Exploring Croatia: The Abandoned Children’s Health Resort in Krvavica, Croatia
Abandoned Children’s Health Resort. Krvavica, Croatia
Last year, while exploring Makarska, I ended up in Krvavica, a coastal town three kilometers north of Makarska, Croatia.
Krvavica. Literal English translation: blood sausage.
This isn’t an origin story post about how the town got its name. Uncovering why a town is named after a sausage could be interesting. But not today.
Instead, I’ll focus on one of my favourite spots along the Makarska Riviera: an abandoned children’s wellness resort in Krvavica.
I’ve explored the resort a handful of times—each time uncovering something new.
Something about abandoned buildings makes me see them more as living things than as something left to die.
These abandoned spaces go from functioning in a manner created by a person or persons. When abandoned, they don’t stop existing; instead, they take on another form, function, and life.
Abandoned Children’s Health Resort. Krvavica, Croatia
I gasped when I first saw this architectural beauty in its current state.
It was clear that it was abandoned.
Individuals had spray painted much of the exterior and interior. Windows and doors were missing. The building was majestic. And abandoned. I wanted to know more.
I think the biggest shock wasn’t that I found an abandoned building but that it was meters from the Adriatic Sea.
I thought to myself: Who would abandon this and why?
There’s still much to learn about the building. The who and the why sound simple, but I don’t know if they are. There are always layers to a story.
Here, I’ll share five interesting facts about this beautiful piece of abandoned architecture.
And I look forward to uncovering more stories that make up the life and times of this abandoned space.
Abandoned Children’s Health Resort. Krvavica, Croatia
Five Interesting Facts
The building, known by a few names, including Children’s Maritime Resort for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Children with Lung Disease Insured Through the Military - was built between 1963-64. The resort catered to children with a parent employed by the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) who suffered from respiratory illness.
The original architect was a man named Rikard Marasović. Supposedly he abandoned the project due to disagreements with the principal.
The structure has been described as a “ring on pillars,” with one side offering a view of the Biokovo mountains and the other a view of the Adriatic Sea.
In Croatia, I don’t think it can get better than this - in my opinion—a property with a view of the sea AND the mountains. It’s no wonder I have come to identify this space as one of my happy places.
The resort was in operation until the war began in early 1991. The building was neglected during the war years and was ultimately abandoned.
It is owned by the Republic of Croatia and managed by the state company Club Adriatic d.o.o. which was given the management of former military facilities.
The Croatian band, Parni Valjak, filmed their song Ljubav at the site.
I ran into a local during my last visit, and he told me about the video. We watched it while standing in the building. I smiled, knowing others knew about this place.
I love how this space, once dedicated to supporting the healing of children, now serves a different function.
I still imagine that there is healing that happens in the space. But it’s not limited to serving one group of people.
Anyone can walk into an abandoned building. Anyone can take a moment to explore its history and present and even imagine its future state.
View from one of the balconies. Krvavica, Croatia
I see abandoned spaces as a blank canvas. Open to anyone passing through, inviting them to take a moment and be, feel, pause, reflect, and find joy.
If you find yourself in and around the Makarska Riviera and love to explore abandoned spaces, I highly recommend you find your way to Krvavica and explore this stunning space for an hour or so. And I hope it brings you joy.
