A Famous Fishpond

Tvrdalj in Stari Grad is a fine example of a fortified summer residence, best known for its fish pond in the courtyard. Wikipedia lists Tvrdalj as a castle – but that seems a rather grand description to me. Looking at the collection of buildings around the fishpond, and the lovely walled gardens, all set in…

Maslinovik

Maslinovik is an old watchtower set on a hill on the north side of the Stari Grad Plain. Built in the 4th century BC by the ancient Greek settlers, it formed part of the line of defence for the fields, running from the town of Pharos (today’s Stari Grad) to Tor, a second watchtower set…

Pathway between fields

What did the Greeks do for us?

In the 4th century BCE, the ancient Greeks settled on Hvar at the head of a long inlet where the town of Stari Grad now stands. They called it Faros. It was a prime piece of real estate, not just for the protected harbour, but the adjoining land was the only flat fertile area in…

Say, what?

I’ve noticed that English speakers have a tendency to say HAV-R instead of Hvar. Even those that that have been to the island and have heard it said properly still do that. It’s not an anagram, people!  You can’t stick the “a” between the “H” and the “v” – that’s not where it goes. The…