After the Middle Ages the palace was virtually unknown in the rest of Europe until the Scottish neo-classical architect Robert Adam had the ruins surveyed. Diocletian's palace became an inspiration for Adam's new style of Neoclassical architecture and the publication of measured drawings brought it into the design vocabulary of European architecture for the first time. Diocletian's Palace far transcends local importance because of its degree of preservation. As the world's most complete remains of a Roman palace, it holds an outstanding place in Mediterranean, European and world heritage.
We took a shuttle to the top and walked all through the stone passageways. The belfry seen in many of the photos is at the former Dominican monastery’s church of St. Mark.
Korcula Old Town is a medieval walled city positioned on an oval-shaped swelling of land pointing deep into Peljesac Channel. The architecture in the Old Town is mainly influenced by Venetian Renaissance. Along the seafront is All Saints Church, built in 1301 and remodeled in Baroque style. It belongs to the oldest confraternity on the island (of stone masons—the others are St. Michaels for merchants and St. Roche for ship builders). Inside is an 18th century carved walnut Pieta by the Austrian artist George Raphael Donner and a 15th century polytypic by Blaz of Trogir.
After a pretty dockage in Korcula harbor, we needed to figure out how to get to land for our dinner reservations in the old town. The wind was getting fierce, and Kuzman decided to take us in two trips in the Zodiac. So we donned many layers and set out. The restaurant really put on a show for us. We had black risotto and also white, macaroni and shrimps, salad and bowls of fresh mussels. Then a huge platter of three different fishes with octopus. We ended up taking our dessert back to Kadena as the only taxi willing to go out was leaving at 8:45. We had lots of wine. Back on board, we ate dessert and danced to Elvis!!
We will tour the old town Thursday, but we noted tonight that the Old Town itself is grooved with a succession of narrow streets that branch off the spine of the main street like fish bones. This design was used to reduce the vicious effects of the bora wind and the sun and to provide citizens with sheltered and comfortable accommodation. And it works!
On the cape to the south of the town, overlooking a shady cove, lies the Franciscan Monastery with a church of Our Lady of Mercy, built in the late 15th century. The cloister, with its monumental rounded arches with a well in the middle, dominates the whole of the Renaissance monastery. It leads to a refectory containing lace, coins, nautical charts and valuable documents, such as an edition of Ptolemy’s Atlas, printed in 1524. A large Last Supper, a 26 x 8 ft work by the Venetian Matteo Ingoli dating from the end of the 16th century, covers one wall. The cypress in the cloister garden is said to be more than 300 years old. The adjoining church, named Our Lady of Charity, contains more fine paintings such as the three polyptychs created by Francesco da Santacroce in 1583, which represent the summit of this painter’s work.
Next, we visited a donkey farm (!?!?) where we petted the beasts and then tasted donkey milk (tasteless).
Today the government ensures the preservation of history, although occasional water pipes and electric conduit invade the ceilings. In the 1850s, architect Vicko Andric started a project which drained and cleaned the cellars of Diocletian’s Palace, and created a Riviera on the seaside front of the palace which is known as Riva today. Today the cellar is the main area for souvenir shops that lead to the stairs that go the Peristyle square and St. Duje’s cathedral. Other parts of the substructure are used as temporary art exhibitions or function spaces. Visitors can also climb to the top of the bell tower to enjoy 360 degree views of Split. We didn’t venture there in the rain.
Dominating the little square at Korčula's heart is this magnificent 15th-century cathedral of St. Mark, built from Korčula limestone in a Gothic-Renaissance style by Italian and local artisans. The sculptural detail of the facade is intriguing, particularly the naked squatting figures of Adam and Eve on the door pillars, and the two-tailed mermaid and elephant on the triangular gable cornice at the very top. The bell tower is topped by a balustrade and ornate cupola, beautifully carved by Korčulan Marko Andrijić. Inside, the nave soars 30m in height and is lined with a twin colonnade of exposed limestone pillars. Look out for the ciborium, also carved by Andrijić, and behind it the altarpiece painting Three Saints by Tintoretto. Another painting attributed to Tintoretto or his workshop, The Annunciation, is by the baroque altar of St Anthony. Other noteworthy artworks include a bronze statue of St Blaise by Ivan Meštrović near the altar on the northern aisle, and a painting by the Venetian artist Jacopo Bassano in the apse of the southern aisle. Check out the modern sculptures in the baptistery too.
