Sutivan, Brac island
Sutivan is a small island-municipality located on the northwest seaside of Brac in front of Split. It is only 13 km far away from Split and has an uninterrupted connection with it since its founding. While the Roman emperor Diocletian built his palace in Split, one of his dignitaries built his own under the today court Kavanjinovi dvori. We can speak about a 1700-anniversary of life in the village which is called nowadays Sutivan - it was probably named after St. John the Baptist (sv. Ivan Krstitelj).Today Sutivan is a small and silent village with a Mediterranean atmosphere and beautiful beaches with surrounding forests, while the promenade goes from the little harbour Lucica to the bay Likve, Prbuje, Stinive, Stipanske, Male Tihe and the harbour Vicja luka. There are the most clear bathing places, where every guest can find only peace, physical and psychical health and care freeness. Sutivan has about 1000 inhabitants.
The inhabitants of Sutivan are historically connected to agriculture, fishing and seamanship. The agriculture is quite developed. A reason for that are the fertile fields and the diligent hands of the domestic population. Sutivan is surrounded with arranged olive-plantations, vineyards and mandarin- fields to which you come by regular roads. The pedestrian and bicycle-paths are ideal for sport and recreation. In the little harbour there is less and less fishing, and there are more and more sport- boats. Once there swayed the masts of big sailing-ships which sailed to Venice and over Otranto.
You should definitely visit the house-fortress of Jakov Natalis-Bozicevic, built in 1505 at the bottom of the bay from the early age. The castle Kastil Marijanovic from the 17th century is preserved in the eastern part of the harbour. Very near in the same complex is the beautiful and harmonious summer cottage of Kavanjin built from 1690 to 1705 with a baroque garden.
There are a few well preserved economical objects around the summer cottage. It is significant to mention the complex of houses of the families Ilic-Definis, Ivanovic, Luksic and the Townhall. The cultural monuments in Sutivan are grouped around two churches - the old and the new one. On the cape Sutivanska Punta in the 6th century there was the old Croatian church of St. Ivan, the oldest in this part of the island. The second complex of monuments is the parish church of Ascension, built in 1579 in the time of the late renaissance forms with a beautiful baroque bell- tower with open loggia and a final arch untypical for the campaniles on Brac. The church of St. Roko was built in 1635, and later reconstructed.
Sutivan develops into a tourist destination adequate for family, sports and recreation tourism. More than 2000 excellent beds in private houses and villas, and about 10 gastronomic objects are ready to receive everybody who. The guests can rest in Sutivan during the whole year because of the good climate and the diversity of offer. The world famous Festival of extreme sports "Vanka regule" takes place every year in May in Sutivan with competitions in football and bowling.
There is also the Club for increasing of sports in the nature Saxum active. A special attraction is the Park of nature Sutivan, an extraordinary site for excursions, adequate for rest and fun for both the old and the young ones. You can visit a zoo, grounds for recreation (bowling, basketball, small football, beach- volleyball, swing, sand for the children etc.) and relaxation by the fountain with a excellent offer of drinks and dishes from the grill.
