The tradition of harvesting salt in Ston is 4000 years old. The Ston name comes from the Roman word Stagnum – Stamnum, which means stagnant or still water.
The saltworks in Ston, dating back to the 14th c., from the Dubrovnik Republic period, is the oldest active salt factory in Europe today, and possibly in the world.
After becoming a part of the Dubrovnik Republic in the 14th c., Ston was positioned as the most important economic and strategic place, alongside Dubrovnik. One third of the Dubrovnik’s income came from the salt. Naturally, the government did everything to protect that treasure, even built monumental city walls, in order to protect the salt pans.
The Republic held a monopoly over salt sale. No one could sell salt in Dubrovnik without the rector’s permission, otherwise they would have to pay a fine. The sale of salt was strictly regulated by law that changed over time, adapting to the needs of the current period.
The saltworks in Ston remained faithful to the ancient tradition and way of producing salt, using only the sea, the sun and the wind. Fascinating! Did you know that Ston salt ranks second in its purity in the Mediterranean region?