Agave Lace of Hvar
Lace made from agave threads
Benedictine nuns in Hvar Town make delicate lace from threads drawn out of fresh agave leaves, representing a unique craft found nowhere else in Europe.
In the Benedictine convent of Hvar Town, nuns have for more than 150 years practised a craft unique in Europe: making lace from the agave plant. Threads are drawn from the fleshy centre of fresh agave leaves, washed, and worked, while still supple, into airy, geometric compositions.
No two pieces are alike, no patterns are written down, and the skill passes only from nun to nun inside the convent. Because the thread cannot be stored, each piece of lace begins with a walk to the agave and ends within days.
Hvar's agave lace was inscribed by UNESCO in 2009 as part of "Lacemaking in Croatia", together with the needle lace of Pag and the bobbin lace of Lepoglava.
The Benedictine convent in Hvar Town keeps a small permanent exhibition of agave lace, a quiet, remarkable stop two streets from the main square.
See it with someone from here.
Our private experiences weave the island’s heritage into real days out, with local guides who grew up beside it.