Next to the Cathedral is the Bishop’s Palace, which houses the wide-ranging collection of a singular priest from the mid-1950’s. It contains Dalmatian and Venetian art, ancient coins, vestments, and an ivory carved souvenir of Mary Stuart, whose skirt opens to reveal Elizabeth I and the guards who took Mary away.
Walked around town for a while.
There is a local legend that Marco Polo was born in Korcula Town, and Marco Polo’s alleged house of birth is worth visiting. Despite its rather featureless interior, the houses’ tower (loggia) allows for a panoramic vista of Korcula, stretching from east to west. The house is under the protection of the Korcula Town Hall . There are plans for this house to be turned into the Museum of Marco Polo. We stopped in and got a souvenir for DJ then headed back to the boat. It’s raining again.
It was a four-and-a-half hour sail to Slano in a protected bay where we “will get a good night’s sleep.” There didn’t seem to be much to see, so we decided to remain on board and nap and catch up as it was raining quite hard. Good dinner of amberjack and spinach. Anne wants to take Boris home with her. Forecast is for rain tomorrow and hurricane in Florida.The Korcula Town Museum, housed in Gabrielis palace, was built in 15th and 16th century. It is three-story building with basement and attic. It gives insights to Korcula’s history, and displays Korculan stone carvings and ancient Greek artefacts, shipbuilding historical items, Renaissance architectural carvings and Coats of Arms exhibits. In the third-floor kitchen, there was information about the important trade of ship building.
About Split
Returned to the boat. There were some Optimists sailing in the harbor. Walked the plank onto Kadena. Tamara, our new guide replacing Nives, is arriving for dinner.
The coastal road was beautiful.
We stopped at the pretty Church of St. Angel we viewed from the boat yesterday, where they grow immortelle, an herb used in French cosmetics.
The captain decided we should skip our visit to the island of Vis because very strong winds were blowing, and he was afraid we would get stuck there for several days. So, we had another enjoyable lunch: soup, salad and turkey with veggies and a super sundae, and began our six-hour sail to Korcula.
About Brac
Hvar (pronounced [xv̞âːr] is approximately 42mi long, with a high east-west ridge of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite. It is unusual in the area for having a large fertile coastal plain, and fresh water springs. Its hillsides are covered in pine forests, with vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards and lavender fields in the agricultural areas. The climate is characterized by mild winters, and warm summers with many hours of sunshine. The island has 11,103 residents, making it the 4th most populated of the Croatian islands.
Hvar’s location at the center of the Adriatic sailing routes has long made this island an important base for commanding trade up and down the Adriatic, across to Italy and throughout the wider Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since pre-historic times, originally by a Neolithic people whose distinctive pottery gave rise to the term Hvar culture, and later by the Illyrians. The ancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BC on the site of today’s Stari Grad, making it one of the oldest towns in Europe. They were also responsible for setting out the agricultural field divisions of the Stari Grad Plain, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In medieval times, Hvar city rose to importance within the Venetian Empire as a major naval base. Prosperity brought culture and the arts, with one of the first public theatres in Europe, nobles’ palaces and many fine communal buildings.
The 16th century was an unsettled time, with the Hvar Rebellion, coastal raids by pirates and the Ottoman army from the mainland, resulting in some unusual fortified buildings on the northern shore to protect the local population. After a brief time under Napoleonic rule, the island became part of the Austrian Empire, a more peaceful and prosperous time. On the coast, harbors were expanded, quays built, fishing and boat building businesses grew. At the same time, the island’s wine exports increased, along with lavender and rosemary production for the French perfume industry. Unfortunately, this prosperity did not continue into the 20th century as wooden sailing boats went out of fashion, and the recephylloxera blight hit wine production. Many islanders left to make a new life elsewhere. One industry, however, has continued to grow and is now a significant contributor to the island’s economy—tourism. Today, the island of Hvar is a popular destination for tourists, consistently listed in the 10 islands by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
Docked in a beautiful bay. Dinner was another prize winner: appetizer of spinach pasta with baby shrimp in a cream sauce, then sea bass, perfectly grilled and veggies with a creamy puff pastry for dessert.
In the second niche on the right, with frescos dating from 1428, is the Altar of St. Dominus. The choir stalls in the 17th c presbytery are an example of Romanesque carving from the beginning of the 13th c.
The port of Hvar, set in a picturesque natural bay, with the Pakleni Otoci island chain protecting it to the south, is a safe haven for boats year round. The city is a popular port of call for yachts sailing around the Adriatic, especially in the summer months. It is a wonderfully preserved Renaissance center, long popular with Croatian artists and celebrities. We were delighted to be here in relatively tranquil October, on an absolutely perfect day.
