Come with me to Zadar, the beautiful city of Croatia

This is the city where my life story began. I was born in Zadar and spent several years of my childhood there. Unfortunately, due to the war and the situation in my country, the former Yugoslavia, I had to leave this city with my family and move to Serbia, where I live today. But hometown is never forgotten and the dream of returning there accompanies you throughout your life.

For me, Zadar is the most beautiful city in the world. I am taking you there today and I look forward to your impressions. Let's start the city tour.

Zadar is a city in Croatia and is located in northern Dalmatia, on the Adriatic coast. It has a long and dynamic history and a lot of cultural sights. The first thing you can feel when you come to the city is the spirit that will take you back to some old times, especially when you walk the old, narrow, picturesque streets. Such streets are called "kale".

During its history, Zadar was part of the Roman Empire, so the remains of Roman urban construction and culture can be seen today and they testify to the more than 3000-year-long history of this city.

During the period of Roman colonization of the city, the Roman Forum was the center of public and religious life.

On the ruins of the ancient forum is the Church of St. Donatus, which can be considered a symbol of the city of Zadar. This unusual circular church attracts the eyes of visitors and its interior is also quite interesting.

In addition to the Church of St. Donatus, there are several other churches that are definitely worth seeing because they have significant historical value. One of them is the Church of St. Francis. It is the oldest Gothic church in Dalmatia, dating back to the 13th century.

One of the most valuable cultural monuments of Zadar is the Orthodox Church of St. Elias (Sv. Ilija). This church was built in the 16th century, in the Baroque style.

Near this church is the Pillar of Shame, which in the distant past was used to publicly humiliate offenders. Throughout history, people have encountered different types of punishment that have become milder over time. It is good that this pillar is now only a part of the past.

The Church and Monastery of St Mary in Zadar was built in 11th century in the Pre-Romanesque style. Something that attracts attention when it comes to this church is the bell tower that stands nearby. It remains today in the original version of the Romanesque bell tower.

There is one interesting story about the Church of Our Lady of Health. A painting of the Lady of Castello was kept in that church. When a great fire broke out in Zadar in the 18th century, the people of Zadar cried out in fear and desperated called upon the Lady of Castello or today Our Lady of Health. As the fire was extinguished thanks to the help of Our Lady, the people of Zadar have been holding a procession every year on November 21 as a sign of gratitude to Our Lady. On that day, fritters (fritule) are distributed to passers-by. Fritters are festive pastries, flavored small donuts.

One recognizable building of the city is the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. It is a monumental Romanesque building, built in 12th and 13th century.

My attention was drawn to the remains of the Stomorica church. The shape of the ground plan of this church resembles a key, so according to tradition it symbolizes the keys of St. Peter. Today, only the foundations of that church have been preserved.

It is known that Zadar is the city with the most beautiful sunset. There is one circular place on the coast from which you can enjoy the stunning sunset and that place is called The Greeting to the Sun. This circle consists of solar panels that collect sunlight during the day and convert it into electricity in the evening, and light effects in various colors can be seen. It is amazing place dedicated to the sun. I'm sorry I don't have a photo to show how these colorful lights are seen in the evening.

When I was a child, my parents loved to walk with me by the sea. That place, Zadar seafront called "Riva" will forever remain my fond memory. It is a place of gathering and meeting. One of the city's biggest attractions, the Sea Organ, was later built there. The Sea Organ is a famous architectural masterpiece, a blend of music and architecture. Under the influence of sea energy, beautiful and unique sounds are produced.

I was born in a new part of the city and the new and old part of the city are connected by this bridge.

One of the most famous places in Zadar is the square of five wells and the Captain's Tower. Medieval building.

The small harbour of "Foša" attracts tourists. It is one of the favorite places for photography, and a special attraction is the old land gate.

One fascinating attraction is the Zadar Sphinx. It has an eagle on its chest, and instead of a paw it has fingers with which it once held a large sword to protect the shell with a small pond. There was a lot of imagination about this sphinx. It was thought that gold or some room was buried under it.

Another famous place where people gather and meet is the People's Square, centre of urban life from where paths lead in all directions to the most popular points of the city. In the City Loggia, Zadar citizens have been gathering and discussing the most important questions.

On the opposite side of the People's Square, there is a City Sentinel from the 16th century with a clock tower where clock beats continuously. In many cities there is a clock in the main square, where people meet.

I tried to present as many sights of this beautiful place in Croatia as possible. I hope that reading the article you experienced the spirit of Zadar and that I motivated you to consider visiting this city. There are many more sights that I did not mention, many beautiful beaches and authentic streets such as the famous Kalelarga, but something must remain to see if you go there.

I encourage you to present your hometown. If you decide to write about your hometown, please tag me. I would like to read your articles.

Thank you very much for your time.

Article and photos are original and mine. All the photos were given to me by a close friend from Zadar and were taken yesterday.