The Elaphite group has Šipan as the largest island. It is separated from the mainland by the 1,500 m wide Koločepski channel, from Lopud island by the Lopud Gate, and from Jakljan by the Harpoti Pass. It stretches in the northwest-southeast direction, from Cape Stari Brod to Cape Prtuša, covering a length of nine kilometers. The island is surrounded by islets such as Ruda, Jakljan, Tajan, Crvina, Golec, Kosmec, and Mišnjak. Its surface area is 16.5 km², built from chalk limestone and dolomite.
Šipan’s coast is richly indented with many bays and inlets, including Kamenarska, Tiha, Duboka Velika, Duboka Mala, Maslinovica, Pakljena, and Galebrina. The highest peak, Velji vrh, rises to 243 meters above sea level, and on it are the remains of the Yugoslav People’s Army fort. The peak of Sv. Ilija follows with a height of 223 m. The outer coast of Šipan is steep and sharp, while the inner coast is tamer and greener. Between the two limestone mountains lies a fertile field, a dolomite valley, 5 km long and 1 km wide. It starts and ends in the two largest settlements, Šipanska Luka (216 inhabitants) and Suđurađ (196 inhabitants).
In the past, the field was cultivated and planted with vineyards, while the slopes grew olive trees belonging to the nobility of Dubrovnik. Today, it is quite neglected, parceled out, and intertwined with a network of Polish roads. The first road through the field was laid out by the French in the 19th century, while the plans for today’s road were made in 1979, and the Suđurađ bypass in 1981. In 1992, work began to improve the old road, which continued in 1996. At that time, the 4.8 km long road through the field was paved, and 3.7 km of the road was widened and improved, from the intersection of the church of St. Duha via Pakljena to Suđurađ. During the Homeland War, this road was called the road of life. The sea and land blockade and the bombardment of the Dubrovnik area prevented the connections of Dubrovnik with the rest of Croatia. From 1991 to 1995, supplies, transport of the wounded, the army, and weapons were carried out at night by small speedboats to Suđurađ, from where they were transported by tractors on an unpaved road through the field to Šipanska Luka and by sea to Pelješac.
The Austrians built the first docks and lighthouses on the island. Suđurađ received the ferry pier in 1997, enabling the introduction of a ferry and regular bus line on the road through the field from Suđurađ to Šipanska Luka. In the past, along the southern edge of the field, gentlemen from Dubrovnik built their summer houses.
The island of Šipan had various names in the past. Gypanon means eagle’s nest in Greek. Tauris is of Roman origin and means bull because the island’s appearance resembles the head of that animal. Giupana-prefect was first mentioned in 1222, while today’s name, Šipan, was first recorded in 1370. It is connected to a freshwater spring in the middle of the field, Šipun. Water for watering the fields is still drawn from it today. From the deeper sources of brackish water, water is extracted by pumps for the needs of agriculture. Šipan has 2,580 hours of sunshine per year, while the average amount of precipitation is 1,250 mm.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the 16th century, a sailing ship was sunk in front of Suđurađ and its remains can now be found at the bottom of the sea next to three škoj. In 1972, two ship cannons and stone cannonballs were discovered among the objects that were retrieved from the sea.