The stone wall on peninsula Peljeac is the second largest wall in the world immediately behind The Great Wall of China!
Ston is a small city on peninsula Peljesac with the largest stone wall in Europe. It is 5.5 km long , being the second largest in the world just behind The Great Wall of China. The wall has 40 towers and 5 fortresses. The wall had originally been 7 km long, but it was damaged in the earthquake in 1667. The Republic of Dubrovnik gained the control of peninsula Peljesac 1334 and they commenced building a defensive wall in order to be able to protect the city of Ston. The stone wall was built from 1334 to 1506. At that time it was the biggest building site in Europe. The wall was built from one side to the other side of the peninsula and it protected the production of salt from potential attackers. At that time The Republic of Dubrovnik had large financial gains from the salt production and its sale.
The city of Ston with the oldest salt production site in the world
Besides being well known for its stone walls Ston has the oldest salt production site in the world. The Illyrians and Romans also produced salt in Stone. The place was rebuilt in the 14th century when The Republic of Dubrovnik purchased Ston and protected it by building the stone walls. Production of salt continued in a traditional way which has not been changed since the Antic times. Beside production of salt Ston is also well known as a tourist attraction.
Wine paradise of Mike Grgich!
Peninsula Peljesac has been famous for wine growing . Production of high quality wines based on its long tradition and experience is one of the most important business related activities. The wine roads, visits to the wine – cellars and vineyards witness about the love which people of Peljesac posses towards wine and wine growing.
In Trstenik there is a wine cellar of well known person Mike Grgich who is one of the most famous wine producers of Croatian descent . He was born in 1923 near Peljesac. After completing the Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb he first moved to Germany in 1954 and then to the USA, California. He brought with himself together his family tradition and high professional approach to production of wine to the USA. Mike Grgich became famous by winning a wine contest in Paris in 1976 when the best producers of wine from the USA and Europe met in the capital of France. Mike Grgih won the Judgment of Paris with his white wine “chardonnay”. He produced the wine ‘chardonnay’ for the wine – cellar ‘Chateau Montelena’ from Napa Valley, California. After this victory nothing has been the same in the world of wine.
Beside this great success Mike Grgich is well known for his fascinating discovery. He discovered the genetic origin of the famous Californian sort of vine ‘Zinfandel’. He managed to explained the origin of sort of grapes for which nobody knew at that time where it came from .Genetic studies showed that ‘Zinfandel’ was from Kastela ( a town near the city of Split), Croatia. This old type of vine is called ‘Crljenak’. It is probable that someone who migrated from Croatia to the USA brought with himself this sort of vine. Mike Grgich said that this discovery was more precious for him than his famous victory in Paris in 1976. Mike Grgich thinks that type of vine called ‘Plavac Mali’ from peninsula Peljesac is even better than ‘Crljenka’ or ‘Zinfandel’ and that ‘Plavac Mali’ is going to be a great success.
Oysters – farmed in bays of Peljesac are the best in the world.
Farming of shells along the coast of peninsula Peljesac has been very developed and it has a long tradition. The shells farmed in this area are the best quality shells in the world due to the exceptionally clear seawater and ideal conditions for farming of shells. Oysters are very popular in this region. The inhabitants of Peljesac quite often organize gastro manifestations. Oysters are prepared in different ways , but the most delicious ones are prepared with lemon juice and without cooking. If consumed in this way the oysters represent a very powerful aphrodisiac. Many people who visited Peljesac and tasted the oysters prepared in this way found it to be true.
The oldest astrological plates were found on Peljesac
On Peljesac the oldest astrological plate was discovered. When Staso Forenbaher (The Anthropology Institute of Zagreb) and Alexander Jones (professor for the study of the ancient world, University of New York) published their work in the journal ‘History of Astronomy’ it went public in the USA, Russia and Britain. After many years of research in the cave ‘Spila Nakovana’ on Peljesac a team of scientists led by Forenbaher found the astrological plates from the time of the Illyrian civilization. The mosaic on the astrological plate was made from small pieces of ivory. The ivory was 2200 years old. The scientists could not explain how the astrological plates got into the cave ‘Spila’. They presumed that the plate was brought from Egypt where astrology was very popular. In fact, ‘Spila’ represents an old Illyrian religious site.
The Napoleon Road on Peljesac
There is a famous historical road in the southern region of Dalmatia built during Napoleon time. It is called the Napoloen Road. It stretches from Ston to Orebic, from the beginning to the very end of the peninsula. The road had a very strategic importance at that time. The Napoleon Road is in the vicinity of a few very significant historical sites. For instance, cave ‘Gudnja’ – a prehistoric site, place ‘Ponikava’ – an impressive burial site and cave ‘Spila’ – a prehistoric settlement and Ilyrian religious site are of exceptional archaeological importance.
Peljesac is the biggest peninsula in Dalmatia and the second in Croatia. There are so many places with remnants of various civilisations on the peninsula.. The most significant places are: Ston, Orebic, Trpanj, Viganj and Trstenik.
Ston is famous for the second largest stone wall in the world. It is also famous for the oldest salt production site and for farming different sorts of shells especially the oysters. Due to the clear seawater and perfect conditions for farming of shells. Oysters from Ston are considered to be the best worldwide.
It is a cradle of famous seamen who sail on various ships all over the world.
It is a fishermen town with pebble beach, health treatments with mud and with a lot of different Mediterranean plants which are used for improving our health.
An excellent destination for windsurfing
Trstenik is a small town with a wine cellar of Mike Grgich, one of the most famous wine producers.