Hvar Town is encircled on its land-side by protective walls, and overlooked by two massive fortresses set on the hills above. The fortifications were commissioned by the Venetians in 1278, to create a safe haven for their fleet, and have been expanded in the centuries since. Within the walls, the public buildings and palaces combine Venetian architectural style, with a distinct local flavor in materials and workmanship. Much of the old town survives intact, in both layout and architecture, though more modern housing has developed in the surrounding areas.
We landed in the taxi and walked along the beautiful promenade to the largest piazza in Dalmatia, a gorgeous Venice-style venue, centered around the cathedral of St. Stephen and topped by a huge fort.
Back on the bus to Milna, where Kadena was docked. After rejoining our gulet we cruise to the island of Hvar, experiencing quite a storm along the way.
We began the day with a visit to the Klesarske Skola stone masonry school of Pučišća, where the island’s ancient tradition of working and producing high-quality stonework continues to this day. Brač stone was used not only in the construction of the Palace of Diocletian, but also in Berlin’s Reichstag and perhaps Washington’s White House (disagreement between guide books and our guides).
The stonemason school here has been renowned for its artistry for over a century, accepting candidates each year for intensive courses that train them for fine stonework. It is the only one of its kind in Europe. It is a bit sad to see the dwindling of such a historic and valuable skill set. If they pass the 3-4 year course, the students can go to university for a degree in the profession.
The day remained gorgeous, and several of us donned bathing suits and sunbathed on the sundeck.
CRUISE OF THE DALMATIAN COAST, CROATIA ~ OCTOBER, 2016
Tuesday, October 4:
Took a water taxi into Hvar town, which we spent the morning exploring. It is a labyrinth of stone houses set between slopes and sea, including the archaeological collections housed in the castle overlooking the port and in the seaside Franciscan monastery, which reveal the island’s past identity as the ancient Greek city of Pharos.
The water was crystal clear. Dalmatians prefer rocky beaches to sandy ones. One of the benefits is this water.
The olives here are of a rare variety called buhavica, and there are over a million trees (4 million in Croatia, which happens to be the population also). Olive cultivation dates back to the Venetian years. Back in 1655 the Venetian senate insisted that the island be carpeted with olive trees and imposed fines upon anyone with the temerity to damage the trees.
We climbed the stairs of the museum to a lovely restaurant. A group of cyclists had also moved to the room, as a big storm was upon us. The ceiling was simply slate slabs laid up on a frame of wood. My favorite lunch menu ever was laid on a long table: prosciutto and cheese, lettuce and tomato salad, rough bread, two tapenades (one, green, was green olives with almonds and parmesan; the other, black, was black olives with garlic and anchovies). The lovely sponge cake with fig jam was a perfect desert. Pitchers of red and white wine completed the feast.
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The medieval heart of this lively city sits within the towering remains of the Palace of Diocletian, built for the Roman emperor’s voluntary retirement in AD 305 and the best-preserved structure of its kind. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from the Dalmatian coast with a promenade called the Riva (Riviera). After the Romans abandoned the site, the Palace remained empty for several centuries. In the 7th century, residents of Salona fled to the walled palace in an effort to escape invaders. Since then the palace has been occupied, with residents making their homes and businesses within the palace basement and directly in its walls. Today many restaurants and shops, and some homes, can still be found within the walls. The most interesting thing about the city is its well-preserved mélange of architectural styles. Side-by-side are Roman walls, medieval windows with Gothic and Venetian trim, Renaissance piazzas and 18th and 19th century additions. Nives gave us an orientation around a model of the city.Slept very well.
Split was in founded as the Greek colony of Aspálathos (named for the Scotch Broom plant, which erupts with yellow flowers in the spring) in the 4th century BC. It became a prominent settlement around 650 when it succeeded the ancient capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia, Salona, after the sack of that city by the Avars and Slavs.
Today, shipyards, factories and a busy port present the modern face of Split, which has expanded unchecked since WWII.
Thursday, October 6:
Korčula town, one of the prettiest in the Adriatic and a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status, is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of 108 square miles—29 miles long and on average 4.8 mi wide—and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk and the most populous Croatian island not connected to the mainland by a bridge. The population are almost entirely ethnic Croats (95.74%).
We set off to explore the picturesque lanes and squares of Korčula Town and visit its beautiful cathedral. In the square, the guides talked about the history of Korcula.
