Stari Grad | |
|---|---|
Town | |
   .jpg) Stari grad town andStari Grad Plain | |
 Seal | |
  Stari Grad Location of Stari Grad in Croatia | |
| Coordinates:43°11′N16°35′E / 43.183°N 16.583°E /43.183; 16.583 | |
| Country |  Croatia |
| County |  Split-Dalmatia |
| Island | Hvar |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Antonio Škarpa (Ind.) |
| • City Council | |
| Area | |
• Town | 52.8 km2 (20.4 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 19.9 km2 (7.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | |
• Town | 2,772 |
| • Density | 52.5/km2 (136/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,921 |
| • Urban density | 96.5/km2 (250/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 21460 |
| Area code | 021 |
| Website | stari-grad |
Stari Grad is a town on the northern side of the island ofHvar inDalmatia,Croatia.[3] One of the oldest towns in Europe, its position at the end of a long, protected bay and next to prime agricultural land has long made it attractive for human settlement. Stari Grad is also a municipality within theSplit-Dalmatia County.
The most ancient part of Stari Grad falls within theUNESCO ProtectedWorld Heritage Site of theStari Grad Plain, while the entire municipality lies within the surrounding buffer zone.
Stari Grad was originally named Pharos (Greek:Φάρος) by the Greek settlers from the island ofParos, who arrived in 384 BC. While the name Pharos is strikingly similar to the name of the Greek island the settlers arrived from, there is an alternate theory that it came from the previous inhabitants of the area. A greatnaval battle was recorded a year after the establishment of Pharos colony by a Greek inscription in Pharos (384 – 383 BC) and by the Greek historianDiodorus Siculus (80 – 29 BC), initiated by conflicts between the Greek colonists and the indigenous Hvar islanders, theLiburnians, who asked their compatriots for support. 10,000 Liburnians sailed out from their capitalIdassa (Zadar), led by theIadasinoi (people of Zadar), and laid siege to Pharos. TheSyracusan fleet positioned inIssa was informed in time, and Greektriremes attacked the siege fleet, taking victory in the end. According to Diodorus, the Greeks killed more than 5,000 and captured 2,000 prisoners, ran down or captured their ships, and burned their weapons in dedication to their gods.
This battle meant the loss of the most important strategic Liburnian positions in the centre of the Adriatic, resulting in their final retreat to their main ethnic region,Liburnia, and their complete departure from the Italic coast, apart fromTruentum. In Roman times, the town became known as Faria, which was turned into Hvar by the incoming Slav population. When the administrative capital of the island was moved to today'sHvar town on the south coast, the old town became simply known as Stari Grad (literally "old city" in Croatian).
The municipality of Stari Grad has a population of 2,781 (2011 Census), of which 1,885 live in the town itself.[4] Four other settlements fall within the municipality, namelyDol (Pop. 311),Rudina (Pop. 70), Selca Kod Starog Grada (Pop. 17) and Vrbanj (Pop. 498).[4]
| population | 4494 | 4720 | 5511 | 5990 | 5975 | 5007 | 5027 | 4258 | 3388 | 3433 | 3231 | 3016 | 2857 | 2884 | 2817 | 2781 | 2772 |
| 1857 | 1869 | 1880 | 1890 | 1900 | 1910 | 1921 | 1931 | 1948 | 1953 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 |
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Stari Grad lies on the north side of the island ofHvar, at the end of the Stari Grad Bay, a deep water channel, protected to the north by the hills of the Kabal peninsula and by the high mountain ridge of Hvar to the south.
The island's best agricultural land opens up to the east of Stari Grad town. This fertile plain has been farmed since pre-historic times, and the Greek field layout is still largely intact, thanks to continuing maintenance over the years of its dry stone walls. In 2008, theStari Grad Plain became aUNESCO protected world heritage site.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3,231 | — |
| 1971 | 3,016 | −6.7% |
| 1981 | 2,857 | −5.3% |
| 1991 | 2,884 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 2,817 | −2.3% |
| 2011 | 2,781 | −1.3% |
| Source: Naselja i stanovništvo Republike Hrvatske 1857–2001, DZS, Zagreb, 2005 | ||
The area around present day Stari Grad was settled by theNeolithic tribes of theHvar culture who occupied the island between 3500 and 2500 BC, and who traded with other settlements around theMediterranean. Remains of their pottery and otherartifacts have been found, along with that of theIllyrian tribe[5] that succeeded them. The settlement lay at the lower end of Stari Grad Bay, defended by two strongholds on the north and south hillsides overlooking the harbour (Glavica and Purkin Kuk).
In 384 BC, the town was formally founded byancient Greeks from the island ofParos in theAegean Sea. They gave the name Faros (ΦΑΡΟΣ) to their new settlement, an independent state permitted to mint its own money. The nearby plain was marked out with roads at right angles, and divided into fields of standard size. The Stari Grad Plain today represents one of the best-preserved examples of ancient Greek agriculture throughout the Mediterranean.
Illyrian kingAgron rulingc. 250–231 BC.[6] extended his rule over many cities in theAdriatic and established Illyrian control overPharos.[7]
In 218 BC, theRomansdefeated the Illyrian army at Pharos during theSecond Illyrian War, and the town was destroyed by the Roman army, but remained under Illyrian control. The town came under permanent Roman controlby force in 168 BC, following the defeat ofGentius during theThird Illyrian War.
