Church of St. Roko
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The Church of St. Roch in Komiža is one of the most interesting examples of fortified religious buildings on the island of Vis. It is located on the southern edge of the town, above the sea, above the Mlin Bay, where it guards the boundaries of the settlement like a stone tower. Its appearance is more reminiscent of a defensive tower than a church, which is no coincidence - during the time of frequent pirate attacks it served as both a spiritual refuge and a shelter for the population. There was already a small church dedicated to St. Roch, the protector against the plague, on this site in the 16th century. The brotherhood of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was active next to it from 1677. Since the old church was too small and dilapidated, the prominent Mardešić family from Komiža received permission from the Bishop of Hvar, Jakov Pontali, in 1763 to build a new, larger church in the shape of a tower. The old building was converted into a sacristy, and traces of its door are still visible today. The new church of St. The church of St. Roch is shaped like a compact rectangular block with a hipped roof. There are almost no windows – just a small round opening on the facade and a few small windows under the roof. The door was protected by side loopholes and a defensive hanging wall (machicolation) above the entrance, a typical element of fortifications on the Adriatic. It was not until the 20th century that a small bell tower was added on a preslica, transferred from the old church. The interior is adorned with a late Baroque wooden altar with an altarpiece of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Roch, St. Vincent of Ferenc and St. Simon Stock, the work of the Italian painter Joan Panson di Spezia from 1895. There is also a statue of St. Roch on the wall, which was once carried in processions on the saint’s feast day (August 16) and during epidemics. The Church of St. Roch is unique on Vis because it combines a sacral and defensive function. With its tower-like shape and ascetic architecture, it is reminiscent of similar church-fortresses in Vrboska, Jelsa or Suđurđe on Sipan. Today, in addition to its spiritual value, it remains a valuable monument to Komiža's turbulent past, a witness to a time when pirate attacks shaped the appearance of religious buildings.