Built by Juraj Dalmatinac in the 15th century for one of the many noblemen who lived within the old town, Papalić Palace is considered a fine example of late Gothic style, with an elaborately carved entrance gate that proclaimed the importance of its original inhabitants. The interior has been thoroughly restored to house this museum, which has interesting displays on Diocletian's Palace and on the development of the city.
In the center of the temple there is a font basin with the King holding a cross and an orb and wearing a crown, and a courtier with a scroll, and a supplicant prostrate before him. Originally, the temple had no roof so the site quickly deteriorated. The imposing arched ceiling has a series of sculptured faces looking down. At the entrance of the temple, another Egyptian sphinx can be found. However, it has been vandalized and no longer has a head.
The Tower of Radanovici, now houses the Croatian Archaeological Museum. The base of the Tower is part of the ancient city wall, built by the Illyrians in 1500 BC. In the lower floor of the Museum, there is a Roman Mausoleum where, according to the legend, rest Valerija and Priska – wife and daughter of the emperor Diocletian. All of this was explained thoroughly by the very theatrical curator.
About Hvar
The Vineyards of Dalmatia
We returned to the ship about 4:30 and left the port through very choppy waters on our way to the fjord-like bay of Pučišća on the island of Brač, home to famous limestone quarries.
By special request of me, we also learned about the brotherhood’s Icon Collection, a rich group of Byzantine icons from the 13th – 15th centuries, most from Crete.
Monday, Oct. 3:
Sunny at last. Gorgeous morning at harbor. Breakfast on deck (chocolate croissants, muesli with yogurt, meats and cheeses, eggs, fresh fruit).
Refreshed, we listened to a very interesting seminar on olive oil, then and now.
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Wednesday, October 5:
Took another water taxi to Orebic on the Peljesac peninsula, a beautiful resort area on the mainland. A bus took us to visit the salt pans of Ston, where we won a bag of salt. There have been salt pans here since the times of the Romans. The defensive walls, impressive above the town, were begun in the 14th and 15th centuries. There are four towers, seven bastions, and two forts. Salt was a great asset.
Sunday, October 2
The ground plan of the palace is an irregular rectangle (approximately 525 feet x 625 feet) with towers projecting from the western, northern, and eastern facades. It combines qualities of a luxurious villa with those of a military camp, with its huge gates and watchtowers. The palace is enclosed by walls, and at times, it housed over 9000 people. We first visited the subterranean portions of the palace which feature barrel vaulted stonework. For all of its history, this dark and damp area has been a dumping ground for building rubble. At times, families living above used the “basement’ as a place to press their olives.
There we boarded a private bus and ascended the summit of Vidova Gora nature preserve to enjoy the splendid view over the Dalmatian coast and islands we’ll be exploring over the coming week.
The road that leads up to the top of Vidova gora gently climbs through a beautiful forest of red pine and ends on an open plateau of karst (landscape underlain by limestone that has been eroded by dissolution, producing ridges, towers, fissures, sinkholes, and other characteristic landforms). The top of the mountain is the highest peak of the Adriatic islands. At the top is a 12 m tall monumental cross of white stone from Brac and a telecommunications facility. The views from the top stretch to the south coast of the island with a green belt around Bol and a particularly attractive view of Zlatni Rat, a narrow, sandy, promontory that cuts the blue water like a peak. Although it had been sunny, the top of the mountain was enshrouded in clouds. We waited a bit and finally spied a little of Zlatni Rat.
Vines are grown all along the coast of Dalmatia, and on many of the islands. Built on stony hillsides, these vineyards are often “fortified” with low dry-stone walls, painstakingly constructed with geometrical precision by peasant farmers. Low-growing vines cultivated inside the walls are protected from the cold north winds (bora) and kept cool in the hot summer months. A monument to human toil, the result of immense patience and effort, without these walls it would not be possible to cultivate this difficult ground.
Set off at 7:45 for a wonderful dinner at a 15th century palazzo, The Palace Deskovic (www.palaca-deskovic.com). The town is very quiet and peaceful. Only the church bell on the half hour. The meal began with an aperitif of local wormwood grappa, followed by an appetized of white (lemon-cured) and brown (salt-cured) sardines with local cheese and olives. Secondi was two risottos: black cuttlefish and red veal. The primo of octopus (especially for Jerry) was cooked in a local manner called peva, in a big pot with potatoes on wood grill, covered with ashes for several hours. Then delicious carob cake for dessert. All with lots of local wine. Fantastic.
