Biševo
Encyclopedia
Biševo is an island
in the Adriatic Sea
in Croatia
. It is situated in the middle of the Dalmatia
n archipelago
, five kilometers southwest of the Island of Vis. Its area is 5.8 km and it has a population of 11 . It is composed of limestone
; the highest point is Straženica, 239 m high. In the center of the island there is a fertile field, the northern part of the island is covered with pine
forests and the rest of the island is covered with maquis shrubland
or bare rocks. The coastal sea belt is a rich fishing area. The main industries are viticulture
and fishing
.
A Benedictine
monastery
was founded on Biševo in 1050 by Ivan Grlić from Split, but it was deserted two centuries later because of the danger of pirates. The church of Saint Sylvester is preserved near the ruins of the monastery.
s, the most famous being the Blue Cave. It has been accessible since 1884, and approach to the cave is only possible by boat. It is 18 meters long, 6 meters deep and 6 meters high. The entrance to the cave is only 1.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. Around 10 to 13 o'clock sunbeams that penetrate through the submarine opening in the Blue Cave, reflect from the white bottom floor and colour the cave in blue and objects in the water in silver.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. It is situated in the middle of the Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, five kilometers southwest of the Island of Vis. Its area is 5.8 km and it has a population of 11 . It is composed of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
; the highest point is Straženica, 239 m high. In the center of the island there is a fertile field, the northern part of the island is covered with pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forests and the rest of the island is covered with maquis shrubland
Maquis shrubland
thumb|220px|Low Maquis in Corsica.220px|thumb|High macchia in Sardinia.Maquis or macchia is a shrubland biome in the Mediterranean region, typically consisting of densely growing evergreen shrubs such as holm oak, tree heath, strawberry tree, sage, juniper, buckthorn, spurge olive and myrtle...
or bare rocks. The coastal sea belt is a rich fishing area. The main industries are viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
A Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
was founded on Biševo in 1050 by Ivan Grlić from Split, but it was deserted two centuries later because of the danger of pirates. The church of Saint Sylvester is preserved near the ruins of the monastery.
Blue cave
On the steep shores there are many caveCave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, the most famous being the Blue Cave. It has been accessible since 1884, and approach to the cave is only possible by boat. It is 18 meters long, 6 meters deep and 6 meters high. The entrance to the cave is only 1.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. Around 10 to 13 o'clock sunbeams that penetrate through the submarine opening in the Blue Cave, reflect from the white bottom floor and colour the cave in blue and objects in the water in silver.