Island of Hvar - Sućuraj
Sućuraj is a town by the sea on island of Hvar - Croatia, situated by a deep bay and in a valley facing the sea. It is at the point where the island of Hvar comes nearest to the mainland. The distance between Sućuraj and Drvenik on the mainland is only 6 kilometres. From Sućuraj there is a wide panorama of Biokovo, Makarska and Peljesac. The town was built on two small peninsulas with a harbour, in the 15th century. From ancient times this position has had an important strategical character, as well as a role in communications with the mainland. Therefore, the continuity of cultures dating from Illyrian times is easily understood. The Hvar Statute of 1331 mentions the church of Sv. Juraj (St. George) in Sućuraj, which is where Sućuraj gets its name from. However, this does not mean that there was already a bigger settlement there, apart from some shepherds' or fisherman's dwellings. The settlement of the place was conditioned by the arrival of the Augustinians from Zaostrog who formed their monastery in the 16th century and took over the parish duties. The monastery was reconstructed in the 17th century, and now only parts are preserved, mainly the perimeter walls and a large number of architectural fragments.The residential architecture of the town, even today, has a certain influence from the Neretva style of building, more then any other place on the island. The houses are rustic, closed to the street but open out in the rear and are connected on the courtyard side by a series of arches. This type of building shows the defensive character of the town. During Venetian rule Sućuraj was at the point where three borders met; the Venetian, the Turkish and that of the state of Dubrovnik. In the 17th century the Venetians built a fortress which was unfortuntely bombed in the war as were a large number of houses. The town council building and the archive were bombed on the day the German troops withdrew from the island.
It is a pleasant and quiet holiday resort. Rustic design of houses, history and tradition, with beauties of Biokovo Mountain, the Neretva canal and peninsula Pelješac, with nice and picturesque beaches, pleasant and moderate climate, as well as silence, are the things which always attract the tourists. An excellent geographic position, luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation, with an insolation of 2700 sunny hours in a year. Pleasant holidays during the whole year, swimming from May to October. Good connections by the car-ferry from Drvenik 10 times a day in a season. Excursions, yachting, water-sports, attractive night fishing, are some of many other recreational possibilities offered to you by Sućuraj.
