The Stari Grad Plain, located near the town of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar in Croatia, is a farming area created by ancient Greek settlers around 400 BC. It is still used today and is the biggest farming area on any of the Adriatic islands. The soil is very fertile because it was shaped by deposits of fine soil left behind during the Ice Age.

This landscape has remained almost unchanged from its original design. The ancient stone walls, which have been carefully maintained for over 2,400 years, along with stone shelters (called trims locally) and a water collection system, have helped preserve the original layout. Grapes and olives, the same crops grown by ancient farmers, are still farmed in the fields. The area is also protected as a natural reserve. It serves as an important example of ancient Greek farming methods and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008.

History

In 384 BC, Stari Grad was settled by Greeks from the island of Paros. The settlers divided the area into 75 land sections (called chora), each covering about 16 hectares and surrounded by dry stone walls. These walls might have been used later to watch the land or move quickly across it. Over time, people have kept the boundary walls in good condition, preserving the original layout. Farming in the chora has continued without stopping for 2,400 years until today. The landscape we see now reflects the same design created by the Greek settlers.

In addition to the chora, the Greeks built small storage buildings made of dry stone called trims. These were used to keep tools and provide shelter during bad weather. Large storage tanks and channels were also built across the area to collect rainwater, helping with the dry Mediterranean climate. Many of these old structures are still used for the same reasons today.

In 229 BC, Stari Grad became the home of Demetrius of Pharos, an Illyrian ruler who briefly resisted Roman control. However, by the mid-2nd century BC, the area was a Roman colony. At that time, it was a center for trading grapes and fishing.