Komiža: The Fishermen's Town of the Adriatic
Komiža is a picturesque coastal town on the western coast of the island of Vis, the most remote large island off the Croatian Dalmatian coast, in Split-Dalmatia County. The town has around 1,400–1,500 inhabitants and is nestled in a deep bay at the foot of Mount Hum (587 m), which shields it from the rest of the island and historically oriented its population towards the sea. Komiža is considered the birthplace of fishing on the eastern Adriatic.
History The first documentary mention of Komiža dates from 1145, although it is believed that Benedictine monks from the island of Biševo settled here even earlier. During Venetian rule (until 1797), the town grew as a fishing and commercial centre; by the 16th century, 74 vessels of the falkuša type were sailing from the bay. Its golden age was the period of Austro-Hungarian administration (1815–1918), when it had nearly 4,000 inhabitants and seven fish-canning factories were operating. After the First World War, the rich fishing grounds of Palagruža passed to Italy, triggering mass emigration to California, where the Komiža diaspora became pioneers of the salmon fishing industry in Alaska.
Heritage Komiža's symbol is the gajeta falkuša, a wooden vessel unique in the Mediterranean, designed for deep-sea fishing expeditions. The 16th-century Venetian tower in the harbour houses the Fishing Museum. The Church of St Mary "The Pirate" and the Romanesque Church of St Nicholas (13th century) are the main religious monuments. Every 6 December, the feast of St Nicholas, locals burn an old fishing boat in front of the church in a moving traditional ceremony. Ten kilometres from Komiža lies the Blue Cave on the island of Biševo, one of Croatia's most visited natural wonders.
Points of interest: - Population: ~1,400–1,500 inhabitants. - Getting there: Jadrolinija ferry from Split to Vis town (2h), then bus or car 12 km to Komiža.