Stecci Medieval Tombstones

ZelenkaBlazek's picture

Location

Dalmatia, Dubrovnik
Croatia
43° 29' 4.9272" N, 17° 12' 15.318" E
HR
General info: 

Some real oddities that are present in Croatia, (and also in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia) are the Stecci. These medieval tombstones are unique in the world and are closely following the borders of the medieval Bosnian Kingdom. There are a total of 70,000 Stecci spread in the area between the above mentioned countries and several thousand of them are in Croatia. The decorative motifs featured on the tombstones are enigmatic, spirals, rosettes and crescent moons being part of the recurrent motifs on the monuments.

Stecci contain epitaphs written in Cyrillic Bosnian and the oldest one dates back from the 12th century. Larger numbers of Stecci can be seen in both Imotski and Dugopolije, border areas of Croatia. Stećci have been nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List as Joint Cultural Heritage by the four countries in 2009.

Getting there: 

Most of them are located in the areas of Dalmatia and Dubrovnik. An easily accessible location is Cista Provo, only half an hour away from Split.

Costs: 

Free for all

Interesting places nearby

Santa Caterina is a small, traditional village sitting at the heart of the vast Stelvio National Park, the largest protected natural reserve in Italy.

Sappada Dolomites of Veneto, near the border on Austria, Veneto and Friuli has winter facilities which have elevated Sappada to a primary role in the national tourist field.

The sunny and spacious skiing-area Sarn-Heinzenberg is located between 1300 metres and 2160 metres highness in the heart of Graubuenden. Here you find mostly moderate and easy slopes.

Whoever goes for skiiing-vacation in Savognin can look forward to extra wide slopes for the whole family. The tracks are well prepared and rank among of the most beautiful ones in the whole alpine area.

The skiing area Schattwald Zöblen in the Tannheimer valley is equipped with very well prepared tracks. Whoever is on vacation in the skiing area Schattwald Zöblen gets the opportunity of slopes in every difficulty and every skills.

Apart from alpine ski and Snowboard and langlauf the Scheidegger have much to offer in the winter - no matter, which winter pleasure pleases you best; leave yourselves simple by the indescribably beautiful winter landscape of the Westall