Traditional settlement features give Maranovići a rural character. The village can be explored through several distinct themes: the parish church of St. Anthony, the historic settlement of Vrhmljeće and the Put Maslina walking trail. Local history, older church architecture and a historic agricultural route are the main attractions. When planning, it is worth considering the village itself and the route of Put Maslina separately: the trail runs from Babino Polje to Maranovići and has its own stops.

Village and Landscape

Maranovići retains traditional settlement features of its region and is considered a rural cultural landscape. Its relatively intact appearance is important to the character of the surrounding area. Fields, olive groves and vineyards shape the surrounding cultural landscape. A cave below Maranovići is designated as a particularly valuable natural site. A bend on the D120 offers a view of Maranovići and the surrounding area.

Churches and Historic Traces

The present-day parish church of St. Anthony was completed in 1888 on the site of its predecessor, which had been completely demolished. The earlier church had been destroyed by pirates in 1725. Gothic elements survive in the present church, recalling the style of its predecessor. Associated with the church is a late Renaissance chalice made of gilded silver, with a six-lobed foot, dating from the 15th century.

The settlement site of Vrhmljeće lies on the hill above Maranovići and is considered one of the oldest Slavic settlements on Mljet. Historically, the village was hidden from pirate attacks. The remains of the Church of St. Mary of the Mountain lie at the former settlement site and include a Gothic window and a Romanesque portal. A cemetery with rough stone grave slabs surrounds the church remains.

The two historic landmarks tell different stories: the Church of St. Anthony is about a new building constructed after its predecessor was destroyed, while Vrhmljeće is about an old settlement and its church remains. The architectural details also create distinct contrasts: Gothic elements in the Church of St. Anthony set against a Romanesque portal in Vrhmljeće.

Put Maslina: Olive Groves and Architectural History

Put Maslina is a historic agricultural walking trail from Babino Polje to Maranovići. The route follows olive groves and offers views across the outer part of Mljet and as far as Italy. Knežev dvor, a 16th-century house that now houses an ethnographic collection, is located on Put Maslina; check locally about access to the collection. Sotnica is also on the route: Benedictines exercised judicial authority in this building until the end of the 15th century.

The Odysseus Cave can be reached by a short detour from Put Maslina; trail conditions may vary seasonally. There is also the option to visit an olive oil mill and learn more about oil production. Check the latest route information; you can ask locally about arrangements for visiting the collection and the oil mill.

Discover more destinations: Kozarica, Okuklje, Saplunara, Sobra, Prožura, Babino Polje, Govedjari, Mljet

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