Brijuni

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Brijuni or Brioni are a group of twelve small islands in the Croatian part of the northern Adriatic Sea, separated from the west coast of the Istrian peninsula by the narrow Fažana Strait. The largest island, Veli Brijun (5.6 km²), lies 2 km off the coast. Famous for their scenic beauty, the islands are a holiday resort and a Croatian National Park.

[edit] History

The Brioni Islands had some Ancient Roman settlements, but up to the late 19th century the islands were mainly used for their quarries, which have been worked on for centuries. The islands belonged to Venice from the middle ages, and stone from the islands was used to build the palaces and bridges of the city. The islands were part of Napoleon's Illyrian Provinces after Napoleon's brief annexation.

In 1815 the islands became part of the Austrian Empire, which later became Austria-Hungary. During this period the islands' quarries first supplied stone to Vienna and Berlin. With the erection of a naval base in the harbour of Pula, the Austrians erected a strong fortress on Brioni Island, together with minor fortifications on some of the others.

The Austro-Hungarian Navy abandoned the fortress and in 1893 the Viennese business magnate Paul Kupelwieser bought the whole archipelago and created an exclusive beach resort. The estate was supplemented with first class hotels, restaurants, beach resorts, a casino and a yacht harbor and became a focal point in social life on the Austrian Riviera. Kupelwieser also established a sailing regatta, a golf course and due to the flourish of Austrian Culture various music concert and literature events. The islands became popular as a vacation for the Viennese upper class and were visited by members of the Imerial family and wealthy European elites and aristocrats.

In 1918 after World War I Brioni became part of Italy and got separated from its Austrian hinterland. Karl Kupelwieser, the son of the founder of the estate tried to maintain the former splendor but after the economic crisis following Black Friday, the estate went bankrupt and Karl committed suicide. By 1930 the islands were acquired by the Italian state.

In 1945 after World War II Brijuni became part of Yugoslavia and communist state leader Josip Broz Tito made Brijuni Islands his personal State Summer Residence. Slovene architect Jože Plečnik designed a pavillion for Tito. Almost 100 foreign heads of state visited Tito on his islands, along with film stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Carlo Ponti, and Gina Lollobrigida. Tito died in 1980, and by 1983 the islands were declared a National Park of Yugoslavia.

In 1991 Croatia gained independence and made Brijuni Islands an International Conference Center (See: the Brioni Agreement). Four hotels on Veli Brijun were re-opened, as well as a Safari Park, which holds animals given to Tito. The International Polo Tournament, dating back to Karl Kupelwieser's Austro-Italian Brioni in 1924, has been re-continued since 2004.