Hvar Cathedral Church

Address: Hvar Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Stephen), St. Stephen’s Square, Hvar Town, Hvar Island, Croatia

Hours: Typically open daily; tower/museum hours vary seasonally (usually 9:00am-5:00pm in summer)

Admission: Free to enter cathedral; small fee for the bell tower and museum areas may apply

Hvar Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Stephen, is the principal church in Hvar Town on the island of Hvar, located on the town’s main square. The building reflects Renaissance and later architectural phases and serves as the diocesan parish church.

The cathedral occupies a dominant position on the town square and includes a nave, side chapels and a small treasury containing liturgical objects and artworks. The bell tower is a separate vertical element often photographed from the square and from waterfront viewpoints; interior access is typically arranged for service times and guided visits. The cathedral is a common stop on walks through Hvar’s historic center and close to other civic monuments.

The present cathedral building dates mainly from the 16th century and was constructed on an earlier church site, with later modifications and restorations reflecting changing styles and needs. It has served as the religious centre of Hvar across the early modern and modern periods.

The cathedral stands in the central piazza of Hvar Town on the island of Hvar in Split-Dalmatia County, immediately inland from the harbor and within the compact pedestrianised old town.

• Dedication: Known locally as the Cathedral of St. Stephen, it stands on Hvar’s central square and forms a focal point of the historic townscape.

What to See#

• Cathedral building: The cathedral building in Hvar’s main square functions as the town’s parish church and houses a modest treasury of liturgical objects and paintings.
• Bell tower: The adjacent bell tower, prominent on Hvar’s skyline, dates from later construction phases and is visible across the old town and harbor.

Hvar Town is reached by ferry from Split (Jadrolinija and other operators) to Hvar’s port; the cathedral stands on St. Stephen’s Square in the town centre, a short walk from the ferry terminal.

• Climb the cathedral bell tower for a panorama of Hvar town and the Adriatic - the tower often charges a small fee but is worth the view.
• Visit the cathedral just after the morning Mass if possible - the interior light and atmosphere change with services and fewer tourists are present.
• Look for the cathedral's 15th-century inventory and the carved choir stalls, which often go unnoticed by casual visitors.