 |
       
|
|
TOP DESTINATIONS Dubrovnik
|
you are here:
Senj is a town and a port in the Velebit Channel and has a population of 5,998 inhabitants. Contemporary Senj, the ancient Senia, is the oldest town on the Croatian coast. More than 30 centuries have passed since its establishment. Being the shortest natural connection between the inland and the sea, Senia became a very important Northern Adriatic harbour and trading centre. At that time, by its surface area and importance, the city was larger then today's Senj, the evidence of which are necropolises, epigraphic monuments and other antiquities.During the people's migration, Senia was devastated. At the beginning of the 7th century the immigrated Slavs built a new settlement upon the old city ruins. In the course of the 12th century Senj regains the former importance. Since 1526 the city had been ruled by Habsburgs. In the 16th century it became the resort for many immigrants, who ran away from the Ottoman danger and became Senj's Uskoks, fighting fiercely against Turks and Mletians for 80 years. In accordance with the Madrid Peace in 1617 Uskoks were moved out, their ships burnt down. In 1779 the Josephine road (Senj-Karlovac) was built. Senj is today the most important communication junction and transit station between Rijeka and Zadar. Another name for Senj, it can freely be said, is Nehaj, after the name of the fortress built in 1558 by the Senj's captain Ivan Lenković. He raised it in order to keep more efficiently the city safe from the Turks and Mletians, using ruined churches and cloisters outside the city merged with it, e.g. "Senj's Glagolitic Stone Tablet", dating from the 11th century. The Sabac Tower from the 13th century is a part of the coastal fortifications. The Grand Gate was built in 1779, making the end of the Josephine road (Josephinea Finis). Senj's princes Frankopans built about 1330 the Citadel to strengthen the defense capabilities of Senj, serving as their residence as well. Senj is well-known for its eventful history and for its past inhabitants' heroic deeds, but it is also one among the nurseries of Croatian culture. As of the 10th c. Glagolitic (old Slavonic) script was used in Senj along with Croatian language. Hence, many both hand-written and printed Glagolitic sacral books, documents and tablets have survived from the period, the most significant being the Senj Glagolitic Tablet dating back to the end of the 11th c. In 1493., a Glagolitic printing house was established in Senj, being the second oldest in the country. Senj has not only a glorious history, but also a fascinating present. While some of its sons were making their way to freedom with swords and rifles, others were paving the way to knowledge and enlightenment with pens in their hands. By doing so, they did a lot for their native town, as well as for the local history, turning Senj into the oldest cultural and national liberation centre of its people. Senj is native town of poets Mate¨a Kuhačević and Silvije Strahimir Kranjčevic, novelist Vjenceslav Novak, playwrights and theatre officials Julije Rorauer, Milan Ogrizovic and Milutin Cihlar Nehajev. Even today, there are about dozen masters of the written word still active in Senj. There are only few Croatian Adriatic towns which history has been preserved so well as it is the case with Senj. The old part of the town is a living museum in itself, the Municipal Museum has several permanent exhibitions, the sacral heritage exhibition at the Rectory is always well attended, while the visit to Nehaj ("Fear Not" castle is absolutely unavoidable for all those who come to Senj. If we take into account its size, the town's cultural activity is still above average. For over 20 years now, Senj has been the centre of harmony-singing in the area (Croatian Littoral & Istria), while this year it will have been 30 years of Senj's carnival tradition i.e. of its Summer Carnival Festival (the first weekend in August), owing to which it has become a member of European Carnival Towns Association.
|
|
add to bookmark
|
