Nin - the first capital of the Croats
The historic town of Nin is located in a bay on the outskirts of Ravni kotari, 14 kilometres from Zadar. This unique Croatian lagoon owns an islet hosting the old town on an area of 15 hectares with a diameter of 500 meters, which is connected to the mainland by two stone bridges. Extremely valuable archaeological heritage from prehistoric to early modern times has contributed to the fact that the island's historic core and mainland surroundings have the status of a protected cultural property. The oldest settlement in the Nin territory was discovered at the site of today's salt works dating from the Neolithic period (5500 to 5000 BC). On the historic island, the town has been continuously inhabited for 3,000 years. It was founded by the Liburnians in the 9th century BC and according to its rich legacy, Nin is one of the most important Liburnian sites. In the same location the Romans founded a town called Aenon and elevated it to the status of a municipality. The archaeological remains of the largest ancient temple on the eastern Adriatic coast, magnificent mosaics, imposing statues of Roman emperors exhibited in the Zadar museum, the urban grid of streets, waterworks, etc. testify to the intensive urban development. The formation of the early medieval Croatian state took place during the great migrations of the Slavs who, according to sources, inhabited the area of Dalmatia. Soon the town of Nin became the first political, cultural and, since the 9th century, religious centre of Croatia. In turbulent periods, the town was destroyed several times, most severely in the 17th century when the Venetians for strategic reasons displaced the inhabitants and destroyed Nin during the war against the Ottomans. The long-term war adversities devastated the Nin region, and the ruins of the ancient town were inhabited by people from the hinterland and Lika, and since then for three centuries Nin has had a rural character. With the development of the economy at the end of the 20th century, the town has gradually acquired urban features. The historical heritage of the oldest Croatian royal town is insufficiently known. Did you know that Nin preserves a Judas’ silver coin, a ring of Pope Pius II, old Croatian ships Condura Croatica from the 11th century, a miraculous statue of Our Lady of Zečevo, and that its two Romanesque churches, the Holy Cross from the 9th century and St. Nicholas from 12th century, are important for the wider Mediterranean area? Nin is the town of Višeslav's Baptistery, princes and kings, of the famous bishop Gregory of Nin, and for more than 500 years it has been the sanctuary of Our Lady of Zečevo, where the first Croatian novel Planine (Mountain) was written.
The Nin’s salt works is the proud owner of BIO certificate, and the method of collection is identical to that of the Roman era. Since 1960, Queen's Beach hosts the Croatian climatic health resort with medicinal mud and an open-air summer clinic. It also has a rich traditional life. The festivities of Our Lady of Zečevo are entered in the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Croatia. The people of Nin have preserved the skill of making wooden boats called plazulja as well as the skill of making a unique Croatian gastronomic delicacy called ninski šokol. The art of playing the tamburitza has been preserved for over 100 years, and klapa singing has also been nurtured.
Nin’s natural resources include long sandy beaches and preserved nature with muddy areas that attract more than 200 species of birds throughout the year. According to the number of species, and as confirmed by biologists, this is more than half of the population of birds living in Croatia. In the wider area, there is a network of eight Natura 2000 habitats, five endemic, four critically endangered and five sensitive plants designated for protection. The charming town of Nin was named a European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) in 2010, and since then it has been developing sustainable forms of tourism. Since 2015, Nin has held the title of one of the most romantic destinations in Europe.
Church of the Holy Cross in Nin
Church of the Holy Cross is one of the most valuable monuments of Croatian early medieval architecture. It was erected in the 9th century and is located in the center of Nin on a historic island. In the Middle Ages, it was apparently used as a sundial and calendar, which has inspired the creation of the Festival of the Sun and Light. Researcher Thomas Graham Jackson called it “the smallest cathedral in the world". The Church is also considered a kind of a symbol of the Zadar region, as it is represented on the coat of arms and the flag of Zadar County.
Church of the Holy Cross - one of the most valuable monuments of Croatian early medieval architecture and pre-Romanesque art. The church is located in the center of the old town of Nin. It was erected in the 9th century during the period of early Christianity, on the remains of Roman buildings that are still visible today. The plan of the church is in the shape of an irregular equal-armed Greek cross. All the “arms” are vaulted with a barrel vault. The facade is decorated on the outside with a series of blind niches, and the church is dominated by a dome of irregular ellipsoidal shape. The church of a unique architectural style is about 8.50 m long and is of equal width and height. Above the entrance door is a lintel from the 11th century, which has the name of the county prefect Godečaj engraved on its lower edge. On the interior north wall there is a fragment of preserved frescoes from the 13th century. According to some interpretations, it may have been a votive building. In the time of Croatian national rulers, the church was an integral part of the nearby duke's (royal) court, and it served as a court chapel. About 170 medieval Croatian graves, dating from the 7th to the 15th century, were discovered in the vicinity of the church and studied, and remains of material culture of the Croats were found. Remaining standing through turbulent times, it is the only one of the 12 medieval churches on the historic island of Nin that has withstood the destruction of the city and has survived to this day. With its beauty and shape, it dominates the space in which it is located. The irregularities in its construction and the so-called mistakes in masonry are the result of following the annual and daily movement of the Sun, as confirmed by Mladen Pejaković, and in the Middle Ages the church served as a calendar and sundial. Inspired by this fact, the Festival of the Sun and Light has been taking place in it since 2009. In 1910, Don Luka Jelić organized the first collection of stone monuments in the church, called the Antiquities Collection. Church of the Holy Cross is also considered a kind of a symbol of the Zadar region, as it is represented on the coat of arms and the flag of Zadar County. Researcher Thomas Graham Jackson, mesmerized by the beauty of this sacral building, called it "the smallest cathedral in the world".
Marija Dejanović, PhD
Director of the Tourist Board of Nin
