Situated at the end of a dusty road between Dubrovnik and Cavtat lies the abandoned resort of Kupari. Formerly a luxury holiday destination for the Yugoslavian military, this resort was home to several large hotels which now stand abandoned.
The Story Behind Kupari
Two Czech businessmen bought land in Kupari after World War I. On this land stood an old factory that made tiles (kupa) which inspired the name of the village. The Grand Hotel Kupari was built on the site of an old factory in 1919 and was completed in August 1923 with 166 rooms and 340 beds.
In its heyday, it was the most luxurious grand hotel in Southern Dalmatia and was to be the basis of the future “Slavic Riviera”.
It boasted its own greenhouse with ornamental flowers and vegetables grown for the kitchen. The hotel hosted the social cream of the first Czech Republic, but also important officials from other governments.
After World War II, the Yugoslav Army took over the Grand Hotel and turned it into a recovery centre. They added other buildings, including a separate villa for Josip Broz Tito. (Yugoslavias President) and he was the Supreme Military Commander for the Yugoslav People’s Army.
The total accommodation capacity in the bay rose to 4,500 guests with the construction of more hotels. The Gorocina Hotel was built in 1962 and Goricina 2 built in 1968. The Pelegrin Hotel opened in 1963 and was the largest hotel on the Adriatic.
The new Kupari Hotel was opened in 1980 and no further construction took place afterwards. Nearby, along the coast, was an auto-campsite which had residential buildings, villas, and an underground bunker. This camp contained an administrative building, a clinic, and other ancillary facilities, and it could accommodate up to 4,500 guests.
The luxury military resort, which could only be accessed if someone in your family was a high-ranking military person, was actually an exclusive resort.
Foreigners were rare at the military resort, unless they were distinguished guests. Amongat those were movie stars Marilyn Monroe, Yul Brynner, Elizabeth Taylor, and her husband Richard Burton. That is why all the famous singers and bands from the Yugoslavian era often stayed and performed in Kupari and entertained the hotel guests.
The War Of Independence
Shortly after the summer of 1991, all that changed. The Croatian War of Independence saw this peaceful paradise dragged into a devastating fight for freedom. As the Yugoslav People’s Army were about to obliterate Dubrovnik, Yugoslav naval ships also began surrounding the bay. A small unit of Croatian police were protecting the resort but on October 4th, the first shots were fired at the hotels.
Almost all of the valuables from the five hotels were looted and then phosphorous bombs were used to systematically burn the hotels down, floor by floor. From the outside you could see bullet holes from smaller and bigger weapons, spread all over the walls.
Today, the remains of the resort are a testament to the amount of damage done as well as the death of more than 20,000 people. Despite partial repairs to others, some structures were unable to be saved.
Families and visitors were enjoying the beautiful stretch of beach and its amazing clear blue sea on this sunny day in May 2024, despite the unusual backdrop of war-torn, graffiti-filled buildings.
At the moment, there is no security or safety measures, and you are free to wander around as you please. But be aware….there are walls and floors missing, unstable stairways and broken glass.
Redevelopers will transform this place one day and prohibit access, so if you want to explore, do it sooner rather than later!