Back to the boat about 2 for a delicious three-course lunch: superb prosciutto and cheese, for which Dalmatia is famous, salad, slow-roasted veal and potatoes with mixed vegetables, and a fruit compote for dessert.
After lunch we returned (in the rain) to wander the obviously, deliciously unplanned maze of tiny, narrow alleyways, where capers grew from the stone walls and a red angel watched us from a balcony.
To the side is a chapel housing the Altar of St. Anastasius, designed in 1448. The niche after this was altered in the 18th c to create the Baroque chapel of St. Dominus. The 13th c hexagonal pulpit is supported by thin columns with carved capitals. Next to the entrance to the cathedral area one of the black sphinxes from 15 BC which was brought from Luxor in Egypt. The entrance doorway has wooden panels from 1214, with scenes from the Gospel in floral frames.
We were all hungry, and dark clouds were threatening, so we went for lunch at the Olive Oil Museum (www.muzejuja.com).
These photos are before lunch and after.
The Palace is built of white local limestone and marble of high quality, most of which was from Brač marble quarries on the island of Brač (which we hope to visit tomorrow), of tuff taken from the nearby river beds, and of brick made in Salona. Some material for decoration was imported: granite columns, fine marble for revetments and some capitals produced in workshops in the Proconnesos. The Palace was decorated with numerous 3500-year-old granite sphinxes, originating from the site of Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. Only three have survived the centuries. One is still on the Peristyle, the second sits headless in front of Jupiter's temple, and a third is in the city museum.
Then off to the very remote vineyard and winery where we tasted three wines and had an enormous peka veal lunch under some shady trees.
After our visit we bought a beautiful bowl in the village square.
Back to the Trip
It is also a center for oysters and mussels. We stopped for a half dozen at a local restaurant.
Above the cellar were the more luxurious structures, the emperor's apartments, both public and private, and religious buildings. The emperor's apartments formed a block along the sea front and were situated above a substructure because the sloping terrain demanded significant differences in level. Although for many centuries almost completely filled with refuse, most of the substructure is well preserved, and indicates the original shape and disposition of the rooms above.
A monumental court called the Peristyle formed the northern access to the imperial apartments. It contains a statue by Ivan Mestrovic of the poet Marko Marulic, who first wrote his poetry in the Croatian language. Some local singers entertained.
The Korcula Town Museum, housed in Gabrielis palace, was built in 15th and 16th century. It is three-story building with basement and attic. It gives insights to Korcula’s history, and displays Korculan stone carvings and ancient Greek artefacts, shipbuilding historical items, Renaissance architectural carvings and Coats of Arms exhibits. In the third-floor kitchen, there was information about the important trade of ship building.
Helena gave a very informative “lecture” on the archeology of the Island, then we walked to the village with a population of about 190 people.
Slept very well. Breakfast was delayed as the weather was windy and threatening and the captain wanted to get to the old town as soon as possible. After about an hour we docked and had a big breakfast. Then, led by Nives and Helena, we spent the morning in off-and-on rain, touring the ancient, tiny and complex old walled city.
It also gave access to Diocletian's mausoleum on the east, now Cathedral of St. Domnius (Duje), and to three temples on the west (two of which are now lost, the third having become a baptistery in the early Middle Ages, originally being the Temple of Jupiter.
We stopped for coffee at Luxor, a pretty café close to the poet’s statue. He was the first to write his verses in the Native Croat tongue, and is widely admired.
Gail South
Instead of the shuttle, we opted to walk back through very interesting arboretum-like plantings of indigenous herbs and flowers. Spent a lot of time in the ancient narrow alleys lined with tourist shops.
The Benedictine Convent was founded in 1664 and houses a secluded community of nuns who make, display and sell traditional Hvar lace, made with fibers extracted from the spiky agave plants seen all over the island. The lace is beautiful, but very expensive.
A monumental gate in the middle of each of the other three walls led to an enclosed courtyard. The road linking the eastern gate (the Silver Gate or Porta argentea) and western gate (the Iron Gate and clock tower or Porta ferrea) divided the complex into two halves. Near the Silver Gate there is a wonderful market, a wonderful chaos of seasonal fruits and vegetables, homemade cheeses, hams and dried herbs as well as pizza and gelato.
