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In the heart of Dalmatia Do you want to know what is so special about Omiš? Follow the seagull, read on and have fun! Keep the memories of all the beautiful places in Omiš we are going to visit together. Look up the marked words in the glossary on page 24.
WELCOME TO OMIŠ!
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ID card Omiš is located in central Dalmatia, in a region called the Split-Dalmatia county. It was built on the left bank of the Cetina River mouth , at the foot of the Omiška Dinara mountain. It is a small town. The oldest part of it developed within town walls so the houses and streets are jammed close together. The town is surrounded by the steep hills of Omiška Dinara, Komorjak and Mosor mountains. They have kept the people of Omiš safe in their embrace for hundreds of years. Name of the town Long ago, Omiš was not called Omiš. It was first mentioned in the 1st millenium BC as Oneum – a settlement of the Illyrian tribe of Delmats. This name disappears in the 7th century. It is also believed that the today’s
name Omiš comes from the Slavic word Hum which is a translation of the Greek word Oneion, signifying a hill. For a while, Omiš also bore the Italian name of Almissa. THE TOWN’S COAT OF ARMS The town’s coat of arms bears a cross and a mace. The coat of arms is built into the place where the town’s loggia and register were located during the Venetian administration. Next to the coat of arms stands the year 1594 and a Latin inscription saying BONUM DE MERO BONO which means "Good comes from pure good". HERE IS A MAP SO YOU CAN FIND YOUR WAY AROUND.
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Omiš anthem Since 2004 Omiš has had an official anthem which speaks of the courage of its inhabitants throughout the history and of their connection with the river Cetina and the mountains surrounding the town.
Where else can we see the town’s coat of arms? On the St Michael’s church and on the transom of the old Western town gate from the 16th century. The inscription on the transom speaks of the gate’s construction during the administration of the Venetian proveditor Lorenzo Mini, whose coat of arms stands next to the town’s. A proveditor was the regent governor of Dalmatia during the Venetian rule.
What would be on your coat of arms? Draw it!
The Cetina river
OUR FAMOUS RIVER! IT RUNS THROUGH OMIŠ AND IT IS THE HEART OF OUR TOWN.
The name Cetina comes from the Phrygian word zetna meaning „gate“, since the Cetina mouth and the steep cliffs surrounding it in fact do resemble a monumental gate. The river has always been one of the main connections with the inland. The magical unspoiled nature of the Cetina gorge has been a protected landscape ever since 1963. The river is more than a hundred kilometers long. It has shaped the landscape for thousands of years on its way to the Adriatic Sea, creating rapids, waterfalls and
small hidden beaches. You can take a walk by the river or go for a boat ride while older kids can also try different sports: zipline, canyoning, kayaking and rafting. Along the entire course of the Cetina river you’ll find a number of medieval pirate forts. The most famous among them is the fort of Viseć. It is located near the excursion and picnic place of Radmanove mlinice (i.e. Radman Mills), named after a family that once owned the watermill, which used the power of the river for grinding wheat.
ONE OF THE FAMOUS WINNETOU MOVIES WAS FILMED IN THE CETINA CANYON!
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Have you ever taken a swim under a waterfall?
There are two waterfalls near the village of Zadvarje, Velika and Mala Gubavica. Only a few meters away from the waterfalls the river is slow and you can go for a swim. Velika Gubavica is 49 meters high and is one of the highest waterfalls in Croatia. There are many theme trails that can take you up to hill tops, forts of the OmiĹĄ dukes and amazing vantage points . The trails through unspoiled nature take you for a walk through the past.
