Gornje Selo Chapel

Šolta Island is a green, quiet island a short sea journey over the Adriatic Sea from Split, and its villages are scattered across the interior in a pattern that reflects centuries of farming: Gornje Selo, the Upper Village, Srednje Selo, the Middle Village, and the larger settlement of Grohote. Gornje Selo is a small cluster of old stone houses on the Adriatic island on a gentle hillside among olive groves, with a chapel at its centre. A visit to the Gornje Selo Chapel is a chance to see an island village away from the coast.

For generations, the people of Šolta lived mainly from olives, wine, honey and fishing, and the villages in the interior were built a short distance from the sea, partly for safety from pirates and partly because the best farmland lay inland. Each hamlet had its own church or chapel, which served as the centre of communal life, where people gathered for feast days, weddings and funerals. The chapel at Gornje Selo is a small stone building with a bell tower that is visible from various points in the village. Its simple architecture belongs to the island tradition of plain, whitewashed walls, a pitched roof and a small portal. Inside, a historic crucifix is the main object of devotion, and the old figure carries local stories about its origin and its power, which add to the chapel's quiet significance.

Walking through the village is part of the visit. Narrow lanes and stairs run between stone houses, with walled gardens, fig trees and old doorways, and the olive groves spread around the village in terraces. Views open from the hillside over the sea and the neighbouring islands, which makes the short climb worthwhile. The village is quiet, with few cars and a slow pace, and the sounds are those of birds, bells and the occasional farm worker. Local families produce olive oil, wine and fruit liqueurs, and some welcome visitors for tastings, and a tavern in the village serves dishes of lamb, fish and vegetables made with local oil.

The chapel is usually closed outside services, so it is worth asking locally if you wish to see the interior. The best way to see it is on foot, and a walk between Gornje Selo and Srednje Selo takes in olive groves and old stone walls. Other places on the island include Stomorska Port, Maslinica Marina, the Seven Islets near Maslinica, the Beach Gornja Krušica and the Grohote Graveyard, where the poet Vesna Parun is buried.

The chapel suits walkers, cyclists and travellers who enjoy quiet villages.