cave. This was the place where the remains of a sailing boat, the weapons and various instruments of the Neolithic Age were discovered. You can get acquainted with the finds, you just need to visit the archaeological museum of Hvar. You can get to the cave only as part of an organized excursion – the entrance to this unique place is partitioned by a grid to avoid vandalism. Grapceva Cave is located seven kilometers from Jelsa city.

Jelsa is also a true monument of history. It was founded six centuries ago as a port of the Pitve village. Many buildings have preserved since then till our time but there are even older buildings on the outskirts of the city. For example, Fort Galešnik, originally built by the Illyrians, and later extended by the Romans. Until the Middle Ages, the fortress really protected the local inhabitants from the conquerors. Fort Tor, located on the site of a Roman fortress of the 4th-3rd centuries BC, is also interesting. The Church of St. Mary was built in 1331 and later restored several times. The altar statue was brought to the church by the refugees from the mainland in 1539 and is perfectly preserved. The Church of St. John dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the city, on the square, you can see not only the 16th-19th-century houses but also the Slatina stream, which was known since antiquity.

In Stari Grad, founded before our era by the Greek colonists, the ruins of the defense wall are still preserved – the remains of the city gates can be found near the church of St. John. During the excavations, there were also found the remains of houses and a lighthouse built by the first settlers. The monastery of the Dominicans, which can be found in the city, was already built at the beginning of the Middle Ages, and the monastery of St. Peter the Martyr was built in the 15th century. Be sure to visit the castle palace Tvrdalj. Created by the naturalist writer Peter Hektorovich, he had not only to serve for protecting the inhabitants but it was also a model of the universe. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Sveta Nedelja was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1301 but the scientists found that for the first time people appeared on the site of the future city back in the Neolithic period. One of the most beautiful buildings of the Sveta Nedelja is the Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1501. Later it was rebuilt more than once. The Chapel of St. Rock, built in the 17th century, was not subjected to special changes. In the Sveta Nedelja, you can see the 16th-century Castle of Kerestinec, which was reconstructed in the 20th century.

Vrboska, a small 15th-century town, was founded on the site of a Roman settlement – the ruins of the Ancient House prove that. The Church of St. Peter, the oldest building of the city, was built before the beginning of the 14th century. Here you can see the unique church-fortress of St. Mary, which was fortified after the attack on the city of the Venetian and Turkish troops in the 16th century. The most beautiful altar with the works of Paolo Veronese and Ivan Rendic can be seen in the local church of St. Lawrence, built in the late 16th century and restored in the 17th century.

The modern capital of the island, the city of Hvar, also has a large number of ancient buildings. St. Stephen's Cathedral of the 16th century is really beautiful and the bell tower, attached to it in the 17th century. By the way, anyone can rise to the bell tower. In Arsenal, you can admire the first public theater, built in 17th century in Croatia. In the central square, there is Paladini Palace and Hectorovic Palace. Be sure to visit the already mentioned Archaeological Museum of Hvar. In the city, you can also see the 16th-century Venetian fortress Spagnola, if you climb the hill of Saint Nicholas – the 18th-19th-centuries French fort. By the way, there is a magnificent view from the fort. In the Križ Bay, you can visit the Dominican monastery, which features a large collection of old books, coins, and other art objects.