Croatia • May, 2003 • Trogir

On Saturday morning, my first stop was Trogir, which is located about twenty-eight kilometers west of Split. The Rough Guide had proclaimed this place, "... one of the most seductive towns on the Dalmatian coast" (RG1°, 232), while the Lonely Planet guide book called it, "... a jewel of a walled town" (LP2°, 237). I cannot remember how this town was added to my itinerary, but I'm thankful that I visited. I have provided some information below about my visit.

History
Trogir was founded in the 3^rd c. BCE as Tragurion by Greek settlers who migrated from the island of Viš. During the Roman period, the town developed into a major port, but diminished in importance as Salona's wealth grew. During the Slavic migrations in the 7^th c. CE, some of the residents of Salona, which was under attack from these barbarians, took refuge in Trogir.

From the 9^th c. CE, the citizens of Trogir were paying tribute to the Croatian kings in exchange for the latter's promise of defense and protection. In the 11th c. CE, the Roman Catholic Church establish a diocese in Trogir, which would remain in place until its abolishment in 1828. In 1107, King Koloman, of the the Hungarian-Croatia federation, chartered Trogir, which gave the town autonomy. Sixteen years later, however, the town was destroyed by the invading Saracens.

With wealth derived from mining in the nearby hills, the city rebuilt and rebounded in the 12^th c. CE and 13^th c. CE. In 1242, it harbored King Bela IV as he was being chased by the invading Tartars. In fact, the invading group converged on Trogir and demanded that the Croatian king surrender. He refused to yield, leading to a standoff between the two groups. It ended when the Tartars retreated upon learning of the death of their leader.

This prosperity waned and Trogir, along with Dalmatia, fell into depression. In 1409, Venice, the most powerful city-state on the Adriatic, purchased the entire region. The residents of Trogir did not care for this arrangement, so they resisted Venetian rule. By 1420, after constant military bombardment, the town's leaders accepted the authority of the Venetian doge. Trogir would remain under Venetian rule until 1797, when it was transferred to the Austrian emperor. It would remain under Austrian, then Austro-Hungarian, rule until 1918. There was an eight-year period where it was part of the French-constructed Illyrian empire (1806 to 1814).

In 1997, the city's old core was inscribed into onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. This honor makes Trogir one of the country's cherished architectural landmarks and guarantees that Croatians and visitors will be able to enjoy this village for generations to come.

Tour of City
On the outskirts of the town, it was market day. Many vendors had set up their stands in an area very close to the main toad. This condition caused a traffic jam as people wandered all over the place and drivers had to swerve to avoid hitting them. Fortunately, there was minimal traffic coming from my direction, so I wasn't caught in traffic. But the other direction was jammed - probably about fifteen to twenty cars deep.

There was parking about fifty meters beyond the intersection. It cost HRK 4 per hour, which I felt was a good bargain. Despite the crowded market and influx of weekend tourists, U was able to find a parking spit relatively fast. I had forgotten that car radios in European cars will continue to run until the driver removed the face plate, which is supposed to deter theft.


The Saturday market outside the old town walls of Trogir	The Kopnen vrata, which is one of two entrances to Trogir

I entered the island town through the Kopnen vrata, the land gate. Built in the 17th c. CE, this gate is topped with a statue of Sveti Ivan Trogirski. A miracle-working bishop in the 13th c. CE, Saint John of Trogir is the town's patron saint. The entrance is embedded into the town's original protective walls, but now sits between buildings that house cafés on the first floor and residences above.

Further along is the town's main cathedral, know as the Katedrela Sveti Lovro. Dedicated to ..., construction started in 1213 on the site of a church destroyed during the Saracen invasions. The Romanesque church was completed three centuries later with the addition of a Venetian-style Gothic campanile. As shown in the picture below, this bell tower is covered in scaffolding while being restored. The front door is the church's most impressive feature. Built in 1240 in the Romanesque style, the door is constructed in three layers. At the bottom of the outer layer is are two Venetian lions - one on each side. Above the lions are sculptures of Adam and Eve, which supposedly the earliest known example of nudity in the Dalmatia. The inner layers show various saints, with the portal is capped with scenes representing the calendar months.


Towering over Trg Ivana Pavla is the Venetian-styled Gothic campanile	The entrance portal to the Katedrala Sevti Lovro. Notice the Venetian lions on either side of the entrance portal

There are two reasons why I was not able to view the church's interior. First, the church enforces a strict dress code, which I did not meet by wearing shorts. Secondly, and more importantly, there was an event occurring inside the cathedral, which appeared to be some time of confirmation ceremony.

The church faces Trg Ivana Pavla II, a small square filled with outdoor cafés. Besides the church, there are two other buildings on note on the square. First is the Čipiko Palace, a 15th c CE Venetian Gothic mansion built for one of the town's most prominent families. The façade has a balustrade triple window characteristic of Venetian architecture. It is believed that the building was designed by Andrija Aleši, an Albanian noble who fled the Turks, learned sculpting and became the stylistic successor to Juraj Dalmatinac. Secondly, the Gradska Loža is the loggia that was typical of Venetian cities; it has two interesting features. On the east wall, there is a relief showing Justice flanked by Saint John of Trogir on the left and Saint Lawrence on the right. This is the work of Nicola Firentinac, another pupil of Juraj Dalmatinac. There is a blank concrete block in the center; in 1932, locals exploded the Venetian lion that had occupied the spot previously. On the south wall is a relief of Petru Berislavić, a bishop and Croatian ban. The ceiling is separated in the section by wood timbers; each section is painted masterfully with colorful emblems.


The relief on the east wall. Notice the blank spot in the center, which is where an image of the Venetian lion resided until 1932.	The masterfully painted ceiling of the the Gradska Loža

I then headed to the south end of town, where the second entrance gate is located. The Gradska vrata, or town gate, is rather nondescript and provides an entrance for those coming from the island of Čiovo. To the east is the Mala Loža, the site of the town's daily fish market. On the outside of the walls is Obala Ban Berislavića, a pedestrian zone with cafés on the land side and a marina on the water side. There were a number of German charter cruise boats getting seat to depart, apparently returning to Hamburg.

The western tip of the island contains three interesting landmarks. First is the Kamerlengo Fortress. Named for the Kamerling, the Venetian word for the person who controlled the town's finances, the fortress was built in the 15th c. CE and connected to the city's protective walls. It is open to the public, which, for HRK 15, can climb the ninety-six steps to the top of the octagonal watch tower. This vantage point provides an excellent view of the town. To the north of the fortress is a (European) football field and at its western edge is the rather dilapidated Marmont's Gloriette. Marmont, the French governor of the Illyrian provinces in the early 19th c. CE, used to play cards in this six-pillared gazebo during his tenure in Trogir. To the north of the football field is the Kula Svetog Mark, which had been another part of the town's defensive network.


The Kamerlengo Fortress	Kula Svetog Mark, as seen from the tower at Kamerlengo

The water tower in the Kamerlengo Fortress	Marmont's Gloriette

Travel Resources
This completed my stay in Trogir, a place I would recommend visiting simply for its medieval ambience. It typifies Adriatic cities that have been influenced by various peoples: Croatian, Venetian and Austria. There are a couple of website that will assist in planning for a trip to Trogir: