This modest and architecturally harmonious village characterized by steep cobbled streets has managed to splendidly preserve its rural features. It is dominated by the spindly and ornamented belfry built-in 1889 as per the drawings of the sculptor Ivan Rendić.
Ložišća is one of the youngest settlements on the island of Brač, dating back to the 18th century. It is also known as Velo selo as it was settled by the people of Bobovišće, known as Malo selo.
After the parish church was erected, a slim belfry was built by the sculptor Ivan Rendić (1886-1889), and this masterpiece is the dominant feature of the settlement. The church was built in 1820, while the belfry was completed in 1899. Although the remnants of the chapel of Our Lady of Stomorica from the 12th century were found, this locality is believed to have previously been uninhabited. From the very beginnings of the village to the present day, the inhabitants of Ložišća have engaged in the cultivation of vines and olives.
Ložišća is located on a very steep clearing just 150 m above sea level. The stone houses are erected one above the other along the sloping, steep streets which rise from the deep ravine up to the top of the village.
The stone, south-oriented facades face the sun and they feature rows of small windows above the spacious cellar doors. The entrance to the house was usually located on the north side of the house and was dug into the hill, which allowed for direct access to the rooms without many stairs and high balconies. Everything here is made from stone, by placing a stone on stone, be it for the tall, spacious two-story buildings in the clearing or small stone ground-floor houses at the top of the clearing.
Ložišća is a prime example of traditional architecture and it has retained its authentic island village appearance.
BELL TOWER
Church of St. John and Paul (Ložišća)
Church of Saints John and Paul was built in 1820. It has a baroque façade and a stone court in front of the church. The most prominent part of the church is the ornate bell tower designed by the prominent Croatian sculptor Ivan Rendić and built-in 1899.
Ložišća villagers invited the then renowned Brač architect and sculptor to design the new bell tower for their church. Rendić showed up to the meeting with a bag full of various bell tower drawings, most of them simple and ordinary in design. However, as he was flipping through the drawings, the one depicting today’s bell tower showed up and the locals immediately stopped him: “This is the one we want!”, they said resolutely.
Rendić laughed and said, “You can neither make this bell nor afford it, this one is meant for Venice.” It was those words that ignited the infamous Dalmatian defiance in them: “Oh, is that right?! Do you think we can’t? Now you’ll see.” And so in the entire village took out loans that they spent years paying back in wine and olive oil. Nevertheless, they accomplished what they set their minds to.
Visit Ložišće and discover beautiful, authentic Dalmatian architecture.
Author: tz-milna.hr
