Pitve

Pitve is a settlement on the island of Hvar, in the district of Jelsa. It lies 168 metres above sea-level on the northern side of the island, in the hills above Jelsa.

Pitve Pityeia
Village
Pitve
Pitve Location of Pitve within Croatia
Coordinates: 43°09′07″N 16°40′08″E
Country	Croatia
County	Split-Dalmatia County
Municipality	Jelsa
Elevation	168 m (551 ft)
Population  (2001)
• Total	81
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	21465 Pitve
Area code(s)	+385 (0)21

Pitve

The road from Jelsa and Vrisnik goes through the 1,500 metre long Pitve tunnel to reach Zavala on the south side of the island.

Name

Pitve is derived from Pityeia, which is the oldest-known name for the island. It was mentioned as being one of the Liburnian isles, along with Issa (Vis) and Dysceladus,[1][2] and is associated with pine woods.

History

Pitve is one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements on the island. It is a village in two parts: the upper, older section known as Gornje Pitve, and a newer, lower part known as Donje Pitve. Gornje Pitve was founded by the Liburnians, an ancient Illyrian tribe who inhabited the island before the arrival of the ancient Greeks in 384 B.C.[3] At that time, the name for the entire island was Pityeia. Donje Pitve dates from the 15th and early 16th century, when there was an influx of people from the mainland escaping the invading Turks.

Between Upper and Lower Pitve lie the old school (today a wine cooperative), the parish church of St James (Sv Jakov), a cemetery, and the former library and economic home that are no longer in use.

The fishing port for Pitve was mentioned in the Hvar Statute of 1331 as Portus de Pitue, and is now known as Jesla.

Location/geography

Pitve lies at the top of a valley below the cliff called Samotorac at the entrance to the Vratnik pass.[4]

Culture

The patron saint of Pitve is St James (Sv Jakov). On Holy Thursday, Pitve is one of the places that participates in the traditional procession "Za križen", or "Following the Cross".

Sport

Pitve's football club is known as NK Poskok – the Vipers.

Population

Beginning with the census of 1991, the population figures for Pitve reduced as the inhabitants of Zavala were counted as an independent settlement, which contains data for 1857, 1869, 1921 and in 1931.

Population chart 1857-2001[5]

Year	Population
1857	350
1869	446
1880	435
1890	501
1900	569
1910	573
1921	756
1931	579
1948	419
1953	315
1961	264
1971	191
1981	146
1991	112
2001	81

Notable people from Pitve

• Juraj II. Duboković, Bishop of Hvar
• Niko Duboković Nadalini – Shipowner and politician
• Božidar Medvid, -priest, translator, editor, humanitarian, for five years was the parish priest in Pitve
• Tašenka Matulović - writer

References

1. Hughes Fowler, Barbara. Hellenistic Poetry: an Anthology. Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0-299-12530-0.
2. Rhodus, Apollonius. "Argonautica". Greek Texts & Translations. Retrieved 15 August 2016. far onward they sped starting from the Hyllean land, and they left behind all the islands that were beforetime thronged by the Colchians -- the Liburnian isles, isle after isle, Issa, Dysceladus, and lovely Pityeia
3. Ring, Trudy (1994). International Dictionary of Historic Places - Southern Europe. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn.
4. "Island of Hvar: Pitve". Stari Grad Tourist Board. Stari Grad Tourist Board. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
5. Census of Population, Households and Dwellings, 31st March 2001, Republic of Croatia: Central Bureau of Statistics, 2001, retrieved 14 July 2009