We were lucky to find the chapel of St. Martin open. Squeezed into the northern part of the Diocletian Palace, within the wall over the Golden Gate, the church of St Martin found its place. The Church today is a replica of an early Christian Church from the 6th century, with a pre-Romanesque altar partition from the 11th century. This smallest and one of the oldest churches in Split is only 1.64 m wide and 10 m long, and is considered the most preserved sacral monument of Antiquity. Its location was originally used as a passageway for the guards guarding the northern entrance to the Diocletian Palace.
Outside, the statue of Grgur Ninski, also made by Ivan Mestrovic in 1929, is another well visited site. This man’s style seems a merger of El Greco and Rodin: tall and angular, yet strong and powerful. The guides told us that he was a great friend of Rodin. Previously, the statue was located in the central square of Peristyle but was moved in World War II, cut into three and placed underground to hide it from the occupying forces. It was re-erected outside the palace wall by the East, “Golden Gate” entrance. Grgur Ninski was the archbishop of Split in the 10th century who strongly opposed the Pope. Services were always held in Latin which was not understandable to the people of Croatia. Grgur Ninski then changed his services into the Croatian language which created more worship among the people as they understood their services and prayers. Some wearing has happened as it is believed that touching the toe of the statue brings luck. Over the years as more tourists visit the sight, it has been rubbed golden.
We took a shuttle to the top and walked all through the stone passageways. The belfry seen in many of the photos is at the former Dominican monastery’s church of St. Mark.
Brač (pronounced [brâːtʃ] is the largest island in Dalmatia and the third largest in the Adriatic, with an area of 153 square miles. It is separated from the mainland by the Brač Channel, which is 3 to 8 miles wide. The island's tallest peak, Vidova gora, or Mount St. Vid, stands at 2500 ft, making it the highest island point in the Adriatic. The island has a population of 13,956, living in numerous settlements.
In the Bronze and Iron Ages, Illyrian tribes populated the inner parts of the island. In the 4th century BC Greek colonization spread over many Adriatic islands and along the shore, but none of them on Brač. Nevertheless, Greeks visited the island and also traded with the Illyric tribes.
In the year AD 9, the Romans finally conquered Dalmatia after long fights against the native tribes. The limestone quarried here is valued all over the world. Diocletian's Palace, which later became Split, was largely built with limestone and dolomite that was quarried on Brač. Also agriculture, especially wine and olives, began in the same era.
After the destruction of Salona by Avar and Croatian tribes, Brač became a refuge for many. In 872, the island was sacked by Saracen raiders. From AD 1268 to 1357 the island recognized the supremacy of the Republic of Venice, and after that they bowed to the Kingdom of Hungary. Only in 1420 did the Venetian Republic reclaim the island, finally sending a representative to assume rule over it. Venice ruled for more than four centuries, until 1797, when the Habsburg Monarchy annexed most of its territory in a deal with Napoleonic France. The official language was Latin. During this time, the Bosnian realm fell to the Ottoman Empire and many refugees settled on the islands, especially on Brač.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Brač was conquered by the French Empire for a short time in 1806. In 1807, Prince-Bishop Petar I Njegoš of Montenegro managed to seize Brač with the help of the Russian navy, however already at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 the island was returned to the Austrian Empire. Brač was incorporated into the Austrian crownland of Dalmatia from and became a part of the Monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867. After the fall of Austria-Hungary 1918, Brač became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, or Yugoslavia since 1929. In 1939 an independent Croatian Banate was created that included the island.
The population of the island drastically decreased in the beginning of the 20th century due to heavy emigration. In 1941 Italian forces occupied the island. In the mountainous regions of the island, native rebels fought a quite effective guerrilla war, but the occupiers answered harshly with arrests and executions. After the Italian capitulation in 1943, German troops occupied the island on January 12 and 13 of 1944, but in July they were defeated and the island was freed.As part of Croatia it became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, until Croatia gained its independence in 1991, receiving recognition in 1992. The Croatian War of Independence was barely fought on the island, but the aftermath of the war, especially the loss in tourism, was disastrous for the island. Only now is the island regenerating from the decade-long drainage of its most important revenue.
A Little Background Music
Dalmatia, the southern part of Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, is a region of immense natural beauty and historical significance, an area where many fascinating strands in the story of human struggle and achievement are woven together into an extraordinary tapestry of culture. Even a casual glance at the map reveals much about this unusual place: while Croatia as a whole is set between the Mediterranean, the Balkans and Central Europe, Dalmatia itself is a country of mountains, sea and islands – important for ancient travelers and traders and perfect for a gulet cruise!
