Church of St. Silvester Biševo – Benedictine Heritage from the 11th Century

Church of St. Silvester on Biševo is the most significant religious monument on the island and one of the places that best illustrates how the history of Biševo is older and richer than its current tourist narrative about the Blue Cave.

It is located in the settlement of Poje, on a plateau in the interior of the island, among old stone houses and former fields. At first glance, it appears to be a simple small island church, but behind it lies nearly a thousand years of documented history.

The current church dates back to the Middle Ages, and its story begins in 1050, when the priest Ivan Gaudijev Grlić from Split built a church dedicated to Pope St. Silvester and entrusted it to the Benedictines from the Italian Tremiti Islands. Soon after, a Benedictine monastery was established nearby, integrating Biševo into an important network of monastic communities across the Adriatic.

Church Built in 1050

The year 1050 is a key date in the history of Biševo.

At that time, the priest Ivan from Split built a church on the central island plateau and dedicated it to St. Silvester I., a pope from the 4th century.

The church was then handed over to the Benedictines from the Tremiti Islands, who expanded their network of monasteries across the Adriatic.

This location of Biševo was not accidental. The island lies on a maritime route between the western and eastern coasts of the Adriatic, so connections with southern Italy in the Middle Ages were much more intense than one might assume today by looking at a map.

The Benedictines built the St. Silvester Monastery, and the entire area became one of the important spiritual and economic centers of this part of the Adriatic.

Benedictines from Tremiti

The Benedictines who came to Biševo were part of a broader Adriatic network connected to the Tremiti Islands in Italy.

At that time, the sea did not represent a border as we often imagine it today. On the contrary – it was the fastest route between the shores.

Biševo, Svetac, Vis, Hvar, Tremiti, and the Gargano area were connected by maritime routes traveled by monks, merchants, and sailors.

Thus, the St. Silvester Monastery was not an isolated monastery at the end of the world, but part of a much broader cultural and religious space.

Traces of this Benedictine influence later appeared on Vis, particularly in the area of Komiža.

Pope Alexander III Protected the Monastery

The importance of the Biševo monastery is evidenced by a document from 1181.

During the conflict between Venice and Byzantium for dominance over the Adriatic, the monastery appealed to Pope Alexander III for protection.

On May 2, 1181, the pope issued a privilege placing the St. Silvester Monastery and its community under his protection.

The document directly addresses the abbot Ursus, the head of the Biševo monastery.

This is particularly valuable information as it confirms that in the 12th century, there was not just a small church here but an organized and sufficiently important Benedictine community that communicated directly with the papal administration.

Only the Church Remains from the Monastery

The Benedictine complex itself has not been preserved in the form it existed during the Middle Ages.

Today, the Church of St. Silvester is the main preserved part of the former monastery, while it is assumed that the monastic buildings were located immediately next to it, particularly on the southern side.

In the church, doors that once led to the monastic courtyard have also been discovered.

The surrounding stone houses, walls, and gardens have changed the original appearance of the area over the centuries, so today's visitor actually stands on a very layered archaeological site, parts of which have not yet been fully explored.

An Older Church Found Beneath

One of the greatest surprises came during conservation and archaeological research in the 1990s.

It turned out that the church from 1050 was not built on completely empty ground.

Under the current building, remains of an older early Christian church, likely from the 6th century, were discovered, including an apse and part of a mosaic floor.

This indicates that this location had a sacred function several centuries before the arrival of the Benedictines.

In the area of the church, other ancient and late antique traces have also been found, including pottery and a fragment of a Greek tombstone with the name Theodoros.

Thus, the Church of St. Silvester is not just a medieval monument. It is located on a site where a very long continuity of life and use of space can be traced.

The Current Appearance Differs from 1050

The church was originally built in the pre-Romanesque style, but has been repaired and reshaped multiple times over nearly a thousand years.

Official sources particularly note changes in the 17th and 20th centuries, while other construction interventions occurred earlier.

The current exterior appearance is therefore the result of several different historical layers.

The single-nave stone building has a simple façade and a bell tower, while strong stone supports can be seen along the side walls.

Inside, details from different phases of construction can still be recognized today.

The church is not large, but its simplicity and isolated location give it a strong character.

A Special Narrow Window Above the Apse

One of the more interesting details is located on the eastern wall above the apse.

There is a very narrow and tall window, almost resembling a loophole from the outside, while it widens towards the inside.

