Hvar Cathedral

Welcome to the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, the architectural and spiritual centerpiece of Hvar Town. Standing at the eastern end of the Pjaca, the largest public square in Dalmatia, this cathedral is not merely a religious…

To understand the cathedral, we must first appreciate the stage upon which it stands: the Pjaca, or St. Stephen’s Square. …

Facing the cathedral, we are struck by its distinctive trefoil gable, a hallmark of the Dalmatian Renaissance. This three-lobed design gives the building a sense of upward movement and elegance, distinguishing it from the more…

Rising gracefully from the northern side of the cathedral is the bell tower, a masterpiece of 16th-century engineering. Built by the local masters Marko and Nikola Karlić, the tower features four levels of increasingly ornate…

Stepping inside the cathedral, the atmosphere shifts from the bright, heat-saturated square to a cool, dim interior filled with the scent of incense and old stone. The cathedral is organized as a three-aisled basilica, and while…

Hidden within the cathedral complex is the Bishop's Treasury, a small but significant museum housing some of Hvar's most precious religious and historical artifacts. The collection includes exquisite examples of silver and gold…

At the far end of the nave lies the sanctuary, dominated by the high altar. This area is the most sacred part of the cathedral, where the Bishop of Hvar presides over the most important religious ceremonies of the year. …

As we exit the Cathedral of Saint Stephen and return to the vibrant energy of the Pjaca, take a final moment to look back at this remarkable building. It is more than just a house of worship; it is a survivor of fire and war, a…