Zadar

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Zadar

Coat of arms of Zadar
Location 44°6′51″N, 15°13′40″E
Mayor Dr. Zivko Kolega
Surface (km²)  ?
Population
(2006)		 71 688 [1]
Time zone (UTC) UTC+1 Central European Time


For other uses, see Zadar (disambiguation).

Zadar (Italian Zara, Latin Iader or Iadera) is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea, with a population of 71,000 (2005). Absolute majority of its citizens are Croats with 92.77% (2001 census).

It is the centre of modern Croatia's Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Zadar is located opposite the islands of Ugljan and Pašman, from which it is separated by the narrow Zadar Strait.

The promontory on which the old city stands used to be separated from the mainland by a deep moat which has since become a landfill. The harbor, to the north-east of the town, is safe and spacious.

Zadar is the seat of a Catholic and an Orthodox bishop.

Location on map of Croatia
Zadar
Zadar on the map of Croatia

Contents

[edit] History

In the 9th century BC Iadera was settled by the Liburnians, a tribe of Illyrians. After 59 BC Iadera (also spelled Jadera) became a Roman municipium, and in 48 BC a colony of Roman citizens. In the early days of the Roman empire Iadera was a flourishing Roman colony; its name was subsequently changed to Diadora. It maintained its municipal autonomy throughout the Middle Ages. During this time (and until the formation of Yugoslavia after the first World War) it was known as Zara. Upon the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the destruction of Salona in the early 7th century, Zadar became the capital of the Byzantine province of Dalmatia, as well as the governor's headquarters.

In the early 9th century it came under the Franks, while it was given back to Byzantium in 812, under the Peace Treaty of Aachen. In 925, King Tomislav (before, he was the Duke of Croatian Dalmatia) united Dalmatia and Pannonia to expand the Croatian kingdom. In 998, the city sought Venetian protection; for the next four centuries it was formally under Venetian or Hungarian rule, changing hands repeatedly. In the 10th, and especially in the 11th century, although it survived the migration of Slavs, the rulers of the town were the Croats. From 1105, when it recognized the rule of the first Hungarian-Croatian king Coloman, Zadar began to be involved in frequent wars with Venice.

Zadar was under the Republic of Venice between 1111 and 1154 and between 1160 and 1183. An annalist from the year 1177 noted that the joyous people of Zadar accompanying Pope Alexander III on his way to the basilica sang songs of praise 'in their native Slavic language'. It was taken by the Venetians and mainly French knights of the Fourth Crusade in 1202. The Crusaders had promised the Venetians a certain amount of money to pay for ships for transport to Egypt, but when they could not pay, the Venetians diverted the Crusade to Zadar. King Emeric of Hungary had declared that he would join the Crusade, and there was a controversy among the knights and clergy over whether or not a supposedly divine army could attack a fellow Christian. Nevertheless, Zadar was destroyed and taken, and Pope Innocent III excommunicated everyone involved.

After several insurrections (1242-1243, 1320s, 1345-1346), Zadar came under the rule of the Hungarian-Croatian king Louis I (under the Zadar Peace Treaty in 1358). After the death of Louis, Zadar recognized the rule of king Sigismund, and after him, that of Ladislas of Naples, who in 1409 sold Zadar and "his rights" on Dalmatia to Venice for 100,000 ducats.

From this time on Zadar started to decline, because the Venetians considerably limited the town's political and economic autonomy. When in the early 16th century the Ottoman Turks conquered its hinterland, the town became an important stronghold protecting Venetian trade in the Adriatic, as well as the administrative centre of the Venetian possessions in Dalmatia and a cultural centre. From 1726-1733 a part of its territory was settled by Catholic Albanian refugees. That Albanian settlement is called "Arbanasi".

Panoramic view of the city
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Panoramic view of the city

After the fall of Venice (1797) with the Treaty of Campo Formio, Zadar came under Austrian rule under which it remained until 1918, except for the period of French rule (1805-1813), all this time remaining the capital of Dalmatia, under Austria being the meeting-place of the provincial diet.

During the Napoleonic period, under French rule, the first newspaper using the Croatian language, Il Regio Dalmata-Kraglski Dalmatin, was published in Zadar (1806-1810). In the second half of the 19th century, the city was a centre of the movement for cultural and national revival in Dalmatia. Its population in 1900, of town and commune, was 32,506; including an Austrian garrison of 1330.

However, under the Treaty of Rapallo (1920), Zadar was ceded to Italy. At this time many of the Croatian population were harshly treated, as a result of which most of them left for Yugoslavia.

