Sveti Andrija (Dubrovnik)
Encyclopedia
Sveti Andrija is an island
in the Croatia
n part of the Adriatic Sea
. It is part of Elaphiti Islands
archipelago, Dalmatia and is situated 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) from Dubrovnik
, 3 nautical miles (6 km) from Koločep
, 2 nautical miles (4 km) from Lopud
and 4 nautical miles (7 km) from Šipan
. Sveti Andrija is 475 meters long, and its maximal width is 1300 m, length of shore is 1130 m. Total area of the island is 53,757 sq m, and height is 57 m.
Island shores are rocky and inhospitable. The western part of the island is covered with pine forest and various Mediterranean growth. Vegetation on the rest of the island is low lying, mainly bushes. Due to numerous amount of bird
s, the island was declared an ornithological reserve.
The patrician family Crijević from Dubrovnik built Benedictine
monastery
on the island in the 15th century. The monastery was remote and isolated and during time it was used for various purposes. For some time, it was used as quarantine for inhabitants of island of Lopud
. The monastery was destroyed during an earthquake in 1667. During 1872 and 1873 a lighthouse
was built on the island, financed by the Austro-Hungarian government. A one-story building was built, with a tower in the middle. The building has area of 210 sq m, and a light is fitted at the top of the tower, 69 meters above sea level. Light is visible from a distance of 24 Nm, and it is one of strongest lights in Adriatic sea
.
Čavčić, a famous poet from Dubrovnik
lived on the island as a monk. About this time on the island he wrote in his poem "Remeta".
Ludovik Crijević Tuberon
, a historian from Dubrovnik lived there at the end of 15th century.
. At the end of the summer days Sveti Andrija was not clearly visible from Lopud any more. To solve this situation of declining visibility, Ivan had the duty to light a lantern
on the rock and wait for Mare, while she swam towards the signal.
Niko and her brothers found out and together they decided to get revenge. One evening Mare was swimming towards Sv. Andrija and Niko and her brothers were following her. When night came they lit a lantern in their boat and started rowing towards open sea. Mare was following the light further and further away. Ivan was waiting that night and then the next night and then the next. The third night the sea threw her body on the rocks. After that Ivan remained all his life in the monastery
.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Croatia
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 ...
n part of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. It is part of Elaphiti Islands
Elaphiti Islands
The Elaphiti Islands or the Elaphites is a small archipelago consisting of several islands stretching northwest of Dubrovnik, in the Adriatic sea. The Elaphites have a total land area of around 30 square kilometers and a population of 850 inhabitants...
archipelago, Dalmatia and is situated 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) from 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...
, 3 nautical miles (6 km) from Koločep
Kolocep
The island of Koločep is one of the three inhabited Elaphiti Islands situated near the city of Dubrovnik. Koločep is the southernmost inhabited island in Croatia and is locally known as Kalamota.-Location and access:...
, 2 nautical miles (4 km) from Lopud
Lopud
Lopud is a small island off the coast of Dalmatia, southern Croatia. Lopud is one of the Elaphiti Islands, and can be reached by boat from Dubrovnik, Orasac and Zaton. The island is famous for its sandy beaches, in particular the bay of Šunj....
and 4 nautical miles (7 km) from Šipan
Šipan
Šipan also Sipano is the largest of the Elaphiti Islands, 17 km northwest of Dubrovnik, Croatia; separated from the mainland coast by the Kolocepski Channel; area 16.22 km²; population 500 . It is the largest island in this group and its highest point is 243 m...
. Sveti Andrija is 475 meters long, and its maximal width is 1300 m, length of shore is 1130 m. Total area of the island is 53,757 sq m, and height is 57 m.
Island shores are rocky and inhospitable. The western part of the island is covered with pine forest and various Mediterranean growth. Vegetation on the rest of the island is low lying, mainly bushes. Due to numerous amount of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, the island was declared an ornithological reserve.
The patrician family Crijević from Dubrovnik built Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
on the island in the 15th century. The monastery was remote and isolated and during time it was used for various purposes. For some time, it was used as quarantine for inhabitants of island of Lopud
Lopud
Lopud is a small island off the coast of Dalmatia, southern Croatia. Lopud is one of the Elaphiti Islands, and can be reached by boat from Dubrovnik, Orasac and Zaton. The island is famous for its sandy beaches, in particular the bay of Šunj....
. The monastery was destroyed during an earthquake in 1667. During 1872 and 1873 a lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
was built on the island, financed by the Austro-Hungarian government. A one-story building was built, with a tower in the middle. The building has area of 210 sq m, and a light is fitted at the top of the tower, 69 meters above sea level. Light is visible from a distance of 24 Nm, and it is one of strongest lights in Adriatic sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
.
Famous people on Sveti Andrija
In the 16th century, Mavro VetranovićMavro Vetranovic
Mavro Vetranović was a prolific Croatian writer and Benedictine friar from Dubrovnik.Born in Dubrovnik in 1482, he entered the Benedictine Order in 1507 on the island of Mljet, and after a period of education in Monte Cassino in Italy returned to Mljet as the abbot of the monastery...
Čavčić, a famous poet from 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...
lived on the island as a monk. About this time on the island he wrote in his poem "Remeta".
Ludovik Crijević Tuberon
Ludovik Crijevic Tuberon
Ludovik Crijević Tuberon was a Latinist from the Republic of Ragusa, who especially excelled with his work in historiography....
, a historian from Dubrovnik lived there at the end of 15th century.
Legend connected with Sveti Andrija
A young girl Mare lived with three brothers on island of Lopud. Her friend Cvijeta had a brother Niko who was very interested in Mare. The brothers were fishing one night and from the stormy sea they rescued a shipwreck victim, the young patrician "Ivan". He was from an influential noble family from Dubrovnik. He was sick and Mare nursed him. They fell in love, but their love was forbidden because they came from different classes. Ivan tried his best to obtain permission from his father but without any success. Disappointed, he quit ordinarry life and become a monk on the island of Sveti Andrija. Mare learned about that and went to island to see her beloved. She repeated her visits more and more often, sometimes swimming from LopudLopud
Lopud is a small island off the coast of Dalmatia, southern Croatia. Lopud is one of the Elaphiti Islands, and can be reached by boat from Dubrovnik, Orasac and Zaton. The island is famous for its sandy beaches, in particular the bay of Šunj....
. At the end of the summer days Sveti Andrija was not clearly visible from Lopud any more. To solve this situation of declining visibility, Ivan had the duty to light a lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
on the rock and wait for Mare, while she swam towards the signal.
Niko and her brothers found out and together they decided to get revenge. One evening Mare was swimming towards Sv. Andrija and Niko and her brothers were following her. When night came they lit a lantern in their boat and started rowing towards open sea. Mare was following the light further and further away. Ivan was waiting that night and then the next night and then the next. The third night the sea threw her body on the rocks. After that Ivan remained all his life in the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
.