About Gradac
The Gradac area was inhabited even in prehistoric times evidenced by the numerous stone piles dating back to the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. In Roman times, the Gradac area was most probably the seat of the Roman civitas Biston, which as a coastal center belonged to the colony of Narona. At the locality of Gradina was found a cornice fragment of the monumental building from the 2nd - 3nd century, also the Roman coin pieces. Near the Laguna hotel were found many tombs.
On the territory of the todays Gradac there was also situated a medieval town of Lapcan or Labinac, which was mentioned by the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus under the name of Labineca. In 1649 is mentioned for the first time under the present name Gradac. It was named after the stronghhold which was situated on the elevation above the present-day churchof St. Michael, probably built during the Kandyan war (1645.-1669.). According to the drawing made by Giuseppe Santini, representing the naval and continental battles between the Venetians and Ottomans at Gradac in the year 1666., the tower is shown in flames. In the abandoned hamlet of Cista above Gradac, the seat of the then Fragostin's district there may be still found the remnants of the old tower. Surrounding it, there are still the remnants of rows of abandoned houses. One of the oldest existing edifices in the territory of Gradac is the chapel of St.Pasquale on the Mt Plana. It has a barrel shaped vault, and a saddle roof. Next to the old parish church of St. Antonio there is a local cemetery and the new parish church of St. Michael built in 1852. In the church, there are three marble altars with statues, the most interesting among them is the old wooden statue of St. Rocco.