Nazi Germany occupied the city in World War II, as it was once one of the best-fortified cities in the world, and Zadar was bombed 72 times by the air forces of Britain and the United States. Afterwards it became a part of Yugoslavia. The Italian population left for Italy, among them Ottavio Missoni, owner of the renowned fashion company Missoni.

Coat of Arms of Zadar.
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Coat of Arms of Zadar.

Since World War II the city has developed as a strong economic and tourist center. In 1991, attacks on Serbian civilians occurred, culminating in the Zadar Kristallnacht where over 350 Serbian shops and houses were destroyed. Later, during the Croatian War of Independence, the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) along with Serb paramilitaries converged on the city and it found itself as the subject of shelling. Connections with the capital Zagreb were severed for over a year, the only link being via the island of Pag. Zadar was once again damaged in the war, including its historical bastions and churches. The siege of the city lasted until January 1993 when Zadar again came under the control of Croatian forces. Attacks on the city continued until the end of the war in Croatia in 1995.

[edit] Main sights

[edit] Architecture

Zadar gained its urban structure in Roman times; during the time of Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus, the town was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the western side of the town were the forum, the basilica and the temple, while outside the town were the amphitheatre and cemeteries. The aqueduct which was supplying the town with water has been partly preserved. Inside the ancient town, a medieval town had developed, when a series of churches and monasteries had been built.

During the Middle Ages, Zadar had fully gained its urban aspect, which has been maintained until today. In the 16th century, Venice fortified the town with a new system of defensive walls on the side facing land. In the first half of the 16th century, architectural building in the Renaissance style was continued. Defence trenches were built also (Foša), which were completely buried during the Italian occupation. In 1873 under rule Austrian rule the ramparts of Zadar were converted from fortifications into elevated promenades commanding extensive views to seaward and to landward, wall lines thus being preserved ; of its four old gates one, the Porta Marina, incorporates the relics of a Roman arch, and another, the Porta di Terraferma, was designed in the 16th century by the Veronese artist Sanmichele. In the bombardments during the Second World War, entire blocks were destroyed, but some of the structures were preserved.

St. Donatus' Church, a pre-Romanesque church from the 9th century
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St. Donatus' Church, a pre-Romanesque church from the 9th century
St. Mary's Church, located in the old city across St. Donatus' Church
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St. Mary's Church, located in the old city across St. Donatus' Church

Most important landmarks:

  • Roman Forum - the largest on the eastern side of the Adriatic, founded by the first Roman Emperor Augustus, to which two stone inscriptions about its completion dating from the 3rd century testify.
  • Most of the Roman remains were used in the construction of the fortifications, but two squares are embellished with lofty marble columns; a Roman tower stands on the east side of the town; and some remains of a Roman aqueduct may be seen outside the ramparts.

The chief interest of Zadar lies in its churches.

  • St. Donatus' Church - the monumental round building in the pre Romanesque style, traditionally but erroneously said to have been erected on the site of a temple of Juno, from the 9th century is the most important structure of its period preserved in Dalmatia; the massive dome of the rotunda is surrounded by a vaulted gallery in two stories which also extends around the three apses to the east. The church treasury contains some of the finest Dalmatian metal-work; notably the silver ark or reliquary of St Simeon (1380), and the pastoral staff of Bishop Valaresso (1460).
  • St. Anastasia's Cathedral (Croatian: Sv. Stošija), basilica in Romanesque style built in the 12th to 13th century (high Romanesque style), the largest cathedral in Dalmatia.
  • The churches of St. Chrysogonus and St. Simeon are also in the Romanesque style.
  • St. Krševan's Church - monumental Romanesque church of very fine proportions and refined Romanesque ornaments.
  • St. Elijah's Church (Croatian: Sv. Ilija)
  • St. Francis' Church, gothic styled church, site of the signing of the Zadar Peace Treaty 1358
  • Five Wells Square
  • St. Mary's Church which retains a fine Romanesque campanile of 1105 belongs to a Benedictine Convent founded in 1066 by a noblewoman of Zadar by the name of Cika with The Permanent Ecclesiastical Art Exhibition "The Gold and Silver of Zadar"
  • Citadel - built in 1409, southwest of the Land gate, it has remained the same to this day.
  • The Land Gate - built according to a layout of the Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in 1543
  • The sea organ
  • The Great Arsenal [2]
  • Among the other chief buildings are (were?) the Loggia del Comune, rebuilt in 1565, and containing a public library; the old palace of the priors, now the governor's residence; and the episcopal palaces

[edit] Culture

The first university of Zadar is mentioned in 1396 and it was a part of the Dominican monastery. It closed in 1807.

