Lumbarda ( it, Lombarda) is a village and a municipality located on the eastern tip of
Korčula
Korčula (, it, Curzola) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after K ...
in
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
, seven kilometers away from the town of
Korčula
Korčula (, it, Curzola) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after K ...
. A road passing through a picturesque area of pine woods and olive groves connects these two places. Lumbarda is surrounded by sandy vineyards (famous white wine "
Grk" produced from the native grape of the same name) and sandy beaches such as Vela Pržina, Bilin Žal and Tatinja. Lumbarda is a tourist centre, many of its 1,200 inhabitants are active in the local tourist service (private accommodation, tourist excursion to islands
Mljet
Mljet (; la, Melita, it, Meleda) is the southernmost and easternmost of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea be ...
and
Lastovo
Lastovo (; it, Lagosta, german: Augusta, la, Augusta Insula, el, Ladestanos, Illyrian: ''Ladest'') is an island municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. The municipality consists of 46 islands with a total population of 792 p ...
and around islands of Korčula archipelago, scuba diving excursions etc.) but they are also wine-growers, fishermen and stone-dressers. Lumbarda has a rich history preserved in written documents dating back to more than 2,000 years ago.
History
Throughout its history, Lumbarda was a region combining various nations and cultures. Based on current research, the first inhabitants were the
Illyrians
The Illyrians ( grc, Ἰλλυριοί, ''Illyrioi''; la, Illyrii) were a group of Indo-European languages, Indo-European-speaking peoples who inhabited the western Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. They constituted one of the three main Paleo ...
, ruling the island during the Bronze and
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
. Their artifacts can be found in the graves and strategic stone stacks, concentrated primarily on the western areas of Lumbarda. Today you can find many geographical toponyms with the name Lumbardhë in Albania and Kosovo.
With the intrusion of
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
interests on the
Adriatic, the island relinquished its historical obliviousness becoming known as Korkyra Melaina (black). The region was of great importance to the Greeks, establishing two settlements on the Black Korkiri. The later settlement was founded in the 3rd century in Lumbarda. The most renowned and significant Antic stone inscriptions found in the Republic of Croatia give witness to this historical event.
The
Lumbarda Psephisma
Lumbarda Psephisma ''(also referred to as Lumbardian Decree-Psefizam)'' is a stone inscription telling about the founding of an Ancient Greek settlement on the island of Korčula, in modern-day Croatia. The Psephisma is from Lumbarda, a small villa ...
is kept in the Archaeological Museum in
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
. The decree details the particular details surrounding the establishment of the colony. The text, amongst other things, provides information on the Greeks from the island of Issa (today
Vis) establishing the settlement on the basis of a prior agreement with the representatives of the local Illyrii, Pil and his son Daz. The Lumbarda Psephisma was discovered on the top of the hill Koludrt, where the Issian town most likely once stood. Somewhat south, in the Sutivan area, is located the necropolis colony from which originate Greek vases, now kept in the Korčula Town Museum.
The Greek colony designated the beginning of the end of the Illyrian era on Korčula, but their real downfall occurred during the invasion by the
Roman Emperor Octavian
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
in 35 B.C. Very soon following this dramatic event, the first
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
families arrived on the island. One of these families owned a spacious villa dating back to the first century, and located in Knežina region in the Lumbardian Veli area. Other than the building's total area, it is particularly significant due to the way it was built – made of small pyramidal blocks placed in a slanted net. The technique is opus reticulatum, typical for the Roman regions in Italy, hence the Lumbardian villa is a unique case on the eastern Adriatic coast. The significant Roman remains are also to be found in the Koludrt and Sutivan regions. In the later, a thermal facility belonging to a smaller settlement with a respective necropolis was discovered. Furthermore, in the Lumdardian aquarium there is evidence of a Roman quarry on the islands of Sutvara, Vrnik and Kamenjak. The latter Antic age was preserved in the region mainly through remains relating to the early
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
age. Of all the remains, the best preserved is the chapel of St. Barbara on the island of Sutvara, dating to the 6th century. In the 6th century Lumbadara came under
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
rule.
The lack of early
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
ruins confirms the theory that with the fall of the Antic age, Lumbarda was all but abandoned (and later resettled). Its current name first appears in the statute of Korčula, originally compiled in 1214 (suggesting a presence of a trading pos
.
