The Curse of Lokrum Island

From the ancient walls of Dubrovnik, Lokrum looks peaceful.

The small island rises from the blue Adriatic, covered in deep green forest and surrounded by clear water. Today, visitors arrive to explore its gardens, wander through old monastery ruins and watch peacocks roam freely across the grounds.

But Lokrum carries a much darker story.

According to legend, Benedictine monks lived on the island for centuries before being forced to surrender their home.

On the night before their departure, the monks gathered with their hoods pulled low over their faces. Carrying lit candles turned upside down, they began a solemn procession along the island’s ancient paths.

A candle traditionally represents light, prayer and blessing. Turning the candles toward the earth symbolically reversed that meaning.

As the flames melted the wax and left a trail upon the ground, the monks reportedly placed a curse upon anyone who attempted to claim Lokrum for personal pleasure.

Then they left—and never returned.

The legend might have eventually been forgotten if tragedy had not followed several people connected to the island.

Execution, assassination, suicide and other misfortunes within the Habsburg family became intertwined with the story. Each tragedy added another chapter to the belief that the monks’ final warning had never left Lokrum.

There is no historical evidence that a supernatural curse caused these events. The story belongs to folklore, where fact, grief and imagination often become tangled together over time.

But perhaps that is what makes the legend so enduring.

It grew from the pain of people being driven from a place they had loved and cared for. The curse became their final declaration that the island should never belong to someone who wanted it only for personal pleasure.

Today, visitors can freely explore Lokrum and return to Dubrovnik with photographs, memories and perhaps a few questions.

Just don’t try to own it.

Because every destination has a story—and some stories refuse to be forgotten.

Until our next story,

— Gina Renee’