Vrboska is a settlement on the north coast of the island of

Hvar Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For''; ; ; ) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis (island), Vis and Korčula. Approximately long, with a high east–west ridge of M ...

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

, in the Municipality of Jelsa. Founded in the 15th century as a fishing harbour, the town's fortress Church of Sv. Marija (St Mary) was built as a refuge for its inhabitants during the 16th century. Vrboska has a population of 548 at the 2011 census.

Geographical

The town is on the northern coast of the island of

, in a deep narrow bay surrounded by pine forest, vineyards, and olive groves. Vrboska lies on the north-eastern side of the UNESCO protected world heritage site

Stari Grad Plain The Stari Grad Plain, near the town of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, Croatia, is an agricultural landscape that was set up by the ancient Greek colonists in the 4th century BC, and remains in use. The plain is the largest agricultural area ...

Name

The name ''Vrboska'' is probably derived from Vrbanj, the inland village whose inhabitants originally used the sheltered inlet as a fishing port. Another theory is that it comes from the Latin ''verboscam'', meaning forested.

History

Founded in the Middle Ages, the oldest building is the church of St Peter, which was built before the 14th century between the boundaries of

Pitve Pitve is a settlement on the island of Hvar, in the district of Jelsa. It lies 168 metres above sea-level on the northern side of the island, in the hills above Jelsa. The road from Jelsa and Vrisnik goes through the 1,500 metre long Pitve tunnel ...

and Vrbanj. In the immediate vicinity, on the Stari Grad Plain, is the ancient Villa Rustica.

Matija Ivanić Matija Ivanić (also Matij Ivanić; Vrbanj, Hvar around 1445 – Rome 1523), was a prominent 16th century citizen of the Dalmatian city of Hvar who led the Hvar Rebellion (1510–1514) against the Venetian Republic. After the defeat of the Rebe ...

, the populist leader of the Hvar Rebellion of 1510-1514, had a house in Vrboska. The Venetian troops attacked the town in 1510, causing extensive damage. In 1571, the town was again attacked, this time by the Turks, under Uluz Ali. Soon afterwards, in 1575, the church of St Mary was fortified, to become a church-fortress, the only such structure in the archipelago. The place developed as a fishing community, trading and growing in prosperity. At the beginning of the 20th century, Vrboska had a sardine factory, wooden boat-building industry, a hotel, fishing trade association, and regular boat connections with Split and the neighbouring island of Brač. There was a community hall, library and health clinic.

Economy

Vrboska today is a

tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity on ...

destination with a yachting marina.

Culture

The church of St. Mary of Mercy was re-built in the shape of a fortress around 1575 following the Turkish attack on the older church from 1465. The parish church of St. Lovrinac was built in 1571, and restored in the 17th century. The main altar of St. Lovrinac has a Paola Veronesca, and work of John Rendic. There are also paintings by the Venetian Masters: Tizian, Cagaliarija, Bassano, Scuria, Cellinia and others. The church of St. Peter, mentioned in 1331, was a border point between the territory of neighbouring villages Pitve and Vrbanj, even before the founding of Vrboska. Restored in 1469 it is considered one of the oldest religious buildings on the island. The patron saint of Vrboska is St Lovrinac.

References

External links

* http://www.vrboska.info/
http://www.jelsa.hr/html/vrboska.html - Vrboska history from the Jelsa District website

https://web.archive.org/web/20070610061902/http://www.hvar.hr/Default.aspx?tabid=432 - Vrboska history from the Hvar website
{{Authority control Hvar Populated places in Split-Dalmatia County Populated coastal places in Croatia