Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in
Split-Dalmatia CountySplit-Dalmatia County is the central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. The administrative center is Split. The population of the county is 455,242...
,
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, with a population of 12,995 (2001) and a total municipality population of 13,322 (2001). The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of
ČiovoČiovo is a small island located off the Adriatic coast in Croatia with an area of 28.8 km2 , population of 6,071 inhabitants and its highest peak is 218 m ....
. It lies 27 kilometres west of the city of
SplitSplit is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
.
Since 1997, the historic centre of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s.
History
In the 3rd century BC, Tragurion was founded by Greek colonists from the island of
VisVis is the most outerly lying larger Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, with an area of 90.26 km² and a population of 3,617 . Of all the inhabited Croatian islands, it is the farthest from the coast...
, and it developed into a major port until the
RomanAncient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
period. The name comes from the Greek "tragos" (male goat). Similarly, the name of the neighbouring island of Bua comes from the Greek "voua" (herd of cattle). The sudden prosperity of
SalonaSalona was an ancient Illyrian Delmati city in the first millennium BC. The Greeks had set up an emporion there. After the conquest by the Romans, Salona became the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia...
deprived Trogir of its importance. During the migration of Slavs the citizens of the destroyed Salona escaped to Trogir. From the 9th century on, Trogir paid tribute to Croatian rulers. The diocese of Trogir was established in the 11th century (abolished in 1828) and in 1107 it was chartered by the Hungarian-Croatian king
ColomanColoman, , , ; )* Coloman I. the Book-lover* Coloman of Galicia-Lodomeria * Saint Coloman of Stockerau * Colomán Trabado Pérez...
, gaining thus its autonomy as a town.
In 1123 Trogir was conquered and almost completely demolished by the Saracens. However, Trogir recovered in a short period to experience powerful economic prosperity in the 12th and the 13th centuries. In 1242 King
Béla IVBéla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
found refuge there as he fled the
TatarsTatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
. In the 13th and the 14th centuries, members of the Šubić family were most frequently elected dukes by the citizens of Trogir; Mladen III (1348), according to the inscription on the sepulchral slab in the Cathedral of Trogir called "the shield of the Croats", was one of the most prominent Šubićs. In Dalmatian, the city was known as Tragur.
After the
War of ChioggiaThe War of Chioggia was a conflict between Genoa and Venice which lasted from 1378 to 1381, from which Venice emerged triumphant. It was a part of the larger Venetian-Genoese War which began in 1350.-Background:...
between Genoa and Venice,
ChioggiaChioggia is a coastal town and comune of the province of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy.-Geography:...
concluded on 14th of March 1381 an alliance with
ZadarZadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
and Trogir against Venice, and finally Chioggia became better protected by Venice in 1412, because
ŠibenikŠibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
became in 1412 the seat of the main
customsCustoms is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
office and the seat of the salt consumers office with a
monopolyA monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
on the salt trade in Chioggia and on the whole
Adriatic SeaThe Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
.
In 1420 the period of a long-term
VenetianThe Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
rule began.
On the fall of Venice in 1797, Trogir became a part of the Habsburg Empire which ruled over the city until 1918, with the exception of
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupation from 1806 to 1814. After
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Trogir, together with
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, became a part of the
State of Slovenes, Croats and SerbsThe State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was a short-lived state formed from the southernmost parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy after its dissolution at the end of the World War I by the resident population of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs...
and subsequently the
Kingdom of YugoslaviaThe Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
. During this period Italian citizens, until 1918 the ruling class and almost half part of the population, were forced to leave for Italy. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Trogir was occupied by
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and subsequently liberated in 1944. Since then it belonged to the
second YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, and from 1991 to Croatia.
Main sights
Trogir has a 2300 years of continuous urban tradition. Its culture was created under the influence of old
GreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
,
RomansAncient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, and
VenetiansThe Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. Trogir has a high concentration of palaces, churches, and towers, as well as a fortress on a small island, and in 1997 was inscribed in the
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage List. "The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its beautiful
RomanesqueRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
churches are complemented by the outstanding
RenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and
BaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
buildings from the Venetian period", says UNESCO report.
Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-
GothicGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of
Central EuropeCentral Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Trogir's grandest building is the church of St. Lawrence, whose main west portal is a masterpiece by Radovan, and the most significant work of the Romanesque-Gothic style in Croatia.
