April 6, 2018 – The ancient olive tree in Kaštel Štafilić is getting some well-deserved recognition
Did you get a chance to read our tribute to the stunning Olive Gardens of Lun on Pag island? We got you acquainted with the precious olive trees, some of them up to 1600 years old. Well, Lun is not the only site in Croatia that’s home to some majestic olive trees: you’ll find another awe-inducing specimen in Kaštel Štafilić near Split, a 1500-year-old called Mastrinka by the locals.
The ancient tree belongs to the species that can’t be find elsewhere in Croatia or its wider region. It’s thus assumed this particular tree was once brought over from southern Italy or Greece. As Mastrinka represents a widely known local symbol, the Town of Kaštela decided to revamp its surroundings to get the visitors better acquainted with the old olive tree, Lokalni reported.
“We made this natural monument part of the project Hidden Habitats, and were provided funds in the amount of 300.000 kuna”, said Kaštela Mayor Denis Ivanović. They plan to introduce new content and activities starting from this fall: first, they’ll establish an interpretive point called ‘Maslina’ (olive) that will provide visitors with information about this natural wonder. They also plan to improve the visitor infrastructure so the site could host educational programmes for school students. A total of nine benches will be installed around the olive tree, making for a perfect spot for an informative lecture or just a moment of rest.
All the equipment and information panels will be installed outside the scope of the treetop, to prevent potential infliction of any kind of damage to the precious Mastrinka or its roots. A commendable project that will educate the coming generations about the priceless natural heritage – bravo, Kaštela!
