|
 add to bookmark
|
you are here:
Cavtat, a town and port in the southern part of the Zupa Bay, 20 km southeast of Dubrovnik; population 2000. Major tourist attractions include a very pleasant climate, luxuriant vegetation and nice shores. Economy is based on tourism, while chief occupations in the surroundings of Cavtat include farming and fishing. The port is enclosed by two peninsulas: the south-western Sustjepan separates it from the channel, which is enclosed by the Cavtat reefs of Bobara and Mrkan. East of the Rat peninsula is the Tiha bay. Nice beaches stretch all the way to Cape Prahljevac. Cavtat is located on the main road (M2, E65). It is very well connected with major Croatian cities through Dubrovnik and Cilipi Airport, while local communications with the surroundings include ship and bus lines.
Originally it was a Greek settlement called Epidauros. Around 228 BC it was under the Romans and later became a Roman colony. The name Cavtat originates from Civitas vetus, as the fugitives in the newly established Dubrovnik used to call their first habitation. Archaeological finds from those times include the remains of a Roman theatre , as well as tombs and the remains of a Roman road above the present town. The ancient town was destroyed at the beginning of the 7th century, during the invasions of the Agars and the Slavs.
Sights
Fort Sokol
Fort Sokol or Soko Grad is the biggest and for its location on the mountain pass towards Bosnian hinterland, exceptionally important fort from the period of Dubrovnik Republic.
It was built on the site of an Illyrian and roman fortification, the proofs for which are the roman details and roman bricks in its walls. With its form it is adjusted to the natural cliff on which it was build. From the fort and from the churchyard of Our Lady of Sokol one has a unique view of the whole Konavle.
In 1391 the brothers Sankovic, that time's rulers over Konavle, ceded to Dubrovnik Republic the whole region with fort Sokol.
The Republic definitely enters into its posses in 1423.Because of its strategic importance, the Republic was always investing in the fortress. It had a cistern, an ammunition dump, a storehouse for wine and food, the accommodation premises for the "castellan", a guard - house and a building for the soldiers. It also had a separate building for the accommodation of woman and children from the nearby villages for the case of war danger. Even today from top of the Fort one has the feeling of respect and admiration for the heritage that the ancient Republic of Dubrovnik has left to us.
EMBROIDERY FROM KONAVLE
The embroidery from Konavle, so - called "Poprsnica", is a basic decorative textile element of female national costume. It is made in technique of the counting of the threads of the basic fabric tissue. A strictly symmetric ornament contains the numberless decorative motives.
It is originally embroidered with home - made silk thread. The silk is dyed by natural colours with emphasised red, black or dark green ornaments separated with white passages and decorated with golden - yellow tassels. The names of different ornaments are symbolic and descriptive, and ornaments depend on tissue, fineness of the performance and the possibility of using. So this embroidery can be applied on table - clothes, curtains,
clothing etc .The embroideries from Konavle are famous for an accentuated colour, a delicate effect produced by silk thread, and a perfect workmanship that does
not permit errors. This embroidery preserves the rich cultural and artistic heritage of the region from which it originates.
PRIDVORJE AND FRANCISCAN MONASTERY
The village Pridvorje is situated in the central part of Konavle under the slopes of the mount Snježnica. This marvellous settlement covered by the mulberry - trees, plane - trees and poplar - trees, surrounded by a river and the water springs, became famous, together with the whole area of Konavle, through Dubrovnik writers in 15th, 16th and 17th century.
Following the history of this village we may follow the history of Konavle through two thousand years. In the 12th century the village vas called St. Martin. It got its actual name in the 15th century. In the middle of the village was built the headman's palace where resided
headmen and poets. Around the palace were built the houses, the trashing - floors and a church, so the whole complex got the name of Pridvorje (in front of the palace). In the lowlands in front of the church of the Holly Trinity the Franciscan monastery with the church of St. Blaise was built (1423 - 1429) in the style of the early Dubrovnik renaissance. The monastery was a pilgrimage place, so it collected a rich treasury of sacral art, where
special place belongs to the well-known late gothic wooden crucifixion from Pridvorje.
MAUSOLEUM OF RAcIcFAMILY (Sculptor Ivan Meštrovic1883 - 1962)
The mausoleum of the well-known ship-owners family Racicfrom Cavtat was built on St. Rock's cemetery.Its construction took place in 1921, on the place of St. Rock's church from 15th century, following the will of the testatrix Marija Racic.It was built from the white stone from Brac in the form of cupola. In the whole building no other material but stone was used, except bronze for the door, bell and angel. The whole mausoleum is full of symbolic representing three basic stages of human fate: birth, life and death. This is contained in the ornaments like the heads of angels on the vault; the symbols of four evangelists on the floor, the main alter and the lateral naves. On the bell founded by Meštrovic's design we find his beautiful reflection: "Comprehend the secret of love, you will solve the secret of death and believe that the life is eternal. "Mausoleum of RacicFamily is a unique beauty that seams to sail above the sunny sea and pine, cypress and palm lines, like a white swan of eternity.
