Savudrija

Savudrija

Coat of arms
Country Croatia
County Istria County
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 52 475
Area code(s) (+385) 052
Website savudrija.net

Savudrija (Italian: Salvore) is a coastal settlement in northwestern Istria, Croatia. It has developed from a fishing village into a pleasant holiday centre. Savudrija is also the name of the surrounding area in the peninsula.

The main attraction of the settlement is a 29 m high lighthouse, the northernmost in Croatia and reputed to be the oldest on the Adriatic Sea. Three kinds of wind meet here, so the area is popular with windsurfers.

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History

As evidenced by archaeological finds, the Savudrija area has been settled since the Neolithic period. The Roman port facilities still remain intact. In the vicinity of Savudrija are some notable Roman sites, in particular a Roman fort on the peninsula.

The village was mentioned in written sources in the second part of the 12th century and was part of the Piran municipality from the 13th century, while today it is part of Istria County in Croatia. On February 18, 1893 Savudrija became part of the Piran municipality.

The territory remained part of the municipality of Piran until 1947, when the municipality of Savudrija was set up. In 1954, when the Free Territory of Trieste was dissolved and its southern part became officially part of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Savudrija was joined to the Socialist Republic of Croatia in accordance with the decisions of ZAVNOH.

According to the last Austrian census in 1910, almost 79% of the population of the Savudrija territory was Italian-speaking, 14% were Slovene-speaking. During the period of fascist rule (1922–1945), the zone was almost completely Italianized. According to the first ethnic census in 1945, Savudrija had a Croatian majority, with 54% Croats, 30% Italians, and 14% Slovenes. Following the decisions of the Paris Peace Treaty (1947), many ethnic Italians opted to relocate to Italy. Today, Savudrija remains largely Croatian-speaking, but there is a small Italian minority, and most topographic signs are bilingual.

Economy

The economic base is mainly tourism. The development of Savudrija as a seaside resort began with the creation of a healing and bathing facility of the St. Anna Children's Hospital in Graz. Compared to other tourist places in Istria, Savudrija is more of a tranquil holiday resort. There are few hotels and restaurants.

Savudrijas beaches are mainly rocky, but there are small pebble beaches as well.

Agriculture is still important, especially the cultivation of vegetables and wine, the indigenous varieties of wine like Teran or Malvasia included, in the rich terra rossa soils of the district.

See also

External links