Over the centuries, many peoples have passed through Dalmatia, settled, competed, fought and interacted. From Dalmatian and Illyrian tribesmen via Greek colonists, Roman and Byzantine soldiers and emperors, to Croat warriors, Venetian traders, Ottoman and Italian fleets and French and Austro-Hungarian governors and engineers, they have left behind a unique cultural heritage, waiting to be explored and enjoyed.
The earliest mention of Dalmatia as a province came after its establishment as part of the Roman Empire. The province of Dalmatia spread inland to cover all of the Dinaric Alps and most of the eastern Adriatic coast. Its capital was the city of Salona (Solin, about 5 km from Split). Diocletian, born Diocles (244–311), was a Roman emperor from 284 to 305. Born to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia, Diocletian rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the Emperor Carus. After the deaths of Carus and his son Numerian on campaign in Persia, Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. Diocletian's reign stabilized the empire. His reforms fundamentally changed the structure of Roman imperial government and helped stabilize the empire economically and militarily, enabling the empire to remain essentially intact for another hundred years despite being near the brink of collapse in Diocletian's youth. Weakened by illness, Diocletian left the imperial office on 1 May 305, and became the first Roman emperor to abdicate the position voluntarily. He lived out his retirement in his palace on the Dalmatian coast, tending to his vegetable gardens. His palace eventually became the core of the modern-day city of Split in Croatia.
Dalmatia continued as a Roman possession, ruled from Constantinople, and was thus part of the state referred to in history as the Byzantine Empire. The collapse of the Western Empire left this region subject to Gothic rulers, Odoacer and Theodoric the Great, from 476 to 535, when it was added by Justinian I to the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire.
Around AD 639 the hinterland of Dalmatia fell after the invasion of Avars and Slavs, and the city of Salona was sacked. The majority of the displaced citizens fled by sea to the nearby Adriatic islands. Following the return of Byzantine rule to the area, the Roman population returned to the mainland under the leadership of the nobleman known as Severus the Great. They chose to inhabit Diocletian's Palace in Spalatum (Split), because of its strong fortifications and defendable setting. The palace had been long-deserted by this time, and the interior was converted into a city by the Salona refugees, rendering Spalatum the effective capital of the Province.
As the Dalmatian city states gradually lost all protection by Byzantium, and crippled by their internal dissensions, they had to turn to either Venice or Hungary for support. Each of the two political factions had support within the Dalmatian city states, based mostly on economic reasons. The cities of Zara (Zadar), Spalato (Split), Trau (Trogir) and Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and the surrounding territories each changed hands several times between Venice, Hungary and the Byzantium during the 12th century.
During the Venetian rule in Dalmatia from 1420 to 1797 the number of Orthodox Serbs in Dalmatia was increased by numerous migrations. An interval of peace ensued, but meanwhile the Ottoman advance continued. Christian kingdoms and regions in the east fell one by one, Constantinople in 1453, Serbia in 1459, neighboring Bosnia in 1463, and Herzegovina in 1483. Thus the Venetian and Ottoman frontiers met and border wars were incessant.
The Roman Catholic Church, as the religion of both the Venetians and the Croats, exerted the majority influence over the region. Dalmatia experienced a period of intense economic and cultural growth in the 18th century, given how trade routes with the hinterland were reestablished in peace. This period was abruptly interrupted with the fall of the Venetian republic in 1797.
Later in 1797, Napoleon I gave Dalmatia to Austria in return for Belgium. The republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) retained its independence, and grew rich by its neutrality during the earlier Napoleonic wars. In 1806, the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) finally succumbed to foreign (French) troops. The Republic of Ragusa was officially annexed to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy in 1808.
In the course of the War of the Sixth Coalition, the Austrian Empire declared war on France in 1813, restored control over Dalmatia by 1815 and formed a temporary Kingdom of Illyria. In 1822, this was eliminated and Dalmatia was placed under Austrian administration.
In World War I, Austria-Hungary was defeated and it disintegrated. Under the Treaty of London 1915, Italy was to attain the northern Dalmatia (including the cities of Zadar, Sebenico (Šibenik) and Knin), but after World War I Italy obtained only a reduced area. After the war, Dalmatia became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Croatia.