Consequently, one of the provisions of the statute prohibits the permanent settlement of Lumbarda and imposes a monetary fine for those staying over night. As per its flat sandy topography, two quite bays and its previous church holdings (in the form of land fraternities), it is possible that the trading post in question developed as a reaction to the local Catholic church's dwindling income. Border disputes with the Republic of Dubrovnik and the Diocese of Ston might have left Korcula council & its church council under a financial hardship. In this respect, the monetary fine imposed on anyone who stayed in the vicinity after dark, might have been a toll levied on respective traders anchored in the bay. In such a scenario it is quite possible that the name in question could be a version of the word Lombard, as a reference to a centre of business demarcated by commodities based collateral. It further suggests a tangible link to North Italy, the
Lombard League, the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
and the presence of Lombard Dalmatian trade.
It is not surprising therefore that the only witnesses of that time are two sacral buildings, the church of St. John on Sutivan and St. Barbara on Žabnjak. The former is the oldest church in Lumbarda, (since it is mentioned in 1388 as a ruin). It was renovated a few times, until 1893 when a new church was built on its ruins. The church of St. Barbara on Žabnjak was most likely built toward the end of the 13th century, and it also was renovated, first in 1728, and once again toward the end of the 19th century when it received its present form.
In 1420, Korčula came under the long authority of the
Venetian Republic
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
br>
and since then it has shared its history with
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
. With the stabilization of existential circumstances began the continual settling of Lumbarda. In the 16th century, it was a formed settlement, grouped around churches built mainly on private land of the Korčulan nobles. The oldest of them all is the church of St ROK in Vela Glavica. It was probably built at the beginning of the 16th century, since its expansion is mentioned in 1561. It received its present form in 1886, while the bell-tower was erected in 1996. In the 16th century, the church of St Barthol in Vela Postrana was erected, the church of St. Peter and Paul in Vela Glavica, the church of Mary's Visitation (Gospica) in Mala Glavica, and the church of the Holy Cross in the field. The later was renovated in 1774, while a lodge was added in 1881 to accommodate the increasing number of parishioners, during the expansion of the main church in Vela Glavica.
The parish of Lumbarda, founded in the 16th century, is first mentioned in 1612, at the diocesan synod in Korčula. The registry books originate from the same century: matrimonial from 1620, the deceased from 1635 and the baptised from 1641.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Lumbarda was the countryside residency for the Korčulan bishops and nobility. The first preserved summer residence belonged to the diocese and was built in the 15th century, in the cove of Bilin žal. However, two centuries later, the countryside architecture matured and the favored regions were Tatinja and Prvi žal. At that time castles were also built, which other than business, also had a defensive function. Hence, Cankin's and Nobilo's castles above the Tatinja cove, and the rook in the Veli poj, dominate the surroundings due to their height.
The 19th and 20th centuries were characterized by the formation of various religious, cultural and artistic associations. In 1857 the brotherhood of the Holy Sacrament was established, and later the brotherhoods of St. ROK and Our Lady of Karmen also joined. Traditional music was founded in 1929, while the church choir was formed in 1935. One of the last associations founded was the Cultural association "Ivo Lozica" (1980) and the girls church choir (1999).
In the early 20th century, two of the most recent sacral objects were erected in Lumbarda. They are the church of
St. Špiridijun in the village of
Javić dating back to 1900, and the chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes at the base of Koludrt was built in 1922.
Lumbarda History by Arh. Nikola S. Batistich-www.korcula.net
/ref>
Numerous Lumbardian artists made a significant contribution to this region, some of whom gained world recognition. They include the sculptors Frano Kršinić
Frano Kršinić (24 July 1897 – 1 January 1982) was a Croatian sculptor active in former Yugoslavia. Along with Ivan Meštrović and Antun Augustinčić, he is considered one of the three most important Croatian sculptors of the 20th centur ...
(1897-1982), Ivo Lozica (1910-1943), Lujo Lozica (born 1934), an amateur sculptor Ivan Jurjević - Knez (born 1920), painter Stipe Nobilo (born 1945), composer Ivo Lipanović (born 1958), actor Damir Markovina (born 1973) and the village mascot simply known as Renato or Rene (born 1969). Also, journalist and US Foreign Service officer Sipe "Steve" Sestanovich (1912–2014) was born in Lumbarda.
See also
* Lumbarda Psephisma
Lumbarda Psephisma ''(also referred to as Lumbardian Decree-Psefizam)'' is a stone inscription telling about the founding of an Ancient Greek settlement on the island of Korčula, in modern-day Croatia. The Psephisma is from Lumbarda, a small villa ...
*Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
*Korčula
Korčula (, it, Curzola) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after K ...
*Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
References
External links
Lumbarda tourist board
Lumbarda online
{{Authority control
Korčula
Populated places in Dubrovnik-Neretva County
Municipalities of Croatia
Populated coastal places in Croatia
Illyrian Croatia
Greek colonies in Illyria
Cities in ancient Illyria