This simple Gothic church was built in 1402. It was dedicated to St. Cross in 1421 when it was a parish church as well, and there was a graveyard in its surroundings.
The church, built in the Gothic style, is a typical example of the rural sacral architecture. A valuable detail is the old Romanesque-Gothic holy-water font on the pillar, a unique specimen in this part of Dalmatia.
The Parish church of St. Cross was built by Ivan Skok, a famous master of the Dalmatian Baroque. In 1725 Skok worked on a chapel of the main altar, which was later inserted in extension of the church (from 1746 to 1749), when the church got its harmonius façade, with a Baroque portal and a magnificent rosette, and side walls with oval Baroque windows.
The author of the altarpieces is a famous painter of decorative frescos Eugenio Moretti Varese. The pieces, one representing the Holy Family, and the other one the Heart of Jesus and the saints of Vinko the Martyr and Stanislav Kostka, were probably ordered in 1851.
The bell-tower is the work of the master Vicko Macanović Dubrovčanin. The church was consecrated in 1760.
The Čorić Tower is a unique example of a fortified tower that dates back to 1533 when Hyeronimus Saracenis concluded an agreement with Ivan, a stone-mason from Hvar, to begin construction. The initials H S, which stand for Hieronymus Saracenis, are inscribed on the coat of arms that is displayed on the eastern wall.
The tower frequently changed ownership and at one time in the 17th century it was in the possession of the Fondra noble family from Šibenik that used the tower as their place of residence.
Vodice was developed next to the water springs. On the square, under the parish church, there used to be two wells around which the whole rural life was developed.
From the upper well (closer to the parish church) drinkable water was taken, and the lower well contained water of less quality which was used for washing laundry and other household needs..
Looking from the sea, the panorama of Vodice is dominated by the Okit hill and a church of Our Lady of Carmel.
On this elevation the first church was erected in the 17th century, probably on the foundations of even older small chapel. Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, from the foot up to the top of the hill, the Way of the Cross was made, with fourteen small chapels, each one designates one station of the Way.
The church was extended for several times, it was destroyed twice, in the World War II and in the Croatian War of Independence. The current appearance of the church of Our Lady of Carmel is the work of Nikola Bašić, an architect from Zadar.
Stone field cottages, called bunja are spread all over the Mediterranean, and on the Croatian coast of the Adriatic are the most numerous in the surroundings of Šibenik and Zadar. These old cottages, of characteristic way of construction, are mostly circular, but they can be also rectangular or unsymmetrical.
Rakitnica settlement was mentioned in1311 and today are still discerned the remains of the former houses and walls built in a dry-wall.
A local church of St. John the Baptist, located close to the village, was built in 1445 when the parish of Rakitnica was founded. Masses are held twice a year, on the holidays of St. John the Baptist.
The church was built by inhabitants of the Pišća settlement in 1298. The church was dedicated to St. Elijah the Prophet in 1493. It is surrounded by an oval wall and on this place are still discerned the remains of the tombs. Once a year, on 20th August, a holy mass is held.
The island of Prvić was mentioned in the 11th century, but was more intensively settled in the 15th century when the inhabitants from the land ran away before the Turks to the islands. There are two villages on the island – Prvić Luka and Šepurina, connected by a road. The land was mostly owned by noble families from Šibenik that build country houses on the island, among which is the mansion of the famous Vrančić family.
After the Glagolic friars had been settled in Prvić Luka, in 1461 the construction of St. Mary’s church or Our Lady of Mercy with a monastery began. It is not known when it was finished, but we know that in 1479 building works were still in progress.
The church of Our Lady’s Childbirth was built in 1479 and was raised by the Ambrozović family from Šibenik. It was expanded and renovated in 1878. There is one altar in the church, and there is a well in front of the church. The church is not in function nowadays.
In the centre of Šepurina, near the coast, there is The church of St. Rocco or St. Helen built and consecrated in 1620. Inside the church, there is a wooden altar of St. Rocco, richly embellished with Baroque ornaments.
The church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built in 1878 on the hill above the village.
At the main facade there is an inscription: Hoc templum aedifigatum A. D. 1878. The church was restored twice, in 1898 and in 1938.
At the Faust Vrančić Memorial Centre, you can get to know the life and work of Faust Vrančić, a man whom the world today mostly remembers as the inventor of Homo Volans - the flying man, but he was a lot more... Take a look at the collection of the models of his inventions, some of which are real life size, and his more important written works. The multimedia displays also provide educational games for the youngest visitors.
The Cultural Route Water - the ultimate shaper of history, will discover 20 cultural and historical attractions of the Šibenik-Knin County on 6 sites. Near Vodice you can visit Velika Mrdakovica - Arauzona, Okit Hill - Shrine of Our Lady of the Carmel, Roman cistern, drywall constructions, island Prvić and Prižba on Srima.
This cultural route connects the coast, the islands, the hinterland and the NP Krka. It is tailored to the wishes of guests and visitors for one-day or multi-day programs.
The first settlements developed in the hinterland of Vodice in prehistoric times. The sides of the road that enters the city hide our roots and the history that has conditioned today's life in this area. Rakitnica, Mrdakovica, Pišća, Kamena and Okit are the names of the fertile estates of our valuable farmers, and were once the villages where our ancestors lived. Numerous material evidence are a witness to the continuous life in these fields since the Iron Age.
- Route length: 15 km
- Duration: 3,5 h
Discover Camino Šibenik, a 108 km long part of the Camino Croatian route. Explore the beautiful coastal area and the Camino paths along which there are olive groves, vineyards, beaches, the UNESCO Cathedral of St. Jakov and much more. Part of this route is Vodice, where pilgrims visit the church of Our Lady of Carmel on the Okit hill and the parish church of St. Cross.