The Town of Trogir in Middle Dalmatia
Trogir - a town-museum, a historical world heritage and treasure, the wealth of nature of the Croatian Adriatic… There are so many words one could use to describe this wonderful and well preserved medieval town, located in Middle Dalmatia, some 25km away from Split. The old town Trogir offers amazing and picturesque scenery, which was declared the historical and cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1997. There is so much to see and so many stories to hear about the historical sights in Trogir. On our site you can find a lot of information about the historical sights and monuments in Trogir.
Even though it is believed that Trogir was inhabited much earlier than the earliest written documents show, today’s town was established in the 3rd century BC, by the Greek colonists, who named it Tragurion and who most probably arrived here from the direction of the island Vis. After the Greek the town was ruled by the Romans. The Roman Empire stayed here for a long time, so there are many remains from the Roman times in Trogir. Each of these remains and monuments tells a different story. The town and the surrounding area were then ruled by many other rulers and emperors like the Venetians, Austro-Hungarians, Byzantines and others. Each of these rulers left behind many monuments and artefacts, which today can be seen in the Old Town of Trogir and which make this medieval town with its Roman and Gothic Style so historically rich and so special.
Trogir and the nearby villages and places are abundant in beautiful beaches and bays. Because of its extraordinary convenient geographical position the town itself, as well as many interesting surrounding places around Trogir, can be easily reached. Trogir has a great offer of entertainment and manifestations, as of some traditional festivals, such as the “klapa” festivals and others. It is also famous for its nightlife: numerous bars, disco clubs and beach parties offer unforgettable nights out. The offer of sport facilities and recreation activities for those who love active holidays is also very big and includes, among others, diving, snorkelling, surfing, etc. All about the places around Trogir, destinations, beaches, trips, services, events, activities, gastronomy and accommodation you can find in the Tourist Info part on our site.
Cultural Sights
Old Town Trogir
The Old Town Trogir looks very much like an open-air museum, which was recognized also by UNESCO that proclaimed it a world heritage site. A simple relaxing walk through the Old Town Trogir allows you to experience so much. It is truly remarkable, how this almost 3000 years old has maintained something from each century and each culture that it has lived through. Neither all of the battles and wars it has seen nor the historical changes and the advancement of the civilization and the modern era have stopped Trogir to preserve the historical and cultural richness of its medieval style, its monuments and the rest of historical values and remains. Here on our site you can read more about the places that you should definitely visit during your stay in Trogir, among which are; Radovan’s Portal, John Paul II Square in Trogir, The Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir, The Bell Tower and the Town Lodge in Trogir, The Bell Tower of the Church of St. Sebastian, The Cipiko Palace and many others.
Radovan’s Portal
A portal or a passage way to the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir, which was named after the Dalmatian artist from the 13th century, who created the portal, Master Radovan. Radovan’s Portal is deeply and abundantly carved with remarkable images of Christian teachings and culture, among which are the Birth of Jesus Christ, The Apostles, The Saints, Adam and Eve, and much more. One would need to observe it for hours in order to read the whole story that the carvings on the Radovan’s Portal tell.
John Paul II Square Trogir
The Square of John Paul the Second is the centre of all historical sights and monuments in Trogir and also the stage for various events during the summer evenings in Trogir. Around the John Paul II Square stand the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, The Bell Tower, The Town Lodge and the Cipiko Palace.
The Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir
The construction of The Cathedral of St. Lawrence lasted over 4 centuries. During the prehistoric times it was used as a Christian Church of St. John, the patron of the town, who died in the year 1111. Sometime after that the church was destroyed and then rebuilt again. Today, due to the centuries long reconstruction, the cathedral of St. Lawrence possesses a variety of different styles, of which the Roman style prevails. The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is also the tallest building in Trogir, it is 47 meters high. Its interior preserves statues, paintings and other artefacts, which testify of the rich cultural and historical heritage in this area.
The Ćipiko Palace Trogir
The Palace Ćipiko in Trogir was home of one noble family from Trogir, the Ćipiko family. The Ćipiko Palace was built from the XIII to the XV century, during which time it passed through many changes and constantly grew larger. It is located opposite to the Cathedral of St. Lawrence. In the Palace Ćipiko you can see many works of various famous Croatian Painters and Sculptors of all times.
The Kamerlengo Tower and Fortress
The Kamerlengo Fortress was named after an officer from the 14th century, when it was also built. The Kamerlengo Tower offers a great view on town Trogir and during the summer evenings the Kamerlengo Fortress is used as a stage for various events.
The Tower of St. Mark Trogir
The Tower of St. Mark is built during the 15th century for the defence purposes against the Turks. St. Marks’ Tower was once connected to the Kamerlengo tower and it was built during the Venetian Reign. Close to the Tower of St. Mark there is also one of the few monuments of the French Rule in Dalmatia, the classicistic pavilion Gloriet, which was built in honour of the French General Marmont during the 19th century.
The Church of St. Peter and the Benedictine Convent Trogir
On the same place where the St. Peter’s Church and the Benedictine Convent is located, stood before an early Christian Church. St. Peter’s church was built during the 13th century and the convent was founded by the Queen Mary. The prevailing style of the St. Peter’s Church in Trogir is the Baroque style, and inside there are many works of sacral art, done in different styles. In the Church of St. Peter and around the historical Benedictine Convent there are tombstones of some noble families from Trogir.
Monastery and the Church of St. Dominic in Trogir
The Church and the Monastery of St. Jury were probably built n the 14th century and they are located by the sea. Many sacral works of some famous Croatian artists and goldsmiths decorate this beautiful Church and the Monastery. In the Church of St. Dominic and the Monastery there are 6 altars, a collection of art works, among which are the ornamented altar of Blaž Jurij, also the tombstones of nobilities from Trogir and the Monastery garden, which is redolent of charms and aromas of the Mediterranean.
Crkva i Samostan Sv. Nikole u Trogiru, Zbirka Kairosa
The Church of St. Nicholas and the Benedictine Convent from the 11th century is located on the south side of Trogir. It is still inhabited by the Benedictine nuns, whose order was established by St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict, who was the founder of the Benedictine Order and teachings. The Church and the Convent are still, after 1000 years of existence, in function and the Benedictine nuns still live there, dedicating their lives to God and prayers for the world, according to the teachings of St. Benedict “Ora et Labora”, which means that they pray and work in peace, seclusion and silence.
In the Church of St. Nicholas and the Benedictine Convent in Trogir, there are many works of sacral art and also the liturgical works of famous Croatian writers. The Benedictine nuns as always treasure these beautiful art works, created in the name of God. One of these art works is the Kairos Collection; the Kairos Relief (the God of the happy moment), is carved in a large rock and dates all the way back to the 3rd Century BC. The collection includes other valuable sacral works from many different centuries. Among them are the picture of the “Crucifixion”, the picture of St. Benedict and the picture of “Holy Mother with the child”. There are also kept some liturgical works, like the Antiphony and many others.