Lighthouses of Croatia : Central Dalmatia

The Republic of Croatia (Republika Hrvatska in Croatian) is located on the east side of the Adriatic Sea and includes most of the coastline of the former federation of Yugoslavia. Including the historic regions of Istria, Croatia Proper, and Dalmatia, this coastal region has a very long history. Southern Croatia was the independent Republic of Ragusa for several centuries until it was captured by Napoleon in 1808. (Ragusa is the Italian name for Dubrovnik.) After the Napoleonic Wars the former Ragusa was part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austrian Empire until that empire was dissolved in 1918, at the end of World War I. The area was then incorporated into the state of Croatia within the federation of Yugoslavia. Croatia became independent in 1991 when the Yugoslav federation fell apart.

Croatia is divided into 21 counties, 7 of which touch the coast. The principal ports are Rijeka in the north, Split on the central coast, and Dubrovnik in the far south. This page covers the central portion of Dalmatia in the county of Split-Dalmatia.

Many places in Croatia were better known in the past by their Italian names. The Italian names of lighthouses, when known, are shown in curved brackets {}.

The Croatian word for a lighthouse is svjetionik. The word rt is a cape or promontory, otok is an island, otočić is an islet, hrid (plural hridi) is a rock, plićak or pličina is a shoal, zaljev is a bay, rijeka is a river, and luka is a port or harbor.

Aids to navigation in Croatia are managed by Plovput, a state-owned corporation. Plovput has developed several of its light stations for vacation rental. Plovput has aa regional office in Split for lighthouses in this area.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. PS numbers are the numbers, if known, from the Croatian light list Popis Svjetala i Signala za Maglu. Admiralty numbers are from volume E of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
Plovput - Aids to Navigation - Lighthouses
Information and photos posted by Plovput. There is also an Other Aids to Navigation page with photos of typical smaller beacons.
Online List of Lights - Croatia - West Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Some of the Croatia photos are by Capt. Peter Mosselberger ("Capt. Peter"), Uli Knapp, Hans de Graaf, or Rainer Arndt.
World of Lighthouses - Croatia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Croatia Lighthouses
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Leuchttürme an der kroatischen Küste
Photos by Olaf Riesenberg posted by Bernd Claußen.
Lighthouses in Croatia
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Weitere europäische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNavigationCharts
Navigation chart information for Croatia.


Sveti Petar Light, Makarska, JSeptember 2022
Gogle Maps photo by Dawid Fronczyk

Otok Vis Lighthouses
Vis, also known as Issa or Lissa in Italian, is an inhabited island about 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Hvar. Like Hvar and Brač, it is a popular resort accessible by ferries from Split.

Viska Luka (Host) {Porto San Giorgio}
Date unknown (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) octagonal stone tower attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's closeup photo, a 2020 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was renovated for vacation accommodations but since 2016 it is no longer on Plovput's list of currently available properties. Located on the small island of Host in the entrance to the harbor of Vis, on the north side of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. PS-519; Admiralty E3436; NGA 13680.
Rt Stončica {Punta Promontore}
1865. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); white flash every 15 s. 28 m (92 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one end of a 1-story keeper's house. A 2023 photo by Mark Milascevic is at right, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's closeup photo, Tadej Tuma has a 2022 photo, a photo taken from the sea is available, Duje Matešan has a 2018 view from the sea, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse functions as a landfall light for the Split region. Located on Rt Stončica, the eastern tip of Vis. Accessible by a hiking trail from the village of Stončica. There are also boat tours that visit the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-146; PS-517; Admiralty E3432; NGA 13672.
Rt Stupišće
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (56 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 8 m (26 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower, unpainted. Denis Orlić has a sea view and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the southwestern tip of Otok Vis. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-150; PS-525; Admiralty E3443; NGA 13700.

Stončica Light, Vis, July 2023
Google Maps photo by Mark Milascevic
Mali Barjak (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) square cylindrical stone tower, unpainted. Lightphotos.net has a closeup photo, Suzana Medak has a view from the sea, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a fuzzy satellite view. The original light was on a skeletal tower. Located on Mali Barjak, a rocky islet off the northwestern tip of Otok Vis. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-028; Admiralty E3440; NGA 13692.

Otok Hvar Lighthouses
The island of Hvar was known as Pharia in ancient times and as Lesina in Italian. The island is long and narrow, stretching some 80 km (50 mi) due east and west south of Brač. Enjoying a mild climate, it is a very popular resort.

*
Sućuraj {Punta San Giorgio} (2)
1912 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-1/2 story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone; lantern painted white. In the photo at right, the view is from the cape to the mountains of the mainland 5 km (3 mi) to the north. A 2020 photo is at right, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's photo, Kenan Kurtovic has a 2018 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on Rt Sućuraj at the easternmost tip of Hvar. Accssible by road and there's a good view from ferries sailing between Sućuraj and Drvenik on the mainland. Site open, tower usually closed (photo shows a special tour). . ARLHS CRO-151; PS-645; Admiralty E3490; NGA 13664.
Rt Podšćedro (Otok Šćedro)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); flash every 6 s, white or red depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) square stone tower. Denis Orlić has a very distant sea view and Google has a satellite view. Located near the western tip of Otok Šćedro, an island about 8 km (5 mi) long off the south coast of Otok Hvar. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. PS-622; Admiralty E3446; NGA 13712.
Hridi Lukavci
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) stone tower. Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's distant view and Google has a satellite view. Located on an islet off the south coast of Otok Hvar and about 5 km (3 mi) west of Otok Šćedro. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. PS-621; Admiralty E3445; NGA 13708.

