Vrlika
  Vrlika Vrlika (Croatia) | |
| County | Split-Dalmatia County |
| Latitude | 43.55°N |
| Longitude | 16.24°E |
| Mayor | Ivan Ćorić (HDZ) |
| Surface (km²) | 237,73 |
| Population (2001) |
2,705 |
| Time zone (UTC) | UTC+1 Central European Time |
43°55′N 16°24′E / 43.917°N 16.400°E
Vrlika (Serbian: Врлика) is a small town and municipality in inland Dalmatia, Croatia. The closest large towns are Sinj, Knin, and Drniš. Vrlika town has a population of 959 while the municipality has a population of 2705 (91.94% Croats, 4.04% Serbs, 4.02% other).[1] By mother tongue, there are 2,670 (98.71%) Croatian speakers, 16 (0.59%) Serbian speakers and 19 (0.70%) speakers of other languages.[2] Vrlika was given the status of city in 1997.[3]
History
Known history of Vrlika begins in the 7th century when the South Slavs moved there and formed a village on the spring of the river Cetina, in a field below the mountain Dinara.[4]
The nearby town of Prozor was garrisoned by the Croatian noble Hrvoje Vukčić during the early 15th century.[5] During the medieval period Vrlika, as with the rest of the Balkans experienced the invasion and subsequent occupation by the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman rule the local population of Vrlika was forced to convert to Islam or forced to leave. Many of the original settlers from Vrlika left for the island Olib in the Adriatic sea off the Croatian coast.[citation needed] The town was occupied by the so-called Republic of Serbian Krajina on August 26, 1991.[6] As part of Operation Storm it was liberated by the Croatian Army on August 6, 1995.[6]
Religion in Vrlika
Church of Sveti Spas (9th century)
Built during the reign of Croatian prince Branimir in the IX century, by župan Gostiha of Cetina, near Vrlika, then called Vrh Rike. This church is one of the most important in Croatia, as it is the only pre-schism churches constructed with a bell tower which is still standing [1]. 1,026 Old-Croatian[7] ancient graves of great archaeological interest have been found in the vicinity of the church indicating that the culture of that time was under the influence of the Frankish Empire.[citation needed]
Monastery Dragović (1395)
Monastery Dragović (Serbian: Манастир Драговић) was founded by Serbian Orthodox inhabitants in 1395 while Vrlika was ruled by Tvrtko I "King of Serbs, Bosnia and the Seacoast". Monastary Dragović is situated on a hill downstream the Cetina River not far from Vrlika.[8]
Serbian Orthodox Church (1618)
In 1618, the Serbian Orthodox church dedicated to Saint Nicholas (Serbian: Храм Св. Оца Николаја) [9] [10] was built by the Serbian Orthodox inhabitants in and around Vrlika, where it still stands today. The church of St. Nicholas in Vrlika was badly damaged and desecrated during the recent Yugoslav Wars. [11]
Croatian Roman Catholic Parish Church (1898)
The Roman Catholic parish church in Vrlika dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Croatian: Župna crkva Gospe Ružarice) was built from the year 1876 to 1898. This simple stone church dominates the Vrlika centre square. During the Second World War, the Catholic church in Vrlika sustained significant damage. In the front of the church a bronze bust dedicated to Filip Grabovac, born in the nearby village of Vinalić and who died in Venice, Italy as a Croatian national hero. The exterior dimensions of the parish church is 27x10,30 metres. The holy day of Gospe Ružarice, the protector of the Vrlika Catholic community is celebrated annually during the first week of October. [12]
Culture in Vrlika
From Vrlika originates the well-known folklore dance, Vrličko kolo.[13]
Notable People
- Milan Babić - [Serbian] Politician
- Milan Begović - Croatian Writer
- Filip Grabovac - Croatian Writer
Surrounding villages in the Vrlika municipality
Civljane / Cetina / Kosore / Vinalic / Podosoje / Jezevic / Koljane / Maovice / Stikovo / Garjak / Kukar / Otisic / Dabar / Vrdovo / Bracev Dolac
References
- ^ Population by Nationality, by Cities/Municipalities
- ^ Population by Mother Tongue, City/Municipality, 2001 Census
- ^ The FAME: Split and Dalmatia County - Cities
- ^ grad Vrlika - Povijest
- ^ Vrlika
- ^ a b Vrlika Liberated
- ^ Srednji vijek
- ^ Manastir Dragović
- ^ Pravoslavne crkve u sjevernoj Dalmaciji
- ^ Namjesništvo Splitsko
- ^ Novosti
- ^ grad Vrlika - RKT Župni ured
- ^ KUD Jedinstvo Split
External links
Subdivisions of Split-Dalmatia County | ||
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| Cities and towns |  | |
| Municipalities |
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