In April 1941, during World War II, the Axis powers invaded and conquered Yugoslavia. After the World War II, Dalmatia was divided between three republics of socialist Yugoslavia—almost all of the territory went to Croatia, leaving Cattaro Bay of Kotor to Montenegro and a small strip of coast at Neum to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In 1990, when Yugoslavia began to disintegrate, Croatian leadership announced their intention to declare independence, which they did in 1991. The first Dalmatian battlefields of what would later be called the Homeland War appeared in sections of northern Dalmatia, where there lived a significant population of Serbs. They rebelled, under encouragement and with assistance from a variety of Serbian nationalist circles. In August 1995 Croatian forces conducted Operation Storm, restoring Croatian sovereignty to international recognized borders.
The war suffering in Dalmatia was among the highest compared to the other Croatian regions, particularly in the Dalmatian hinterland, where much of the infrastructure was ruined. The tourism industry - previously the most important source of income - was deeply affected by negative publicity and didn't properly recover until the late 1990s. Dalmatian population in general suffered dramatic drop in living standard which created a chasm between Dalmatia and relatively more prosperous northern sections of Croatia. This chasm reflected in extreme nationalism enjoying visibly higher levels of support in Dalmatia than in the rest of Croatia, which embraced a more moderate course.
The Trip
Our trip was all arranged (including using their agent to make flight reservations, a first for us) by Peter Sommer Travels (www.petersommer.com). They do lots of different trips and I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.
Friday, September 30, 2016: Herb and Candy picked us up at noon in the pouring rain. The Island was in full flood mode. I am so glad Jerry isn’t driving. Very bad traffic on the LIE. Got to JFK about 2:45. No Trusted Traveler lines available, so we joined the cattle call, took off shoes and belts, but got through quickly, and were able to carry everything on. Grabbed a sandwich at the only sit-down restaurant, “Local”, and boarded an hour late. Smooth flight with decent movies and chicken and mashed potatoes. Jerry slept some; Gail none. The pilot made up most of the time and we landed about 8:40 am in Vienna. Even though Austrian Air is part of the Star Alliance, they wouldn’t honor our United Club passes, but there was no place to sit, so we paid 35 euros each for the five-hour layover.
Easy flight to Split. I actually slept for about 40 minutes. Met Dario who took us to the tiny tourist island of Trogir to wait while he picked up another guest. Trogir is one of the jewels of the Dalmatian coast with many splendid monuments visited by many splendid tourists. It is a UNESCO World Heritage spot.
My camera battery was dead, so I didn’t get any photos. We were also very tired when Dario returned with Anne-Marie Ottaway from London. We drove to the marina, about ten minutes and arrived at the gulet Kadena, not the expected Perla, where we were shown to our cabin.
The boat is 105 feet long with a beam of 25 feet and a draft of 10 feet. It has six guest cabins for 12 passengers, but we will only be five, with two guides and four crew: Captain Kuzman, cook Boris, and crew John and Marco.
We unpacked, showered, rested a bit and went up on deck to meet Sue and Charles Wiesner from New Brunswick and our tour director, Helena, and guide Nives. We had drinks and dinner, elegantly served on deck with the lights of Split reflecting off the water. The appetizer of anchovies (white and black) was delicious as was the (farm-raised, we think) tuna and a big salad. Dessert was a berry pastry. Helena and Nives gave us an orientation, mainly concentrating on toilet paper. To bed.
We had an hour or so left to walk around the fascinating streets and alleys of the town, ending on the Rive as we waited for our water taxi to return us to the boat.
Then we entered the Temple of Jupiter. Jupiter was the name of Diocletian’s father and was also the highest Roman god. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the temple was converted into the Cathedral baptistery of St. John. Inside the small temple, there are two medieval stone coffins where the archbishops of Split, John and Luka, are buried. There is also a statue of Saint John also made by the famous sculpture, Ivan Mestrovic.
St. Duje (Dominus) Cathedral and bell tower is known as the oldest Catholic Cathedral in the world that has not been substantially rebuilt at any time. The cathedral was consecrated in the 7th c when the sarcophagus containing the body of Diocletian was removed and replaced, with a certain poetic justice, with the remains of St. Dominus, a 3rd century bishop martyred as part of Diocletian’s persecution of the early Christians. The bell tower however, took about 300 years to construct (12th-16th c). The cathedral has an octagon shape which is surrounded by a double order of Corinthian columns, most of them the Roman originals, above these is a frieze decorated with scenes of Eros hunting, supporting medallions with portraits of Diocletian and his wife Prisce.
Back to the Trip
Some bikers unloaded from a gulet docked in front of us.
Village Skrip (chkripe) is the oldest settlement on the island of Brac, founded by the Illyrians more than 5000 years ago. It had a well-developed infrastructure, and it was the main city of the island. Today the village is a large open air Museum.