Solin – Our Lady’s Islet (Gospin otok)

On a unique islet in Solin, in the middle of the mainland surrounded by affluents of the river Jadro, is the oldest Marian shrine in Croatia. In the 10^th century it was here that Croatian Queen Jelena built two churches: the Church of the  Blessed Virgin Mary and the Church of  St. Stephen. During research, in 1898 a tombstone inscription was found on the front of the sarcophagus containing the body of the Croatian Queen Jelena in the atrium of the former church of St. Stephen. Today’s parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Our Lady’s Island was built on the foundations of that old Croatian church.