Croatia is a diverse state with landscape that stretches from the spacious plains of Pannonian lowlands across the narrow area of high Dinarides to the impressive coast of the Adriatic Sea, one of the most indented in the world.
The above-mentioned position offers pleasant conditions for a wet continental climate in the interior and Mediterranean climate on the coast.
The land area is 56,578 km² and the coastal area is 31,067 km², which places Croatia among the medium-sized European countries.
The coast, 5,835 km in length, consists of 1246 islands, islets, rocks and reefs, and on the mainland numerous bays, coves, bays and two islands, Peljesac and Istria.
The coast of the Adriatic Sea was created by raising the sea level by almost 100 meters.
The fertile Pannonian Plain provides a wealth and opportunities for agricultural development, while the Adriatic coast allows for the development of fisheries, shipbuilding, and especially tourism.
Croatia is known for its maritime tradition, which it owes to the Adriatic Sea. Croatia is, among other things, known for its sea, tourism, shipbuilding, fishing and maritime affairs.
Croatia is politically divided into 21 counties (including the City of Zagreb with the same status) whose borders follow culturally and geographically.
It borders Slovenia and Hungary to the north, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the east, Montenegro to the south, and Italy to the west with a maritime border.
Capital: Zagreb, which is also the most populous with 804,735 inhabitants. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic and administrative center of the Republic of Croatia and Zagreb County.
Population: Croatia has 4,284,889 inhabitants. Croats make up 90.42% of the population, and the largest ethnic minority are Serbs, who make up 4.36% of the population, while each of the other national minorities makes up less than 1% of the population
Official language: Croatian
Currency: Kuna (100 lipa = 1 Kuna)
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks, exchange offices, post offices, travel agencies, and hotels.
System of government: By political organization, Croatia is a parliamentary democracy.
In the Republic of Croatia, state power is organized on the principle of the division of powers into legislative, executive and judicial branches.
The highest peak: Dinara (part of the Dinaric Alps) with an altitude of 1,831 meters
Adriatic sea: The temperature of the Adriatic Sea ranges from 22 and 25 ° C in summer and 5 to 15 ° C in winter. Limpidityy and blueness are far greater than other seas and transparency is up to 56 meters. Two thirds of the Adriatic Sea is no deeper than 200 meters. Average depth is 173 meters, and its maximum depth of 1233 m was measured in the southern Adriatic bay.
Climate: Average inland temperature: January 0 to 2 ° C, August 19 to 23 ° C, while average coastal temperature: January 6 to 11 ° C, August 21 to 27 ° C.
With an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine a year, the Adriatic coast is one of the sunniest in the Mediterranean, with an average sea temperature of 25 ° C to 27 ° C in summer.
Register of the Monuments of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in Croatia:
National park called Plitvice Lakes, Diocletian’s Palace in Split, old cores of Dubrovnik and Trogir, the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč and St. Jacob’s cathedral in Sibenik.
National parks: Brijuni, Kornati, Krka, Mljet, Paklenica, Plitvice Lakes, Risnjak, Northern Velebit
Religion: The most represented religion is Catholic 87,18%. Other religions represented are Orthodox 4.44% and Islamic 1.47%
Dalmatia, the historical-geographic region in southern Croatia; within the borders of Croatia covers about 13 000 km². It is protected by the Adriatic Sea, from Croatian Littoral (Tribanj) on the northwest to the border with Montenegro in the southeast. On the land side, the border is the state border towards BiH, i.e. the highland area bordered by the line Dinara – Kamešnica – Zavelin. Dalmatia is predominantly made of limestone and dolomite. Climate is Mediterranean. Average winter (January) temperature goes from 6.9 to 9.0 ° C, average summer (July) 24.7 to 25.3 ° C. The name Dalmatia (Dalmacija) appears in the 1st century B.C. as a name for area inhabited by the tribe of Delmata (Dalmata) and its related Illyrian tribes, or as a hyphen for a name Illyric, by which the Romans signified this area. Due to the natural beauty, cultural and historical monuments, tourism is very developed.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET TO KNOW THIS REGION IN THE FULL GLORY OF ITS DIVERSITIES, START FROM THE DIOCLETIAN’S SPLIT.
Have no doubts, just as the emperor Diocletian did not have when he decided to build his summer residence in Split itself, from which Split later developed. Get into the Diocletian’s Palace, acquaint yourselves with the way of living of a Roman emperor, climb the Saint Dominus bell tower and absorb the entire treasure of views that spread from it! Tickle Grgur Ninski’s toe and imagine that you are in an original Dalmatian tavern – konoba and your wish will come true right away. In Split, everything is at arm’s length and, inside the walls of the emperor’s palace, you will find numerous taverns – konobas, which are eagerly waiting to take each guest through the Dalmatian oenogastronomic story. Squeeze through the smallest street in the world and have a go at picigin at the Split beach Bačvice!
From the sea, you will smell the fragrances of pine trees, sage and lavender, and this will be the islands of Brač, Hvar and Šolta calling you. Swilled by the Adriatic Sea salt and caressed by a gentle mistral, they are a true secret Mediterranean sanctuary! Each of them is special in their own way. Brač boasts Zlatni Rat, the most beautiful beach in this area and the Brač stone, of which many of the world’s buildings were constructed. The Island of Hvar will acquaint you with the fragrant oasis of lavender and aromatic herbage and is not short of a historical stone heritage either. Sweeten yourselves on Šolta! Known as the island of honey; it will take you through the tale of honey, life of bees and you will also have a chance to have a go at honey churning.
To the north of Split, you will come across Trogir or, as many like to prattle a happy town, a town-monument, or a town-museum. Its larger part is situated on a small island, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Trogir will delight you with its unique preservation. Get to know all the edifices of the open air museum and taste the Trogir pašticada and sweet pastries rafioli.
