LIGHTHOUSES 2015 - DAKSA

DAKSA A small island of Daksa is the furthest east situated island of the Elaphite Islands, 400 metres air distance from the hotel resort Babin kuk, and 2 nautical miles from the harbour of Dubrovnik- Gruž. Covered by Mediterranean vegetation it is 580 metres long and, 100 - 180 metres wide. The highest point of the island is 24 metres above sea level. The remains of the lighthouse building on Daksa, at its western coast, evidence that here one of the smallest lighthouses of the Adriatic had been built. By the last will of Sabin Getaldić - a nobleman from Dubrovnik who financed the building of the church and the monastery on Daksa which was his property, he left it in 1281 to the church. The Franciscans settled on the island of Daksa after the termination of the building, during 13th century. Today, just the traces remain from an earlier building. In the period of the Republic of Dubrovnik the erection of tower was planned on Daksa, for which the documentation was ready in 1616. The building of the tower was given up so that for military purposes in the period of Napoleon the old monastery was used. In 1871 Austro-Hungarian Monarchy bought the islet from Franciscans and built a lighthouse on it in 1872. Already for decades there has been no lighthouse crew. The one-storey building of an area of 46 square metres is completely devastated and so is also the power-plant room next to it. The status of land ownership still prevents the initiation of renewal works. The light which once was situated in the stone tower with spiral staircase, 19 metres above sea level, has been moved to a metal tower next to the sea. The light range is 10 nautical miles. The functioning is automatized and remote-controlled. Daksa is today a favourite excursion place of the inhabitants of Dubrovnik. After the proclamation of independence of the Republic of Croatia, after 46 years of silence, the dark secret of Daksa was revealed: about wealthy and respectful inhabitants of Dubrovnik killed on 25 October 1944 today testifies a memorial with 44 engraved names. Among the victims are also two Franciscans, at earlier time owners of Daksa.

Neven Šerić, PhD