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Once upon a time At the present location of Omiš, at the foot of the Omiška Dinara, life has been going on for more than 2000 years! During Roman times a settlement existed at the place of the today’s village in Baučići. Archaeologists discovered a lot of antique artefacts here. The most important monuments are today kept at the local museum: Roman stone inscriptions from the time of emperors Tiberius and Claudius who ruled this area in the 1st century. Besides the inscriptions, a marble portrait of emperor Tiberius was found as well as an altar dedicated to the first Roman emperor Augustus. Archaeology proved that Omiš used to be a very important town! In the Middle Ages, in the 12th and 13th century, Omiš was mentioned under its Italian name of Almissa. The noble family Kačić
The Romans liked using abbreviations on stone inscriptions and coins. This is an inscription of emperor Claudius found in Omiš
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ruled the town at the time. They were not ordinary dukes – they were the leaders of Omiš pirates. The Šubić family of Bribir ruled Omiš in the 14th century. In 1409 king Ladislaus of Naples from the Angevine dynasty, sold Dalmatia to Venice and Omiš finally fell under its rule in 1444. It remained a part of the Republic of Venice until its fall in 1797. During that time the town was protected by walls on three sides and by cliffs on the fourth (Northern) side.
A Peasant’s Republic in medieval times Under the mountain of Mosor there is a group of villages called Poljica. In the 13th century a Republic of Poljica was formed here and it is special because the common people ruled it. Every year on St George’s Day people would gather and vote to choose their leader – the duke of Poljica. The Poljica Statute, which was written in the 14th century, is one of the most important documents of Croatian history. The Republic ceased to exist in 1807.
Learn more in the History Museum of Poljica and the Town Museum in Omiš! The turbulent 19th century In 1797, for a short while, Omiš falls under the rule of the Austrian Empire. In 1805 Dalmatia is occupied by Napoleon and after his fall in 1813 Austria rules here again. It was so until the end of World War I in 1918 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell apart.
GAME – ROMAN NUMERALS These are the main symbols for writing Roman numbers: I = 1 V = 5 X = 10 L = 50 C = 100 D = 500 M = 1000
READ THE YEAR WHEN OMIŠ GOT ITS ANTHEM: MMIIII
COLOURING GAME Become an epigraphist (an expert for reading inscriptions). Colour the dotted letters and you will get the name of the most famous fort in Omiš.
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answer key Mirabella
How are memories, food and history tied together? The legend of Mila Gojsalic�
In 1530 Ahmed Pasha, an Ottoman overlord, gathered an army of 10 000 soldiers to conquer Poljica. A girl called Mila Gojsalić sacrificed her life for the freedom of Poljica. After being kidnapped and assaulted by Ahmed Pasha,the next morning she snuck into the gunpowder storage of the Ottoman army and set it on fire. She died together with Ahmed Pasha and many other Turkish officers and soldiers. This event surprised and frightened the rest of the Ottoman army so the people of Poljica attacked and finally defeated the Turks.
IVAN MEŠTROVIĆ IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CROATIAN SCULPTORS
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Some of the greatest Croatian artists celebrated her courage in their works. August Šenoa wrote about her, Jakov Gotovac composed an opera and Andrija Maurović wrote a comic book. The famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović made a statue of her which stands on a cliff overlooking the mouth of the Cetina river. Days of Mila Gojsalić filled with ethnographic events, theatrical and musical performances take place every summer in Kostanje, her birthplace. There is singing, dancing, acting and cooking! That is how we honour the memory of the legendary heroine of Poljica and cherish Croatian tradition. One of these events is the Evening of Soparnik.
Enjoy your meal! Soparnik is a medieval dish from Poljica, a sort of simple Swiss chard pie that has been included on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of the Republic of Croatia ever since
2009. It is prepared on round wooden plates and baked in a hot open hearth, known as komin. Soparnik is not cut into triangle slices like pizza but rather rhomb-shaped slices and is eaten from the middle towards the edges
BON APPETIT!
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Beware of the Omiš pirates! Omiš inhabitants of old were pirates! A long, long time ago, the people of Omiš used to be pirates! Throughout the entire 12th and 13th century, led by the dukes of the Kačić family, the pirates of Omiš ruled the Adriatic Sea from Split to Dubrovnik. Merchant ships from rich cities and papal galleons passing by Omiš had to pay tribute for safe passage or risk fighting the pirates. Piracy was a reason for many wars which ended with paying tribute to the people of Omiš.
