Have you noticed the simple yet poignant structure before you? This is the Cross of Triton. It stands as a memorial to a tragic event. Let me tell you the story behind this cross on Lokrum Island.
The Cross of Triton commemorates sailors of the Austrian warship Triton. The warship was anchored near Lokrum Island. A devastating explosion occurred on May 9 1859. It ripped through the ship in the channel. The channel sat between the mainland and Lokrum.
Only ten members of the Triton’s crew survived. The tragedy deeply affected Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg. He was the Commander of the Austrian Navy. He arrived in Dubrovnik. He visited Lokrum soon after the incident.
Moved by the loss, Archduke Maximilian ordered the erection of this cross. The Cross of Triton was dedicated to the fallen sailors. Their names were engraved upon it. Maximilian fell in love with Lokrum. He bought the island.
The Cross of Triton stands above Skalica Bay. It marks a site of sorrow. It also marks a place of remembrance. It symbolizes the connection between Lokrum and Archduke Maximilian.
The archduke’s purchase of Lokrum was in 1859. He came to the island with his wife Charlotte. They were enchanted by Lokrum’s beauty. He initiated horticultural landscaping. He refurbished the Benedictine monastery. He upgraded the luxury residence. The residence was at the northern edge of the east wing. It became a monument of Romantic Historicism in Dubrovnik.
The island’s history is rich. The Benedictine Monastery of St Mary is the largest cultural monument. It was founded in 1023. The Benedictines were expert farmers. They cultivated vineyards, olive groves, and gardens.
In 1534 Dubrovnik Senate started building a lazaretto on Lokrum. It was a quarantine hospital. The Great Plague Pandemic spread to Dubrovnik in the 14th century. The lazaretto was never completed.
French forces occupied Dubrovnik in 1806. They began constructing Fort Royal on Lokrum’s highest peak. Austria expanded the fortress in 1835. They called it Maximilian’s Tower.
Charlotte’s Well was built to collect water. It watered exotic plants. Rainwater flowed into Charlotte’s Well. It also flowed into reservoirs in the northern part of Lokrum.
The Cross of Triton is a reminder of the past. It is a tribute to the lives lost. It links Lokrum Island to naval history. It connects Lokrum Island to Archduke Maximilian. Take a moment to reflect. Remember the sailors. Remember the history. Remember the beauty of Lokrum.