Kamen: Historic Churches and Klapa Kamen

Kamen offers a historical and cultural focus when choosing a destination: its local history includes a striking rock and former fortifications, along with the churches of St. Michael and St. Peter and the story of Klapa Kamen. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Kamen, local history, church art, and musical history offer different ways to understand the character of your stay.

Name and Military History

The place name Kamen derives from a large, isolated rock with a flat top. In medieval records, the settlement appears as Visoka stijena and Magna petra. A fortification called Kod kamena was commissioned in 1239 as a refuge from attackers. After 1420, Kamen served as a small fortress to protect against Ottoman incursions. Ottoman forces held Kamen from 1571 to 1648. The timeline therefore covers several stages: the commission of Kod kamena in the 13th century, its later use as a small fortress, and a longer period of Ottoman rule.

Church Architecture and Art

The Church of St. Michael the Archangel took its present form in 1879 and was restored in 1909. It stands on the site of an older church dating from 1675. Inside is a late-18th-century painting by Feliks Tironi depicting Mary with the Child, as well as Saints George and Michael. The church’s history thus brings together 19th-century architecture and an older work of art. The freestanding bell tower stands on a nearby cliff and is built in the shape of a tower.

For St. Michael’s, the parish provides separate winter and summer schedules of Sunday and weekday Masses. Check the listed times before your visit.

St. Peter’s Below the Village of Kamen

The Church of St. Peter is located in Brižine at Badu, below the village of Kamen. It was first mentioned in 1227; its construction is dated to the late 12th or early 13th century. The single-nave building ends in a semicircular apse. The façade features a stone cross and a small quatrefoil rose window. A quatrefoil refers to the window’s four-lobed shape. In 1675, the church was expanded after the area was liberated from Ottoman rule. The church and its archaeological site are listed under cultural heritage registration number Z-5172.

The restored Templar Church of St. Peter was blessed on June 28, 2026. The archbishop expressed the hope that it would become a vibrant place of prayer and spiritual encounter. Reopening it to the faithful was one of the restoration project’s aims. Check current access arrangements before visiting.

The Story of Klapa Kamen

Klapa Kamen was founded by Ante Barić in 1958 and has been active continuously since reuniting in 1974. Its festival record reflects different facets of this musical history: the group appeared at 34 editions of the Omiš Festival of Dalmatian Klapa Singing and won 21 awards there. It also gave more than ten concerts at KD Vatroslav Lisinski and performed at more than ten Split Festivals. Its founding year, reunion, and performances offer different points of reference for understanding the group’s development.

Discover more destinations: Srinjine, Gornje Sitno, Kaštel Kambelovac, Slatine, Donje Sitno, Žrnovnica, Stobreč

For the main travel guide: Split.