Sights to see, places to visit (Ston, Croatia) / Znamenitosti za vidjeti, mjesta za posjetiti ( Ston, Hrvatska)

Hello and welcome to another feature of 'Sights to see, Places to Visit'. It's been a while since my last one. Anyway, today I'm taking you to Ston, a small but fascinating city in vicinity of Dubrovnik. Ston is both a city and the name of a municipality that consists of a number of small villages, including Mali Ston ( meaning Little Ston) that is located in immediate vicinity. One could even say that it is connected with this city. 

Ston is mainly known for its famous Walls, also known as the European Wall of China. Originally more than 7 km long, the Walls of Ston surround the Ston city and were (as you might guess) build to protect the city. Why the city needed so much protection, you might ask? Two words: Salt works. 

 That brings us to is second attraction which are the still operating salt works. Ston has the oldest salt works ( saltern) in Mediterranean (possibly even in the whole Europe).  At the time the city walls were build, Ston belonged to the Republic of Dubrovnik, but foreigners often attacked the city trying to steal its salt, which at times, was measured by its weight in gold. So, in efforts to defend its salt works the Republic of Dubrovnik build a whole network of defense- but we'll leave that talk for some other time.

Ston city was modeled on Dubrovnik city.  Not surprising, since this city was build, maintained and protected by the Republic of Dubrovnik.  Today the Walls are 5.5 km long and in a shape of pentagon. Within the Walls, there are fifteen blocks, each consisting of ten houses. Two most notable buildings to see are the Bishop's Palace and The Republic Chancellery. 

The church you see behind me (on the first photograph and many others to come) was badly damaged in the earthquake in the nineties. The church is dedicated to Saint Blaise, who is also a patron saint of Dubrovnik. This is actually the third church build at this exact place. The first two churches were destroyed in an earthquake. We shall hope the third time the charm.



If you really want to dive into Ston history,  you need to learn about the history of Republic of Dubrovnik. You see, their histories are intervowen. Ston used to belong to the Republic of Dubrovnik. It is a place of unique beauty. Naturally, it attracts many visitors. However, it is still not too crowded. 





3 AMAZING HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT STON CITY

1. STON HAS THE LONGEST FORTIFIED WALLS IN EUROPE (AND THE SECOND LONGEST WALLS IN EUROPE BY LENGTH CRITERIA )

The Walls of Ston are second only to Hadrian's wall in England in length, earning them the second longest wall in Europe title. However, they are actually the first when it comes to fortified walls category. Ston boosts with the longest fortified walls in Europe!

2. STON HAS THE OLDEST SALTWORKS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA 

Besides the impressive fortified historical walls, Ston also has the oldest saltworks in the Mediterranean.  The salt is still harvested the same way in Ston saltworks!

3. STON IS THE SECOND FULLY PLANNED CITY IN EUROPE

 Ston was modeled on Dubrovnik and built according to the plans approved by the Dubrovnik government in 1335 and amended in 1370. Ston city city was build, maintained and protected by the Republic of Dubrovnik.  


It is considered one of the best planned and best-structured cities in Europe. You could say it is a miniature of Dubrovnik, protected by Walls.  Within the Walls, there are fifteen blocks, each consisting of ten houses. Two most notable buildings to see are the Bishop's Palace and The Republic Chancellery. 


















WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN STON TOWN? MY RECOMMENDATIONS!

- ENJOY STROLLING AROUND AND SEEING 'MINIATURE DUBROVNIK'

- VISIT THE 4000 THOUSAND YEAR OLD SALT PANS

- BUY ORGANIC SALT AND SALT SOUVENIRS

- ENJOY THE AMAZING RESTAURANTS BEST KNOWN FOR SEAFOOD 

- VISIT MUSEUMS, HISTORICAL BUILDINGS AND CHURCHES

- WALK THE FAMOUS WALLS OF STON

- PET THE VERY FRIENDLY CATS 

- AND FINALLY TAKE MANY PHOTOS!



















THE HISTORY OF THE WALLS OF STON

CITED FROM WIKIPEDIA

The Walls of Ston (Croatian: Stonske zidine) are a series of defensive stone walls, originally more than 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long, that surrounded and protected the city of Ston, in Dalmatia, part of the Republic of Ragusa, in what is now southern Croatia.[1] Their construction was begun in 1358.[2] On the Field Gate of the Walls (Poljska vrata) there is a Latin inscription which dates from 1506. Today, it is one of the longest preserved fortification systems in the world.[3]

The Walls of Ston were known as the "European Great Wall of China".[4]


The wall, today 5.5 kilometres long, links Ston to Mali Ston, and is in the shape of an irregular pentangle. It was completed in the 15th century, along with its 40 towers (20 of which have survived) and 5 fortresses. Within, three streets were laid from north to south and three others from east to west. Thus, fifteen equal blocks were formed with 10 houses in each. Residential buildings around the edges. The Gothic Republic Chancellery and the Bishop's Palace are outstanding among the public buildings.