Should you plan your holiday for the beginning of August, then your inevitable stop will be Sinj, which becomes a stage for a hundreds of year’s old knights Tournament Sinjska Alka. Sinjska alka is a knights equestrian competition, in which horse riders, at full gallop and holding an almost three metre long pole, aim at an iron ring (alka), which hangs on a rope across the race track. This is a time of the year when the inhabitants of Sinj proudly live their old tradition, which unites the past, present and future and which is under the UNESCO auspices, as a world non-material heritage. If you wish to hear some more historical tales about chivalry and courage, head further due south and you will reach Omiš, a town famous for the Omiš pirates, who bravely defended their town. It is situated at the mouth of the Cetina river, which, in its path, cut through a mountain massif and united with the Adriatic Sea, thus creating an impressive canyon, which is today a perfect location for numerous lovers of adventure holidays. Explore the region of true diversities, impressive history and hidden bays! Let the white and the blue be your inspiration! The white as stone and the blue as the clear sea that bathes it.
The town of Omiš is situated at estuary of river Cetina 19 km south of the town of Split. Its favorable position has enabled to defend itself in the past, and today it is a unique landmark on the Croatian coast. Impressing stone gate, through which clear Cetina flows into the sea – represents geologic symbol of this old city, and river also creates the only way to the hinterland from the river Jadro to Vrulja.
Historical center of the town is located on the east coast of Cetina, and in ancient times the settlement was probably northern than today, in the hamlet of Baucici.
In Middle Ages, the piracy for people in Omiš was an important way of acquiring. People from Omiš were famous pirates, town location made it easier and their light and fast boats. At the time of the greatest crusades at the head of the Omiš pirates were princes Kacic, and they led the attacks, for entire two centuries, on the papal galleys and the merchant ships of Venetian, Dubrovnik, Split, Kotor …
Entire rich and exhaustive piracy history is well represented by fortress Fortica, together with fortress Mirabela or Peovica. Fortress Fortica is located at the very top of Omiš Dinara.
That was very important for piracy, because one place could control a large area both on land and at sea. From the Fortica tower, you can see entire city, canyon of river Cetina, islands of Brac, Hvar and Šolta, then middle Poljica.
The very purpose of the fortress was defending from the enemy. Fortica was primarily serving as a shelter, and in case that Omiš was surrounded, large stone rubble was thrown from the fortress that would ruin the entire city and hence destroy the enemy. Today we can be proud that this has not happened and what we can enjoy in the wonders of this beautiful Dalmatian town.
From the city center you can get to the fortress by well set track path with signposts, so there is no fear that you will be lost. You can reach the fortress on foot from the town, through the Baucici settlement and climb to the fortress in 20 minutes and enjoy the beautiful view.
The protected area is within the boundaries: from the chapel of St. Nicholas next to the Cetina River, following the river to the new bridge, the street Fošal, coast to the city dock, to the Trijun basin, including the town cemetery and ramparts, withers of the hill Peove, and north side of the fortress Peovica to the Chapel of St. Nicholas next to the river Cetina. This enclosed part of Omis represents the medieval part of the city that was surrounded by the city walls with the fortresses of which the Peovica fortress represents the highest final part, dating back to the 13th century. The buildings of this part of Omiš were built from the 16th to the 19th centuries and include styles from Renaissance to the local architecture of the 19th century.
The very role of the fortress Peovica or Mirabela was for patroling the enemy. From Mirabela fortress you can see the whole old part of the town, Punta, Priko and Duce, but also the entire Brač Canal. It was providing the then local population an unimaginable protection from the enemy, and we all know how powerful Omis pirates were. The same enviroment of the fortress enables the whole city to be surveyed and the space is nicely arranged. The fortress itself consists of four floors and a top exit from which a beautiful view is provided.
The district Church in Omiš is dedicated to St. Michael. It was built at the beginning of XVII. century, and there is an evidence of a Latin inscription on the door. The church bell tower was completed in the 18th century. The church was built by local builders, combining the features of the Gothic, Renaissance and Early Baroque. In the niche above the sumptuous stone entrance there is a statue of St. Mihovil and window rose. On the church walls there are coat of arms of Venetian nobles and the town of Omis. Stone coats can be seen on the houses of richer families, and portraits of prominent noblemen on the altar paintings in the church.
Church of Holy Spirit was built at the site of an older Gothic church from 1585, with the mercy of Mark Drešković, the protagonist of the same name heritage. The late-Renaissance building was located in the administrative center of the commune, next to the town’s lodge and the city clock tower. Assemblies of locals were held there. The church is a spacious single-brested building with a high-rised quadrilateral shrine and crossed by a fragmented vault. Interior of the building is plastered, and in the bottom of the vault there is a profiled stone crown. The main facade is built with fine stone blocks, and at the top there is a belfry with three bell holes. The main portal has a rich late-Renaissance multi-profile frame with an inscription on the construction of the attic. In the apse there is a wooden plated altar on which the painting “The Descent of the Holy Spirit” was previously painted by the painter Palme Mladeg
Church of St. Peter at Priko is located on the right bank of the river Cetina, it is mentioned in the documents for the first time in 1074. for the reign of King Slavac. The church features early Christian stone blocks (capitals, lintel, stone grilles on the windows). Next to the church was the Benedictine monastery and then the Franciscan monastery. Archbishop of Split, Pacific Bizz (1696-1756), founded the Glagolitic Seminary in 1750., which was abolished in 1879.
Registered at the Commercial Court in Split 27.08.2012
MBO: 97356930
BIC/SWIFT: OTPVHR2X
IBAN Number: HR6624070001100487921
