THE ISLAND OF MLJET
MLJET, island in the south-Dalmatian group (total area 97.9 sq. km, length 38
km, width 3-4 km) separated from the Peljesac Peninsula by the Mljet Channel (Mljetski
kanal) about 4.5 Nm wide. The north-western part of the island ("Dan Mljeta"),
the northern coast and its south-eastern part ("Vrh Mljeta") are well indented,
offering several coves and ports suitable as shelters for ships. The southern
shore is rather steep. The relief of the island is marked by series of limestone
ridges and Karst valleys called "polye" (Poladno polje, Ivanovo polje, Blatsko
polje, Kneze polje). South of the highest ridge (Velki Grad, 514 m) extends the
large Babino polje. At the farthest north-western end of the island the
submerged valley of the lake Mljetsko jezero which consists of a smaller (Malo
jezero) and a larger (Veliko Jezero) lake. Malo Jezero (total area 24 hectares,
maximum depth 29.5 m) is connected with Veliko Jezero by a 30-metre long
channel. Veliko Jezero (greatest depth 46 m, total area 145 hectares) is linked
with the open sea by the shallow Soline channel. The stone bridge which formerly
spanned the channel was removed in 1960, and the depth of the channel was
increased to 2.5 m and its width to 10 m in order to make the lakes accessible
for bigger craft. The swift sea current which flows through the channel changes
its direction with the ebb and flow of the tide. In the Middle Ages the changing
flow of the current was used for powering LASTOVO, Western part of the village
mills. In the interior of the island there are four other submerged Karst
valleys which the inhabitants call blatine or slatine and which offer good eel
fishing. Due to its hot summers and mild winters Mljet has a luxuriant
Mediterranean vegetation. 72 per cent of the island's total area is wooded; the
most beautiful pine-woods can be found on the north-western side of the island.
In the interior there are Aleppo pines and near Saplunara stone pines.
Ichneumons which have been brought to the island in 1909, exterminated numerous
poisonous snakes. The main settlements (Babino Polje, Prozura, Maranovici,
Korita, Blato, Ropa, Govedari) are situated in the interior, along cultivated
fields; their landing places are the nearest coves on the north coast. Due to
the movement of the inhabitants down to the coast in recent times and the
development of coastal settlements (Sobra, Polace, Kozarica, Poma) fishing is
becoming an increasingly important industry in addition to the traditional
occupations such as the growing of olives, grapes for wine, and medical herbs.
Among the specimen offish, turbots, soles, haddocks and among mussels several
kinds of oysters can be found, as well as lobsters. Its superb natural beauties
(the National Park with the lakes covers a total area of 3,0 10 hectares), its
rich flora and fauna, numerous bathing beaches (sandy beach near Saplunara),
good fishing grounds (especially at the extreme tips of the island), lobster
catching (along the south coast) and important historical and cultural monuments
make Mljet a highly attractive resort for tourists and summer visitors and a
favourite excursion spot of holiday-makers during the tourist season especially,
for those coming from Dubrovnik. A road along the whole length of the island (41
km) has been constructed in recent years, with an asphalt covered stretch
running from Polace to Veliko Jezero and round the lake. The island is supplied
with electricity from the mainland by underwater cable, and the first tourist
facilities (hotel on the lake) have recently been organized. Camp site "Vrbovica"
at Babine Kuce by the lakeside. Traces of settlements and graves from Illyrian
times have been discovered near Babine Kuce by, Veliko Jezero, and remains of
Illyrian stonework can be seen on Mali Gradac hill in the vicinity. In Roman
times the island was recorded as Melita. Its inhabitants, who continually
attacked Roman shipping, were subjugated by the Emperor Augustus, and the island
became an imperial possession. Archaeological discoveries from Roman times have
been made all over the island, from Poma (villa rustica) in the north-west to
Zara and Pinjevci in the southeast. From the Early Middle Ages date the ruins of
a palace and an Early Christian basilica at Polace. About 536-37 the island
became part of the Eastern Roman Empire. Later on it came under the control of
Slavs from the Neretva valley and then of the of the rulers of Zahumlje.
From this period date the pre-Romanesque chapels of St. Andrew (Sveti Andrija)
and St, Michael (Sveti Mihovil, with intricately decorations, reconstructed in
the Gothic period) in the area of Babino Polje. In 1151, Desa, a ruler of
Zahumlje presented the whole island to Benedictine monks (from Pulsano abbey on
Monte Gargano in Apulia) who erected their abbey and church on the islet in
Veliko Jezero, initiating the period of Romanesque architecture in the island
(the 13th-century churches of St. Pancras (Sveti Pankracije] and St. George [Sveti
Durad] at Babino Polje). The Bosnian Ban Stjepan Kotroman presented Mijet to the
Dubrovnik Republic in 1333 and from that time the island was ruled byacount who
resided at Babino Polje. In 1345 Mljet obtained a statute of its own, - There
are several Gothic churches on the island (the parish church at Babino Polje,the
church of the Holy Trinity [Sveta Trojica] in Prozura, St. Guido [Sveti Vid] at
Korita - all dating from the 15th c.), while the transitional period from Gothic
to Renaissance produced the church of St. Mary [Sveta Marija od Brdaj above
Maranovic, Secular architecture is represented by several typical buildings (the
house of Petar Dabeli6 at Zadublje with Late Gothic door, the Renaissance palace
of the Mljet Counts at Babino Polje, the house of the Peg Family at Maranovici
from the 18th c., several baroque houses from the 17th and 18th c. at Korita).
