When you travel a lot, you discover and enjoy along the way, but few places leave you speechless…Go and see Narona. That’s just one place like this.
The archaeological site of the town of Narona is in Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
The Archaeological Museum of Narona
Neretva delta, in Dubrovnik-Neretva county, is rich with natural, historical, and cultural sightings. It’s a place full of wonders, undiscovered treasures, and a local gem undoubtedly worth discovering. One of its must-see spots is the Narona Museum.
The Archaeological Museum of Narona is located in the small town of Vid near Metković, where the remains of ancient Narona are found. It is one of the younger museums in the Republic of Croatia. It was opened to visitors on International Museum Day on May 18, 2007.
The Roman temple
Compared to many museum buildings, what makes it so unique is its architectural concept. It was built over the archaeological site itself. Its core is the forum, the central democratic space of any ancient city. The one in Vid was buried for more than a thousand years. The excavated Narona bears witness to a culture that, with its vital forces, prepared Europe as we know it. It is clearly shown in the contemporary architecture of the remains of Narona. The Roman temple and numerous archaeological findings found in the area of the former Roman colony of Narona are presented in the museum.
During 1995 and 1996, archeological research was carried out on the site of Plečaš’s stables, which resulted in the sensational discovery of the remains of the Roman temple – Augusteum and 17 marble sculptures of supernatural and natural height.
This finding inspired the idea of a joint presentation of this unique archaeological site, both architectural remains and other numerous archaeological materials.
Museum of Narona
The museum’s permanent exhibition exhibits the most representative examples of long-standing archaeological finds. About 900 finds (statues, ceramics, jewelry, glass, money…) from different locations in Narona, dating from the end of the 3rd century BC, are on display.
The archaeological material and the display itself are divided into the public life and architecture of Narona. In four rows of display cases, there is material from the locality: ramparts, Erešovo bar, necropolis, a basilica in the route of the waterworks, Njive-Podstrana, and St. Vid.
In addition to the small archaeological park, there are stone monuments of cultic and sepulchral themes on the outer terraces, fragments of architectural decorative plastic, and a mosaic under the glass floor that most likely belongs to a Roman tabernacle.
The museum’s importance and acknowledgment are found in its numerous awards. It has been awarded three times so far. The great “Vladimir Nazor” award went to architect Goran Rako for the Museum project, and the “Cemex” award for construction went to the MGA company from Metković. The Archaeological Museum of Narona received the Croatian Tourist Board’s “Blue Flower” award for an exceptional contribution to enriching Croatia’s tourist offer.
If you have the opportunity to be near the delta of the Neretva river, somewhere halfway between Dubrovnik and Split – do not miss visiting the Narona museum.
After enjoying the Roman culture and heritage that has been entrusted to us, just cross the narrow country road and try the most famous specialties of the Neretva region or take a boat ride around Norin. It will be a day you will remember for a long time.
