Hvar (pronounced[xvâːr];Chakavian:Hvor orFor;Greek:Φάρος,romanized: Pharos;Latin:Pharia;Italian:Lesina) is aCroatian island in theAdriatic Sea, located off theDalmatian coast, lying between the islands ofBrač,Vis andKorčula. Approximately 68 kilometres (42.25 mi) long,[1] with a high east–west ridge ofMesozoiclimestone anddolomite, 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.[2] The island has 10,678 residents according to the 2021 census,[3] making it the fourth most populated of theCroatian islands.
Hvar's location at the north east centre of theAdriatic sailing routes has long made this island an important base for commanding trade up and down the Adriatic, across toItaly and throughout the widerMediterranean. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, originally by aNeolithic people whose distinctive pottery gave rise to the termHvar culture, and later by theIllyrians. Theancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BC on the site of today'sStari Grad, making it one of the oldest towns inEurope. They were also responsible for setting out the agricultural field divisions of theStari Grad Plain, now aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site. Inmedieval times, the town ofHvar rose to importance within theVenetian 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 theHvar 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 underNapoleonic rule, the island became part of theAustrian 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. However, this prosperity did not continue into the 20th century as wooden sailing boats went out of fashion, and thephylloxera blight hit wine production. Many islanders left to make a new life elsewhere.[4][5][6]
Jagodna beach between the villages of Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedilja
One industry,tourism, has however continued to grow and is now a significant contributor to the island's economy. The formation of TheHygienic 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 andcafés.[7] Today, the island of Hvar is a tourist destination, consistently listed in the top 10 islands by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.[8]
The island of Hvar lies in the Southern Adriatic Sea, off the Dalmatian coast, southern CroatiaSatellite image of Hvar
The island of Hvar is located in theAdriatic Sea, off theDalmatian coast. To the north, the island ofBrač lies across the Hvar Channel (Hvarski kanal), to the west isVis, separated by the Vis Channel, and to the southKorčula lies across the Korčula Channel, while thePelješac Peninsula is across the Neretva Channel. The eastern end of Hvar is just 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the mainland. Along the southern coast of the island there are several smaller islands, notably thePaklinski islands at the western end andŠćedro island, while Zečevo island lies off the north coast.[5]
Hvar is a high east–west ridge ofMesozoiclimestone anddolomite, which was part of the mainland until approximately 11,000 years ago. Around that time, sea levels rose, filling the valleys that are now the channels between the islands.[9] Hvar has a typicalkarst landscape, which means limited or no surface water, despite adequate rainfall, which disappears quickly into crevices in the ground. Farming in such areas requires careful conservation of water and protection of the soil against erosion. The water cisterns in the fields, and the dry-stone walls, especially terracing on the slopes are necessary for the continued success of agriculture on the island.[10]
The southern coast of Hvar near Sveta Nedjelja
The island has a typicalMediterranean vegetation, mostly bare with woody scrub at higher, steeper elevations, turning to pine forests on the lower slopes withholm oak,Aleppo pines (Pinus halapensis) andblack pines (Pinus nigra dalmatica). The islet ofŠćedro is especially rich in various Mediterranean trees and plants.[2]
Hvar island is 68 kilometres (42 mi) long, and only 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) at its widest point. It covers an area of 297 square kilometres (115 sq mi), the 4th largest of the Adriatic islands by area, and has a coastline length of 254.2 kilometres (158.0 mi). The highest peak is Sv. Nikola, at 628 metres (2,060 ft).[5]
Stari Grad, on the north part of the island (pop 2,772), is the site of one of the first permanent settlements on the Adriatic islands duringAntiquity. Today, Stari Grad is the main seaport on the island; most visitors arrive here via car ferries fromSplit. The town includes the settlements ofDol (305),Rudina (79),Selca kod Starog Grada (9),Stari Grad (1,921) andVrbanj (458).
Sućuraj, municipality on the eastern end of the island (pop 426), nearest to the mainland, where a regular car ferry service connects the island with the port ofDrvenik. The municipality includes the settlements ofBogomolje (121),Selca kod Bogomolja (12) andSućuraj (293).
The climate of Hvar ishot-summer Mediterranean (Csa in theKöppen climate classification). It has mild winters and hot summers. The yearly average air temperature is 16 °C (61 °F), 703 mm (27.7 in) of precipitation fall on Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7 sunshine hours per day while Dubrovnik has 7.2. The sea temperatures average from the lowest readings in February of 14 °C (57 °F) to their warmest during summer, when the sea temperatures usually stay between 23 °C (73 °F) to 27 °C (81 °F). TheKöppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Csa" (Mediterranean Climate).[11]
Since records began in 1858, the highest temperature recorded at the Hvar weather station at an elevation of 20 metres (66 ft) was 37.7 °C (99.9 °F), on 8 August 1956.[12] The coldest temperature was −7.0 °C (19.4 °F), on 24 January 1942.[13]
Climate data for Hvar (1971–2000, extremes 1858–2014)
The first inhabitants of Hvar Island were Neolithic people who probably established trade links between Hvar and the eastern shores of theMediterranean. The Hvar Culture lasted from 3500 to 2500 B.C. Beginning in the 4th century BC, theGreeks colonized the island.[16] In 384 BC the Greek colonisers of Pharos defeatedIadasinoi warriors and their allies, invited by the Hvar indigenes in their resistance to the Greek colonization. The first coins which Pharos minted after the war depicted a goat standing opposed to a snake. The two animals symbolize the Pharian Greeks (goat) and the Illyrians (snake).[17] Their victory over much larger forces was immortalized in one of the oldest known inscriptions of Croatia.