The most important sites include:
- Historical city core, with about 10 churches and numerous buildings from 13th century
- The city gate (17th century) and city walls (15th century)
- The Fortress Kamerlengo
Kamerlengo is a castle and fortress in Trogir, Croatia. It was built by the Republic of VeniceThe castle was built in the mid-15th century by Marin Radoj as part of an expansion of the Veriga Tower, built on the site in the late 14th century. It is used as a location for performances during the...
(15th century)
- The Duke's Palace (13th century)
- The Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is a Roman Catholic triple-naved basilica constructed in Romanesque-Gothic in Trogir, Croatia. Since its construction lasted several centuries, it illustrates all the styles that succeeded one another in Dalmatia...
(13th century) with the Portal of Master Radovan, the unique work of this Croatian artist
- The big and small palaces Cipiko from the 15th century
- The city loggia from 15th century
Economy
TourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is the most important economic factor in the Trogir region, covering 50% of the municipal budget with more than 20,000 beds in hotels and private apartments. There is also a strong
fishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and
agricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
tradition among the population in surrounding areas.
The most important industry is
shipbuildingShipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, with shipyard "Trogir" established at the beginning of the 20th century. The shipyard has a capacity of two ships of 55,000 tons. Between 1990 and 2004, 93 ships were built in the
shipyardShipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
.
Infrastructure
Trogir lies six kilometers from
Split AirportSplit Kaštela/Resnik Airport is the airport serving Split and Kaštela in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. It is close to the town of Trogir....
, and a regular bus connects Trogir with the airport and
SplitSplit is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
. In the future, the
Split Suburban Railway will be lengthened towards the airport and Trogir.
Water supply to Trogir is from the
Jadro RiverThe Jadro River is a watercourse in Dalmatia, Croatia that discharges to the Adriatic Sea. The upper reaches of the Jadro River as well as its source are protected as an ichthyological nature reserve, partly due to the presence of an endemic species of soft-mouthed trout...
; moreover, the Jadro River is the same source that supplied the ancient
Diocletian's PalaceDiocletian's Palace is a building in Split, Croatia, that was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD.Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from...
.
Sport in Trogir
- HNK Trogir
NK Trogir is a former Croatian football club, from town of Trogir on the Croatian coast. Trogir played its home matches at Igralište Batarija.- History :...
- football
- NK Croatia Trogir - football
- KK Trogir
Košarkaški klub Trogir is a professional basketball club based in Trogir, Croatia. It competes in the A-2 Liga - South.-External links:*...
- basketball
- ŽRK Trogir - women's handball
Notable people from Trogir
- Johannes Lucius, historian
- Giovanni Dalmata, sculptor
- Antonio Lubin, writer and dantist.
- Petar Berislavić
Petar Berislavić , a member of the noble family of Berislavić, was the ban of Croatia from 1513 to 1520 and also bishop of Veszprém....
, Croatian ban
- Radovan, sculptor and architect
- Mila Schön
Mila Schön was an Italian-born fashion designer. Marella Agnelli was one of her early clients.Born Maria Carmen Nutrizio, in Traù – now Croatia – on September 28, 1915 to wealthy Italian aristocratic parents who relocated to the Italian peninsula when Schön was a child, she is known for her...
, fashion designer.True name Maria Carmen Nutrizio.
- Vinko Coce, singer and songwriter
Trivia
Trogir notably featured in two episodes of the British TV series
Doctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. Due to its specific architecture, it served as a double for Venice in "
The Vampires of Venice"The Vampires of Venice" is the sixth episode in the fifth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was broadcast on 8 May 2010. It was written by Toby Whithouse, who previously wrote "School Reunion". Rory Williams returns to the series in this episode, this time...
" and as a double for Provence in "
Vincent and the Doctor"Vincent and the Doctor" is the 10th episode in the fifth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 5 June 2010...
".
See also
- Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
- Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Trogir
The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is a Roman Catholic triple-naved basilica constructed in Romanesque-Gothic in Trogir, Croatia. Since its construction lasted several centuries, it illustrates all the styles that succeeded one another in Dalmatia...
- List of ancient cities in Illyria
- Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
External links