Wyspa Brač
Situated on the north coast of Brac Island, Pucisca on Brac shelters in the lee of a deep bay. The harbour village got
its name from the Latin puteus (well) and marked the place where salt and brackish water mingle. During the Middle Ages it
was no ordinary harbour, but was known as the Harbour of Towers. Faced with continuous threats from the sea, the Brač builders
constructed 13 defence forts with towers, which became the stone symbol of Pucisca on Brac. Throughout its history, stone
has been the most important source of revenue. If Brač stone represents the spirit of the island, then Pucisca on Brac is
its throne, for here “not everything is written on paper, but most is carved in stone”. Famous stonemasons like
Juraj Dalmatinac, Andrija Aleši and Nikola Firentinac worked in Pučišća, and many prominent buildings in Croatia
were built from Brač stone, as was The White House in Washington. Today, the continuation of the masons’ tradition is
guaranteed by the superbly organised Stonemasons’ College.
The skill of local masons is evident in the appearance
of Pučišća’s houses and churches, which gleam like stone pearls. There are few places on Brac Island which can
boast such a wealth of ecclesiastical architecture. The original parish church is a Renaissance building dedicated to the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with a bell-tower and cemetery on Botak, and the largest ecclesiastical structure is
the present parish church of St. Jerolim (Jerome). In the cemetery is the former Benedictine church of St. Stjepan (Stephen)
and just outside the village is the Romanesque-Gothic church of Sv. Juraj (George), symbolising protection for the village.
In the area known as Dubrova there are two small churches, dedicated to St. Lucija (Lucy) and St. Dujam (Domnius). They are
unique examples of Baroque rural architecture in Dalmatia.
In addition to stone, Pucisca on Brac today thrives
on cattle-farming, agriculture, fishing and tourism and has many vineyards and olive groves. It is never crowded. It is a
place where the sun shines and the wind blows on the rocks and sea, an ideal place for a holiday and in which to enjoy nature,
good food and lovely beaches. You can anchor safely in the long bay and the many beaches by the crystal sea offer a range
of water sports such as wind-surfing, paragliding, water-skiing, diving and other activities, such as cycling.
Pucisca
on Brac has a varied cultural life, with many cultural events, the most important of which is the Pučišća Summer of
Culture, consisting of classical, pop and jazz concerts, klapa performances, exhibitions, guest theatre productions, lectures,
book launches, literary evenings and various sports events. For the past decade the International Summer School of Music has
taken place during July and August in Pucisca on Brac, along with the Brač Summer Music Festival. The first public reading-room
on the island was opened in Pucisca on Brac in 1868.