Sućuraj Light, Hvar, August 2020
Instagram photo by Lighthouse Sućuraj
Pokonji Dol (Hvar)
1872. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, centered on the roof of a 2-story stone keeper's house. Claudia Alessandra Marcello's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a photo by Ulrich Knapp, another photo is available as well as a view from the beach on Hvar, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a tiny island about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Hvar harbor; ships arriving in Hvar from the Adriatic must pass close to the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS CRO-119; PS-620; Admiralty E3410; NGA 13612.
Gališnik (Galešnik)
Date unknown (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 6 s. 9 m (20 ft) square masonry tower, painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo by Eckhard Meyer, Wikimedia has a view from the sea, Denis Orlić has a distant sea view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Otočić Gališnik, a small island lying to the south of the harbor of the town of Hvar, on the southwest coast of the island. Site status unknown. ARLHS CRO-048; PS-618; Admiralty E3406; NGA 13600.
Otok Vodnjak Veli (Pakleni Otoci)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) hexagonal cylindrical unpainted white stone tower. Trabas has a view from the sea by Ulrich Knapp, Giacomo Deperu has a distant 2021 view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island, the westernmost of the Pakleni archipelago, about 10 km (6 mi) west of Hvar. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E3431.5; NGA 13592.
Pelegrin (Rt Pelegrin) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) octagonal white stone tower mounted on a masonry base. Trabas has a photo by Knapp, Damir Kraljević has a photo, Denis Orlić has a distant sea view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Otočić Gališnik, a small island lying to the south of the harbor of the town of Hvar. The original light was described as a red conical tower. Located on Rt Pelegrin, the western tip of Hvar, about 3 km (2 mi) west of Vira. Site status unknown. ARLHS CRO-113; PS-598; Admiralty E3404; NGA 13596.
* Jelsa {Gelsa} North Mole
1871. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); green flash every 3 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with a conical iron top; the light is displayed atop the cone. Tower painted white, cone green. Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's photo, Denis Orlić has a sea view, Google has a street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater mole at the entrance to Jelsa, a port on the north side of Hvar; there's a good view from ferries arriving from Split or from Bol or Milna on Otok Brač. Accessible by walking the mole. PS-611; Admiralty E3428; NGA 13656.

Pokonji Dol Light, Hvar, October 2023
Google Maps photo by Claudia Alessandra Marcello
Otočić Zečevo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical white stone tower. Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's photo, Jiřina Melichová has a view from the sea, Denis Orlić has a distant sea view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the east end of Zečevo, an uninhabited islet off the north cost of Hvar near Vrboska. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E3426; NGA 13644.

Otok Brač Lighthouses
Brač, the third largest island of the Croatian coast, is separated from the mainland to the north by the Brač Channel and from the island of Hvar to the south by the Hvar Channel. The island was called Brattia in Roman times and Brazza in Italian. There is a permanent population of about 14,000. The island is readily accessible by ferry from Split.

*
Sveti Nikola (Pučišća) {Pucisce} (2)
Date unknown (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one corner of a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. Jackie Hamlin Bensfield has the 2020 photo at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, a distant view is available, Denis Orlić has a sea view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Note that this is one of several Sv. Nikola lights in Croatia. The light here was shown originally from a church tower; ruins of the church can be seen near the present lighthouse. Located on Rt Sv. Nikola, marking the west side of a narrow bay leading to Pučišća, a town on the north side of Otok Brač. The lighthouse appears to be accessible by road from the town. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-209; PS-592; Admiralty E3380; NGA 13556.
Rt Rašćatna (Lašćatna)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 8 m (26 ft) square cylindrical stone tower, painted white. A 2008 photo is available, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's photo, Denis Orlić has a sea view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. There does not appear to be any land access to the lighthouse. Located at the eastern tip of Otok Brač. Site status unknown. Admiralty E3392; NGA 13564.
* Sumartin {Port St. Martino}
1881. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white flash every 3 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical tower attached to a small 1-story equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo, a 2008 closeup and a view from the sea are available, Denis Orlić has a sea view, and Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Sumartin, which faces the Hvarski Kanal (Hvar Channel) on the southeast side of Otok Brač. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-153; Admiralty E3396; NGA 13568.