Following Roman victory in theSecond Illyrian War againstDemetrius of Pharos, the island became a part of theRoman Republic in 219 BC and the Greek name Pharos was changed to Pharia. After the fall of theRoman Empire in the west, the island was under the control of theByzantine or Eastern Roman Empire. The population increased in theLate Antiquity with an abundance of archaeological finds. A large number of newvilla rustica in Stari Grad Plain and also on the previously vacant eastern shores were built.
In the early Middle Ages,Slavic tribes occupied the island. In the first half of the 7th century theNarentines took over the island.Venetian sailors saw the island while sailing towards the south and were threatened by the Narentine pirates from the island. In the 11th century the island joined theKingdom of Croatia. In the 12th century, the rise of theRepublic of Venice brought vines and wine cultivation which blossomed into a major industry for the island in the Middle Ages.[citation needed] The island eventually again fell under Byzantine rule, and then under the Kingdom of Croatia and Hungary. In 1331 the Venetians put the island under protection from threats of piracy. According to the 1358Treaty of Zadar, the island was handed over to theKingdom of Hungary. For short time in the summer of 1390, it was held by the Bosnian kingStephen Tvrtko I. In 1409, the Republic of Venice finally again became its long-term owner.[citation needed] The island became prosperous from fishing, and the cultivation of rosemary, lavender and olives.
Residents of Hvar mostly work in the fishing and tourism industries. Hvar has a very mildMediterranean climate, several beaches and Mediterranean vegetation that make it one of the most attractive tourist centres in Europe. The island promotes itself as "the sunniest spot in Europe", with over 2715 hours of sunlight in an average year.
Hvar town is the main tourist centre. It features a large public square (St Stephen's Square/trg Sv. Stjepana) that is open to the sea. During the tourist season, the port is filled with largeyachts andsailboats. All-nightdiscos attract large crowds of young visitors.
Another major economic activity is the cultivation oflavender, used for aromatic oils and soaps. Hvar is often called the "island of lavender".[citation needed]
Hvar is also one of the two most famous winemaking zones in Croatia.Vineyards on the southern side of the island are famous for red wines produced from thePlavac Mali grape. The central plain betweenStari Grad andJelsa is famous for its white wines.[citation needed]
As aGreek colony, the island initially was known asParos (Πάρος) because it was colonized by Greeks from the island ofParos in Aegean,[19] and later asPharos (Φάρος) "lighthouse". However, it is not clear if the name really comes from the Greek word for lighthouse.[citation needed] It was more likely an Illyrian word "Fara" that in modern Albanian, translates to seed!since it is unlikely that the lighthouse preceded the name for the island.[citation needed] During the 3rd century BC, the Greek poetApollonius of Rhodes referred to it asPiteyeia – a name derived from the Greek wordpitys, meaningpine tree.[citation needed]
Since the late 11th century, theItalian name of the island has beenLesina or, inVenetian,Liesena. These names appear to have their origin in theProto-Slavic rootles-, meaning "wood" or "forest".Liesena was the official name during the era ofVenetian Dalmatia (16th and 17th centuries).[citation needed]
^Novak, Grga (1960) [1924].Hvar Kroz Stoljeća (Hvar Through the Centuries). Historijski Arhiv - Hvar (Historical Archives of Hvar) (in Croatian). Vol. I (2nd ed.). Narodni Odbor Općine Hvar (National Council of Hvar Municipality).
^abcHvar. Hrvatski Leksikon (in Croatian). Vol. II. Zagreb: Naklada Leksikon d.o.o. 1997. p. 490.ISBN9789539672803.
^Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,ISBN0-631-19807-5, page 114,"... in the early history of the colony settled in 385 BC on the island Pharos (Hvar) from the Aegean island Paros, famed for its marble. In traditional fashion they accepted the guidance of an oracle, ..."
^Castiglioni, Maria Paola (2006). "Cadmos-serpent chez les Illyriens".Hypotheses.1 (9): 241.doi:10.3917/hyp.051.0241.À côté des productions des orfèvres locaux, les données livrées par la numismatique sont aussi intéressantes car elles fournissent quelques éléments utiles pour mieux cerner l'importance symbolique rattachée au serpent chez les peuples illyriens : ce reptile apparaît sur les monnaies de la première frappe de Pharos – colonie parienne fondée sur l'actuelle île de Hvar, en Dalmatie, au début du ive siècle av. J.-C. – où il est représenté à côté d'un bouc. Dans la lecture qu'en a faite Aleksandar Stipcevic, le bouc, qui représenterait les colons grecs, aurait manifesté une attitude hostile et agressive envers le reptile, symbole des populations autochtones illyriennes
