A city that arouses curiosity and fills you with happiness and contentment
Due to its geographical position, Trogir has always been a perfect place for living. With its naturally protected port, many springs of drinking water, fertile soil in the hinterland and stone from local quarries, Trogir has been inhabited for more than 3,600 years. This inspiring Mediterranean city has attracted many great masters ever since the time of the ancient Greeks. These masters lived in Trogir and created some of their most famous masterpieces here. Various artists, writers, craftsmen and travelers found their inspiration here and have left behind numerous marks of their work. Over the centuries, Trogir has turned into a magnificent treasury with many historical and cultural monuments, so UNESCO placed it on the list of protected cultural sites in 1997. In its cobbled streets, Trogir preserves numerous traces of local and foreign masters that are just waiting to be discovered. Skillfully carved into the stone facades of the city, seemingly insignificant notches, dents, dashes, crescents, flowers,leaves and twigs, axes, blueprints and merels are revealed only to the keen eye of a curious observer. In these marks one can see all the richness of art and the joys of everyday life in Trogir.
Trogir is a unique example in the history of European architecture and it is the city with the largest number of such stone signs or marks in Europe. Each mark carries its own meaning. Some of them mark the end of the construction, some of them represent the personal signature of the master and some are engraved votive prayers. The masters also carved games into the stone, like chess and merel, that were used for entertainment during the construction break. Discrete, but yet so powerful, these marks in stone can be seen on the facades and interior walls of the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence and Church of Saint John the Baptist. The Cathedral of St. Lawrence also known as the Cathedral of St. John of Trogir, is the most famous church in Trogir. The construction of the Cathedral lasted for five centuries and the mixture of styles can be seen on the bell tower. The first floor was built in Gothic style, the second in Venetian floral Gothic style, and the third in Renaissance style. Several great masters contributed to the construction of the Cathedral. The most significant artistic value has the main entrance or Radovan’s portal. The portal is the sculptural masterpiece.
The great tradition of mastery in Trogir is still preserved by contemporary masters of art, crafts and gastronomy. Their workshops reveal a completely different world, one that arouses curiosity and fills you with happiness and contentment. Contemporary painters, sculptors and stonemasons produce art that will be engraved in your heart forever. The masters who make rafiol, carob products or olive oil will offer you a unique tasting experience, while cobblers, tailors and masters who make coral jewelry convey the spirit of the city all over the world. Trogir is well known for its cultural heritage, but it also offers many other interesting opportunities and activities. Its very location, which is partly on the mainland and partly on the island makes it truly unique.
The island of Čiovo is connected with Trogir with two bridges and as such is easily accessible. It is rich in lush vegetation typical for the Mediterranean with many aromatic and medicinal herbs. In addition to hiding beautiful beaches, it also hides numerous hermit churches and lookouts that offer stunning views. As such, it is an ideal location for outdoor activities. Over 70 km of trails that are ideal for walking, cycling and jogging in nature are an irresistible challenge for all those who love outdoor recreation. If you decide to visit Trogir in May you canal so participate in Trogir Outdoor festival which offers trail races, triathlon and various children races so it is an ideal festival for both professionals and amateurs.
As Trogir is also famous for its gastronomy and music festivals, this year in May we will organize a festival which will bring together delicious food and music. Street food festival will last for nine days and it will offer the finest burgers prepared by famous chefs and some amazing concerts. As people have always enjoyed combining food with music we believe that this festival will be an amazing experience for every visitor.
Summer in Trogir is always exciting and offers many cultural events. You can visit many different concerts or festivals, plays and exhibitions. Festival Opera Selecta, which takes place in July, assembles the most famous classical musicians and opera singers from all over the world. Festival was founded in 2009. and is dedicated to promoting classical and opera music. For those who enjoy techno and modern sounds there is Moondance Festival which was established in 2013. by Croatian DJ/promoter Pero Full House who decided to organize the festival in the amazing location of the middle age Kamerlengo fortress. Musically, Moondance is an underground techno oriented event with the best known techno artists from all over the world as well as the best local and regional acts. With carefully picked artists, minimalistic production,intimate vibe and great location Moondance has become a dream for every true techno lover.Another popular music festival takes place in August, it is KulaKula festival that brings the most famous national and regional music bands and singers to Kamerlengo fortress every year. KulaKula festival lasts for three days and it combines popular and rock music and that is the reason for its great popularity among music lovers. In September,you can visit unique festival called Bokun festivala which takes place in the beautiful park Malarija. Another name for this festival is Festival of silent movies and other senses as it combines movie projections, music and art performances. Festival has a moto ‘Culture to the people’ and its aim is to motivate and inspire people to enjoy all aspects of culture.
In October you can participate in Trogir Regatta that brings the true spirit of sport, competition and fun to our beautiful city. The program of the regatta is really diverse and in addition to sailing and competitions, other entertainment activities are organized for its visitors. During November, Trogir is preparing for the holiday season and the Advent festival which brings true holiday spirit to our gorgeous city. Concerts and performances are organized at several locations in the city, and the main city square turns into a real Christmas fairy-tale with Advent houses and magical holiday decorations.
In its cobbled streets, Trogir preserves numerous traces of local and foreign masters that are just waiting to be discovered. Skillfully carved into the stone facades of the city, seemingly insignificant notches, dents, dashes, crescents, flowers, leaves and twigs, axes, blueprints and merels are revealed only to the keen eye of a curious observer. In these marks one can see all the richness of art and the joys of everyday life in Trogir.
