A visit to Zadar, the beautiful city of Croatia

Hello everyone! This is my first post in the Haveyoubeenhere community and I am very excited to share with you some of my travel experiences.

After many years of planning a trip to my birthplace, the plan was realized and I visited Zadar, a picturesque, coastal city in Croatia, located in northern Dalmatia, on the Adriatic coast. We didn't have much time, but it is enough to step through the narrow old streets and in a very short time you will feel the amazing spirit of the city, that will take you back to some old times. Such streets are called "kale".

Zadar has a long and dynamic history and a lot of cultural sights. During its history, it was part of the Roman Empire, so the remains of Roman urban construction and culture can be seen today and they testify to the more than 3000-year-long history of this city. During the period of Roman colonization, the Roman Forum was the center of public and religious life. And indeed, in the place where the forum was, it feels like this used to be an important gathering place, where you could be seen by others and listen to city stories and news.

On the ruins of the ancient forum is the Church of St. Donatus, which can be considered a symbol of the Zadar. This unusual circular church attracts the eyes of visitors. We didn't go inside. We left it for another occasion but we later found out that the interior is very interesting, worth seeing.

Zadar is the city with the largest number of monuments in Croatia. In addition to the Church of St. Donatus, there are several other churches that are definitely worth seeing because they have significant historical value. One of them is the Church of St. Francis. It is the oldest Gothic church in Dalmatia, dating back to the 13th century.

One of the most valuable cultural monuments of Zadar is the Orthodox Church of St. Elias (Sv. Ilija). This church was built in the 16th century, in the Baroque style.

Near this church is the Pillar of Shame, which in the distant past was used to publicly humiliate offenders. Throughout history, people have encountered different types of punishment that have become milder over time. It is good that this pillar is now only a part of the past. I didn't really feel comfortable near this pillar because of the thought of its purpose in the past.

The Church and Monastery of St Mary in Zadar were built in the 11th century in the Pre-Romanesque style. Something that attracts attention when it comes to this church is the bell tower that stands nearby. It remains today in the original version of the Romanesque bell tower.

There is one interesting story about the Church of Our Lady of Health. A painting of the Lady of Castello was kept in that church. When a great fire broke out in Zadar in the 18th century, the people of Zadar cried out in fear and desperately called upon the Lady of Castello or today Our Lady of Health. As the fire was extinguished thanks to the help of Our Lady, the people of Zadar have been holding a procession every year on November 21 as a sign of gratitude to Our Lady. On that day, fritters (fritule) are distributed to passers-by. Fritters are festive pastries, flavored small donuts, very delicious.

One recognizable building of the city is the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. It is a monumental Romanesque building, built in the 12th and 13th centuries.

My attention was drawn to the remains of the Stomorica church. The shape of the ground plan of this church resembles a key, so according to tradition, it symbolizes the keys of St. Peter. Today, only the foundations of that church have been preserved.

It is known that Zadar is the city with the most beautiful sunset. There is one circular place on the coast from which you can enjoy the stunning sunset and that place is called “The Greeting to the Sun”. This circle consists of solar panels that collect sunlight during the day and convert it into electricity in the evening, and light effects in various colors can be seen. It is an amazing place dedicated to the sun. During our visit, the weather was cloudy and it was winter. The real impressive experience is to come in the summer and enjoy the sunset.

When I was a child, my parents loved to walk with me by the sea. That place, Zadar seafront called "Riva" will forever remain my fond memory. It is a place of gathering and meeting. One of the city's biggest attractions, the Sea Organ, was later built there. The Sea Organ is a famous architectural masterpiece, a blend of music and architecture. Under the influence of sea energy, beautiful and unique sounds are produced. Zadar is the only city in the world that has such an art installation.

I was born in a new part of the city and the new and old parts of the city are connected by this bridge.

One of the most famous places in Zadar is the square of five wells and the Captain's Tower. Medieval building.

The small harbor of "Foša" attracts tourists. It is one of the favorite places for photography, and a special attraction is the old land gate.

One fascinating attraction is the Zadar Sphinx. It has an eagle on its chest, and instead of a paw, it has fingers with which it once held a large sword to protect the shell with a small pond. There was a lot of imagination about this sphinx. It was thought that gold or some room was buried under it.

Another famous place where people gather and meet is the People's Square, the center of urban life from where paths lead in all directions to the most popular points of the city. In the City of Loggia, Zadar citizens have been gathering and discussing the most important issues.

On the opposite side of the People's Square, there is a City Sentinel from the 16th century with a clock tower where the clock beats continuously. In many cities, there is a clock in the main square, where people meet.

I tried to present as many sights of Zadar as possible. There are many more sights that I did not mention, many beautiful beaches and authentic streets such as the famous "Kalelarga", but something must remain for another time. I visited the city out of season when there were no tourists. When it is the summer season, tourists from all over the world come to Zadar and enjoy its charms. Then the city is alive and the impression will surely take you back. This time I enjoyed peace, no crowds, only Zadar and me.

Thank you very much for reading.

All images and writing are original and mine.

Greetings!

Jelena