An inscription from the 2nd century BC, refers to the Farians and their delegation to the Greek island of Paros and the oracle at Delphi. It makes mention of the Roman senate and the people (who are) well disposed and benevolent towards the city of Faros from the times of their ancestors. Further inscriptions, mosaics, tombstones, stone reliefs, fine pottery, jewellery, coins, villae rusticae in the Plain tell the story of life in and around the ancient Roman town.
The first church was built in the 5th century, in the southeast corner of the town, close to the city walls, on the foundations of a prior Greek house. In the 6th century, a new church was built on the same site, a twin basilica with a baptistry dedicated to St Mary and St John.
In the 7th century, following the fall ofSalona, the capital of theRoman province of Dalmatia, many of its people sought refuge in Faria and other Roman towns in the nearby islands, as noted by the historianArchdeacon Thomas of Split (1200–1268) in hisHistoria Salonitana.
Roman Faria was taken over by the Slavs at the beginning of the 8th century. At this point, the town received the name we know it by today –Hvar (the letter F not being part of theold Slavic alphabet). During the 10th century, Hvar came under theNarentines. Pirates fromOmiš on the mainland were raiding the coastal settlements, and new villages grew up in the foothills – Dol, Vrbanj and Pitve.
In 1278, the people of Hvar chose to put themselves under the protection of theVenetian Republic. As part of the contract, they undertook to expand the existing settlement on the south side of the island as a more suitable base for the Venetian fleet. This is the site of the present daytown of Hvar. The old town of Stari Grad, also referred to as "Old Hvar", remained the centre of the most densely populated part of the island, the area surrounding the agricultural plain.
During the 16th century, the town was attacked by theTurks, the first time repulsing them, but in 1571 they lost, and much of the town was burnt down. Following that loss, Stari Grad was slowly rebuilt from the ruins. During the 17th and 18th centuries, prosperity once again grew from sea-trade. The old waterfront (Stara Riva) was extended and the town underwent a major architectural and urban transformation, resulting in the town structure we see today.
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In 1797Napoleon overthrew the Venetian Republic, and Hvar briefly became part of theAustrian Empire. When the French also took over Austria, they conferred the status of anautonomous province on the town of Stari Grad. With the fall of theNapoleonic Empire, Stari Grad became part of theDalmatian Kingdom, within the larger political body of theAustro-Hungarian Empire.
The 19th century was peaceful, and a time of prosperity for the entire island. However, the advent ofphylloxera destroyed the island's grapevines, and the town's sailing vessels could not compete with the new steam ships. Large numbers of people moved away to start a new life elsewhere. Today, Stari Grad is again rebuilding itself, this time with tourism as the main focus.[8][9]
The town itself, and the surrounding area are rich in archaeological sites dating from pre-history and classical times. Permanent exhibitions in the Stari Grad Museum display the collection of artifacts found at local sites, both on land and under the sea.
The present-day Church of St. John, together with the archaeological remains found south of it, comprises an Early Christian complex dating from 5th/6th century. The original walls are preserved up to the beginning of the barrel vault that was built during the restoration in the early Romanesque period (11th century). The church floor was decorated with geometrical and figural details of which some are preserved. In the interior is original Early Christian altar. The large rosette on the facade is from the Gothic-era adaptation of the church in the 14th century.
The Church of St. Rocco, patron of Stari Grad, was raised by the confraternity of the same name, with provisions by the poet and nobleman Petar Hektorović in the 16th century. Thebelltower was added in 1783 and side chapels in 1898. The main altar is the work of Andrija Bruttapela from 1774; it is decorated with statue of St. Rocco made by unidentified Venetian workshop. St. Rocco is shown with adog that was a faithful friend after he was abandoned by everyone. In 1898 the mosaic floor of ancient Roman baths was unearthed beneath the stairs. The place is marked withLatin inscription on one of the steps.
TheDominicanmonastery of St. Peter the Martyr was founded, with help of townspeople, by friar Germanicus ofPiacenza in 1482. The church and the monastery were ransacked and burned by theTurks in 1571 and after that the monastery was fortified with round towers. The church was partially demolished and built anew in 1894. All that remained from the old church is the bell tower and the chapel with thetomb of the Renaissance poet Petar Hektorović. The monastery museum host the oldest Greek inscriptions from Pharos (4th century BC). The picture gallery has a number of valuable paintings of Venetian artists such as the famous "The Lamentation of Christ" by Tintoretto (1518–1594).
Notable inhabitants and persons with the origin from Stari Grad.
There are numerous bays on each side ofStari Grad Bay. One of the largest bays is Tiha, located on the northern side. Tiha is a perfect anchoring point as it is safe, and sheltered from all winds (the name Tiha translates to silent/calm). Zavala is a slightly smaller bay, but equally calm, with plenty of anchoring spots. The other side (south side) of Stari Grad bay, is quite higher, and offers smaller bays with hills meters away from the beach. Gracisce is one of those bays, with a pebble covered beach, and a thick pine forest just meters above. Closer to the city on the southern side there are a few beautiful beaches, such as the small sandy Maslinica bay. One more worth mentioning is Arkada, located underneath the hotel of the same name on the northern side, with a calm space for anchoring nearby.[10]
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Subdivisions ofSplit-Dalmatia County | ||
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