Municipality of Lovreć: Hillforts, Stećci and Historic Wells
Accommodation in Municipality of Lovreć
In the Municipality of Lovreć, hillforts, medieval tombstones and old wells tell stories of very different periods and ways of life. Traces can be found in several places across the municipality: alongside archaeological sites, there is also evidence of water supply and an ethnographic collection. You can plan your trip around the topics that interest you and your family most.
Hillforts and traces of early settlement
Above the centre of Lovreć and the old Church of the Holy Spirit (Sv. Duh), with its cemetery, lies Bošnjakova gradina, also known as Vrhgradina. Its earliest inhabitants lived there at the end of the 10th or the beginning of the 9th century BC. The site was continuously inhabited for much of the Iron Age. Archaeological finds include bronze jewellery at the eastern rampart. This long period of use makes Bošnjakova gradina a notable starting point if you are interested in the early history of the area.
Pušina kula in Lovreć is also a prehistoric hillfort. It lies on Mount Basarovina and can be dated to the Bronze and Iron Ages based on surface finds. The surviving rampart is about 2 to 4 metres wide and 2 to 3 metres high. Mala Gradina is in Studenci; its ramparts are still about 5 to 6 metres high on the east and west sides. Gradina Jova lies south of the Studenci–Imotski road, on the mountain of the same name at an elevation of 773 metres. The hillfort was used in the Early Bronze Age. The dimensions, locations and dating distinguish these three sites, without combining them into a single sightseeing experience.
Church, Stećci and local history
The Church of the Holy Spirit (Sv. Duh) in Lovreć took its final form in 1755. There is a cemetery around the church and in its immediate vicinity, with Stećci. Šakići has another medieval cemetery, dating from the 15th century and considered a well-preserved cultural monument. Seven roughly hewn slabs and cist graves, as well as a gabled roof stone, survive there. Around thirty medieval Stećci lie near the Zvizda spring in Studenci. The spring is on the edge of Studenačko polje, on the road to the hamlet of Glavica.
The history of Lovreć reaches further back still: in antiquity, the settlement was a Roman settlement called Ludrum, at the crossroads of ancient Roman roads. Kuća spaljenih is a memorial site commemorating civilian victims of the Second World War in this part of the Dalmatian hinterland. Together, these places reveal different historical layers; each represents its own periods and memories.
Wells and everyday life
Several historic water facilities illustrate how people and livestock were supplied in the past. Bliznice in the hamlet of Mrnjavci consists of five wells and a livestock watering trough. The facility was built at the end of the 15th or the beginning of the 16th century to provide drinking water and water livestock. Pridivišće in Opanci comprises four wells and a livestock watering trough and was probably built at the beginning of the 16th century for the same purposes.
The wells at Bršćanovica in Medov Dolac were also probably built at the beginning of the 16th century to provide drinking water and water livestock. Raosov bunar in the hamlet of Raos, also in Medov Dolac, was built by the local population at the beginning of the 16th century. It too served as a source of drinking water and water for livestock. The different names and numbers help distinguish the facilities: Bliznice and Pridivišće are each groups of several wells and a trough; Bršćanovica refers to wells, while Raosov bunar is a single named well.
Collection and cultural memory
The local primary school in Lovreć houses a catalogued collection of everyday objects from the past. The ethnographic collection of OŠ Silvija Strahimira Kranjčevića comprises 505 objects from the second half of the 19th century and the 20th century. It complements the archaeological sites with objects from more recent everyday history.
Raosovi Dani are also part of the area's cultural history: the 33rd edition was held in Medov Dolac in front of Ivan Raos's birthplace and included a memorial mass and an extensive cultural and artistic programme. If you are more interested in living culture and remembrance than in prehistoric hillforts, the collection and memorial event offer a different thematic approach.
The places in the municipality include Lovreć and Studenci. The different points of interest can help guide your trip planning: hillforts and Stećci sit alongside well facilities and traces of everyday life. When choosing your holiday apartment, consider which of these topics matter most to you during your stay.
For the broader travel overview: Split-Dalmatia.
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