Petrača: Churches and Historic Burial Sites

If historic buildings and burial sites are among the factors you consider when choosing where to stay, Petrača offers some specific points of interest: the churches of the Holy Trinity and Saint George, as well as evidence of different building and burial histories. At the Holy Trinity, an older church building and dated grave finds stand out; Saint George is associated with a written first mention, a medieval cemetery and several types of graves.

Church of the Holy Trinity

The Church of the Holy Trinity stands above Petrača. Around it are stone grave slabs and a tombstone bearing a Gothic cross, dating from the 14th to the 16th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, the present-day church covered and altered an older, smaller church. Medieval burial evidence thus stands alongside a later intervention in the building’s history. The church is also part of a sequence of religious buildings beside an older route connecting Gradac and Spilan. Its location beside this historic route is also part of the context of the site.

Church of Saint George and Medieval Burial Sites

The Church of Saint George in Petrača lies on the southwestern slopes of Malaštica, on the boundary between Buići and Petrača. Ten grave slabs, one chest-shaped tombstone and two tombstones bearing crosses have been preserved at this multi-layered archaeological site. The first written mention of the church dates to 1321; the medieval cemetery around it once served as Petrača’s only cemetery. This first mention dates to a different period from the grave slabs and the Gothic-cross tombstone at the Holy Trinity, which date from the 14th to the 16th century. The Church of Saint George is also part of the “Trail of Medieval Tombstones (stećci) in Konavle and Župa dubrovačka.”

Local Character and Cultural Heritage

Both churches are among the notable cultural heritage sites in Župa dubrovačka. Petrača is also considered a rural ensemble and includes the Kerša-Kesovija summer residence. Thus, in addition to religious buildings and burial sites, a historic summer residence and the rural ensemble form part of the area’s character.

Regional Trails and Cuisine

The wider destination of Općina Župa Dubrovačka offers a regional hiking context. “Walking Paths of Župa dubrovačka” is a 50-kilometre network of themed walking trails throughout the municipality. The Connecting Route is separate: it links Župa dubrovačka with the Croatian Long Distance Trail in the direction of Srđ, above Dubrovnik, and with the Heart of Konavle Trail. The network describes themed trails at municipal level; the Connecting Route leads to two named trails. The wider Općina Župa Dubrovačka also offers its own culinary highlights: its restaurants and taverns serve prosciutto, cheese preserved in oil and zelena menestra.

Discover more destinations: Brašina, Srebreno, Plat, Čelopeci, Čibača, Soline, Buići, Mlini.

Go to the wider travel overview: Općina Župa Dubrovačka.