STARI GRAD PLAIN - Island of Hvar - World Heritage Sites in Croatia
Stari Grad Plain
The Stari Grad Plain on the island of Hvar is an
agricultural landscape that was set up by the ancient Greek colonists from
Pharos in the 4th century BC, and remains in use today. The original
agricultural activity of this fertile plain, mainly centring on grapes and
olives, has been maintained since Greek times to the present. The ancient layout
has been preserved by careful maintenance of the stone walls over 24 centuries,
along with the stone shelters and the water collection system. The same crops,
mainly grapes and olives, are still grown in the fields, and the site is also a
natural reserve. The site is a valuable example of the ancient Greek system of
agriculture.
The plain demonstrates the comprehensive system of agriculture as used by the
ancient Greeks. The land was divided into geometrical parcels (chora) bounded by
dry stone walls. The system included a rainwater recovery system involving the
use of gutters and storage cisterns. The original field layout has been
respected by the continuous maintenance of the boundary walls by succeeding
generations. Agricultural activity in the chora has been uninterrupted for 24
centuries up to the present day. What we see today is a continuation of the
cultural landscape of the original Greek colonists.
The Stari Grad Plain is Croatia's 7th location protected by the UNESCO (Date of
Inscription: 2008).
