Churches with changing dedications, archaeological traces and the Pločićka lokva, still used for irrigation, give Pločice a distinct cultural and landscape profile. The history of the village can be traced through specific dates: through extensions and new dedications as well as reconstruction after earthquake damage.

Churches and their history

The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Pločice was originally dedicated to Saint Lazarus. In 2000, its dedication changed to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The church was extended in 1869 and consecrated again on 16 July 1903. These dates mark different periods in its history: an extension and consecration in the 19th and early 20th centuries, followed by the change of dedication later.

The Chapel of Saint Roch in Račevo Polje also has several historical layers. It began as a 15th-century chapel dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian. After the plague of 1793, the restored chapel was rededicated to Saint Roch. It suffered severe earthquake damage in 1979; it was rebuilt and blessed in 1986. The cemetery chapel of Saint Joseph the Worker was added in 1989.

Cistern, railway and archaeological traces

A 60-metre-long cistern is visible next to the village church. It was built in 1910 to supply water to the military. The railway is also part of the village’s history: when the Donja Glavska–Zelenika railway line opened, Pločice developed into an important station for the Austrian army. The cistern and railway point to two distinct historical contexts, each marked by a structure or transport route.

A group of five tumuli in Pločice is recognised as an archaeological site on land in Konavle. In the Mikulići–Pločice area below Čilipi, there are also Illyrian necropolises that are mostly inaccessible and associated with the grave goods of ancient Illyrian tribal leaders. Around 115 stone groups associated with Illyrian necropolises are located mostly in Mikulići, Pločice and below Čilipi. The sites and the stone groups spread throughout the wider area provide different clues to the region’s archaeological history.

Pločićka lokva and rural culture

The Pločićka lokva is used for irrigation by the residents of Pločice and surrounding villages in Konavle. Its wetland remains in use; its restoration is connected with biodiversity protection. Alongside the lokva, a dry-stone hut serves as a reminder of agricultural life in Konavle. Traditional water use, wetland and stone construction come together here.

Food culture can also be viewed in a broader context. In the wider destination of Općina Konavle, taverns and rural houses in the inland area serve traditionally prepared local dishes in old Konavle houses. These include meat and fish from the stone oven, smoked ham, cheese preserved in oil and green pasta. The cuisine is one regional aspect of the destination of Općina Konavle.

Općina Konavle as a wider destination

Općina Konavle encompasses a fertile valley up to 35 kilometres long and up to 12 kilometres wide. On the mountain side, the landscape is bounded by the slopes of Snježnica, which rises to 1,234 metres, and Bjelotina. On the sea side, steep cliffs extend from the harbour of Cavtat through Molunat to the Prevlaka Peninsula and Cape Oštro. This regional landscape places the history of Pločice within a broader geographical context.

Other cultural points of interest in the wider destination include the Konavle Region Museum in Čilipi and the mill complex on the Ljuta River. The museum houses about 500 ethnological objects, including traditional costumes, embroideries, textile works, jewellery, weapons, musical instruments and everyday items. The mill complex comprises eight watermills for flour, two for oil and three fulling mills. The system of so-called lower mills, built after 1550, is preserved to this day. The source and upper course of the Ljuta are protected by the state as a nature park; the watermill is protected as a cultural monument.

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Return to the wider travel guide: Općina Konavle.