Friends of Konavle Heritage
friendsofkonavle@gmail.com

Last week at the “Open House of Silk and Embroidery - Gruda 2025”, the people of Konavle and their guests enjoyed programs that focused on preserving the cultural heritage of Konavle. The event was from 7 to 10 August, and was organized by Friends of Konavle and AR Atelier with the help of sponsors: The Tourist Board of Konavle and Dubrovnik-Neretva County. This year's multi-day program consisted of workshops, lectures, musical evenings and interactive content dedicated to th

170 years ago, on July 4, 1855, the great Croatian painter Vlaho Bukovac was born in Cavtat. He is most significant for the Croatian cultural scene as the founder of Croatian Modernism. He enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris in 1887 and graduated in the class of Professor Alexandre Cabanel (1823-1889). As a Parisian student, he became famous by  participating in the Paris Salon* , thus gaining European fame very early on. He was most popular as a portraitist, and ki

We had a festive Saturday night on May 17, 2025, in Pridvorje. The Proljeće pri Dvoru event was held, which for several years now the Stjepan Radić Cultural Association has been organizing in front of the Rector’s Palace in Pridvorje, as its central annual event.   In the past, the Rector’s Palace was the heart of Konavle and was its administrative center during the Republic. Fortunately for the people of Konavle and for those who love Konavle, the palace was renovated  by t

The Pula Book Fair, entitled "Dreaming of Books in Istria”, saw its 30th edition this year. The program of the Fair was held from November 29 to December 8 in the Home of Croatian Veterans at Leharova 1 in Pula. During those 10 days, Pula was alive with  authors, publishers, photographers, cartoonists, musicians, winemakers and other guests, and above all with a large and diverse audience. The Pula Book Fair has always been known as a vibrant meeting place for book lovers, an

On 9 August 2024, AR Atelier in Gruda hosted an open house. For one day, it became a meeting place for lovers of Konavle’s intangible heritage, and especially Konavle’s embroidery and silk production. From 9:00 a.m. until late at night there were alternating programs in which children and adults, tourists and local people participated. This was the first time that such an event was organized in Gruda, the goal of which was to preserve the protected intangible heritage of Kona

In 2024, we will remember the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 Aug.) for the great folklore event that took place on the occasion of the combined 70th anniversary of KUD [ 1 ] Čilipi, the 30th anniversary of Klapa Čilipi, and the 50th anniversary of Konavle County Museum. As night fell in front of the Čilipi church, various groups of dancers, musicians and observers came to mark this great anniversary. From young to old, many in Konavle   folk costumes, sometimes th