Croatia 4 - Klis, Trogir & Primošten
We left Split in the morning of Day 4. Our first destination was the Klis Fortress, located in the village of Klis, 20-25 minute drive north of Split. The Fortress was situated on top of a rocky ridge with the only entrance on the west side. Its origin dates back to 2nd century BC, when the Illyrian tribe Dalmatae built a small strategic fortification there. The site was later used by Romans, Seat of Croatian kings and nobles (Medieval Period), Ottomans (16th-17th century), Venetians (17th-18th century), Austrians (18th century), and Italian and German forces during WWII. Since 1990, it has been part of the sovereign Republic of Croatia. The location has been clearly popular over 2,000 years!
What we see there today were mainly the remains from the 17th-19th centuries (Venetian and Austrian periods).
The town of Split and the Marjan Hill were visible in the distance.
Meow. The kitty was so friendly and following us, even trying to touch our legs whenever he/she had a chance.
Does this place look familiar? The Klis Fortress served as the primary filming location for the city of Meereen in Game of Thrones (Season 4) while CGI was used to add the Great Pyramid and other large structures on the real footage of the Klis Fortress.
At the highest point of the Fortress was the Church of St. Vitus. Ottomans built a mosque right after its conquest of the Fortress on the site of an earlier medieval Catholic chapel. The mosque consisted of simple square-shaped building with a domed ceiling and a minaret. When Venetians took over the fortress, the mosque was converted into a Catholic church dedicated to St. Vitus. Although the minaret was torn down, the mosque's main building was preserved. The current form of the church is not only one of the few remaining examples of Islamic architecture in the region but also a unique result from blending historical architectural trends and religious conversion.
It was a little windy and pretty cold but exploring the cliff-top fortress was entertaining.
Our next stop was Trogir, a small town on a tiny island within the Kaštela Bay. Founded by Greeks in the 3rd century BC, it prospered during Venetian rule (13th–15th centuries), which shaped its narrow streets, stone palaces, and the iconic Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Trogir is well known as the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex in Central Europe. We parked our car near a bridge to the island, crossed the bridge and arrived in the town. As soon we started walking, the Cathedral of St. Lawrence came into view.
Trg Ivana Pavla II, or the Main Square is supposed to be Trogir's historic center, featuring a rich concentration of medieval landmarks, including the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, the Loggia, the Town Hall, and the Cipiko Palace. However, a Christmas market (more like a food court) set up in the square was somewhat blocking the views of the historical buildings...
At least the clock tower of the Loggia was nicely in line of sight. Originally serving as a public gathering space, the Loggia functioned as a courtroom, marketplace, and venue for official announcements. The snowman was cute but distracted the medieval atmosphere of the open-sided structure.
The neo-Gothic building featuring white Dalmatian stone and distinct Venetian-style windows was remarkable on the waterfront. When I was there, I hadn't known that it was actually being used as an elementary school. That's why many children were running around the building.
The Church and monastery of St. Dominic stood right across the street.
At the end of the promenade was the Kamerlengo Castle, a 15th century military fortress built by the Republic of Venice.
There was a tiny beach next to the castle. We watched the nice water view for a while.
Trogir looked like the Old Town of Split but seemed to be smaller, simpler and more dense.
It looked that almost all shops and restaurants on the island were closed due to off-season. Luckily we found Restaurant Pasike, a pizzeria that was open for lunch, technically brunch since we didn't have a chance to have breakfast. We just had a pizza a day before but we couldn't be picky in that circumstance. At the end we were very happy because their pizzas were so tasty!!
We had two pizzas to share. One was KOZICE with mozzarella, Dalmatian shrimps, garlic, arugula, tomato sauce, Grana Padano, and extra-virgin olive oil. The other was MORTADELLA with pistachio pesto, mozzarella, boar mortadella with truffles, Parmigiano, kalamata olives, pistachios, truffles, and fresh basil. Both were superb! I learned it from this trip that Croatia has great pizza!
We explored a little bit more in Trogir after the excellent branch. Trogir has a grid-like street plan that was established during the Hellenistic period, originating from its foundation as the Greek colony Tragurion. The distinct ancient layout made us easily understand which street we have or haven't walked.
It was time to say Good bye to Trogir. The island was so small; we didn't need much time to complete all the main streets and almost all the side streets. Right before leaving Trogir, I was able to see the details of the west entrance doorway of St. Lawrence Cathedral. The most famous part of the Cathedral is the masterpiece by Master Radovan, a prominent 13th-century Croatian sculptor and architect who lived in Trogir.
Then we drove up to Primošten, a small old town on a round peninsula. Originated in the 16th century, Primošten was a walled islet protecting inhabitants from Turkish invasions, later connected to the mainland by a permanent causeway.
With charming old Dalmatian stone houses, narrow cobble streets, a hilltop church and beautiful beaches, Primošten is known as one of the most famous tourist spots of Dalmatia..., well, I could say, except during off-season. We hardly saw human beings in the town and had a lovely quiet walk. Lucky us!
We walked up to the Church of St. George, the centerpiece of the hilly town, via the main street. Then, we walked down through narrow winding alleys.
It was a quick but nice visit to Primošten. By the way the town used to be a fishing village before becoming a tourist destination. A bronze statue of a fisherman stood in front of the beach, honoring the town's maritime heritage.
We drove north more and arrived in Sibenik, the oldest native Croatian town on the Adriatic coast.
It was time for desserts. We walked up to a cafe called Moderato Coffee & Cakes. They had a variety of cakes!
I chose Marun (chestnut cream, chocolate and hazelnuts). I have a weakness for chestnuts. My cake was lovely. J got Mozaik (orange cream, almond cream and caramel sauce). I tasted it a bit and it was nice.
We walked through Perivoj Roberta Visiania, a 19th century public park. The town's Christmas market was being held there, but it was very small with only some food vendors.
We strolled on the waterfront toward our hotel. The town was tinted with the golden sunset. It was enchanting!
To be continued...