Wars against Omiš, 13
th
There were two wars against the pirates of Omiš. The first war was started and lost by Pope Honorius in 1221. The reason for it were the pirate attacks on crusaders sailing to the Holy Land. The second was started by the Venetians in 1286. It ended with one of the rare defeats of the Omiš pirates and it also marked the end of rule of the powerful Kačić family. Although piracy was still their favourite activity, the people of Omiš started turning to fishing and farming. The forts of Mirabella (Peovica) and Starigrad (Fortica) are remains of the famous pirate history of the town. The pirates used them to watch over both sea and land so the enemy could not come close and so they could spot merchant ships. These forts witnessed many sea battles. MIRABELLA (PEOVICA)
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century
Mirabella (Peovica) The fort is located above the old town at the height of 200 m and is one of the most famous landmarks and symbols of Omiš. It was built in the 13th century which we know thanks to a Byzantine coin found in the foundations of the fort. It has four floors and represents a perfect vantage point from which you can see the whole town, the channel of Brač and the village of Duće .
The legend of Mirabella During an attack on Omiš by the Ottoman army in the 16th century, the defenders fired their guns and shouted from the Mirabella towards the Cetina canyon. The echo made it seem like there were many more of them so the Ottoman army decided to stop the attack.
Fortica (Starigrad) On the top of the Omiška Dinara the fort of Fortica has proudly stood for over 500 years, as a pirate lookout and a safe retreat. Nobody could approach Omiš unnoticed. The fort offers one of the most beautiful views in Dalmatia: from its top you can see the Brač channel, the islands of Brač, Hvar and Šolta, as well as the villages of Central Poljica and the Cetina gorge.
FORTICA (STARIGRAD)
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... and more Sagitta – arrow of Omiš Omiš pirates used long, narrow rowing boats, known as arrows of Omiš. Their bow was shaped like a pointy beak of a bird. Every arrow had a bridge the pirates used to cross over onto enemy ships. One of the most important features of these boats was their shallow draft which gave them mobility and enabled them a quick retreat into the Cetina gorge in case of danger. Everyone used to fear seeing an Omiš sagitta at sea – both Venetians and the crusaders on their way to Jerusalem. The Omiš pirates built an underwater wall in the Cetina
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riverbed, near the very mouth of the river. This underwater wall (Mostina) couldn’t be seen from the sea and it only had one secret passage that was adapted to the small and light Omiš boats and could be closed up by chains. Enemy ships would get stranded if they tried to follow the pirates. The wall was both an obstacle and a trap! On the left bank of the Cetina river a small fort (Gomilica) was also built. Today it is no more than a ruin, which is believed to have been connected with the Mostina.
LABYRINTH Lead the pirate to the hidden treasure.
Pirates’ nights
The beginning of August in Omiš is a time for a whole series of events. The entire town, including the old graveyard, comes alive through performances of many artists, musicians, dancers and singers. Real pirates walk through the town and you can have your picture taken with them.
The pirate battle
Every year on 18 August a real pirate battle takes place in the town port between the pirates of Omiš and the Venetians from the 13th century! You can see for yourself what it looks like when two sailing ships collide, and hear the sounds of sword fighting, shots from firelocks and even falling into the sea.
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Human traces
WALK AROUND THE TOWN AND FIND A PLACE WHERE THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN. TAKE ONE JUST LIKE IT!
Church history of Omiš goes back to the very beginnings of Christianity. In the town and around it there are many churches and an Illyrian seminary. At the old gaveyard visit St. Luke and St. Mary, search for a Franciscan monastery with Our Lady of Karmel and The Illyrian seminary from the 18th and the 19th centuries where Glagolitic priests lived. Today, concerts are held here during Omiš summer as well as many other performances.
PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL WITH A BELL TOWER The largest and the main one, the parish church of Omiš from the 17th century. Between the magnificent stone portal and a window rosette there is a statue of St Michael and the coat of arms of Omiš. On the side wall there are coats of arms of Venetian proveditors.
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THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, the 16th century Under the castle of Omiš, near the palace of the Venetian proveditor. THE CHURCH OF ST. ROCCO, the 16th century St Roch and Sebastian are protectors from the plague which threatened the town several times. There is a coat of arms of family Kačić on the altar.
Glagolitics is an old Slavic writing created in the 9th century. It was used in Croatia until the 19th century and it is an essential part of Croatian history. You can use glagolitics with your friends as a secret writing!
What did the seagull say? Read it! P.S. What do Croatian words volim te mean? I love you!
CHURCH OF ST. PETER Old Croatian preromanesque church from the 9th-10th century. It was first mentioned in 1074 during the rule of king Slavac.
THE CHURCH OF ST. EUPHEMIA, 5th – 6th century. A church from the beginnings of Christianity is dedicated to Euphemia – the patron saint of orthodoxy.
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Follow me!
FOŠAL
From the 16th to the 19th century life took place within the town walls on the squares and in the narrow, small streets that are called kale in Dalmatia. With this booklet you can be a real tour guide! Take your family and friends through the town.
The medieval defensive moat (Italian fossa) was filled and above it a promenade was built, which later became the the main road through the town. Due to its position Omiš has no seafront promenade like other towns.
PIAZZA
The main town street from the 15th to mid-20th century. It stretches from the land gate on the east to the Western gate on the river.
POLJICA SQUARE THE HOUSE OF A HAPPY MAN
In Omiš there is a house from the 16th century which is called the House of a happy man. Its owner had a Latin inscription carved into the transom which says “I thank,thee, Lord, for having lived in this world.”
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On the square people traded in wheat and held market fairs in the 17th century.
TURJUN FORT (17th century) The angular, square tower Turjun is a remnant of the old town walls. Next to it you’ll find the Garden gate which used to leadto the fields and gardens on the Punta peninsula. The facade is adorned withVenetian coats of arms from the pulled down town walls and the proveditor’s palace.
EASTERN TOWN DOOR – LAND GATE The main town street leads from them towards the Western gate on the river. The inscription over the gate speaks of their construction in 1682 during the Venetian administration. The town gates used to be locked over night.
POLE OF SHAME The stone flag pole with the coat of arms of proveditor Molino (17th century) was used for posting of orders and for public punishment of misdemeanours.
WESTERN TOWN GATE – RIVER GATE
THE HOUSE OF THE FESTIVAL OF DALMATIAN KLAPE
(16th century) On the house there is the coat of arms of the Tomadelli family. Because of the cross in the coat of arms people used to call the house Bishop’s palace.
WHY IS THE KITCHEN AT THE TOP AND NOT ON THE GROUND FLOOR? In the Middle Ages many houses burnt down and the fire usually started in the kitchen which was on the ground floor. When the kitchen was at the top of the house, the tenants would save themselves more easily and the whole house wouldn’t burn down.
The inscription on the transom from 1541 testifies of their construction during proveditor Lorenzo Mini, with his coat of arms and the coat of arms of Omiš.
CARALIPEO HOUSE
from the 17th century is one of the first ones to be built next to the Western town wall. On it there is a memorial plaque to Pavao Caralipeo set up in 1811, who is given credit for the regulation of the river bank.
THE OLD GRAVEYARD
At the graveyard there are six Roman sarcophagi and the tombs of old Omiš families – the oldest one from 1515. Here you’ll find the churches of St John and St Mary as well as the headstone of Duke Miroslav from the 12th century. The inscription on the headstone testifies of the famous dukes of the Kačić family.