The main streets are 6 m wide (except the southern street which is 8 m wide) and the side streets are two m wide. The town was entered by two city gates: the Field Gate (Poljska vrata) has a Latin inscription and dates from 1506. The centres of the system are the fortress Veliki kaštio in Ston, Koruna in Mali Ston and the fortress on Podzvizd hill (224 m). Noted artist who work on the walls project are MichelozzoBernardino Gatti of Parma and Giorgio da Sebenico (Juraj Dalmatinac).[6]

The city plan of Dubrovnik was used as a model for Ston, but since Ston was built on prepared terrain, that model was more closely followed than Dubrovnik itself.

Ian Plummer (USA) currently holds the world record for fastest run over the wall connecting Ston to Mali Ston. The record was set on June 15, 2019. While the female record was set by Cora Taylor (UK) on July 8th, 2019.

MORE LINKS






Believe it or not, this was actually my first visit to Ston city. I always wanted to go, but only recently I finally got the opportunity. We went there on the 1st of May. A friends of ours decided to go there on a whim. When called us asked us whether we would like to join them,we got ready in a half an hour and headed there. It was a lovely sunny day. Exactly as one imagines the first of May ought to be. I wore a casual outfit because we planned to do a lot of walking. I have had this ruffled shirt for ages, but I never seem to get tired of it. So, I paired it with this silver skirt and biker boots. I think it was a pretty good outfit for an active day. I felt dressed up, but not overdresses. Anyway, we didn't end up visiting the famous Walls, but we  enjoyed a fabulous lunch and went for a stroll in Little Ston (more about that in my next post). There were so many tourists everywhere! I guess that everyone knows about this place.

















Another thing Ston is famous for is its cuisine, most notably sea food. There are a dozen of seafood restaurants in Ston city. The one we ate in was marvelous, the dishes were delicious and the service was very friendly. If you visit this city and decide to dine there, you must try sea food. I couldn't  fully enjoy it for health reasons, I only had a little bite to taste it...and it was delicious. I admire my strength of will...It took a lot of will strength not to eat it all. I actually ordered a tuna salad and it was yummy but still I envied my husband who ate about a kilo of seafood. 











Finally, the salt works. I do recommend visiting them. They are not only beautiful but educational. Salt in Ston is of exceptional quality. My husband always says it is the best in world. I can attest to that, but it is probably the best salt one can find in Croatia. Thank you for reading!







The area of Ston thanks to its geographical position, fertile fields, abundance of water and salinity, natural resources as well as a short peninsula which connects Pelješac with the main land, became a very important residence area for people. Solana dates back to the Roman times, two thousand years B.C. In ancient times the area was inhabited by the Ilyrians and Greeks and from 167 B.C. the Roman rule begins and this is the first time that exploitation and salt collecting is mentioned in are Ston area.The Ston salt pans are the oldest in Europe and the largest preserved ones in the history of the Mediterranean. Way back in 877. The Ston diocese is mentioned, so it is assumed that this is the oldest diocese on Croatian ethnic space. The Romans leave behind them the distribution of the Ston fields and the name of this area Stagnum – Stamnum which means stagnant or still water. This indeed is an indication that already in those times there was salinity and that the name came from the natural characteristics of the area – the salt pans.














































DON'T FORGET TO READ ABOUT MY VISITS TO 












Comments

  1. Prelepe fotografije, a ti divna kao i uvek! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  2. Excellent post (as always)!Thank you very much :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bila sam u Stonu jednom davno, trebalo bi opet :)
    Jako lijepo izgledaš :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ja bi ovdje rado došla na ljetovanje, baš mi se svidjelo mjesto.

      Delete
  4. Love the photos. Ston has a very interesting architecture style!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh I like your ruffle printed shirt! :)

    This seems like such the perfect day for sightseeing too! I've never been to a salt works before but it sounds like you had a lot of fun there :)

    Hope you have had a wonderful weekend! :)

    Away From The Blue Blog

    ReplyDelete
  6. looks lovely, i'd like to visit too!


    http://donnaoctober.blogspot.mk/
    https://www.instagram.com/donnaoctober/

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is one of my favorite features! It's always fun when you show us around Split. How interesting that Ston is both a city and municipality at once and how it's made up of a number of small villages. It certainly looks quite charming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Rowena. It is a charming place indeed. I wish I could vacation here.

