Račić Family Mausoleum
Perched at the highest point of the Rat Peninsula inside Saint Rocco Cemetery, this white-stone chapel is one of Ivan Meštrović's greatest sculptural achievements — and the panorama from its steps will stop you mid-breath. Commissioned in grief and completed in 1922, it is equal parts artwork, memorial, and the finest viewpoint in town.
A Tragedy Turned into Art
Captain Ivo Račić, a wealthy Cavtat shipping entrepreneur, died in 1919 from Spanish flu alongside his two children. His widow Marija commissioned a then-little-known Croatian sculptor, Ivan Meštrović, to design a family mausoleum — a decision that would cement Meštrović's international reputation.
The circular structure is built entirely from elegant white Brač stone and follows an octagonal plan with a chapel shaped like a Greek cross. Meštrović's carved angels, pietà figures, and family portraits cover every surface inside and out, blending Art Deco geometry with deeply personal religious symbolism.
The View That Rewards the Climb
A long flight of stone stairs leads from Cavtat's waterfront up through the cypress-shaded cemetery to the mausoleum's door. The effort is modest; the reward is panoramic — red rooftops below, the full sweep of Cavtat Bay, and on clear days the silhouette of Dubrovnik's walls on the horizon.
Visit in late afternoon when golden light catches the white stone and the crowds thin to almost nothing. The bell on the mausoleum carries an inscription by Meštrović: 'Learn the secret of love and you will believe that life is eternal' — a fitting send-off as the sun sinks over the Adriatic.
Practical Notes
The mausoleum sits inside the working Saint Rocco Cemetery, so respectful, quiet behaviour is expected. Photography is permitted without flash, and guided tours in English or Croatian can be arranged in advance through the Museums and Galleries of Konavle office.
Račić Family Mausoleum on video
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