Unique museum of wine growing opens on Hvar island

(Image: Illustration)

HVAR, 28 February 2023 – A unique Museum of Wine growing has been opened today in Pitve in the hills above Jelsa on the Croatian island of Hvar, Jutarnji list reports.

The museum, which is located in the building of the former primary, shows how wine was once produced on the island, as well as traditional tools, barrels and other heritage of the people there. 

The collection contains the everyday working life of the island farmer, which did not change until the 1960s, when traditional island viticulture began to be modernised with new technological methods and aids. 

The house in which the museum is located was closed to the public for a long time due to a fire that occurred in the building in 2012.

The opening ceremony of the museum was attended by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, the Minister of Culture and Agriculture, and the Minister of Health.

‘When the vineyards disappear, the beauty of the Hvar landscape disappears, our customs disappear, the man from Hvar disappears. That’s why we all have to work together to make life with vines pleasant and profitable. That’s why we are happy about the opening of the vineyard collection in Pitve, which will tell the story of our traditions and customs,’ said Ivana Carić, president of the association “Hvarski vinari”.

‘We all came from peasants, from winegrowers, some from winemakers, that’s what our ancestors did, they created here even before there was tourism from what Hvar gave in another time. And that is precisely why the opening of this collection is a remembrance of all those who wove their working life, effort, and pains in order for their successors to live better,’ said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, HRT reported.

Danas smo otvorili Vinogradarski muzej u Pitvama koji je trajni podsjetnik na otočni način života i kvalitetan temelj za razvoj Hvara koji počiva i na tradiciji proizvodnje vrhunskih vina. Nastavljamo podržavati ulaganja koja donose bolji život na 🇭🇷 otocima! pic.twitter.com/p1CA7FP9QS

— Andrej Plenković (@AndrejPlenkovic) February 28, 2023

You can see photos from inside the museum which opened today here.