Title: ABOUT THE PROJECT Urban Destinations on Rivers of the Adriatic Basin The RiTour project — “Valorization of cultural and natural heritage through cross-border coopera- Client and Publisher: Croatia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Montenegro tion of urban tourist destinations on the Adriatic RERA SD Public Institution for the Coordination RiTour basin karst rivers” aims to diversify and promote and Development of the Split-Dalmatia County the tourist offer of urban destinations (Blagaj in Domovinskog rata 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Solin in Croatia, Podgorica Split 21000 in Montenegro) located along rivers of the Adriatic basin (the Buna, Jadro, Morača). Executor: Elaboro d.o.o. The RiTour project is funded by the European Union Ante Starčevića 24B under the Interreg IPA Cross-border Cooperation Split 21000 Program Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Monte- negro 2014-2020. priority Axis 3 - Contribution to Authors: tourism development and preservation of cultural Zrinka Bočina Prskalo and natural heritage. Lead partner is the RERA SD Professor of Fine Arts & Restorer Public Institution for the Coordination and Devel- and opment of the Split-Dalmatia County, and other Anita Brakus Kedžo project partners are the City of Solin, the Public M.Ed. Art History Institution for the Management of Protected Nat- Urban Destinations ural Areas of the Split-Dalmatia County — “Sea and Translation and proofreading: Karst”, the City of Mostar, the Herzegovina-Neretva MONTANENSE, sole proprietorship for services Canton Tourist Board and the Podgorica Tourism on Rivers of the Organization. Graphic Design and Layout: kazinoti&Komenda Adriatic Basin The total value of the project is Print: € 840.700,03 BENDIĆ PAPIR d.o.o. of which the EU contribution was € 714.594,99 Circulation: Urban destinations on rivers of the Adriatic basin Project launch date: 1200 copies July 1, 2017 Project completion date: Split, December 2019 December 31, 2019 Program website: https://www.interreg-hr-ba-me2014-2020.eu/ The project is co-financed by ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union. This publication has been produced with the This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of this publication are the sole responsibility of the RERA SD Public Institution and can in of the RERA SD Public Institution and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. European Union. biganje biganje biganje biganje biganje biganje biganje biganje Table of contents 28 .... Blagaj 28 .........HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT 5 ...... Introduction 29 .........SITE DESCRIPTION 6 ...... Solin AND TOURIST CONTENT 6 ............HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT 29 ....Stjepan–grad 31 .....The Velagićevina 7 ............SITE DESCRIPTION residential complex AND TOURIST CONTENT 32 ....Karađoz-bey’s hammam 34 ....Karađoz-bey’s bridge 10 ..........SOLIN CULTURAL HERITAGE 34 ....Danijal-pasha’s bridge 35 ....Tekke 11 ......Our Lady’s island 36 ....The emperor’s mosque 13 .....Gradina 38 ....The church of St.Trinity 14 Church of St. Peter and 39 ....Church of St. Basil Moses in the hollow of Ostrog 16 .....The Jadro river and mills 19 .....Church of St. George 39..........NATURAL HERITAGE above the source of the Jadro river 39 ....The Buna river 19 .....Majdan 42 ....The Green Cave 21 ..........NATURAL HERITAGE 42..........GASTRONOMY 21 .....The Jadro river 44 .... Mostar 22 ....Aqueduct of Salona 23 ....Diocletian aqueduct 44. ...Early christian Mostar 25 ....Softmouth trout of the 45. ...The Old Bridge Jadro river 48. ...Koski Mehmed-pasha’s mosque 26 .........GASTRONOMY 49 ....The old orthodox church of the nativity of blesed 27 ..........CONCLUSION virgin Mary 50.... Podgorica 50 .........HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT 51 ..........SITE DESCRIPTION AND TOURIST CONTENT 52 ....The ancient Dolcea 54 ....Medun 55 ....Stara varoš and the Clock Tower 56 ....Sastavci 56 ....The Kruševac court complex 57 ....Churches, monasteries and mosques 62 ....The Skender Chaush Mosque (Starodoganjska mosque) 63 .........NATURAL HERITAGE 67 ..........GASTRONOMY 69 .........CONCLUSION 70 .... References and photo sources ENG 4 Urban destinations on rivers of the Adriatic basin Urban destinations on rivers of the Adriatic basin INTRODUCTION The RiTour project — “Valorization of cultural and natural heritage through cross-border cooperation of urban tourist destinations on the Adriatic basin karst rivers” aims to diversify and promote the tourist offer of urban destinations (Blagaj in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Solin in Croatia, Podgorica in Montenegro) located along rivers of the Adriatic basin (the Buna, Jadro, Morača). The aim of this project is cross-bordering of cultural heritage and the sustainable use of natural resources. The RiTour project is funded by the European Union under the Interreg IPA Cross-border Cooperation Program Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro 2014-2020. Lead partner is the RERA SD Public Institution for the Coordination and Development of the Split-Dalmatia County, and project partners are the Town of Solin, the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of the Split-Dalmatia County — “Sea and Karst”, the City of Mostar, the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Tourist Board and the Podgorica Tourism Organization. The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and IPA Component II. ENG Urban destinations on rivers of the Adriatic basina 5 Amphitheater in Salona Solin HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT The area at the foot of Kozjak Mountain, the end of the 3rd century, when the town which rises above modern Solin, has been was known as the Felix, or happy Salona. inhabited since prehistoric times. These Following the Edict of Milan, Christianity fertile lowlands were an early area of flourished in Salona, as still evident in its contact between Greek colonizers and preserved architectural heritage, starting the local Illyrian tribe called Dalmatae, from the cathedral complex comprising of at the point where the water-rich Jadro two basilicas, a baptistery and a bishop’s River, whose short stream never goes dry, palace. The town was already in decline flows into the sea in a tame bay. This is when it was conquered and destroyed by the the site of the later town of Salona, which Avars around 640 CE. Its people took refuge was named after the Salon, the ancient in the nearby palace of Emperor Diocletian, name of the Jadro River. Salona developed which later developed into Split, and nearby as the administrative seat of the Roman islands. The town has never been rebuilt ENG province of Dalmatia and flourished at within its former scope and never reached 6 Urban destinations on rivers of the Adriatic basin the same significance; Croats settled way to the valorization of its cultural and in the area and occupied the outskirts historical values, which have increasingly of the ancient town of Salona, forming a become the source of development and coexistence with the remaining natives. prosperity of the town. Several Croatian rulers from the 9th to the 11th century had ties with Solin: Duke Trpimir SITE DESCRIPTION AND rebuilt the monastery in Rižinice; Queen TOURIST CONTENT Jelena erected two churches on Our Lady’s Island; and King Zvonimir was crowned in The town of Solin, with its young population the Church of St. Peter and Moses. and dynamic lifestyle and working, is basically part of the wider Split urban area, At the end of the 11th century, the mainstay with which it is physically connected. The of Croatian rulers was transferred from uniqueness and identity of Solin stem from Solin to Knin, and Solin lost its former the archeological site of the ancient town metropolitan importance. Around Solin, of Salona, its early Croatian monuments, conflicts arose between local noblemen and and the hundred-year-old cement industry; the Venetians; the area was later conquered of natural beauties, there is the short but by the Turks. The Jadro River in Solin, often water-rich Jadro River with its endemic fish called just Rika (River), formed a natural species — the Solin softmouth trout. boundary between the Split and Klis regions, and when the Turks occupied Klis in 1537, Salona, a large Roman town, the center of the river becomes the border between the the province and the seat of the archbishop, Turkish Empire and the Venetian Republic. has been preserved to this day as an After the liberation from the Turks in the impressive archeological site, owing to the 17th century, the Venetians populated the fact that no new settlement has ever been devastated area of Solin with people form built on top of it, since even the present-day Drniš. New inhabitants built their hamlets Solin developed to the east of the ancient on the edges of the ancient town and kept up Salona. Despite many years of systematic their traditional occupations, farming and archaeological research, only a small part of cattle breeding; they shared the fate of the the former ancient town has been restored broader Dalmatia area and had to survive and is open for visitors; but what is there periods of French and Austrian rule. In the is still impressive. The most significant early 20th century, early industrialization buildings at the archeological site include: in took over the Solin area, primarily based the northwest, an amphitheater built in the around local marl mines. Newly opened second half of the 2nd century, with room marlstone quarries and the developing for around fifteen thousand spectators. The cement industry would irreversibly alter first Christian oratory complex was built the idyllic landscape of the Solin basin. along the western town walls, next to the By the end of the 20th century, Solin had basilica urbana or the town basilica; there predominantly developed as the industrial is also a baptistery, a bishop’s residence, suburb of Split. After the founding of the atriums and lobbies. The spas, or the town Croatian republic, Solin acquired the status baths, were built to the east of the basilica.