Tkon

Location of Tkon in Croatia

Tkon is a municipality in Croatia in the Zadar County. According to the 2001 census, there are 707 inhabitants, 98% which are Croats.

It is located on the island of Pašman and is connected by ferry to the mainland town of Biograd na Moru.

History

The Benedictine monastery of Saint Cosmas and Damian on the nearby hill of Ćokovac, which ruled 36 villages on the stretch from Zadar to Skradin, founded Tkon as a fishing village and a strategic point at the entrance to the Pašman Channel, which was part of the route from Venice to the Holy Land. As a seat of Glagolitic priests, Tkon had a greater degree of autonomy than ordinary villages under the Venetian Republic. Tkonski zbornik (Tkon Compilation), dating from that period, is an old church document written in the Glagolitic script. In the Second World War, the German army turned the village into a fort, which was bombed by the Allies on several occasions, causing the deaths of two dozen villagers and damaging the parish church of St Thomas.

File:Tkon coat of arms.jpg

Coat of arms of Tkon. Azure, a blackbird (?) sable, armed and beaked Or, upon a clam argent.

Notable people

Ante Gotovina, the most famous living Croatian general, was born and grew up in Tkon. He is an honorary citizen of Tkon.

Sport

Tkon is the birthplace of Škraping, an international trekking race that includes running and orientation. The race has two categories: ultra and light.

File:Tkon sign.jpg

Sign at entrance to Tkon harbor.