The present inhabitants of Mljet are descendants of immigrants who came from
Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Late Middle Ages. Witness of this are their family
names, remainders of ancient costumes and the way of life (formerly intense
cattle breeding, farming and little interest in fishing and navigation). Most of
the villages are situated in the interior of the island because of frequent
attacks by pirates and Turks. The orientation towards the sea started only at
the beginning of the 20th c.
The Veliko Jezero NATIONAL PARK: approach from the north from Polace harbour by
asphalt road to Pristaniste or Babine Kuce; from the east, along the Soline
channel (1 km).
MLJET, island in the south-Dalmatian group (total area 97.9 sq. km, length 38
km, width 3-4 km) separated from the Peljesac Peninsula by the Mljet Channel (Mljetski
kanal) about 4.5 Nm wide. The north-western part of the island ("Dan Mljeta"),
the northern coast and its south-eastern part ("Vrh Mljeta") are well indented,
offering several coves and ports suitable as shelters for ships. The southern
shore is rather steep. The relief of the island is marked by series of limestone
ridges and Karst valleys called "polye" (Poladno polje, Ivanovo polje, Blatsko
polje, Kneze polje). South of the highest ridge (Velki Grad, 514 m) extends the
large Babino polje. At the farthest north-western end of the island the
submerged valley of the lake Mljetsko jezero which consists of a smaller (Malo
jezero) and a larger (Veliko Jezero) lake. Malo Jezero (total area 24 hectares,
maximum depth 29.5 m) is connected with Veliko Jezero by a 30-metre long
channel. Veliko Jezero (greatest depth 46 m, total area 145 hectares) is linked
with the open sea by the shallow Soline channel. The stone bridge which formerly
spanned the channel was removed in 1960, and the depth of the channel was
increased to 2.5 m and its width to 10 m in order to make the lakes accessible
for bigger craft. The swift sea current which flows through the channel changes
its direction with the ebb and flow of the tide. In the Middle Ages the changing
flow of the current was used for powering LASTOVO, Western part of the village
mills. In the interior of the island there are four other submerged Karst
valleys which the inhabitants call blatine or slatine and which offer good eel
fishing. Due to its hot summers and mild winters Mljet has a luxuriant
Mediterranean vegetation. 72 per cent of the island's total area is wooded; the
most beautiful pine-woods can be found on the north-western side of the island.
In the interior there are Aleppo pines and near Saplunara stone pines.
Ichneumons which have been brought to the island in 1909, exterminated numerous
poisonous snakes. The main settlements (Babino Polje, Prozura, Maranovici,
Korita, Blato, Ropa, Govedari) are situated in the interior, along cultivated
fields; their landing places are the nearest coves on the north coast. Due to
the movement of the inhabitants down to the coast in recent times and the
development of coastal settlements (Sobra, Polace, Kozarica, Poma) fishing is
becoming an increasingly important industry in addition to the traditional
occupations such as the growing of olives, grapes for wine, and medical herbs.
Among the specimen offish, turbots, soles, haddocks and among mussels several
kinds of oysters can be found, as well as lobsters. Its superb natural beauties
(the National Park with the lakes covers a total area of 3,0 10 hectares), its
rich flora and fauna, numerous bathing beaches (sandy beach near Saplunara),
good fishing grounds (especially at the extreme tips of the island), lobster
catching (along the south coast) and important historical and cultural monuments
make Mljet a highly attractive resort for tourists and summer visitors and a
favourite excursion spot of holiday-makers during the tourist season especially,
for those coming from Dubrovnik. A road along the whole length of the island (41
km) has been constructed in recent years, with an asphalt covered stretch
running from Polace to Veliko Jezero and round the lake. The island is supplied
with electricity from the mainland by underwater cable, and the first tourist
facilities (hotel on the lake) have recently been organized. Camp site "Vrbovica"
at Babine Kuce by the lakeside. Traces of settlements and graves from Illyrian
times have been discovered near Babine Kuce by, Veliko Jezero, and remains of
Illyrian stonework can be seen on Mali Gradac hill in the vicinity. In Roman
times the island was recorded as Melita. Its inhabitants, who continually
attacked Roman shipping, were subjugated by the Emperor Augustus, and the island
became an imperial possession. Archaeological discoveries from Roman times have
been made all over the island, from Poma (villa rustica) in the north-west to
Zara and Pinjevci in the southeast. From the Early Middle Ages date the ruins of
a palace and an Early Christian basilica at Polace. About 536-37 the island
became part of the Eastern Roman Empire. Later on it came under the control of
Slavs from the Neretva valley and then of the of the rulers of Zahumlje.
