| |
Ciovo
CIOVO, an island in the central
Dalmatian archipelago; area 28.8 sq km (length 15.3 km, width up
to 3.5 km); population 6,071; highest peak Rudine (218 m). In the
east, Ciovo is about 2 km away from the mainland (Cape Marjan);
in the north-west it is connected with the mainland by a bascule
bridge (in Trogir). The island of Ciovo actually encloses the Kastela
Gulf. Annual rainfall is about 900 mm. The southern side of the
island is exposed to the sirocco, however it is protected from the
bora, in contrast to the northern coast (protected from the sirocco
but exposed to the bora). There are no surface water streams. Brackish
water occurs in Slatine, Saldun and near Sveti Kriz. There are also
several caves, the most prominent being Bilosaj and Anicina Jama
(Annie's Pit).
The vegetation is typically Mediterranean, consisting chiefly in
underbrush (holm oak, myrtle, wormwood, juniper etc.), especially
between Okrug Gornji and Okrug Donji. On the northern side of the
island are forests of pine and cypress (particularly on the way
from Trogir to Arbanija). Major crops include olives, figs, almonds,
vines and citrus fruit. Apart from a part of the town of Trogir,
there are several villages: Arbanija, Zedno, Okrug Gornji, Okrug
Donji, and the hamlets of Slatine and Prizidnica. On the western
part of the island are sand and pebble beaches, the largest being
those in the Saldun bay. Smaller coves include Duga, Tatinja and
Movarstica. Along the south-western coast are several smaller islands
(Sveta Fumija, Kraljevac, Galerija, etc.); their cliffs provide
good opportunities for underwater fishing. On the eastern side of
the island are smaller beaches, around Slatine and the Supetar Cove.
The Latin name of the island (Bua, Boa, Bavo, Bubus) is probably
of Illyrian origin. The Slavic name of Ciovo is related with the
name of the eastern cape of the island of Caput Jovis. In the Middle
Ages, Ciovo had a number of villages, hermits' abodes and leprosaria.
Traces of the pre-Romanesque church of St. Peter have been found
near Slatine, in the Supetar cove. The mediaeval church of St. Maurice
has been preserved in Zedno. In Ciovo is also the pre-Romanesque
church of Our Lady near the Sea. The population of Ciovo increased
in the 15th century through the settlement of refugees who fled
from the Turks. Simultaneously, the suburban areas of Trogir also
extended on Ciovo.
The church and the Dominican monastery of the Holy Cross (5 km
from Trogir) were built in the 15th century by the masters Ivan
Drakanovic and Nikola Mladinov. The mo-n-ast-ery features a nice
cloister; the polychrome vault of the dining room has been preserved,
as well as the paintings by Matija Poncun and other. The Franciscan
mo-nastery of St. Anthony keeps a painting by Palma the Younger
and a sculpture of St. Magdalene by Ivan Duknovic. Along the coast
is the church of St. Jerome. On the eastern part of the island is
the hermitage church of Our Lady of Prizidnica the painted Gothic
crucifix and the Byzantine icon are now ke--pt at the parish church
in Slatine. Along the south-western side of Ciovo is a small island
called Fumija, with the remains of the late antique or early mediaeval
church of St. Fumija and farm buildings of the Benedictine monks
from Trogir.
The island is actually an extension of Trogir but also a kind of
breakwater for the Kastela Gulf. Along with vacation opportunities,
Ciovo also offers a number of tourist attractions and historical
monuments. Additional visitor opportunities are provided in the
nearby towns of Trogir and Split.
Accommodation facilities are provided in Arba-nija, Donji and Gornji
Okrug, Ciovo and Slatine (rest homes).
Our recommendation:
|
|
