POVLJA
The legend says that the name Povlja comes from a Roman called Paulus who chose this bay to built his house here nearly 2000 years ago. More recent history of Povlja dates back to 6th century when the early Christian basilica was built. The oldest monument written in Croatian Cyrillic script named Povaljska listina also originated here.
Today Povlja is a scenic and quiet place ideal for anyone looking to get away from the huste and bustle of moder urban living.
Povlja is surrounded by beautiful bays with pebble beaches and crystal clear water.
Early Christian basilica
Some time in the fifth or the sixth century at the latest, an early Christian complex of the three nave basilica with baptistery was built on the point of Lokva above the harbor of Povlja, probably as a part of the monastery belonging to a monastic order organized by the rules of eastern Christian monastery communities.
Three aisles led to the entrance hall of the basilica, two lateral aisles and one aisle in the main axe of the basilica. The access to the main nave of the church was through a portal with large arch lintel and one monolith beam with vegetable ornament and a central cross. The interior of the basilica was divided into three naves, the wider central nave and the narrower lateral naves. Lateral naves ended in pastophoria, auxiliary rooms typical of eastern early Christian architecture. The central nave ends in semicircled apsidal back wall, which is visible in several sacral buildings form that period, probably stemming from the Syrian architecture. The light penetrated into the apse through trifora window (a triple arched window,) preserved until today. In the sanctuary of the basilica the confession is placed, an altar grave of cruciform layout, intended for relics. Next to the eastern façade of the early Christian church two tombs with excellent vaults were preserved, in compliance with the custom of burial near the relics. The church has lateral rooms on both sides. Next to the southern side there was one with the pool, piscine. On the northern side three rooms were found, of which the baptistery is in best condition. During the renovation of the church complex by the Benedictines it took on the role of the shrine dedicated to St John the Baptizer, which is still kept today. It’s the only early Christian baptistery covered still preserved in the eastern Adriatic. The sheer grandeur of its architecture and spaciousness points to the fact that the church might have been an important early Christian centre of Brač.
St. John the Baptizer`s church
The Benedictine monastery was built on the site of the abandoned early Christian complex in the 9th or 10th century. The baptistery was turned into an auxiliary church. On the eastern side a capitulum was built (maybe already in the early Christian phase), while the monks lived where once the early Christian sanctuary was placed. This monastery was ruined in 1145, probably during the Venetian looting raid. The cult of Saint John de Povlje, whose relics were kept in the former font, then altar grave, came about during this period. One legend has it that this saint was a monk in this monastery. According to the version of the legend written down in the 17th century by the chronicler Vicko Prodić from Brač, he was the same person as St John the Almoner, Alexandrian patriarch from the 7th century. His cult was at the center point of the very important pilgrimage in the Middle Ages and partly the Renaissance period. Many legends claimed that this saint protected from plagues which enhanced his importance.
The second renovation of the monastery dates back to 1184 and the abbot named Ratko. The Benedictine monastery was renovated and all its former properties were recognized. The record of this is mentioned in two important historical documents, The Lintel of and The Charter of Povlja.
During the 13th century the monastery was again attacked. This time the threat came from the pirates of the nearby town of Omiš, well known for piracy in the larger part of the Adriatic. The church and the monastery were almost completely plundered during another pirate raid in the middle of the 14th century. The Benedictines soon left Povlja, leaving the church and the monastery untended. The aristocrats of Brač had the church above the grave of St John repaired, just as the remaining monastery buildings in the beginning if the 15th century.
Under the Venetian rule over the island of Brač in the mid 16th century the early Christian apse and walls above it were fortified by a tower with a crown trim. The purpose was to protect the abbey of Povlja against marine attacks of the Ottoman fleet. The tower of Povlja (Kaštilo) is also mentioned in the island legends of hidden Greek treasure. A Greek boy was supposed to be buried over a kettle full of treasure.
The area of the old abbey church was widened in the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century. The parish church got thus cruciform floor plan. The last reconstruction of the church of St John the Baptizer in Povlja started in 1858 when the church-tower was added. It was finished in 1872.
THE LINTEL OF AND THE CHARTER OF POVLJA
The second renovation of the Benedictine monastery dates back to 1184. When and all its former properties were recognized. The record of this is mentioned in two important historical documents, The Lintel of and The Charter of Povlja.
The Lintel of Povlja
Foto: Zoran Alajbeg
The lintel of Povlja was placed above the newly opened entrance into the monastery church (in the middle of the western wall of the former early Christian baptistery). It has the oldest kept inscription in Croatian Cyrillic script. The count of Brač named Brečko is mentioned and the lintel was signed by Radonja, one of the first known stonecutters in Croatia.
The charter of Povlja
Foto: Zoran Alajbeg
In the Charter of Povlja from 1250. (which is a transcript of the 1184 document) the renovation is documented as well as the list of areas that the monastery owned. It is also written in Croatian Cyrillic script and it is one of the most important and the oldest Croatian historical and linguistic monuments. Petar Šimunović, the Croatian linguist from Brač, calls it the certificate of baptism of the Croatian Brač.
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