      Delete
  8. Dearest Ivana,
    Very chic, your outfit - it's good that you will not get tired of wearing this blouse, it looks pretty and is great to combine. Ston seem to be a "stonning" (stunning ;-)) place. Very beautiful photos! I have never heard of a more than 7 km long wall in Europe. Very interesting!
    Oh, and I love to eat mussels!
    Hugs to you,
    Traude
    http://rostrose.blogspot.co.at/2017/05/retour-von-der-kur-2017-teil-1.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you Rostrose. Ston is a lovely place indeed.
      Mussels are great...and here they're especially tasty because they are so fresh.

      Delete
  9. Lovely post my dear! I'm always in love how you weave history in the places that you'd like us to see. I definitely hope that someday, I could visit all the places that you have posted on your blog. Have a lovely week my dearest! :)

    love lots,
    Tin

    mypoeticisolation.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks sweetie, I hope you'll get the chance to visit this place.

      Delete
  10. Lovely photos! It looks like a really nice place to visit and I love your outfit! :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. You look gorgeous sweetie!!! :)
    Lovely place, thanks for sharing!

    www.luciagallegoblog.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Que maximo amei lindo lugar,
    tenha uma semana abençoada, obrigado pela visita.
    Blog: https://arrasandonobatomvermelho.blogspot.com.br/
    Canal:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmO8csZDARM

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nice place!!!!!! You are so pretty!!
    xoxo
    https://www.donkeycool.es/

    ReplyDelete
  14. I really enjoy this post, Ivana! I love how you described the city and the history behind it. I had no idea about the salt from Ston, are they sold worldwide, imported I mean.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tourists can buy it at spot, but I don't think it's being exported yet.

      Delete
  15. Oggi mi faccio conoscere un sacco di cose belle della Croazia è un posto fantastico e ci sono già stata ottimo anche il cibo bella tu un bacio

    ReplyDelete
  16. Was that a giant pineapple in one of the photos? Or am I mistaken? Love your flirty shirt btw. Happy new week, Ivana.
    hugs
    Lenya
    New update: Hallway Makeover WIP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I think that was actually a palm tree with its leaves cut.It looks strange without it leaves, right? This Winter has been a lot harsher than usual, so basically most of palm trees have either died or their leaves have dried out completely.

      Delete
  17. Missed you and your blog! Sorry, I'm not around much, I'm pretty tired lately. Happy belated 🎈

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for the tour on Ston. Dubrovnik is on my travels wishlist ;) The sea food looks so yumm! Love your blouse dear! xx
    Coco and Jeans by Marisa x My Instagram x My Bloglovin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dubrovnik is gorgeous, I hope you'll get the chance to visit it.

      Delete
  19. I really want to visit Croatia one day. There is so much to explore in this beautiful country :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you Lubka. There is much to explore here indeed.

      Delete
  20. Ohmygoodness this place looks amazing! These photos are so beautiful, I'm super jealous that you got to go here. And I think a massive plus is the lack of tourists, man you had it all!

    Amy;
    Little Moon Elephant

    ReplyDelete
  21. Uživala sam u ovoj objavi i svašta naučila :) Znaš već koliko volim putovanja, istoriju i slično. Nadam se da će crkva opstati. Koliko god priroda znala da bude nemilosrdna, ljudska volja je tvrdoglava ;) Jako lepo deluje kako okruženje, tako i njena untrašnjost. Nisam znala da je solana toliko stara. Uvek me fascinira kada pomislim da je so imala takvu vrednost, a danas je na većoj meti i od šećera. Sve je relativno...
    Ti si divno ispala na slikama. Bluzica je preslatka i baš za proleće :) Moja omiljena slika je ona na kojoj su ti raširene ruke. Prosto se oseća tvoja pozitivna energija :) <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sve ima neko svoje zašto, prednosti i nedostatke, da nije ovdje zemlja močvarna, onda ne bi bilo ni solane.

      Mislim da je danas veliki problem što je sol u svoj hrani, pogotovo gotovoj hrani, tako da zapravo solimo slano...no unatoč tome što to znam, moram priznati da ja solim svako jelo. Sol mi nekako najbolje pomogne za niski tlak.

