St. Luke’s Chapel

The Medieval Chapel of St. Luke is 4 km east of Jelsa. It is on the headland of a little bay called Uvala ‘Carkvica’ (‘Little Chapel’), or Uvala sv. Luke (St. Luke’s Bay). It is tiny, just 7.2 x 4 metres, and is thought to date from the 11th century, although some parts of its construction style date from later, probably the 14th century. It has a Baroque altar. In 2006, renovation works started to restore the building, and from that year onwards the chapel has been used for a mass to celebrate St. Luke’s feast day on October 18th, weather permitting.

The bay is extremely picturesque, and nearby, close to the sea, are the remains of a Roman ‘villa rustica’ (‘country house’). Remnants of an Illyrian graveyard lie on the west side of the bay. The land around the bay is full of aromatic Mediterranean plants such as sage and immortelle, while the pine forest which flanks the area is a delight for walkers. There is a path which leads from Jelsa to the cove, and then on to Prapatna. Otherwise one can go by road and park not far from the bay, to walk along the seaside path to the chapel.