In the church is the image of Mother of Mercy, Our Lady of Sinj, the pearl of the biggest Marian shrine in southern Croatia. Next to the church is the Franciscan monastery, which houses five historic collections, the most valuable of which is the archeological one, the fourth most valuable in Croatia due to the unique artifacts from the ancient city of Aequum.
View from Kamičak
Above Sinj stands Kamičak, a Venetian fortress from 1712 and a clock tower with a bell mechanism which is 30 years older than that of London's Big Ben. Next to Kamičak is Palacina, a building which is currently being renovated and which houses the Museum of the Cetinska Krajina region.
Grad, a fortress from which the people of Sinj defended their freedom in 1715. against Ottoman invaders, who outnumbered the defenders by more than a hundred times, is being renovated too. To honor the glorious victory, the knight's game of Sinjska Alka was founded. Grad fortress offers a view of the entire Cetina region, which is dominated by the votive church of St. Barbara and by the statue of the Mother of
Mercy, a guardian of the region, the work of a sculptor Josip Marinović.
After we descend from Grad, we will visit the pearl of Sinj, the Alkarski dvori, and the Museum of Sinjska Alka. The museum exhibition was opened in 2015 and soon became widely acknowledged. The Alkarski dvori also houses the Sikirica Gallery with more than 500 works donated by Stipe Sikirica to Sinj.
One should, of course, see the Alka racetrack, where Sinjska Alka has been held every year since its founding in 1715. At the beginning of the racetrack there is a statue of Alkar, the work of Stipe Sikirica, which has been a part of the visual identity of Sinj since 1965.
In the shade of Česma
From Sinj we will go through Hrvace, the spring of Vojskova, Miloš Lake, the bridge on Panj, Peruća Lake, the tower above Potravnik of the Kotromanić line to Vrlika. Not far from the bathing area in Garjak is Šembrun, where the Emperor Franjo Josip rested. In Vrlika there is Česma spring. In the shade of Česma Milan Begović wrote a libretto for the most performed Croatian opera "Ero from the Other World".
Above Vrlika stands a fortress, Prozor from which we descend to the early Christian church of St. Salvation from the 9th century, and we end the tour by visiting Glavaš, the main spring of the Cetina river.
| 1. Sinjska alka/ Damir Fabijanić | 2. Sinj/ Ivo Biočina | 3. Our Lady of Sinj/ Ivo Biočina | 4. Sinjska alka/ Ivo Pervan | 5. Sinj/ Davor Rostuhar | 6. The Cetina River/ Ivo Biočina | 7. Arambašići/ Maja Danica Pečanić | 8. Sinjska Alka/ Sergio Gobbo | 9. Sinj field/ Ivo Pervan | 10. Sinjska alka/ Ivo Pervan
Heart of Zagora: Peace, Silence, and Some Crickets
What has happened in the heart of the Dalmatian hinterland? - a friend who has been living and working in the north of Germany for decades asked me the other day.
- Some Danish friends of mine told me that they would go to Croatia this year. They said their friends who had been there the year before recommended Imotski. How did this unknown tourist area turn into a tourist mecca overnight, he asked.
Why Danes Rush to Imotski
- Perhaps I may come with my wife and kids. You know that I love nature, recreation, peace, silence, good food. I love archeology, good fun, and, most of all, I enjoy exploring new places. Well, I'll come at least for a weekend to see this miracle.
But give me some tips to make most of my weekend. If I like it, I might stay for another day or two. After all, I have to see for myself why even picky Danes rush there, a friend from Kiel told me.
- Well, do come - I said and sent him some details to help him get into the very soul of the Imotski region and this beautiful part of the Dalmatian hinterland.
- I told him that it is a 60-minute drive from Split Airport in Kaštela to Imotski. I advised him not to take the highway from Dugopolje to Zagvozd, but to get off at Bisko exit and slowly head towards Cista Velika and Imotski.
Well, I thought to myself, since you love archeology, there is a phenomenal archeological site of Crkvina and Crljevica in Cista Velika. In the area of the municipality of Cista Provo there are 15 cultural goods, archaeological heritage, sacral architectural heritage, cultural and historical ensemble-
Archaeological site Crljivica is located in Cista Velika, along the main road Trilj - Imotski, in the length of about 200 meters. It is a complex archaeological site that has several stages of development. South of Velika Crljivica, there is a sinkhole with seven wells dating back to the Middle Ages. Beautiful stećak tombstones all around-
Around the Lake
When you have explored that, go on and take the local road Lovreć - Nikolići - Dolića Draga to the most beautiful lookout point in the Imotski region. The view of the vast green Imotski field, the Lokvičić Lakes, and Prološko Blato Lake is breathtaking.