Our next island was Hvar. We docked in ‘Stari Grad and motored to Hvar Town first.
Following the decline of the Roman Empire, Hvar Town–a center of Adriatic civilization for thousands of years–was besieged by pirates. The people sought protection from the Venetians that led to a new ear of prosperity.
The Hvar Arsenal on the main square was once described by the Venetians as the most useful building in all of Dalmatia. It originated as a shipyard and has subsequently been a municipal galley, training center storage facility, naval supply center, and community historic center. In 1612 a municipal theater was opened on the main floor. It was the first theater in Europe that was open to all social classes.
Stari Grad Port where we docked before heading to Hvar Town.
The old town square is the largest in Dalmatia. At one end, sits St. Stephen’s Cathedral, completed in the 18th century on a 6th century church site.
The cathedral is dedicated to St. Stephen – the pope, martyr and patron saint of Hvar. It stands in place of the former Benedictine monastery of St. Mary of Lesna which became a cathedral in the 13th century, when the bishopric was moved from Stari Grad to Hvar. The new cathedral building was constructed between the 16th and 18th century. The three-aisled basilica has a square shrine and a Renaissance sanctuary. The three-cornered gable of the late Renaissance façade symbolizes the Holy Trinity. The bell tower on the north side was created by local builders in 1549-1550. The church interior is dominated by altars and pulpits from the Gothic period. In addition, there are nine Baroque altars from the 17th century decorated with pictures by Venetian artists. The painting by Palma the Younger on the main altar is the most prominent.
Walking around the town, you come to this interesting lighthouse.
The fortress forms an imposing stronghold. Its construction began in 1278, when Hvar was under Venetian rule. Archaeological finds however suggest that fortified constructions may already have existed in earlier times. In 1551 a new fortress was built on the site of the ancient fortification. Twenty years later, during the devastating attack by the Turks in 1571, the local residents found shelter and protection within its walls. The building was severely damaged by an explosion in 1579 after a thunderbolt had struck the gunpowder depot. It was not restored until the early 17th century under the reign of Prince Pietro Semitecolo. The Baroque bastions were also built during this period.
Walking on along the water, you come to the Franciscan Monastery. Built in the 15th-century the monastery dedicated to St. Francis overlooks a pretty harbor. Its Renaissance cloister leads to a refectory containing lace, coins, nautical charts and valuable documents. Inside, your eye will immediately be drawn to The Last Supper, an 8m by 2.5m work attributed to the Venetian Matteo Ingoli that dates from the end of the 16th century. This rendering of the Last Supper is very different from the usual ones. Attached to the monastery is an elegant bell tower.
The monastery also includes a library, a museum collection, and a garden with a centuries-old cypress. In the garden we heard a short concert by a local group of traditional Croatian songs.
Down one of the narrow streets we came to the Benedictine Convent where Agave Lace is made.
The skill of making agave lace is very particular because of the material which is used and its connection to the Benedictine Convent established in 1664. The convent is located in the family residential compound of poet Hanibal Lucić, but was given to the Benedictines by way of his final will. The first nuns arrived at the convent from the island of Rab, and since then the convent has been continuously active. The convent’s most significant contribution was in education – its nuns operated a girls’ elementary school from 1826 to 1886. Today, the convent is best known for its agave lace which has been made there since the 19th century.
The Hvar lace, as part of Croatian lacemaking, has been included in the UNESCO World Intangible Heritage List in 2009.
After our time in Hvar, we returned to the ship for lunch and an afternoon in Stari Grad. Later in the afternoon a group of Klappa Singers came to the ship to serenade us with Dalmatian polyphonic songs, Gregorian chant, and traditional folk songs.
