The Fortress Church of St Mary of Mercy

The Fortress church of St Mary is a unique architectural work on the Croatian Adriatic, situated in the central part of a large square over the Vrboska village on the island of Hvar. Originally it was a small church but after two great Ottoman incursions to the island it began to turn into a mighty fort with thick and high walls as well as loopholes and cannon openings that once defended the entrance to the harbour. Thanks to its being so well preserved, this Renaissance building today is among the most beautiful in Croatia and in  Europe as a whole.