Info
Why the name Dobrovit and the connection behind it!
The word "dobro" in the Croatian language means "good" and as such requires no particular explanation. Everyone knows its meaning in every sense; philosophical, theological, and in everyday life. Many who don't know much about Baška and its history might think that by giving the hotel the name Dobrovit, we wanted to connect or associate the hotel with the word "good" in the most literal sense. They are mistaken, of course. Even though we have nothing against this kind of positive association, it was not our intention.
In truth, we wanted the name of the hotel to connect us with something else that is good and of great importance, and that is the heritage and history of Baška, one that is tumultuous and burdensome, yet paramount for the Republic of Croatia. One might dare say that the history of Baška is even more important for Croatia than Baška itself, which may sound like a paradox.
In addition to connecting with the legacy, heritage, and history of Baška, we wanted it to be a reminder of all those who had lived, walked, prayed, and worked here long before us – and one of those people who we need to thank for today's good life in Baška was named Dobrovit.
Dobrovit was the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Lucia (St. Lucy) in the part of Baška called Jurandvor. His name is mentioned on the Baška Tablet that was made or rather carved around the year AD 1100 (https://www.info.hazu.hr/en/povijest/bascanska-ploca/).
According to the inscription on the Tablet carved in Croatian Glagolitic text, Dobrovit built the monastery and the church of St. Lucia with the help of nine of his Benedictine brethren on the land that was donated to his predecessor Abbot Držiha by the Croatian King Zvonimir.
It was in the church of St. Lucia, that is still in the same location, that in 1851 theologian and later priest Petar Dorčić found the Baška Tablet. (https://www.nsk.hr/en/anniversary-of-the-discovery-of-the-precious-stone-of-the-croatian-language/).
The importance of the Baška Tablet is immeasurable for Croatia's history, culture, and language. It is the oldest known document, or rather monument mentioning a Croatian national name written in the Croatian language. It is not surprising then that our highest cultural and scientific institutions consider the Baška Tablet as one of our most valuable monuments. Referred to by eminent scientists as the "precious stone" of the Croatian language, it is also regarded as the certificate of birth and national identity of all Croats.
Owing to the digital age that we live in, our guests can find a lot of information on Baška. They have most probably read that Baška is one of the most beautiful small tourist spots in Croatia and home to one of the largest and most beautiful beaches in Croatia and the whole of the Adriatic, but rarely has somebody read or knows something about the Baška Tablet and its significance.
For this reason, we have decided to give the hotel the name Dobrovit, to familiarize our "old" and new guests with Baška's importance for the history, culture, and language of Croatia and the European Union as well, of which Croatia is a full-fledged member.
We feel it is important our dear guests know that the Baška Tablet, one of the most precious Croatian and European monuments as well was carved and discovered only 1850 meters (6000 feet) from our hotel and this beautiful beach. And, it is also important and interesting to mention that according to scientists' estimates this magnificent monument was carved around AD 1100. To put it in perspective, that was 340 years before Gutenberg invented the first printing press in 1440 and almost a full four centuries before Columbus discovered America in 1492.
This distant and important history, which took place in the immediate vicinity, has been preserved because it was carved in a stone slab. This was the work of abbots Držiha and Dobrovit who, along with their fellow Benedictines, under their motto "Ora et Labora" not only carved the text on the Baška Tablet and built the monastery next to the present-day church of St. Lucia but also took care of the people of Baška, whom they congregated, helped at every opportunity, and educated.
That is why we feel it is important to remind our guests of these honorable Benedictines - which we hope we have achieved by giving the hotel the name Dobrovit.
And while the name Dobrovit connects us with our legacy and heritage, it most certainly also connects us with all of those generations of Baška people who had lived, walked, "prayed and worked" on these lands after abbots Držiha and Dobrovit.
And that is precisely what we hoped to achieve! To remind our guests and everyone else for that matter of those fishermen, field workers, shepherds, and sailors who had fought under harsh conditions for the survival of their families and defended their Baška, their Croatian national identity, their language and culture from attacks of all kinds of aggressors.
They are also to thank that we are here today and that Baška is one of the most promising municipalities and most beautiful small tourist sites in our beautiful country of Croatia, an EU member state.
For this reason, we invite all of our dear guests to use the opportunity of their visit to the Dobrovit Hotel to see the Baška Tablet and the many exhibitions, locations, and toponyms that Baška has to offer (https://www.visitbaska.hr/en/explore/culture#section-151). Our staff is here to assist you if you wish to learn more about the distant and more contemporary history of Baška and the way of life of those to whom we owe our gratitude for making our lives and the lives of our guests here "good" (DOBRO).
