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Badija: The Franciscan Monastery

The Franciscan Monastery on Badija

The Franciscan Monastery on Badija, built in 14th and 15th century is called The Franciscan monastery of the Assumption of the Mary.

The monastery complex consists of several parts (see plan) including The Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Crkva Gospe od Milosti), The Cloister , The Chapel of the Holy Cross and the monastery part.

The Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Crkva Gospe od Milosti)

The church was built in the Gothic-Renaissance style with a portal decorated with rich rosette. The interior of the church ends with an apses. A Renaissance choir is situated along its walls. Among the artistic and religious valuables are 16th century painting of the “Our Lady of Ascension” in the Venetian manner.. – read more

The Cloister

Completed in 1477 , cloister with a porch that is supported by five arcades on the longer sides of the cloister and four on the shorter ones. The arches of Gothic trifore rise up elegantly from their slender columns. The cloister leads into a church.. – read more about the Cloister

The Chapel of the Holly Cross

Completed in 1663, the Chapel was erected on the northern facade of the Monastery – read more

History of the Monastery:

The story started in 1394 when the local city council of Korcula Town decided to donate the island of Badija to Franciscans of Bosnia. Upon its donation, the Franciscans decided to build the Monastery on the Island with intention to became a religious, cultural and educational centre of the region. The monastery got even more influence as an education centre for wider community after the grammar school was opened there in 1909, educating among others, local boys from less privileged backgrounds too. The school was operational until 1943. After the WW2 the Communist authorities decided to completely close the school and in 1952 the Monastery and Church, as well as an Island were expropriated from Franciscans. The monastery was previously closed in 1950 when most of its valuable library, works of art and artefacts were transferred to the churches and monasteries of Korcula, Orebic and Dubrovnik. In 2003 the new Croatian government returned the Monastery and the Island back to the original owners. Unfortunately, during these 50 odd years of monastery being used for various purposes (including sport centre, hostel etc) the large part of sacred objects deteriorated or even vanished either by neglect or being intentionally destroyed :/

The traditional procession of The Pardon of Assisi (locally called “Perdun”) is held here every year.

The Franciscan Monastery on Badija can be easily reached by local taxi boats all year round.

See also photos of the views over the Monastery from the hill above