Stari Grad is a town on the northern side of the island of
Hvar in
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
,
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. One of the oldest towns in Europe, its position at the end of a long, protected bay and next to prime agricultural land has long made it attractive for human settlement. Stari Grad is also a municipality within the
Split-Dalmatia County
Split-Dalmatia County ( ) is a central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. The administrative center is Split. The population of the county is 455,242 (2011). The land area is 4.540 km2, the total area is 14.106,40 km2.
Split-Dalmati ...
.
The most ancient part of Stari Grad falls within the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
Protected
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
of the
Stari Grad Plain, while the entire municipality lies within the surrounding buffer zone.
Name
Stari Grad was originally named Faros () by the Greek settlers from the island of
Paros, who arrived in 384 BC. While the name Faros is strikingly similar to the name of the Greek island the settlers arrived from, there is an alternate theory that it came from the previous inhabitants of the area. A great
naval battle was recorded a year after the establishment of Pharos colony by a Greek inscription in Pharos (384 – 383 BC) and by the Greek historian
Diodorus Siculus (80 – 29 BC), initiated by conflicts between the Greek colonists and the indigenous Hvar islanders, the
Liburnians, who asked their compatriots for support. 10,000 Liburnians sailed out from their capital ''Idassa'' (
Zadar), led by the ''Iadasinoi'' (people of Zadar), and laid siege to Pharos. The
Syracusan fleet positioned in
Issa was informed in time, and Greek
triremes attacked the siege fleet, taking victory in the end. According to Diodorus, the Greeks killed more than 5,000 and captured 2,000 prisoners, ran down or captured their ships, and burned their weapons in dedication to their gods.
This battle meant the loss of the most important strategic Liburnian positions in the centre of the Adriatic, resulting in their final retreat to their main ethnic region,
Liburnia, and their complete departure from the Italic coast, apart from
Truentum. In Roman times, the town became known as Faria, which was turned into Hvar by the incoming Slav population. When the administrative capital of the island was moved to today's
Hvar town on the south coast, the old town became simply known as Stari Grad (literally "old city" in Croatian).
Population
The municipality of Stari Grad has a population of 2,781 (2011 Census), of which 1,885 live in the town itself.
Four other settlements fall within the municipality, namely
Dol (Pop. 311),
Rudina (Pop. 70), Selca Kod Starog Grada (Pop. 17) and Vrbanj (Pop. 498).
Geography
Stari Grad lies on the north side of the island of
Hvar, at the end of the Stari Grad Bay, a deep water channel, protected to the north by the hills of the Kabal peninsula and by the high mountain ridge of Hvar to the south.
The island's best agricultural land opens up to the east of Stari Grad town. This fertile plain has been farmed since pre-historic times, and the Greek field layout is still largely intact, thanks to continuing maintenance over the years of its dry stone walls. In 2008, the
Stari Grad Plain became a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
protected world heritage site.
History
The area around present day Stari Grad was settled by the
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
tribes of the
Hvar culture who occupied the island between 3500 and 2500 BC, and who traded with other settlements around the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
. Remains of their pottery and other
artifacts have been found, along with that of the
Illyrian tribe that succeeded them. The settlement lay at the lower end of Stari Grad Bay, defended by two strongholds on the north and south hillsides overlooking the harbour (Glavica and Purkin Kuk).
In 384 BC, the town was formally founded by
ancient Greeks from the island of
Paros in the
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some . In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea, which in turn con ...
. They gave the name Faros (ΦΑΡΟΣ) to their new settlement, an independent state permitted to mint its own money. The nearby plain was marked out with roads at right angles, and divided into fields of standard size. The Stari Grad Plain today represents one of the best-preserved examples of ancient Greek agriculture throughout the Mediterranean.
Illyrian king
Agron ruling 250–231 BC. extended his rule over many cities in the
Adriatic and established Illyrian control over
Pharos.
In 218 BC, the
Romans defeated the Illyrian army at Pharos during the
Second Illyrian War, and the town was destroyed by the Roman army, but remained under Illyrian control. The town came under permanent Roman control
by force in 168 BC, following the defeat of
Gentius during the
Third Illyrian War.
