At first glance, it looks like an optical illusion or an unusual art installation. However, in the very center of Bol on the island of Brač, there is one of the most interesting buildings on the Adriatic – a house literally inside another house.
It is a building known as the “House in a House” or Paloc, which has been attracting the attention of tourists, photographers and fans of unusual architecture for more than a century. Behind it lies the story of stubbornness, ownership rights and the conflict of a small man with powerful investors.
Refused to sell his house
According to local legend, at the end of the 19th century, the respectable and wealthy maritime family Vuković planned to build a large residence in Bol.
In order to realize their project, they bought the surrounding real estate and land. However, one owner did not want to sell his house. It was Marko, a local who was known in Bol by the nickname “Marko Sila”.
Although they offered him money and tried to persuade him to sell the property, he stuck to his decision.
Investors built around the house
After they failed to buy the last plot needed to complete the project, the Vukovićs made an unusual decision – they continued construction around the existing house.
Thus, an unusual building was created in which a small stone house was located inside a much larger building. This scene still amazes visitors today because it looks as if a smaller house is “trapped” inside the walls of a larger palace.
The palace was never completed
The story gets an extra dose of mystery because the grand residence was never completed. According to local legend, the three Vuković brothers died at sea while traveling to procure the materials needed to complete the building. Biznisinfo.ba.
After their death, construction was stopped, and the unfinished palace remained standing until today. Allegedly, Marko then returned to a normal life in his house, which remained intact inside the large building.
The symbol of the Dalmatian Dispet
Although it is difficult to determine how historically accurate all the details of the story are, “The House in the House” has become one of the most famous symbols of Bol.
Many see it as a monument to Dalmatian persistence and the persistence of a man who did not want to give up his home regardless of the pressures.
At the same time, it is an interesting reminder that conflicts between investors and real estate owners are not a modern phenomenon, but existed more than a hundred years ago.
Today, this unusual building is one of the most photographed locations in Bol and an essential stop for many tourists visiting the most famous place on the island of Brač.