      Delete
  22. Very nice pics! Have a lovely Day! ������

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ciao Ivana,
    grazie per averci portato in questa località della Croazia.
    Bellissima tu e che splendida camicetta.
    Un bacione
    Maggie Dallospedale
    Indiansavage.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Third time is certainly the charm, what a sweet little church! I can imagine how beautifully cold it must be in there on a boiling hot summer's day :) I love this pretty blouse on you Ivana, you certainly seem to enjoy the warmer weather!!

    aglassofice.com
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, it is very fresh inside of it. That's why I always loved Dalmatian's stone houses. The stone walls really protect against the heat.

      Delete
  25. I'd love to visit Croatia! There are such many places I want to see))
    Ivana you look so beautiful. Lovwly outfit.

    ReplyDelete
  26. You visit such cool places Ivana. Keep sharing because I'm travelling with you through these posts. Ha! You look wonderful! Great blouse!

    http://missymayification.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  27. Great place! Lovely photos!

    kisses:)

    xBasia

    ReplyDelete
  28. Really interesting post) Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  29. These photographs are absolutely gorgeous hun! Thanks so much for sharing! <3

    XO Jessi,
    http://www.mywhitet.com/cannes-recap-pt-1/

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sono stata molte volte in Croazia ma a Ston non sono mai stata e invece sembra davvero un bel paese!!! Sarà per la prossima vacanza da quelle parti. Un bacio e grazie per la tua visita,
    Eni

    Eniwhere Fashion
    How to wear a lingerie dress

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks my dear, I miss you. Wonderful look and pics

    ReplyDelete
  32. It reminds me when I went to Croatia, you that know I loved it :)
    Your outfit is pretty and The mussels look delicious!
    Have a lovely evening
    Nuria x
    www.travelera.es

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you Nuria:) The mussels were very delicious:)

      Delete
  33. Oh very interesting place darling~
    xx

    www.sakuranko.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thanks a lot :D

    this place look amazing dear. Seems to be so relaxed :D Nice pics and great outfit as usual <3

    NEW REVIEW POST | Make Me Bio: For an Amazing Skin Care
    InstagramFacebook Official PageMiguel Gouveia / Blog Pieces Of Me :D

    ReplyDelete
  35. My friend is visiting Croatia now. Wish I could join her too. Love the sights, dear! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  36. A lot of wonderful photos my dear! I must visit Croatia one day-this is such a beautiful and interesting country :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you, I hope you'll enjoy your visit when you do.

      Delete
  37. Dear Ivana, hopefully you feel already better ... and with your health is everything as good as possible. Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful post! Ston is obviously a wonderful city and I'm surprised you visited this town for the first time!

    And you look elegant and beautiful in your outfit of today. This length of the skirt suits you very well.

    xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
    www.dressedwithsoul.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. health is so-so, but that's always the case when Spring arrives. Thank you!

      Delete
  38. Amazing place from the look of it :) The light - the sunlight - it's soooo different to Poland - I can almost feel the brightness of it. Great information - the salt work is unbelievable !!!! And you - a beputiful lady in the middle of it - GREAT :):) Cheers :))))))))))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Margot...yes, it was very sunny that day:) our kind of sun:).

      Delete
  39. Oh that looks such a yummy dinner (I'm a foodie!). Glad you enjoyed your first trip to this wonderful place. Sometimes the best stuff happens on a whim!

    I wonder what makes that salt the best? What I mean is, I am not sure I have much preferences for salt and couldn't probably say which one is best or not best. I always buy sea salt, usually the same brand. But last time, I bought salt from a Korean store, it was much cheaper and significantly different from what I am used to. Salt in America is usually very dry, almost like sand, but this one was almost damp and not as salty as I am used to. Does it make it not a good salt then? I am sincerely curious about it. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. indeed...unplanned trips are often the best.

      I think that Ston's salt is considered so good because it is made in the most traditional way possible with no additives.

      Delete
  40. i´ve said this already in the past: i LOVE your "Sights to see, places to visit" postings. it´s cool to present your region on your blog on this way. this is really a great landscape.

    could it be, that you fell in love with these tights? i saw they really often in the last posts of you. it´s a nice piece - like it...!

    bye.

    Jennifer
    http://jennifer-femininundmodisch.blogspot.de/2017/05/unterwegs-suns-out-legs-out.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a few pairs of these grey tights, they're great...but I forgot the name of the brand.

      Delete
  41. Hvala ti sto si nas prosetala ovim prekrasnim mestima. Uzivala sam u svakoj fotografiji :-)

    ReplyDelete

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