Regional attractions
On the island of Ciovo and it’s vicinity, there are many interesting historical places and sights worth visiting. If you like to explore, here are some of the suggestions.
Sanctuary of Lady of Prizidnica
Located near village of Slatine on Ciovo island, the sanctuary in Prizidnice sits high above the sea, on the cliffs of the southern side of Ciovo island in beautiful natural surroundings.
It was built in 1546 by priest J. Strojdrazic, the hermit of Prizidnice who had settled there years before.
The steep cliffs overlooking islands of Solta and Brac, blue sea, blossoming agaves and a lot of autochthonous plant species, beside the old convent and small church, make this place incredible.
It is 460 years old, literally carved in stone and many stories and legends are connected with the place itself, which elder people from Slatine will gladly share when you visit it.
Photo gallery of the sanctuary
Directions to the Sanctuary
Old town of Trogir, fortress of Kamerlengo
Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. The old town of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Ciovo. It lies 27 kilometers west of the city of Split and 7 km from Slatine.
Trogir has a 2300 years of continuous urban tradition. Its culture was created under the influence of the ancient Greeks, and then the Romans, and Venetians. Trogir has a high concentration of palaces, churches, and towers, as well as a fortress on a small island.
Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central 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.
Since 1997, the historic centre of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. “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.
It’s beautiful Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period“, says UNESCO report.
Kamerlengo is a castle and fortress in Trogir, Croatia. It was built by the Republic of Venice, on the western shore of the Trogir’s island.
The 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 summer months. The word kamerlengo (Italian: camerlengo) refers to the title of a Venetian administrative official (a chamberlain).
Photo gallery of Trogir
The ancient city of Salona
The ancient city of Salona in Solin (25 km from Trogir 6 km north of Split) is the place where you can meet history of ancient Rome.
Salona was a stronghold and a harbour of the Illyrian Delmati which quite early came into the sphere of influence of the Greeks on the Adriatic. After it was conquested by the Romans, Salona became the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. The city quickly acquired Roman characteristics: walls, a forum, a theater and an amphitheater – the most conspicuous above-ground remains today, public baths and an aquaeduct. It had developed into a cosmopolitan centre of the Adriatic with more than 60 000 inhabitants.
When the Roman Emperor Diocletian retired, he erected a monumental palace nearby; this massive structure, known as Diocletian’s Palace, became the core of the modern city of Split. Salona was largely destroyed in the invasions of the Avars and Slavs in the sixth and seventh centuries CE. Refugees from Salona settled inside the remains of Diocletian’s Palace and the town of Split was born.
Photo gallery of the Salona
Directions to Salona
Diocletian’s palace and St. Domnius Cathedral in city of Split
Diocletian’s Palace is the ancient palace complex in the heart of Split, Croatia, built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the 4th century AD.
Diocletian started to build the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD and kept on building it for 10 years. It lies in a bay on the south side of a peninsula running out from the Dalmatian coast, four miles from Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. The terrain slopes gently seaward and is typical karst, consisting of low limestone ridges running east to west with marl in the clefts between them.
After the Romans abandoned the site, the Palace remained empty for several centuries. In the 7th century nearby residents fled to the walled palace to escape invading barbarians.
Since then the palace has been occupied, with residents making their homes and businesses within the palace basement and directly in its walls. Today many restaurants and shops, and some homes, can still be found within the walls.
The Cathedral of Saint Domnius (Croatian: Katedrala Svetog Duje) is a complex of a church, formed from an Imperial Roman mausoleum, with a bell tower; strictly the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the bell tower to Saint Duje. Together they form the Cathedral of St. Duje.
Diocletian’s Mausoleum and St. Duje bell tower
The main part – Emperor Diocletian’s mausoleum, dates from the end of the 3rd century. The mausoleum was built like the rest of the palace with white local limestone and marble of high quality, most of which was from marble quarries on the island of Brač, with tuff taken from the nearby river Jadro beds, and with brick made in Salonitan and other factories.
Later, in the 17th century a chorus was added to the eastern side of the mausoleum. For that purpose the eastern wall of the mausoleum was torn down in order to unify the two chambers.
The Bell Tower was constructed in the year 1100 AD, in the Romanesque style. Extensive rebuilding in 1908 radically changed the Bell Tower, and many of the original Romanesque sculptures were removed.
One of the best examples of Romanesque sculpture in Croatia, are the wooden doors on Cathedral of St. Duje. They were made by the medieval Croatian sculptor and painter Andrija Buvina around 1220. Two wings of the Buvina wooden door contains 14 scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, separated by rich ornaments in wood.
On the first floor of the sacristy is the cathedral treasury which contains relics of Saint Duje, which were brought to cathedral after his death.
Photo gallery of Split
Klis fortress
Klis fortress is located some 35 km of drive from the island of Ciovo, above a village of Klis, near the city of Split, in central Dalmatia, Croatia
It is probably best known for its defense against the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the early 16th century. Croatian captain Petar Kružić led the defense of the fortress against a Turkish invasion and siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades.
Illlyrian tribes known as Delmats came to this territory in II. ct.b.c. In early XVI ct. during big intrusion of Turks on this area, these people persisted under their attacks for 25 years. On 1537. Turks had finally conquered Klis. After more than a century under Ottoman rule, in 1669, Klis Fortress was besieged and seized by the Republic of Venice, thus moving the border between Christian and Muslim Europe further east and helping to contribute to the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Venetians restored and enlarged the fortress, but it was taken by the Austrians after Napoleon extinguished the republic itself in 1797.
Today, Klis Fortress contains a museum where visitors to this historic military structure can see an array of arms, armor, and traditional uniforms, and it is also a monument of resistance to the Turkish empire.
Photo gallery of the Klis fortress
Directions to Klis
Krka National Park
Besides these historical places, we have to mention natural and unique locality of Krka National Park (55 km from Trogir) with beautiful sets of lakes and waterfalls. The biggest and the most beautiful one is Skradinski buk waterfall, which falls over 17 levels, and the Roski waterfall.
On the Visovac lake there is small island of Visovac with another cultural monument – Franciscan monastery, built in 1445, together with the Church of Lady of Visovac. The monastery possesses a significant archaeological collection, a collection of historical church linens and dishes and a rich library with many valuable books and incunabula.
Krka National Park is famous trip destination where you can spend your day walking by the lakes, creeks and waterfalls enjoying the beautiful nature, even swim in the lake under the famous waterfall of Skradinski Buk and try good local food.
Photo gallery of Krka
