The ancient Croatian city of Trogir on the Adriatic coast is alive with history

I am a historian from Split, Croatia and my biggest passion is travelling to discover historically significant places. I have been impressed by many of the important historical locations I have visited across Europe, but as the saying goes, ‘there is no place like home’.  And for me that means the beautiful, ancient and brilliantly preserved city of Trogir on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. The fact that this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site gives you an idea how magnificent it is.

Built by the Republic of Venice in the 15th Century, Kamerlengo Castle often hosts concerts throughout the summer
Since I live in Split, my favourite place isn’t too far away from me and I like to visit it once in a while, spontaneously and without any rush. My favourite time of the year is summer and it’s actually the best time to visit Trogir, not only because the weather is perfect for observing the life of this phenomenal city, but also because of all sorts of attractions that are mostly present during the tourist season. I often feel like a tourist myself there because there is always something new to surprise me.
The Trogir promenade is probably the most crowded part of the city and it affords a beautiful view of the 15th century Kamerlengo Castle, a popular location for concerts during summer.  The promenade is always full of local artists who want to show their skills in order to make some money from excited tourists surrounding them during their performances. If you get hungry or want to get a drink with your friends, there isn’t a better place to enjoy good food while listening to the sound of Klapa, a traditional form of Dalmatian a cappella singing from southern Croatia.
Klapa music is a form of a cappella singing from Dalmatia. The word klapa translates as “a group of friends” and songs generally celebrate love, wine, country and sea.
But in order to discover the true nature of Trogir, you need to get away from the noise and crowds and search the quiet narrow streets inside this beautiful city. Believe me, it’s the best feeling in the world for any historian. There is a fascinating mixture of building styles like baroque and renaissance that convey a strong impression of the passage of time.
The Cathedral of Saint Lawrence is a Roman Catholic basilica that took several centuries to build and incorporates the many building styles that succeeded each other in Dalmatia
The most interesting parts of a tour around Trogir are the many churches and the Benedictine monastery. My favourite church is the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence, a breathtaking building with outstanding historical value.  A part of this Cathedral was designed by Master Radovan, one of the most influential and brilliant minds in Croatia during the 13th century.

Similarly, the Benedictine monastery of Saint Nicholas is rich with history. Established in 1064 by Saint Ivan of Trogir, the monastery has been populated by an order of nuns for nearly 1000 years. This order has played a pivotal role in Trogir’s religious and cultural history and the monastery boasts many treasures of art and literature including a famous collection of Croatian Vartal texts written by the poet Petar Lučić in the 16th Century.

By Marjan

I am from Split in Croatia. I am a historian and I love to travel around Europe to visit sights with major significance in human history.  I’d also love to visit the Taj Mahal in India.

Other great experiences around Trogir