Kupari

Was Kupari always a ghost town? Absolutely not. Kupari, just a short drive south of Dubrovnik, was once a vibrant and glamorous holiday resort, a jewel of the Adriatic. In its 1960s heyday, Kupari buzzed with life. People flocked to its beautiful beach and admired its striking modernist architecture. This wasn’t just any resort. Kupari held a special significance in the former Yugoslavia. It was built in an era when state-owned companies and the government created these coastal havens for their workers. The story of Kupari began much earlier, though. A small pre-war hotel on the site was nationalized, and the Yugoslav armed forces decided to expand it into a dedicated holiday playground for military personnel and their families. The crown jewel was Hotel Pelegrin, a massive modernist structure with over 400 rooms, completed in 1963. Designed by a young Bosnian architect named David Finci, the hotel quickly became an icon, its futuristic facade and rows of balconies gazing out at the Adriatic. Over the years, more hotels and buildings sprung up, eventually accommodating up to 1,600 holidaymakers, with an additional 4,000 guests at a nearby campsite. The resort even hosted a delegation of Croatian forces during the Croatian War of Independence. Sadly, the war brought devastation. Kupari was looted, shelled, and burned. This wasn’t the sole cause of its decline, however. Even before the war, Kupari had begun to lose its shine, its upkeep neglected. After falling into disuse, the buildings were left to decay, their once-vibrant colors fading under the relentless Adriatic sun. Despite the scars, Kupari remains a fascinating place. Locals still visit, wandering amidst the concrete ruins, remembering happier times. It’s a poignant reminder of a bygone era, a place where laughter and music once filled the air, now replaced by the whispers of the past. Today, a new generation discovers Kupari, drawn to its post-apocalyptic beauty as a backdrop for viral videos. Perhaps, one day soon, Kupari will be restored to its former glory, a testament to its enduring appeal.