The city of Hvar has issued a notice regarding the condition and activities on the eastern city walls, where a serious risk of collapse of part of the structure has been identified. This is a continuation of the structural repair project for the city walls, which began in 2023 in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Media.
During the execution of preparatory works, which included removing vegetation and repairing holes, certain cracks and deformations were observed. Consequently, a licensed structural engineer, dipl. ing. građ. Juraj Pojatina, was called in, who conducted an extraordinary inspection of the structure on 30 September. Following the inspection, it was determined that there is a serious risk of collapse of part of the eastern city walls, which must be urgently repaired.
The city, in cooperation with STUDIOM ARHING d.o.o., immediately began implementing urgent measures within the existing renovation project. The aim of the urgent measures is to prevent further damage to the walls and ensure the full stability of that part of the structure. Currently, work is underway to create a geodetic and architectural survey of the critical part of the city walls, crack monitoring is being conducted by installing five measuring devices, as well as geotechnical investigation works which include ground-penetrating radar testing of the inner side of the walls.
The preparation of the project for urgent stabilisation and repair measures is in progress, as is the execution of urgent stabilisation and repair works in accordance with the prepared project documentation. Residents in the immediate vicinity of the endangered area have been duly informed of the situation. The announced works by restorers and students from the ENGIM school in Vicenza, within the framework of cooperation with the Community of Italians in Hvar, have been temporarily suspended.
The structural repair project for the city walls – eastern part and Hvar Tower – began in 2023 in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Media. Within that project, in 2024, an urgent repair of the south-eastern corner of the walls was carried out due to the danger of collapse. During this year, the city of Hvar signed a contract with the company EXAMEN LAB d.o.o. for the execution of investigation works on the eastern part of the city walls, as well as a contract with the company STUDIO ARHING d.o.o. for the preparation of project documentation for the structural repair of the eastern part of the city walls.
Cooperation on the restoration of the eastern city walls with the Community of Italians in Hvar has also been resumed, with co-financing from the Veneto region. The planned activities will continue after the completion of the technical stabilisation measures.
