CROATIAN TOURISM – NIN, view of the town and the sea

Nin - the first capital of the Croats The historic town of Nin is located in a bay on the outskirts of Ravni kotari, 14 kilometres from Zadar. This unique Croatian lagoon owns an islet hosting the old town on an area of 15 hectares with a diameter of 500 meters, which is connected to the mainland by two stone bridges. Extremely valuable archaeological heritage from prehistoric to early modern times has contributed to the fact that the island's historic core and mainland surroundings have the status of a protected cultural property. The oldest settlement in the Nin territory was discovered at the site of today's salt works dating from the Neolithic period (5500 to 5000 BC). On the historic island, the town has been continuously inhabited for 3,000 years. It was founded by the Liburnians in the 9th century BC and according to its rich legacy, Nin is one of the most important Liburnian sites. In the same location the Romans founded a town called Aenon and elevated it to the status of a municipality. The archaeological remains of the largest ancient temple on the eastern Adriatic coast, magnificent mosaics, imposing statues of Roman emperors exhibited in the Zadar museum, the urban grid of streets, waterworks, etc. testify to the intensive urban development. The formation of the early medieval Croatian state took place during the great migrations of the Slavs who, according to sources, inhabited the area of Dalmatia. Soon the town of Nin became the first political, cultural and, since the 9th century, religious centre of Croatia. In turbulent periods, the town was destroyed several times, most severely in the 17th century when the Venetians for strategic reasons displaced the inhabitants and destroyed Nin during the war against the Ottomans. The long-term war adversities devastated the Nin region, and the ruins of the ancient town were inhabited by people from the hinterland and Lika, and since then for three centuries Nin has had a rural character. With the development of the economy at the end of the 20th century, the town has gradually acquired urban features. The historical heritage of the oldest Croatian royal town is insufficiently known. Did you know that Nin preserves a Judas’ silver coin, a ring of Pope Pius II, old Croatian ships Condura Croatica from the 11th century, a miraculous statue of Our Lady of Zečevo, and that its two Romanesque churches, the Holy Cross from the 9th century and St. Nicholas from 12th century, are important for the wider Mediterranean area? Nin is the town of Višeslav's Baptistery, princes and kings, of the famous bishop Gregory of Nin, and for more than 500 years it has been the sanctuary of Our Lady of Zečevo, where the first Croatian novel Planine (Mountain) was written. The Nin’s salt works is the proud owner of BIO certificate, and the method of collection is identical to that of the Roman era. Since 1960, Queen's Beach hosts the Croatian climatic health resort with medicinal mud and an open-air summer clinic. It also has a rich traditional life. The festivities of Our Lady of Zečevo are entered in the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Croatia. The people of Nin have preserved the skill of making wooden boats called plazulja as well as the skill of making a unique Croatian gastronomic delicacy called ninski šokol. The art of playing the tamburitza has been preserved for over 100 years, and klapa singing has also been nurtured. Nin’s natural resources include long sandy beaches and preserved nature with muddy areas that attract more than 200 species of birds throughout the year. According to the number of species, and as confirmed by biologists, this is more than half of the population of birds living in Croatia. In the wider area, there is a network of eight Natura 2000 habitats, five endemic, four critically endangered and five sensitive plants designated for protection. The charming town of Nin was named a European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) in 2010, and since then it has been developing sustainable forms of tourism. Since 2015, Nin has held the title of one of the most romantic destinations in Europe.