Two abandoned places on the island of Hvar
- April 1, 2023
- 1:02 pm
In all parts of the world, we can find abandoned cities and villages. Some people left because of work, some had to leave because of diseases or some natural disasters. Whatever the reason is for abandoning a city or village it is not uncommon to find them all over the world.
However, even if they are often they still make people feel some mysteries about the reason why they are empty.
Island Hvar is no exception 😊 On Hvar we can find two abandoned villages. One is Malo Grablje and the second is Humac.
Today it is the deserted village of Malo Grablje that you can reach by walking from Velo Grablje, descending some 2 km along the dry brook line or by a new road from Hvar that leads towards Stari Grad. Malo Grablje is situated above the bay of Milna, resembling the nest as it has been located inside the stone rock. It is a fabulous site that captures one’s attention, for you may find the stone houses and quiet stone lanes incorporated within the genuine natural environment.
The surrounding olive groves and vineyards give an idea of what life once looked like in what is now a deserted town before the phylloxera drove away the inhabitants who had scattered to Milna and how and where.
Abandoned stone houses without doors and windows that blend in with nature, a mill waiting to be discovered, a cistern and a church create the perfect movie backdrop. A common olive mill with two wheels was built in 1884 in an upgraded “communal house” where there was a cooperative, and then an apartment for a teacher whose window on the second floor still serves as a reminder of some ancient times.
Today in Malo Grablje you can see only a few yoga lovers who come after sunrise to practice in front of the church of St. Theodora or stop by the tavern Stori Komin, but only for the seasons. There, octopus and lamb are eaten under the baking lid, best with homemade wine.
Malo Grablje occasionally comes to life for concerts or events, right on the plateau in front of the church, which has always been a meeting place. From there is a view of the village and the surrounding hills, the gardens surrounded by a dry-stone wall. Every year on the day of St. Theodora people of Hvar gather around the church. If you go up the hill, you will reach Velo Grablje where you can meet a few tourists escaping from the summer crowds.
A unique example of well-preserved rural architecture, the former pastoral settlement Humac, founded in the 17th century, is located 7 km away from Jelsa, at 350 m above sea level, from where there is a magnificent panoramic view of surrounding towns, bays, Brač and Makarska littoral. The charms of this settlement lie in its harmonious stone houses, courtyards, balconies, narrow streets and nature that merged with the village in an inspiring sight. Church of St. Ivan and Pavle on Humac is of newer construction, and if you visit this charming place you can enjoy the offer of an ambient restaurant that is open during the summer months. From Humac, visits were organized to the nearby Grapčeva Cave, the most significant prehistoric site on the Adriatic, where signs of culture dating back to the 4th millennium BC were found.
In recent years many tourists are buying houses and staying longer than a 10-day holiday in Humac, so there can be a possibility that this place comes to life within a year again 😊
Put Podstina 1, 21450 Hvar, Croatia
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