During earlier renovations, it was bricked up, but restorers have reopened it.

In the morning, a narrow and strong beam of sunlight enters the darker interior of the church through it.

It cannot be said with certainty that the entire effect was originally intentionally designed this way, but today it is one of the most interesting details of the church's interior.

Biševo Madonna – One of the Greatest Artistic Treasures Associated with the Church

The Church of St. Silvester is also associated with a very valuable medieval artwork – the Biševo Madonna.

This is a depiction of the Virgin Mary with Child from around 1220, one of the oldest preserved depictions of the Virgin Mary of its kind in Dalmatia.

The painting was once located in the Church of St. Silvester on Biševo.

It is no longer on the island but is kept in the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Hvar.

Therefore, a visitor entering the church today will not see the original Biševo Madonna, but it is important to know that one of the more valuable works of medieval Dalmatian art originated from this small island church.

Graves of Benedictines Beneath the Floor

Archaeological research has also revealed several graves within the church.

Along the northern and southern walls, communal graves containing multiple individuals have been found, believed to belong to Benedictine monks.

Particularly interesting is a grave located almost in the central axis of the church, in a privileged position in front of the apse.

Archaeologists have suggested that a person of great importance to the monastery must have been buried there. One possibility is that it is the priest Ivan who commissioned the church's construction, but this has not been proven and should be viewed as an interesting archaeological hypothesis rather than a certainty.

How to Reach the Church of St. Silvester?

The church is located in Poje, in the central part of Biševo, far from the coast and main ports.

To reach Biševo, one must first take a boat from Komiža, and then continue on foot along island paths towards the church.

The church is one of the official stops on the Geostaza Biševo, making it a pleasant addition to a longer tour of the island's interior.

It is most practical to combine it with the Visitor Center Blue Cave – Biševo, the settlement of Poje, and the continuation towards Porat or Salbunari.

Comfortable shoes or good sandals are recommended for walking. In summer, it is advisable to bring enough water as a large part of the path is exposed to the sun.

Is It Worth Visiting If Only the Blue Cave Is Being Explored?

If the plan is to spend only a very short time on Biševo and return to Komiža immediately after visiting the Blue Cave, the church is difficult to fit into such a schedule.

However, if one stays on the island for half a day or a full day, it is certainly worth including it.

The Blue Cave showcases the natural side of Biševo, while St. Silvester reveals its historical aspect.

Moreover, after visiting the church, it is much easier to understand why this small island has had much greater significance for centuries than one might conclude based on its current population.

Can the Interior Be Visited?

The church is not arranged like a classic museum with a ticket office and fixed tourist hours.

Therefore, one should not expect that the interior will always be open upon independent arrival.

Even when the doors are closed, it is worth visiting for the building itself, the historical environment of Poje, and the remains of the former monastery.

If visiting the interior is particularly important, it is best to check access possibilities before arriving on the island or through the local tourist/visitor system on Biševo.

The Most Important Historical Building on Biševo

Today, the Blue Cave is incomparably more famous, but in historical terms, the Church of St. Silvester is one of the most important buildings on the entire island.

At the same location, one can trace ancient and early Christian traces, the 11th-century church, the arrival of the Benedictines from Tremiti, the development of the monastery, the papal privilege from 1181, and the Biševo Madonna from the 13th century.

All of this is located in a small stone church in the midst of a quiet island settlement that most quick day-trippers never reach.

If one wishes to explore Biševo beyond the Blue Cave and sandy beaches, the Church of St. Silvester is one of the locations that should not be missed.

Location: Poje, central part of Biševo
Year of Construction: 1050
Builder: Priest Ivan Gaudijev Grlić from Split
Style: Originally pre-Romanesque, later extensively renovated
Dedication: Pope St. Silvester I.
Benedictines: Church entrusted to the Benedictines from the Tremiti Islands
Monastery: Once located immediately next to the church
Papal Privilege: Pope Alexander III, 1181
Archaeology: Remains of an earlier early Christian building and mosaics found beneath the church
Notable Artwork: Biševo Madonna from around 1220, now in the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Hvar
Access by Car: No
Arrival: By boat to Biševo, then on foot
Route: One of the stops on Geostaza Biševo
Entry: Do not expect fixed tourist hours
Best Combined With: Poje, Visitor Center, Geostaza, Porat, and Salbunari