Sveti Nikola Light, Pučišća, July 2020
Google Maps photo by Jackie Hamlin Bensfield
* Bol
1882. Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); green flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with a domed top; the light is mounted atop the dome. Lighthouse unpainted; dome painted green. Trabas has a closeup photo, Roni Marinkovic has a street view, Denis Orlić has a sea view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the main pier at Bol, a port on the central south coast of Otok Brač. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E3400; NGA 13576.
Rt Ražanj {Punta Speo}
1875. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft) white flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the seaward side of a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. This is a staffed station. Maja Vukusic has the 2022 view from the sea seen at right, Trabas has a photo by Knapp, Larry Myhre has a 2008 photo, Denis Orlić has a very distant sea view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Rt Ražanj, the southwestern tip of Otok Brač, guarding the narrow passage between the islands of Brač and Šolta about 3 km (2 mi) west of Milna. Site status unknown. ARLHS CRO-129; PS-575; Admiralty E3342; NGA 13528.
[Mrduja (Murduja)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s. 6 m (20 ft) post. Larry Myhre has a good photo, Trabas has Eckhard Meyer's photo, another photo is available, and Bing has a satellite view. Ruins surrounding the light appear to be those of a former lighthouse but are actually ruins of a 19th century fort. Located on a small island, about 2 km (1.25 mi) north of Rt Ražanj, lighting the northern entrance to the narrow passage between the islands of Brač and Šolta. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-099; PS-576; Admiralty E3340; NGA 13524.
Rt Bijaca (Milna)
1881. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with gallery and a small lantern. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone. Trabas has a closeup photo and Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. Located on Rt Bijaca, a headland on the north side of the entrance to Milna, at the west end of Otok Brač. Site status unknown. ARLHS CRO-031; Admiralty E3344; NGA 13532.
* Postira
1885. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 2 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical stone tower topped by a dome; the light is displayed from atop the dome. Tower painted white, dome red. Trabas has a closeup photo, Jurica Matulić has a photo, Marcin Dzioboń has a 2023 photo, and Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater mole at Postira, on the central north coast of Otok Brač. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. PS-591; Admiralty E3370; NGA 13552.

Rt Ražanj Light, Brač, September 2022
Google Maps photo by Maja Vukusic

Šolta Lighthouse
Rt Livka
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) post centered on a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Post painted red, building white. Trabas has a photo by Darlene Chisholm and Bing has a satellite view. Located at the eastern tip of Šolta, an island separated from Brač by the very narrow Split Strait. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-087; PS-574; Admiralty E3338; NGA 13520.

Makarska Area Lighthouse
* Sveti Petar
1884. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, centered on a square 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted gray stone; lantern painted white. The keeper's house is available for vacation accommodations. Dawid Fronczyk has the 2022 photo at the top of this page, Trabas has a closeup photo, Wesley Bowler has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Robert Kubicek has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Makarska is a very popular resort town on the mainland coast opposite Sumartin, Otok Brač. The lighthouse is located on the tip of a forested peninsula within walking distance of the town waterfront. Site open, tower open only to paying guests. ARLHS CRO-168; PS-612; Admiralty E3388; NGA 13580.

Split Lighthouses
Split, also known by its Italian name Spalato, is the largest city of Dalmatia and the second largest city in Croatia with a metropolitan population of about 350,000.

*
Pomorac
1958. Reactivated (inactive 1991-2013); focal plane 54 m (177 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 38 m (152 ft) square cylindrical concrete obelisk. Trabas has a photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, Xue Dongsheng has a more distant view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The Yugoslav government built this monument as a memorial to the country's seamen. It carried a powerful navigational light. The tower was damaged by shelling during the fighting at the time of Yugoslavia's dissolution in 1991. Local civic groups helped repair the tower during 2003-06, and the light was relit after a more complete restoration in 2012-13. Located on the Split waterfront near the base of the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. PS-563; Admiralty E3348.2; NGA 113-13425.
* Split {Spalato} Breakwater (2)
1888 (station established 1878). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story stone equipment building. Lighthouse painted green. Mali Sokol's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Brano Papso has a closeup, Larry Myhre has a photo, Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard image, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The keeper's house was demolished when the breakwater was reconstructed in 1999. Located at the end of the main breakwater protecting the harbor of Split. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. PS-565; Admiralty E3349; NGA 13408.

Split Breakwater Light, Split, April 2023
Google Maps photo by Mali Sokol

Drvenik Mali Lighthouses
Pasika (Rt Pasika, Drvenik Mali) {Zirona Piccola}
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal stone tower on a concrete base. Jana Marusova has a closeup photo, Trabas has a photo, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on Rt Pasika, a promontory on the north side of the island of Drvenik Mali, marking the south side of the passage through the Drvenicki Kanal. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-112; Admiralty E3295; NGA 13352.
Murvica (Velika Murvica)
1896. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 2 s on, 6 s off. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Fog siren (4 s blast every 30 s). Jana Marusova has a nice photo (also seen at right), Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island in the Drvenički Kanal, the channel between the island of Drvenik Mali and the mainland; this channel is the beginning of the approach to the port of Split from the west. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRO-007; PS-528; Admiralty E3294; NGA 13348.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:


Murvica Light, Split, June 2010
Google Maps photo by Jana Marusova

Adjoining pages: North: Northern Dalmatia | East: Bosnia and Herzegovina | South: Southern Dalmatia

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Posted October 9, 2006. Checked and revised January 7, 2025. Lighthouses: 26. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.