Hvar Theatre and Arsenal
Communal theatre of 1612 above a Venetian galley arsenal on Hvar's main square.
The Arsenal was rebuilt in the early seventeenth century as a covered dock where a Venetian war galley could be hauled in for repair, its great arch opening straight onto the harbour of Hvar town. In 1612 the commune fitted out a theatre on the upper floor, in a hall originally intended for public gatherings. It is regularly described as one of the earliest municipal theatres in Europe, and unusually for its date it was open to nobles and commoners alike rather than to a subscribing aristocracy.
The auditorium visitors see today largely reflects a remodelling of 1803, when tiers of boxes and painted decoration were added in the manner of an Italian opera house. The building underwent a long and repeatedly delayed programme of conservation, after which the theatre returned to public access; the space is used for performances and civic occasions as well as sightseeing. The terrace above the Arsenal arch, the Fontik and a gallery of contemporary art form part of the same complex on Saint Stephen's Square.
Highlights
- Communal theatre opened in 1612, among Europe's earliest
- Tiered boxes and painted decoration from the remodelling of 1803
- Arsenal below built as a covered dock for a Venetian galley
- Combined town ticket with the Fortica fortress and clock tower
