Šibenik

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
(Redirected from Sebenico)
Jump to: navigation, search

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Šibenik
City
Pogled iz gradu 2.JPG
Sibenik (29).JPG Cathedral of St. Jacob in Šibenik (1).JPG
Panorama pozornice na šibenskom kaštelu.jpg
Top: View of the city; Center left: Narrow streets of Šibenik; Center right: Cathedral dome; Bottom: Summer stage inside Šibenik fortress
Flag of Šibenik
Flag
Official seal of Šibenik
Seal
Šibenik is located in Croatia
Šibenik
Šibenik
Location of Šibenik within Croatia
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country  Croatia
County Flag of Šibenik-Knin County.png Šibenik-Knin
Government
 • Mayor Željko Burić (HDZ)
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • City 46,332
 • Urban 34,302
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 22000
Area code(s) 022
License plate ŠI
Website http://www.sibenik.hr/

Šibenik [Croatian pronunciation: [ʃîbeniːk]] (Italian: Sebenico ) is a historic city in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is a political, educational, transport, industrial and tourist center of Šibenik–Knin County and also the 3rd largest city in the historic region of Dalmatia.

History

Early history

Early 16th century map of Šibenik by Martino Rota.

Unlike other cities along the Adriatic coast, which were established by Greeks, Illyrians and Romans, Šibenik was founded by Croats.[2] Excavations of the castle of Saint Michael, have since proven that the place was inhabited long before the actual arrival of the Croats. It was mentioned for the first time under its present name in 1066 in a Charter of the Croatian King Petar Krešimir IV[2] and, for a period of time, it was a seat of this Croatian King. For that reason, Šibenik is also called "Krešimirov grad" (Krešimir's city). It is the oldest native Croatian town on the eastern shores of the Adriatic.

Between the 11th and 12th centuries, Šibenik was tossed back and forth among Venice, Byzantium, and Hungary. It was conquered by the Republic of Venice in 1116,[3] who held it until 1124, when they briefly lost it to the Byzantine Empire,[4] and then held it again until 1133 when it was retaken by the Kingdom of Hungary.[5] It would change hands among the aforementioned states several more times until 1180.

The city was given the status of a town in 1167 from Stephen III of Hungary.[6] It received its own diocese in 1298.[2]

In the 14th century, "Vlachs" were present in the hinterland of Šibenik.

Under Venice and the Habsburgs

The city, like the rest of Dalmatia, initially resisted the Republic of Venice, but it was taken over after a three-year war in 1412.[2] In August 1417, Venetian authorities were concerned with the "Morlachs" from the hinterland, that were a threat to security in Šibenik.[7] The Ottoman Empire started to threaten Šibenik (known as Sebenico), as part of their struggle against Venice, at the end of the 15th century,[3] but they never succeeded in conquering it. In the 16th century, St. Nicholas Fortress was built and, by the 17th century, its fortifications were improved again by the fortresses of St. John (Tanaja) and Šubićevac (Barone).

The Morlachs started settling Šibenik during the Cretan War (1645–69).[8]

The fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797 brought Sebenico under the authority of the Habsburg Monarchy.[3]

After the Congress of Vienna until 1918, the town was (again) part of the Austrian monarchy (Austria side after the compromise of 1867), head of the district of the same name, one of the 13 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Kingdom of Dalmatia.[9] The Italian name only was used until around 1871.

In 1872, at the time in the Kingdom of Dalmatia, Ante Šupuk became the town's first Croat mayor elected under universal suffrage. He was instrumental in the process of the modernization of the city, and is particularly remembered for the 1895 project to provide street lights powered by the early AC Jaruga Hydroelectric Power Plant. On 28 August 1895, Šibenik became the world's first city with alternating current-powered street lights.[10]

20th century

Šibenik Bridge

After World War I, Šibenik was occupied by the Kingdom of Italy until 12 June 1921. As a result of the Treaty of Rapallo, the Italians gave up their claim to the city and it became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During World War II it was occupied by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. Communist partisans entered Sibenik 3.11.1944.

After WWII it became a part of the SFR Yugoslavia until Croatia declared independence in 1991.

During the Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995), Šibenik was heavily attacked by the Yugoslav National Army and Serbian paramilitary troops.[3][better source needed] Although under-armed, the nascent Croatian army and the people of Šibenik managed to defend the city. The battle lasted for six days (16–22 September), often referred to as the "September battle". The bombings damaged numerous buildings and monuments, including the dome of the Cathedral of St. James and the 1870-built theatre building.

In an August 1995 military operation, the Croatian Army defeated the Serb forces and freed the occupied areas,[3] which allowed the region to recover from the war and continue to develop as the centre of Šibenik-Knin county. Since then, the damaged areas of the city have been fully restored.

Climate

Šibenik has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, humid winters and hot, dry summers. January and February are the coldest months, July and August are the hottest months. In July the average maximum temperature is around 30 °C (86 °F). The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).[11]

Main sights

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

St. James's cathedral.

The central church in Šibenik, the Cathedral of St. James, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Several successive architects built it completely in stone between 1431 and 1536,[2] both in Gothic and in Renaissance style. The interlocking stone slabs of the Cathedral's roof were damaged when the city was shelled by Serbian forces in 1991. The damage has since been repaired.

Fortifications in Šibenik

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

In the city of Šibenik there are four fortresses, each of whom provides spectacular view on the city, sea and nearby islands. Fortresses nowadays serve as a tourist sightseeing with each of them having unique offers to tourists.

  • St. Nicholas Fortress (Croatian: Tvrđava Sv. Nikole) is a fortress located at sea, at the entrance of Šibenik's port.
  • Tvrđava Sv. Mihovila
  • Tvrđava Sv. Ivana
  • Tvrđava Šubićevac

Natural heritage

Culture and events

The annual Šibenik International Children's Festival (Međunarodni Dječji Festival) takes place every summer. Since 2011 the Terraneo festival is held in August on a yearly basis on a former military area in Šibenik.[14] The composer Jakov Gotovac founded the city's "Philharmonia Society" in 1922. The composer Franz von Suppé was part of the city's cultural fabric, as he was a native of nearby Split. Each summer, a lot of concerts and events take place in the city (especially on the St. Michael Fortress).

Population

Historical population
of Šibenik
Year Pop. ±%
1961 44,440 —    
1971 47,122 +6.0%
1981 51,445 +9.2%
1991 55,842 +8.5%
2001 51,553 −7.7%
2011 46,332 −10.1%
Source: Naselja i stanovništvo Republike Hrvatske 1857–2001, DZS, Zagreb, 2005

In the 2011 Croatian census, Šibenik's total city population is 46,332 which makes it the 10th largest city in Croatia, with 34,302 in the urban settlement.[1] Of Šibenik's citizens, 94.02% were Croats.

The list of settlements is as follows:[1]

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

Utilities

The city of Šibenik was the first city in the world to receive a polyphase system of alternating current. The system supplied 340 street lights and some electrified houses in the town.[citation needed]

International relations

Šibenik is twinned with:

Gallery

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Foster, Jane (2004). Footprint Croatia, Footprint Handbooks, 2nd ed. p. 218. ISBN 1-903471-79-6
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Oliver, Jeanne (2007). Croatia. Lonely Planet 4th ed. p. 182. ISBN 1-74104-475-8
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. Fine 2006, p. 115.
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. Die postalischen Abstempelungen auf den österreichischen Postwertzeichen-Ausgaben 1867, 1883 und 1890, Wilhelm KLEIN, 1967
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. Climate Summary for Šibenik
  12. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Media related to Šibenik at Wikimedia Commons

  •  Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.