2008-10-02

Trogir - Dalmatian UNESCO World Heritage Site

Trogir Waterfront

Trogir is located in the center of Dalmatia and is right on the Adriatic coast. The center of Trogir is a small islet that is in between the mainland hills and the island of Ciavo. The town of Trogir is pretty small, only 12,000 citizens, but it is a beautiful town rich in history and in 1997 the town was declared a UNESCO world heritage site. There are many attractions in the coastal town and there is no shortage of fantastic food and cheap accommodations.

Trogir is easy to get to, as it is only 3 kilometers away from the Split airport. There are many flights to Split from all around Europe, especially Frankfurt and Heathrow London. Split is the 2nd biggest city in Croatia and if you are visiting Split, Trogir is a fantastic day trip. To read more about Split check out this article.

Trogir has a mild Mediterranean climate and it is one of the main tourist destinations in Croatia, as it sees over 2700 sunny hours per year. There are 20,000 beds in the town in hotels and private apartments. For the budget traveler private apartments can be had for relatively cheap, especially outside of the main town center. I stayed there with a party of 6 and found an apartment for 2 days for only 50 Euros per night, not each but total! The people in Trogir are very friendly and there are many exchange offices and ATM’s located in the town.

The Land Gate (Kopnena Vrata)

There have been several restoration projects in the past few years, which have helped to revitalize the town’s buildings. Most of the projects have taken place within the town’s 15th century walls and inside there are meandering medieval streets and just outside the city walls is a nice waterfront promenade with many restaurants and cafes. The food in the city is amazing and there are many restaurants around the waterfront and inside the town center. The fish and meat are the highlights, as there are many authentic Dalmatian dishes.

Attractions

One of the main attractions in Trogir is the Cathedral of St Lawrence (SV Lovro), which many consider to be one of the best architectural achievements in Croatia. Constriction on the cathedral began in 1193 and finished around 1500. One of the most notable features of the church is an amazing Romanesque door carved in or around 1240 by Master Radovan. Surrounding the door are two stone lions. There is a bell tower and there are paintings within the chapel from the 1400’s.

The Cipiko Palace is situated right across from the main entrance of the St Lawrence Cathedral. The palace features a carved Venetian Gothic window and a carved wooden statue of a cockerel, which was taken from a Turkish native ship after Turkey was defeated in a battle at sea.

The Kamerlengo Castle (Kastel Kamerlengo) was built by the Venetians was connected to St Marks Tower at one time and dates to the early part of the 15th Century. Once the castle was the governor’s palace and now the courtyard in the castle has outdoor performances in the summer.

Trogir

Other cool attractions in Trogir are The Renaissance St Mark’s Tower (Kula svetog Marka), John Paul II Square (Trg Ivana Pavla II), Trogir Loggia and Clock Tower, and The Land Gate (Kopnena Vrata). John Paul II Square is a great place to sit and have a coffee or drink and check out all the surrounding beautiful attractions.

There is a reason that UNESCO deemed Trogir a world heritage site. It is like walking back in time and checking out what life was like 500 years ago. If you visit Split, make sure to check out the nearby town of Trogir.