Zadar is the seat of the county of Zadar and Knin, maritime, economic, cultural and tourist center. Zadar consists of the old core on the small peninsula, and of the new parts near the coast. The town of Zadar has developed industry (ship building, metallurgy, textile and food industry), three valuable museums (archaeological, ethnographic, and museum of natural history), the art gallery, one of the richest historical archive, scientific library, etc.
The pleasant climate with rich Mediterranean vegetation attracts numerous tourists to Zadar. In the vicinity (Borik, Puntamika) there are numerous hotels and recreational objects.
Zadar has traffic communication (the Adriatic Road) with Rijeka and Split, and the international airport in Zemunik. Zadar also has constant ship lines to the northern and southern Adriatic and Italy.
Zadar has already been mentioned in Greek sources, and Romans called it lader. It kept the urbane structure of the Roman castrum, and most of the buildings in town are reconstructed houses from the Romanesque and Gothic period. The layout of the streets survived from the antiquity, as well as the parts of the water supply system from the lake Vrana, fourteen meters high pillar and excavations on Forum, parts of the emperor Trajan's triumphal arch, and many architectural fragments.
Zadar Marina has exchange office, post office, and shops. It is open through the whole year.
Zadar and the tourist region of Zadar are located in the very centre of the Croatian Adriatic, in the most indented part of the Adriatic archipelago. At a smaller or greater distance from Zadar are the national parks Plitvice, Paklenica, Krka and Kornati, nature parks Velebit and Telascica, as well as more than 300 islands and islets. Natural beauties, numerous coves and beaches, cultural and historical monuments, restaurants and hotels offering selected national specialities make Zadar and its surroundings one of the most attractive tourist regions in Croatia.
Zadar holiday accommodation: hotels, campings, private apartments
Zadar Architecture
Zadar gained its urban structure in Roman times; during the time of Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus, the town was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the western side of the town were the forum, the basilica and the temple, while outside the town were the amphitheatre and cemeteries. The aqueduct which was supplying the town with water has been partly preserved. Inside the ancient town, a medieval town had developed, when a series of churches and monasteries had been built.
During the Middle Ages, Zadar had fully gained its urban aspect, which has been maintained until today. In the 16th century, Venice fortified the town with a new system of defensive walls on the side facing land. In the first half of the 16th century, architectural building in the Renaissance style was continued. Defence trenches were built also (Foša), which were completely buried during the Italian occupation. In 1873 under Austrian rule the ramparts of Zadar were converted from fortifications into elevated promenades commanding extensive views to seaward and to landward, wall lines thus being preserved ; of its four old gates one, the Porta Marina, incorporates the relics of a Roman arch, and another, the Porta di Terraferma, was designed in the 16th century by the Veronese artist Sanmichele. In the bombardments during the Second World War, entire blocks were destroyed, but some of the structures were preserved.
St. Donatus' Church, a pre-Romanesque church from the 9th century
St. Mary's Church, located in the old city across St. Donatus' ChurchMost important landmarks:
Roman Forum - the largest on the eastern side of the Adriatic, founded by the first Roman Emperor Augustus, to which two stone inscriptions about its completion dating from the 3rd century testify.
Most of the Roman remains were used in the construction of the fortifications, but two squares are embellished with lofty marble columns; a Roman tower stands on the east side of the town; and some remains of a Roman aqueduct may be seen outside the ramparts.
The chief interest of Zadar lies in its churches.
St. Donatus' Church - the monumental round building in the pre Romanesque style, traditionally but erroneously said to have been erected on the site of a temple of Juno, from the 9th century is the most important structure of its period preserved in Dalmatia; the massive dome of the rotunda is surrounded by a vaulted gallery in two stories which also extends around the three apses to the east. The church treasury contains some of the finest Dalmatian metal-work; notably the silver ark or reliquary of St Simeon (1380), and the pastoral staff of Bishop Valaresso (1460).
St. Anastasia's Cathedral (Croatian: Sv. Stošija), basilica in Romanesque style built in the 12th to 13th century (high Romanesque style), the largest cathedral in Dalmatia.
The churches of St. Chrysogonus and St. Simeon are also in the Romanesque style.
St. Krševan's Church - monumental Romanesque church of very fine proportions and refined Romanesque ornaments.
St. Elijah's Church (Croatian: Sv. Ilija)
St. Francis' Church, gothic styled church, site of the signing of the Zadar Peace Treaty 1358
Five Wells Square
St. Mary's Church which retains a fine Romanesque campanile of 1105 belongs to a Benedictine Convent founded in 1066 by a noblewoman of Zadar by the name of Cika with The Permanent Ecclesiastical Art Exhibition "The Gold and Silver of Zadar"
Other architectual acivments:
Citadel - built in 1409, southwest of the Land gate, it has remained the same to this day.
The Land Gate - built according to a layout of the Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in 1543
The uniqe sea organ[2]
The Great Arsenal [3]
Among the other chief buildings are (were?) the Loggia del Comune, rebuilt in 1565, and containing a public library; the old palace of the priors, now the governor's residence; and the episcopal palaces
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