Restoration of the Monastery

The Government of the Republic of Croatia returned Badija in 2003 to its owner – the Franciscan Province of St. Jerome, based in Zadar. Two years later, the Franciscans of Zadar ceded the monastery to the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina for 99 years. After more than 60 years of neglect and destruction of religious and cultural heritage, the monastery and church on Badija were found completely ransacked. The provincial of Zadar at the time, Father Bernardin Škunca OFM, together with the provincial of Herzegovina at the time, Father Slavko Soldo OFM, invites Father Jozo Zovko OFM to try to rebuild the monastery, thereby restoring it to its former splendour and its sense of being once more the spiritual and cultural centre of southern Dalmatia. The archaeological and conservational elaborations and projects to restore the monastery began in 2005. This was followed by construction work and the interior decoration of the monastery, after which the monastery got its full meaning – receiving pilgrims for spiritual retreats.

In 2005, in cooperation with and under the supervision of Dubrovnik’s Conservation Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, geodetic surveys of the current situation were made, exploratory work was carried out, and approvals were obtained to begin the reconstruction of the monastery building.

From 2007 to 2009, the roof of the monastery, the detached naval armoury, and the bell tower were renovated.

The project documentation for the renovation of the interior of the monastery building was drawn up.

The decision regarding the renovation and construction of the monastery was finally obtained. Works on the restoration of the monastery’s interiors began. Certain historians interpreted the name Badija as being the Benedictine name for the abbey, although there is no clear evidence for this. Archaeologists requested that the entire the monastery area be excavated. After lengthy, laborious and demanding work, the floor and the embankment to the sea were cleared. Archaeologists discovered the foundations of a villa rustica beneath the monastery. New material that was milled on the island was used. Thousands of square metres of waste served to build and embank the promenade around the island. The promenade was cleared and built at a length of five kilometres. Water, electricity, and phone lines were laid in the new path around the island. Lampposts were set up along the south side of the island.