An inscription from the 2nd century BC, refers to the Farians and their delegation to the Greek island of Paros and the oracle at Delphi. It makes mention of the Roman senate and the people (who are) well disposed and benevolent towards the city of Faros from the times of their ancestors. Further inscriptions, mosaics, tombstones, stone reliefs, fine pottery, jewellery, coins, villae rusticae in the Plain tell the story of life in and around the ancient Roman town.
The first church was built in the 5th century, in the southeast corner of the town, close to the city walls, on the foundations of a prior Greek house. In the 6th century, a new church was built on the same site, a twin basilica with a baptistry dedicated to St Mary and St John.
In the 7th century, following the fall of
Salona, the capital of the
Roman province of Dalmatia, many of its people sought refuge in Faria and other Roman towns in the nearby islands, as noted by the historian
Archdeacon Thomas of Split (1200–1268) in his
Historia Salonitana.
Roman Faria was taken over by the Slavs at the beginning of the 8th century. At this point, the town received the name we know it by today – ''Hvar'' (the letter F not being part of the
old Slavic alphabet). During the 10th century, Hvar came under the
Narentines. Pirates from
Omiš on the mainland were raiding the coastal settlements, and new villages grew up in the foothills – Dol, Vrbanj and Pitve.
In 1278, the people of Hvar chose to put themselves under the protection of the
Venetian Republic. As part of the contract, they undertook to expand the existing settlement on the south side of the island as a more suitable base for the Venetian fleet. This is the site of the present day
town of Hvar. The old town of Stari Grad, also referred to as "Old Hvar", remained the centre of the most densely populated part of the island, the area surrounding the agricultural plain.
During the 16th century, the town was attacked by the
Turks, the first time repulsing them, but in 1571 they lost, and much of the town was burnt down. Following that loss, Stari Grad was slowly rebuilt from the ruins. During the 17th and 18th centuries, prosperity once again grew from sea-trade. The old waterfront (Stara Riva) was extended and the town underwent a major architectural and urban transformation, resulting in the town structure we see today.
In 1797
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
overthrew the Venetian Republic, and Hvar briefly became part of the
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...
. When the French also took over Austria, they conferred the status of an
autonomous province on the town of Stari Grad. With the fall of the
Napoleonic Empire, Stari Grad became part of the
Dalmatian Kingdom, within the larger political body of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The 19th century was peaceful, and a time of prosperity for the entire island. However, the advent of
phylloxera
Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belongs to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs); orig ...
destroyed the island's grapevines, and the town's sailing vessels could not compete with the new steam ships. Large numbers of people moved away to start a new life elsewhere. Today, Stari Grad is again rebuilding itself, this time with tourism as the main focus.
Culture

* Town Music a society of local music enthusiasts, founded in 1876.
* Theatre "Petar Hektorović" Amateur theatre troop, dating from 1893, specialises in comic plays
* Town Library is the direct descendant of the "Croatian National Reading Room" founded in 1874. The Town Library is now located in the Town Hall, built 1893.
* Stari Grad Museum is housed in the former Palaca Biankini. Special exhibits show a reconstruction of an ancient Greek shipwreck, the archaeological collection from the Stari Grad Plain, and a 19th-century Captain's room. In addition, the Museum houses an art collection and Juraj Plancic Gallery. (Website
Stari Grad Museum
* Music School "Toma Cecchini" is a branch of the Music School "Josip Hatze" in Split.
* Faros Kantaduri traditional Dalmatian singing group founded in 1995, blending Gregorian Chant with the multipart harmonies of Dalmatian
Klapa. (Website
www.faroski-kantaduri.hr)
* St. Stevens Church Singers, some of whom are also members of
Klapa "Garmica", a traditional Dalmatian singing group.
* During the summer months, art and cultural events are organized, such as workshops on ancient Faros, classical languages and culture, archaeological restoration of mosaics and pottery, open singing, puppetry and painting for children.
Archeology
The town itself, and the surrounding area are rich in archaeological sites dating from pre-history and classical times. Permanent exhibitions in the Stari Grad Museum display the collection of artifacts found at local sites, both on land and under the sea.
