Franciscan Monastery of Živogošće

A 17th-century monastery in the hills above the village, with a small Roman lapidary

The Franciscan monastery sits in the village of Živogošće-Blato in the hills above the beach, founded in the 17th century when the Franciscans took refuge from the Ottoman advance on the mainland. The complex includes a simple stone church, a cloister, and a small but well-presented lapidary collection of Roman and medieval inscriptions from the area.

The walk up from the beach takes about 30 minutes on a marked path through the olive groves. Combine the visit with a look at the village of Blato, one of the older settlements on this stretch of coast, set well back from the sea on the slope of Biokovo.

things to do sight
A story
The monastery's small lapidary holds a Roman altar dedicated to the river-nymphs of the Vruja springs — proof that the freshwater that bursts from the karst here has been considered sacred since at least the second century AD. The Franciscans rebuilt the church above earlier remains; the cult of the springs simply changed name and continued.