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Pride of tradition The traditional folk costume is a traditional way of dressing and it is defined by the special pieces of clothing, colours, embroidery, decorations and jewellery. The way of dressing belongs to intangible cultural heritage of every nation. You have surely heard of the Scottish kilt or the Indian sari, and now get to know the Dalmatian costume. The traditional costume has always been made out of natural materials and the main colours are: blue, red and white. Yellow is present as golden embroidery and decoration. Blanka Vlašić, the Croatian high jump record holder and double high jump world champion also likes the traditional Dalmatian hairdo. WOOLEN OVERGARMENT (VEST) WHITE LINEN SHIRT
FLAT RED CAP WITH A TASSEL IS PRESENT IN MOST DALMATIAN TOWNS WHITE LINEN SHIRT
CLOTH COAT (KAPARAN) DECORATED WITH TWISTED RIBBONS AND SILVER BUTTONS SILK BELT OVER THE UPPER SKIRT APRON (TRAVERSA)
WIDE, LONG BELT FOLDED AND WRAPPED AROUND THE WAIST
TROUSERS OF BROWN OR BLUE CLOTH, WITH NARROW TROUSER LEGS THAT BUTTON AROUND THE CALF
SOCKS FOOTWEAR
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KNITTED WOOLEN SOCKS INTERLACED LEATHER FOOTWEAR (SO CALLED OPANCI)
OLD CRAFTS Sand processing (Salbunarstvo) Salbunada in Dalmatia means sand (sand in the sea or on the shore, a sandy beach). Salbunarstvo is an old craft and consists of extracting, transporting and selling sand (salbun) from the sea. Salbunjer is a wooden ship used for transporting sand. The biggest centres for sand processing used to be Krilo Jesenice and Dugi Rat. Sand was extracted by a large «spoon» made of wood and iron. It was hard work SALBUNJER SHIP
and the workers always had callused hands. Nowadays, you can still take a ride on a salbunjer.
Traditional wooden shipbuilding A good shipwright has to know all secrets of wood as well as have a good knowledge of mechanics and mathematics. A replica of a Dubrovnik galleon from the 16th century was built in the Omiš shipyard. After 400 years this kind of a ship sailed the Adriatic once again.
GALLEON SHIP
What kind of ship would you build? Draw it:
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Close your eyes and listen! Omiš is full of music. However, one kind of music is very special. It is called klapa. A Dalmatian klapa is a group consisting of 5 to 8 friends singing a capella – without musical instruments. The form of this kind of singing was influenced by the Gregorian chant, church folk and Glagolitic singing, Mediterranean music and singing in Dalmatinska zagora. Klapa songs speak of love, the sea, family, history or Dalmatia. Old people say that you don’t listen to klapa with your ears but with your soul. Klapa singing was formed several centuries ago in Dalmatia and since 2012 it has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Klapa also found its place on a stamp of the Republic of Croatia.
IF I COULD CALL YOU WITH A SONG I’D SING, I WOULDN’T STOP IF ONLY TIME COULD TURN BACK MY SONG WOULD NEVER END
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The Dalmatian Klapa Festival in Omiš has been taking place every July since 1967 on the square in front of St Michael’s church and it is the most important klapa festival in the world. The festival has its own flag, and the awards are shaped in the form of the town’s coat of arms or of Dalmatian ships. There are even such awards as Stone of happiness and Seashell of happiness!
Find the words and learn how to say song in Croatian. Answer key: Pjesma
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Dive and have fun! What else is there to do in the summer than to enjoy the beach and the warm, clear sea. From Omiš towards Split there is a long stretch of sandy beaches. All the larger ones are full of fun things to do for grown-ups and for kids alike: jet-ski, trampolines, kayak, or windsurfing . Every morning ships take tourists for one-day trips to the nearby islands of Brač and Hvar. Some ships also make night tours, such as the pirate night picnic.
