Orašac
Encyclopedia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, northwest of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, between Trsteno
Trsteno
Trsteno is a village northwest of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia, population 237 . The name probably comes from the word trska which means reed. It is located on the magistral road between the villages Orašac and Slano.-Trsteno Arboretum:...
and Zaton
Zaton (Dubrovnik-Neretva county)
Zaton is a village in southern Croatia, located on the coast of the eponymous bay, 8 km northwest of Dubrovnik, next to the village of Orašac...
. It is located in the Dubrovačko Primorje
Dubrovacko Primorje
Dubrovačko Primorje is municipality situated northwest of the city Dubrovnik in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in southern Croatia...
(Dubrovnik littoral).
This village was founded around AD 1040. In the centre of the town the houses are built close to each other. This once was a means of protection from the Neretva pirates.
There are many old churches (such as the St Nicholas church build in 1250) and chapels, including the Arapovo castle, where the chief magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
of Florence, the gonfalonier Piero Soderini
Piero Soderini
Piero di Tommaso Soderini also known as Pier Soderini, was an Italian statesman of the Republic of Florence.-Biography:...
is believed to have stayed, before he left for Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in 1512.
Six villages are scattered in the surrounding area. The main road in Orašac leads inland to villages of Gromača, Kliševo, Ljubač
Ljubac
Ljubač is a small Croatian village located north of Zadar. It is part of the municipality of Ražanac and the population is 455.Ljubač is located 15 kilometres north of Zadar, with a view of Velebit and Pag....
and others located in the hills. Gromača is known for its cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
and traditional ecological tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Ljubač is located in a valley between three hills which forms an astonishing natural amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
. In these villages there are farmers who produce homemade goat cheese and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. The roads of these villages lead for 25 km through the inland until you end up in Slano
Slano
Slano is a village in southern Croatia and a small harbour in the bay of the same name. It is located 27 km northwest of Dubrovnik. Farming, olive-growing, viniculture, fruit-growing, tobacco, herbs , fishing and tourism are the villages chief occupations. Slano lies on the main road...
.
During the homeland war (1991–1995) the large hotel complex Dubrovački vrtovi sunca was destroyed and was recently reopened.