Crkva svetog Ante

Crkva svetog Ante (the Church of St. Anthony) is a Baroque church in Sućuraj, the village at the far eastern tip of the island of Hvar in Croatia. Built in 1663, it is regularly named among the village's most notable monuments. It is a protected cultural property, listed in the Croatian register as Z-4996.

Where is the Church of St. Anthony in Sućuraj?

The church stands in the part of the village known as Donja Banda. Sućuraj sits on a headland from which the mainland is visible in clear weather, and the ferry from Drvenik docks at its port. Everything in the village is close together, so the church fits easily into a stroll past the harbour and the nearby beaches.

What is the history of the church?

The present building rose on the spot where two earlier chapels once stood: one dedicated to the Holy Cross, the other to Our Lady of the Rosary. According to a tourism description, Sućuraj was settled in the 16th and 17th centuries by refugees from the mainland fleeing Ottoman raids, led by Franciscans. That community built the Baroque church, and a monastery was added alongside it. The monastery is now a private home.

Above the main portal there is a carved inscription with the year of construction. Beside it you can spot a small rosette that may come from an even earlier church of the 15th to 16th century, hinting that this was a place of worship long before 1663.

What does the architecture look like?

It is a simple single-nave church with a broken barrel vault and an apse that is square in plan. The roof is covered with stone slabs, typical of Dalmatian building tradition. The standout feature is the three-part Baroque bell gable, dated to around 1700. The whole is modest, but it blends naturally into an island village built of local stone.

Why visit?

• An authentic example of modest 17th-century Dalmatian Baroque.
• Sućuraj's settlement story in one place: refugees, Franciscans, a monastery.
• Details to look for: the portal inscription, the rosette, the stone roof slabs and the bell gable.
• A short visit, ideal for a stop before or after the ferry or a walk around the village.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Church of St. Anthony in Sućuraj built? In 1663, on the site of two earlier chapels.

Is it a protected monument? Yes. It is listed in Croatia's cultural property register as Z-4996.

What architectural style is it? Baroque. It has a single nave, a broken barrel vault and a square apse, and its bell gable dates from about 1700.

Can you go inside? Opening hours and Mass times were not confirmed in the sources available, so ask at the local tourist office or parish before you go.

What else is nearby? Sućuraj has other sacred monuments, a harbour, and a cape with a lighthouse nearby, plus many quiet beaches. It is worth giving the area a few hours rather than just passing through.

The Church of St. Anthony is not one of Croatia's headline attractions, but for anyone interested in the history of Central Dalmatia's islands it is a worthwhile, peaceful stop at the end of Hvar. It helps explain how migration and religious life shaped this stretch of coast during the Ottoman threat.