A day out in Zadar

With no real supermarket to speak of in Novigrad, at least not one that sold meat and vegetables, we combined a shopping trip one day with a visit to the nearby city of Zadar (about 35 kms away from our campsite).

The area around Zadar has been populated since the stone age, and during the height of the Roman empire flourished as one of the most important centres on the Adriatic coast. Zadar gained its modern urban structure in the Roman period, during which time the town was fortified and the city walls & towers were built. At the same time the city gained a forum, a basilica, a temple, an amphitheatre, and an aqueduct (parts of which can still be seen today).

One of the most important buildings in Zadar today is the monumental round church of St Donatus dating from the 9th century. It dominates the historic centre of the city.

Sadly Zadar was also our first glimpse of the damage still remaining from the so called Homeland War of 1991-95 (those bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on one side and Croats on the other). During the Croatian war of independance, Zadar was shelled sporadically for years, and was cut off from the rest of Croatia during a siege lasting from 1991 to 1993. If you look closely at one of the photos below you can still see shell/bullet damage to one of the buildings. Still not really sure why it has not been repaired. You would think the local population would want to get rid of any reminders of the bitter battle as soon as possible.

Despite that, Zadar was a charming little seaside port buzzing with activity.

Alli xxx