Crazy Jumps
An old pirate tradition of funny, crazy jumps continues today. The winner is the one whose jump makes the viewers laugh the most!
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The sea is full of secrets Divers and fish love the Vruja cove. It has a big underwater fresh water spring. Nobody knows the exact depth of the cove but everybody knows of the old legend saying that there is a sunken city and great treasure to be found near the spring.
A shipwreck
Shipwrecks capture everybody’s imagination. Seeing shipwrecks is a special experience because each one has its secret and its story to tell. At the main town beach, only three meters deep there is a shipwreck from World War II.
CROSSWORD
ACROSS: 1 A heroine from Poljica whose statue is on the cliff above the Cetina’s confluence, 6 Another name for the Fortica fort, 7 An armed ship, 8 The river that runs through Omiš, 11 The Croatian word for a group of friends who sing a capella, 12 The Roman emperor whose marble portrait is in Omiš, 13 A white-feathered bird that lives near the sea, 14 The country Omiš is in, 16 A movie about this Native American was filmed in the Cetina canyon
DOWN: 2 The Croatian sea, 3 Underwater wall built by pirates on the Cetina’s riverbed, 4 Waterfall next to the village of Zadvarje, 5 Antic name of Omiš, 6 Medieval speciality from Poljica, 9 Famous city fort, 10 The cove where the sunken city is located according to legend, 15 A pirate ship from Omiš
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO AT THE BEACH? A CROSSWORD PUZZLE, OF COURSE. HERE IS ONE FOR YOU! LOOK FOR THE ANSWERS IN THE TEXT.
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Great little places South of Omiš there is a 20 km long Riviera with many small fishing and tourist villages. Nemira – cove nearest to Omiš, Stanići with their pebble beaches, Čelina, Lokva Rogoznica – the more than 700 years old peasant village, Medići, Mimice with their art colony, Marušići and, farthest away, Pisak known for its fishermen.
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AND FOR THE END, MY FRIEND, SOLVE THIS ANAGRAM!
Stanići
Answer key: Come and visit us again
Marušići
Mimice
GLOSSARY ANGEVINS – a French 13th century dynasty that connected with the Croatian-Hungary Arpad dynasty through marriage PHRYGIA – ancient region and kingdom in Turkish Anatolia GALGOLITIC PRIESTS – priests who used the Glagolitic script and old Slavic language in liturgy ILLYRIANS – a group of tribes who lived in the Balkans in ancient history. Dalmatia got its name after the Illyrian tribe of Delmats. OTTOMAN EMPIRE – name for the Turkish Empire in the Middle Ages PREROMANESQUE – a period in art during the time of the Great Migrations, from the end of the 6th to the beginning of the 10th century. PROVEDITOR – a regent, administrator of Dalmatia during the Venetian rule
Answer key for crossword, page 23: ACROSS: 1. MILA, 6. STARIGRAD, 7. BATTLESHIP, 8. CETINA, 11. KLAPA, 12. TIBERIUS, 13. SEAGULL, 14. CROATIA, 16. WINNETOU DOWN: 2. ADRIATIC SEA, 3. MOSTINA, 4. GUBAVICA, 5. ONEUM, 6. SOPARNIK,9. MIRABELLA, 10. VRUJE, 15. ARROW
Impressum Editor: Omiš Tourist Board Publisher: Smak - smart media knowledge Text: Svjetlana Olujić Tomaić Illustrations: Zrinka Ostović Graphic design and prepress: Valentina Dominić Smak - smart media knowledge; www.smak.hr Photographs: Omis Tourist Board Archive Edition: 5000 Print: Sajam ideja d.o.o. Zagreb OMIŠ TOURIST BOARD Trg Kneza Miroslava b.b., 21310 Omiš | Croatia info@visitomis.hr www.visitomis.hr
Authorship project 4 kids - educational publications for children info: zrinka.ostovic@gmail.com, tina@smak.hr
ISBN 978-953-58867-1-6