Based on the ancient customs of their order, Conventual Franciscan monks built their church and monastery on the most beautiful position of the Port of Vis and dedicated it to the Dalmatian patron, St. Jerome at the beginning of 16th century. The church's exterior is decorated with Renaissance elements of the period. The monastery has an unusual, inclined and partially semi-circular shape as it was built on the arches and on the external wall of the Roman theatre's auditorium. Parts of the auditorium can be seen in the monastery's basements and on its northern external wall. The terraces and Renaissance and Baroque bell-tower were added to the unmarked building with small, later walled up steal windows, which had no cloister or monastery disposition. The use of the Roman theatre's remains, the large garden area and the purpose of making the church approachable for boats from the sea conditioned the unusual distance between the church and the monastery with its bell-tower.