Zadar was, along with Dubrovnik, one of the centres of development of Croatian literature.

The 15th and the 16th centuries were marked by important activities of Croatian writers writing in the national language: Jerolim Vidolić, Petar Zoranić (who wrote first Croatian novel "Mountains"), Brne Krnarutić, Juraj Barakovic, Šime Budinić.

During the French rule (1806-1810), the first Dalmatian newspaper Il Regio Dalmata-Kraglski Dalmatin was published in Zadar. It was printed in Italian and Croatian; this last used for the first time in a newspaper.

Il Regio Dalmata-Kraglski Dalmatin. Printed Printed in Italian and Croatian language
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Il Regio Dalmata-Kraglski Dalmatin. Printed Printed in Italian and Croatian language

.

In the second half of the 19th century, Zadar was a centre of the movement for the cultural and national revivals in Dalmatia (Italian and Croatian).

Today Zadar's cultural institutions include:

[edit] Economy

Major industries include tourism, traffic, seaborne trade, agriculture, fishing and fish farming activities, metal manufacturing and mechanical engineering industry, chemicals and non-metal industry and banking. The headquarters of the following companies are located in Zadar:

The farmland just northeast of Zadar, Ravni Kotari, is a well known source of marasca cherries. Distilleries in Zadar have produced Maraschino since the 16th century.

[edit] Science

In 1998, Zadar hosted the Central European Olympiad in Informatics (CEOI).

[edit] Sports

The local basketball club is KK Zadar, and the football club NK Zadar. The bowling club Kuglački klub Zadar is also very successful.

[edit] Twinning

Zadar maintains cultural, economic and educational ties with:

[edit] Famous people from Zadar

  • Georg Ritter von Trapp - Austrian Navy officer and head of the Trapp family singers
  • Sasa Bjelanovic - Croatian international football player
  • Spiridion Brusina - scientist
  • Jason Culina- Australian football international (father from Zadar)
  • Krešimir Ćosić - member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
  • Joey Didulica- Croatian football international (father from Zadar)
  • Baron Giovanni De Ghetaldi military and diplomat (son of Baron Biagio de Ghetaldi)
  • Donatus - saint
  • Simeone Duca - mecena and priest
  • Pope John IV - born in Zadar
  • Goranko Fižulić - former Croatian economy minister
  • Giuseppe Giergia - basketball player and coach
  • Ante Gotovina - controversial Croatian Army general
  • Mladen Grdović - singer
  • Zlatan Ibrahimović- Swedish football international (mother from Zadar)
  • Queen Jelena - Croatian queen from 11th century
  • Božidar Kalmeta - current Croatian Minister of Traffic and Tourism
  • Ive Livljanić - diplomat
  • Budimir Lončar - diplomat
  • Duško Lokin - singer
  • Korina Longin - top model
  • Teddy Lucic- Swedish football international ( father from Zadar )
  • Gianni Maršan - diplomat and composer
  • Ivica Maštruko - diplomat
  • Ottavio Missoni - Dalmatian-Italian, owner of the Missoni fashion brand
  • Luka Modric- Croatian football international
  • Antun Nalis - actor
  • Dado Pršo - football star
  • Riva - pop band, 1989 Eurovision Song Contest winners
  • Joso Škara - former Croatian Labour and Healthcare Minister
  • Josip Skoblar - football player, 1974 Golden boot
  • Joso Špralja - artist
  • Mark Viduka- Australian football international (father from Zadar)
  • David Zdrilic- Australian football international (father from Zadar)
  • Agim Çeku- Kosovo primeminister (lived in Zadar for long time period)
  • Ana Lovrin- Croatian minister of law, former mayor of Zadar
  • Zoran Primorac- Croatian prize wining table tenis player
  • Arijan Komazec- Noted Croatian basketball player
  • Stojko Vranković- Famous Croatian basketball player
  • Krist Novoselic- Nirvana bassist, went to school in Zadar
  • Petar Zoranić - Writer of the first Croatian novell
  • Brne Karnarutić- Croatian reinessance writer
  • Vladan Desnica - Writer
  • Natko Nodilo - Founder of the oldest running Croatian newspaper Narodni list

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links

[edit] Gallery

St. Donat's Church and Roman Forum

St. Donat's Church

Roman Forum in Zadar

St. Anastasia Cathedral in Zadar

St. Mary's Church

St. Simeon's Church

St. Simeon/Sv. Šime

Morska vrata/Porta marina

Porta Terraferma

University of Zadar (1396)

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