Fascinating sea stone

Nowadays it is commonly known as Brela Stone, but throughout history, until the beginning of the 20th century, the name šakan was used.

The sea around the stone was the natural habitat of the Mediterranean monk seal, nowadays an almost extinct species formerly inhabiting the Adriatic. It had several mythical folk names and one of them was šakan.

The monk seal had left the Brela area in search of more preserved habitats, but its legacy remained in the local name of the stone, which became a symbol of Croatian tourism. Its vegetation is unique on the Croatian coast.

According to an expert estimate, the stone hosts as many as eleven plant species, including six pines, the oldest of which is more than one hundred years old. Near the stone is the internationally recognised beach of Punta rata, often declared as one of the most beautiful in Croatia.