April 28, 2021 - Employees of the Neretva-Pelješac-Korčula-Lastovo-Mljet waterworks (NPKLM vodovod d.o.o.) from Korčula excavated several Roman stone blocks during the repair of the water pipe on the Mala Riva, north of the bridge at the entrance to Vid. Among them, three significant Roman monuments in Vid stand out, and on one of them, along with various decorations, an inscription is carved.

Metković News reports the letters AV and the third damaged letter (perhaps the letter G) have been preserved on the monument. It can be preliminary said that the name of the first Roman emperor Augustus was probably mentioned.

It is the largest inscription found in Narona. The height of the letters, 30 cm, indicates that the inscription stood on a large public building and can be associated with the most famous Naronitan site - the temple of Augusteum, where Emperor Augustus was worshiped.

The employees of NPKLM vodovoda d.o.o carefully removed the monuments. They will be presented to the public in the Narona Archeological Museum, the first on-site museum in Croatia, after the cleaning and conservation process.

"Since the works are taking place in the area of ​​the former center of ancient Narona, we could expect something like this. Another reason for this is that much later, a stone was inserted into the foundations of the bridge over the Norin, so we expected to find something like this", said the director of AM Narona, Toni Glučina.

Whenever you dig a little deeper in the area of ​​Vid, it can be expected that some stone witness of the famous Naronitan history will come to light. This is the biggest monument found in Vid from the ancient Roman city of Narona, since the archeological discovery of 17 marble statues with inscriptions and mosaic floors inside the Plečaš family barn. The unique archaeological find of the Roman remains indicated that the city was of great importance during the Roman era, built in the first century BC.

To find out more about the Narona Archeological Museum, click HERE. 

March 25, 2021 - Narona Archeological Museum is the first on-the-site museum in Croatia and one of the only ones in the world. The museum is built directly on the ancient temple dedicated to Augustus, the first Roman emperor in the modern city of Vid.

In 1995 and 1996, under the guidance of Prof. Emilio Marin, Ph.D., archeologists discovered 17 marble statues with inscriptions and mosaic floors inside the Plečaš family barn in Vid, located just on the outskirts of Metković. The remains of the Roman city of Narona, which is a unique archeological find, indicated that the city was of great importance during the Roman era, built in the first century BC. 

When the marble statues and remains of the temple were found within a family barn, the Narona Archeological Museum was constructed on-site to ensure all found remains don't get damaged in transport or relocation. The modern design of the museum was done by architect Goran Rako in 2001. Once the museum was constructed and the permanent exhibition was set up, the museum opened its doors on May 18, 2007.

Historically, Narona was one of the most important cities during the Roman era on the Adriatic's eastern shores due to its ideal location. When you're linked to the coast, the world is at your fingertips, and with Narona, today's Vid, being surrounded by the river Neretva, the city of Narona continued to thrive. 

The museum is a hidden gem of Croatia and the Neretva Valley. This incredible find doesn't get half of the international recognition it deserves due to its location. The town Vid, located in the Neretva Valley, is most known for its history, but as most of the valley is still not the most popular tourist location unless you know what you're looking for, the museum remains a hidden gem. 

Narona Archeological Museum presents its visitors with a unique experience to witness Roman architecture and history. The Narona museum is a perfect place for all lovers of culture, arts, history, and archeology. To walk into a museum and be transported into the Roman era is a rare find, so make sure you add a visit to the Narona Archeological Museum to your list! 

To read more travel news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.