Island of Hvar - Sucuraj
Island of Hvar
Hvar is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately 68 km long, with a high east-west ridge of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite, the island of Hvar 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, harbours 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 phylloxera 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. The formation of The Hygienic Association of Hvar in 1868 for the assistance of visitors to the island has been instrumental in developing an infrastructure of hotels, apartments, restaurants, marinas, museums, galleries and cafes. Today, the island of Hvar is a popular destination for tourists, consistently listed in the top 10 islands by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
Sucuraj
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.