SACRAL MONUMENTS The Illyrian necropolises - about 115 stone clusters mostly in Mikulici, Plocice, below cilipi, are irregularly placed, are mostly inaccessible and are hiding the inventory of ancient Illyrian chieftains.The Mithra's sanctuaries represent a god and a bull, the fight between good and evil, light and darkness. Two examples of Mithra's sanctuaries in relief are known: one in the cellar of Bogišichouse in Cavtat and one in Mocici. Standing tomb - the stone necropolises are nowadays making part of churchyards in the villages, and in largest number may be found in Dunave near the church of St. Barbara, in Mihanici, Gabrila, Brotnice and Pridvorje.
PROFANE MONUMENTS
The autochthonous and unique construction forms of residential architecture
are the chimneys. These are mortared pyramidal roofs above the big home hearth, built in a special way without wooden construction or any other securing. There are 18 registered monuments in the villages of Donja Banda, and only one chimney in Gornja Banda in the Franciscan monastery in Pridvorje.
LEGEND ON THE GENESIS OF THE NAME OF CAVTAT
Alongside with a possible derivation from "Civitus Vetus", the name of Cavtat is associated also with the gorgeous Cavtislava, daughter of the Epidaurian king Kordun and Queen Amrusa. As so many flocked to ask for her hand, the king decided to give it in marriage to the one who will be fasted in completing one of the four tasks: construct a peripheral fortification around the town, a big temple in the town, an aqueduct, or bring in a ship loaded with silk. The fastest was a rich local nobleman by the name of Vrsanin, who managed to be the first in
bringing water into town. At the inauguration ceremony of the water supply, the beautiful princess was to have the first taste of water, from a golden cup, yet, before first drops of water a big lizard came out right into her lap. Princess Cavtislava's heart broke out of shock, and she fell dead at the spot. Legend has it that the lizard was placed appositely into the tube by one of the jealous candidates. In the memory of the most gorgeous Cavtislava, after a powerful earthquake that erased city, a new settlement Cavtat came to life on the same location.
Another legend says that Cavtat derives from the Old-Croatian verb 'captiti' - 'to blossom', referring to the yellow juniper, that so widespread sparkling plant with a sunny aura.
NATIVE HOUSE OF VLAHO BUKOVAC
The native house of Vlaho Bukovac in Cavtat is since 1969 considered for a cultural monument. The monumental characteristics are its architecture, its garden and location in the centre of Cavtat, but above all the heritage of the great painter Vlaho Bukovac and his family.
The native house of Vlaho Bukovac is a stone residential building typical for Cavtat from the end of the 18th and from the beginning of the19th century. The inventory of the house is well preserved from the period when the house was built, with an emphasise on the internal wall paintings and the glass on the staircase door, both made by Vlaho Bukovac.
BALTAZAR BOGIŠIC COLLECTION - Rector's palace Cavtat
Baltazar Bogišic Collection was founded in 1909 - 1912, and from 1955 is a part of Croatian Academy of Science and Art. Baltazar Bogišic (Cavtat 1834 - Rijeka 1908) was a jurist and a scientist of a European fame. Since 1875 he lived in Paris. He was the full member of Croatian Academy of Science and Art since its foundation in 1867, a member of many other Academies and Scientific societies, and a holder of several European decorations. In the Collection are deposited more than 35 000 different items. Particularly interesting are the collection of old graphics (8185 sheets of Croatian and European provenance from 16th until 19th century) and one of three Croatia's most important numismatic collections (2700 pieces)
The library is one of the most valuable in Croatia, because of its rare and unique editions (15000 titles, 66 incunabula, and 164 manuscripts).Important scientific and cultural value has a rich archive and a large personal correspondence (10092 letters) of Baltazar Bogišic.
The Rector's Palace is the seat of Bogišiccollection since 1958. Because of the bad conditions in the ground - floor rooms and the reconstruction works, it is possible to visit only one part of Bogišic's inheritance(paintings, graphics, photographs, furniture, pottery,
ethnographic items, books, manuscripts, documents etc.).
ST. NICOLA'S CHURCH PICTURE GALLERY
The picture gallery of St. Nicola's parish church in Cavtat was founded in 1952 by the merit of academy member Cvito Fiskovic. This valuable collection of paintings, sculptures and church liturgical pottery is situated in the room next to the Parish house, and from 2001 is again open to tourists and visitors of Cavtat. Among many valuable artistic works, of a special interest is the icon of St. Nicolas from 15th century, the alabaster relief of St. Sebastian
made by baroque artist from Benedetto Genarri's school from Bologna, the paintings painted by Sicilian painter Carmelo Reggio, and the works of great Croatian painter Vlaho Bukovac.
MIHO ŠIŠA KONAVLJANIN
Miho Šiša Konavljanin was born in 1946 in the village of Mihanici where he still lives and works .For 40 years he is living the life of a farmer and an artist.
His painting is completely bound to the hard work of the farmers, but also to the wealth and beauty of its fruits, showing the harmony between the landscape and a substance of the social
and intimate life of Konavle. His work is trying, with his brush and chisel, to save the images of the common people's life from oblivion, and leave them to the generations to come.
In his gallery in Mihanici the visitors may see his work. Miho Šiša Konavljanin remains one of the most accurate chroniclers and custodians of the ethnologic wealth of the people and
the land of Konavle.
visit:
|
|
