A dragon, a moon, angels
Carving mixing Christian and pagan, following no known church convention.
Uroš Novina from Semič, Slovenia — CC BY 2.0 · Sergiy Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Rolf Dietrich Brecher from Germany — CC BY 2.0 · Taiwankengo — CC BY-SA 4.0
A cave in a rock face on the southern coast of the island of Brač, carved inside with strange stone reliefs dating from the fifteenth century. It was used by Glagolitic monks — Croatian monks who used the old Glagolitic alphabet rather than Latin — as a refuge and hermitage. They carved into its walls and ceiling forms mixing the Christian with the pagan: a dragon, a moon, angels, faces, and shapes that cannot be confidently interpreted. That mixture is what makes it exceptional: religious carving following no known church convention, in a place of complete isolation. Nobody knows exactly what those who cut it meant by it. Essential practical points: the cave is not open for free entry. Visiting requires arranging in advance with a local guide who holds the key, and the approach is a hard uphill walk on an unpaved rocky path taking about half an hour to an hour. Proper walking shoes are necessary. Anyone who arranges the visit sees something without parallel on the Adriatic.
Carving mixing Christian and pagan, following no known church convention.
Croatian monks who used an old Slavic alphabet rather than Latin.
The reliefs remain open to interpretation, and that is part of their effect.
Above the village of Murvica, Brač
Through a local guide in the village of Murvica or through the tourist office in Bol on the island — call at least a day ahead, since the guide holds the key and there are no fixed opening hours. Ask about the meeting point and the length of the walk, and do not attempt the climb alone, as the cave is locked and you will not get in.
The Zlatni Rat beach near Bol, Croatia's most famous, which changes shape with the currents; the abandoned village of Škrip inland; and the white stone quarries from which Diocletian's Palace was built — the stone is said to have been used in buildings outside Croatia as well. The ferry from Split takes about fifty minutes.
Sign in to write your review of this place.
No reviews yet — be the first.