Vela Luka

Vela Luka is the largest town on the island, a municipality with almost 5,000 inhabitants, 42 km from the city of Korcula by island road, which ends here. The town developed at the beginning of the 19th century in a deep sheltered bay. It has several hotels, and the Kalos medical centre for rheumatic disorders and rehabilitation. The inhabitants are farmers, fishermen, work in tourism, and the town also has the Greben shipyard, Jadranka fish factory, and other smaller industrial plants.

 

The Cultural Centre in a renovated Baroque building, the old Kastel summer house, has a fine prehistoric archaeological collection from the nearby Neolithic site Vele spilje, and from Roman localities in the surroundings of the town.

 

The large private Anka Prizmic-Sega Gallery, opened in 1983, has many sculptures and paintings by this artist born in Vela Luka. St Joseph's parish church is a Neoclassical building completed in 1848.

The Way of The Cross, 15 small reliefs, were made by Anka Prizmic. St. Vicenza's chapel from 1589 was reconstructed several times. It has the bust of the priest don lvo Oreb, who did a lot for the cultural development of this town in the 20th century, by Anka Prizmic. At the top of the chapel is a bronze Pieta by the same sculptress.

The Hum cultural and performing society nurtures music and folk dancing, and choral singing. The town also has many harmony-singing groups. The best-known are klapa Osjak and klapa Greben, whose excellent singing has ensured them success at concerts in Croatia and abroad. Vela Luka is surrounded by many bays with fine beaches. The nearby forested islet of Osjak is especially attractive.