History and Attractions of Murter Island

The Croatian island of Murter is a part of the Sibenik archipelago, which began to attract the attention of travelers many hundreds years ago. For modern tourists, the island is interesting primarily because of its unique nature, it is a real find for hikers.

The first mention of the island dates of the beginning 14th century, but according to researchers, the first settlements on its territory were founded much earlier. Today, there are four main settlements on the small island, each with a well-developed tourist infrastructure and historical attractions. Evidence for this was found near the hill of Gradina. Here is the ruins of Colentum, a Roman settlement.

Supposedly, the city was captured and destroyed by pirates in the second century AD, and the survivors did not want to rebuild their homes, simply leaving the area. Despite the venerable age of the city, Colentum can tell us a lot about Roman life here.

Near the ruins of the ancient city is a much more modern, but also quite old building - the Church of Our Lady, built in the 17th century. It was built on the site of an older church ( approximately of the 6th century). This is evidenced by the remains of the old wall with the crosses pattern, typical of that time. The church of St. Michael is also beautiful.

The exact time of its construction is unknown, but there is no doubt that it was reconstructed in the 18th century. The Baroque altar is particularly impressive.

Tisno town is closest to the mainland. It was built in the 15th century, and almost immediately after its construction the inhabitants thought about the possibility of creating a bridge that would connect the island with the coast.

However, due to threats of pirate raids and the discontent of some islanders, building of the bridge began after the fall of Venetian Republic. Several times its construction was stopped because of the protests of other Murter residents who were worried about their safety, but finally the construction was completed. The bridge has survived several reconstructions. The last one, relatively recently, in 1991, made it a drawbridge.

A very interesting example of Baroque island architecture is the Parish Church of the Holy Spirit, built in 1548. It was reconstructed twice, in 1640 and 1840, and in both cases it was rebuilt and expanded. In 1684 a bell tower was erected near the church. The Church of Our Lady of Caravaggio, built in the 18th century by Italian masters, is also very beautiful.

The city's oldest building is located on Ivinje Hill. The Church of St. Martin was built in the 13th century on the ruins of an early Christian church. In Tisno you can also see a modern memorial dedicated to the victims of the communist Yugoslav regime.

The town of Tisno is literally made for walking. Every street of the city is an amazing architectural attraction, everywhere you can see beautiful buildings in the national style, which on the background of rich greenery look simply irresistible. As for the historical heritage of Tisno, a significant part of it are ancient churches and cathedrals.

The oldest parish church dates back to the mid-16th century, and many of the religious buildings have retained their original appearance. Another symbolic attraction is the bridge that connects the island and the mainland going through the center of the city.

It is also noteworthy that every year the town of Tisno holds interesting national holidays and festivals, which also attract the attention of inquisitive travelers.

Betina is another old settlement on the island. The first mention of this village dates back to 1423, but in fact, people lived here in much older times. The area was inhabited by the Illyrians and later by the noble Romans - the many finds of ruins of villas and household confirm these facts. However, there are later and much better preserved monuments of architecture.

For example, the Baroque Church of St. Francisco of Assisi or the parish church of St. Frane, which dates back to the 16th century.

The shipyard and the yacht marina have been in operation for almost a century.

The small fishing village of Jesera is a historical attraction in its own right, as the first mention of the settlement dates back to 1298.

However, the Illyrians still lived here, as confirmed in 1938 by the discovery of two graves of noble people belonging to the Illyrian culture. Two kilometers from the village there is a spot with strange spiral-shaped stones that were somehow used by the inhabitants of the island. In Jezera itself you can see the Baroque church of the 17th century Gospa Od Zdrava and another church of the same period - St. Ivan of Trogir.

The beaches of Murter are the liveliest and most crowded places to relax. The main beach of the island is called Slanica.

It is easily accessible by foot from the center of the capital. The beach is equally popular with tourists and locals. Sand and pebble beach Slanica is one of the most picturesque beaches in the country. During the vacation its visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of the nearby Kornati archipelago.