* Old Town Walls
* Greek settlement
*
Stari Grad Plain
* Roman Villas (villa rusticae)
* Maslinovik – Greek tower in the Stari Grad Plain
* Glavica – Illyrian fort above Stari Grad
* Purkin Kuk – Illyrian fort above Stari Grad
Architecture
* Church of St John (sv. Ivan)
* Church of St Jerome (sv. Jerolim)
* Church of St Roch (sv. Rok)
* Church of St Peter (sv. Petar), church with Dominican monastery
* Church of St Lucia (sv. Lucija), church with remains of the monastery of Dominican trećeretkinja (picokara)
* Church of St Nicholas (sv. Nikola)
*
Church of St Stephen (sv. Stjepan)
* Chapel of Our Lady (Kapela Gospojica) in the Stari Grad Plain
* Chapel of St Helen (sv. Jelina) on the road to Dol
*
Tvrdalj Castle – Residence of the Renaissance poet Petar Hektorović, built 16th century
* Trg Škor – Baroque Square dating from 17th–18th century
* Palace Biankini – neorenaissance house with a court and garden, which today houses the Stari Grad Museum. (Websit
Museum of Stari Grad)
* House and Mausoleum of Šime Ljubića, classical style, built 1887
* Old windmill (Mlin na vjetar), south side of the harbour
The present-day Church of St. John, together with the archaeological remains found south of it, comprises an Early Christian complex dating from 5th/6th century. The original walls are preserved up to the beginning of the barrel vault that was built during the restoration in the early Romanesque period (11th century). The church floor was decorated with geometrical and figural details of which some are preserved. In the interior is original Early Christian altar. The large rosette on the facade is from the Gothic-era adaptation of the church in the 14th century.
The Church of St. Rocco, patron of Stari Grad, was raised by the confraternity of the same name, with provisions by the poet and nobleman Petar Hektorović in the 16th century. The
bell
A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
tower was added in 1783 and side chapels in 1898. The main altar is the work of Andrija Bruttapela from 1774; it is decorated with statue of St. Rocco made by unidentified Venetian workshop. St. Rocco is shown with a
dog that was a faithful friend after he was abandoned by everyone. In 1898 the mosaic floor of ancient Roman baths was unearthed beneath the stairs. The place is marked with
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
inscription on one of the steps.
The
Dominican monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
of St. Peter the Martyr was founded, with help of townspeople, by friar Germanicus of
Piacenza
Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...
in 1482. The church and the monastery were ransacked and burned by the
Turks in 1571 and after that the monastery was fortified with round towers. The church was partially demolished and built anew in 1894. All that remained from the old church is the bell tower and the chapel with the
tomb
A tomb ( ''tumbos'') or sepulchre () is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called '' immurement'', alth ...
of the Renaissance poet Petar Hektorović. The monastery museum host the oldest Greek inscriptions from Pharos (4th century BC). The picture gallery has a number of valuable paintings of Venetian artists such as the famous "The Lamentation of Christ" by Tintoretto (1518–1594).
Notable inhabitants
Notable inhabitants and persons with the origin from Stari Grad.
*
Petar Hektorović (1487–1572), poet, author of "
Ribanja i ribarskog prigovaranja"
*
Šime Ljubić (1822–1896), archaeologist
*
Jakša Račić (1868–1943), mayor of Split
Stari Grad bays
There are numerous bays on each side of
Stari Grad Bay. One of the largest bays is Tiha, located on the northern side. Tiha is a perfect anchoring point as it is safe, and sheltered from all winds (the name Tiha translates to silent/calm). Zavala is a slightly smaller bay, but equally calm, with plenty of anchoring spots. The other side (south side) of Stari Grad bay, is quite higher, and offers smaller bays with hills meters away from the beach. Gracisce is one of those bays, with a pebble covered beach, and a thick pine forest just meters above. Closer to the city on the southern side there are a few beautiful beaches, such as the small sandy Maslinica bay. One more worth mentioning is Arkada, located underneath the hotel of the same name on the northern side, with a calm space for anchoring nearby.
References
External links
Stari Grad Municipal websiteStari Grad Tourist Office
A brief history of Stari Grad
News from Stari Grad
Faros Kantaduri
UNESCO website: Stari Grad PlainStari Grad Plain
Hvar Touristik
{{Authority control
Hvar
Greek colonies in Illyria
Cities and towns in Croatia
Populated coastal places in Croatia
World Heritage Sites in Croatia
Populated places in Split-Dalmatia County