Nin – A Sandy Lagoon that Once Crowned Kings
The small town of Nin may not be on the radar of most tourists but its name is synonymous with one of the great names in Croatian History, Gregory of Nin. A past capital of the Kingdom of Croatia, the settlement is one of the oldest cities in the country and as such bears a strong national significance to the Croatian people. The city is strongly associated with King Tomislav, one of the great Croatian kings (and a great Balkan beer!).
Table of Contents
Geography
The city lies approximately 15km north of Zadar, in a coastal region of Dalmatia known for its shallow waters and a flat coastline. The old town was built on a small circular island connected to the mainland by two 16th century stone bridges. The island is ringed by a low built city wall around its perimeter, but not much remains of that fortification. The area north of the city is a lagoon. It contains long sandbars and natural beaches that are popular with tourists. This area is connected to the Adriatic sea and is susceptible to tidal activity.
History
The land around Nin has been occupied by several tribes of people before it was put on the map by the Illyrians. Those lands fell to Romans and the settlement was established, its name was Aenona and later Nona. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the area was occupied by Croatian tribes.
Croatian rule over the city lasted from the 7th to the 14th century. The city is considered to be the first royal capital of the nascent nation and the seat of the coronation of its kings. In the 9th century it became the first Croatian Bishopric. This religious seat would rise to prominence under the famed Gregory of Nin, although it would soon lose its title to the Bishop of Salona (Split).
During the 15th century the lands of Croatia-Hungary were assaulted by the forces of the Ottoman Empire. For this reason Dalmatia was sold to Venice in 1409. Like typical Venetians, they fleeced the town of its trade wealth but did not invest in the city defences and left it open to military attack. With the Ottomans approaching Venice burned down the city twice, both in 1571 and 1646, so that the former could not use it as a base. The town would not recover to a place worthy of its former status after these acts.
Like the rest of Dalmatia it subsequently became an Austrian possession but again was not invested in. Its economic development would not restart until after the World Wars when the city was ruled by Yugoslavia and later the Democratic Republic of Croatia.
Exploring Nin
On the road from Zadar to Nin, just outside the town limits, you will see a small Romanesque church perched on a hill. This is the Church of St. Nicholas and although its stature is small, and its build crooked, it is one of the most important structures in Croatia. Built in the 12th century, it is the oldest remaining church sporting the original architectural style from Croatian Kingdom. It is best known as being the very site where Croatian kings were crowned. Seven kings were anointed on this site and as part of the ritual, the kings had to crawl to the top of the tower and from the top, point their swords in the four cardinal directions, vowing to protect their kingdom from all enemies.
When you are done visiting the church, walk into the town and cross at either of the two bridges to find yourself in the old town
While in the main square of the old town you will find the the Cathedral of St. Anselem (Sv. Anselma) as well as several shops and restaurants. The cathedral is known for its distinctive bell-tower and you can find a statue of Gregory of Nin erected beside it, although it is much smaller than the towering Bishop statue in Split. Read my blog post on that famous Adriatic port in order to find out why you need to rub his toe for good luck.
Other sights include a red painted building called the Ninskih Starina Museum (City Museum), a pillar from an ancient roman temple (Rimski Hram), excavated foundations of the old city, a crumbling city wall and the church of the Holy Cross. The temple was once the largest roman temple on the shore of the Adriatic whereas the church of the Holy Cross is a white painted building known for its medieval charm. The building actually sits below the elevation of the present city, giving it the impression of being in a rectangular ditch. The discrepancy can be explained by the simple fact that the church dates from the 9th century and the city was rebuilt several times over, thus raising the elevation of the new buildings around it.
When you are done visiting the old town, walk down the coast heading north towards the lagoon sandbar. From here you will get a great view of the old town and well as a stunning backdrop of mountains rising from the crystal clear water. From the waterfront promenade you will see many small pleasure craft moored.
You will find a few people basking in the sun, but it is not too busy to get your own patch of beach. You can keep walking up the coast towards the city of Vir to find beach bars and ruined jetty’s. In Vir itself there is a small castle.
Conclusion
Although Nin is considered a destination for domestic tourists, the historic old town and the great beaches should be able to sway the international tourist. The city is calm compared to the other Dalmatian coastal cities, yet there is enough to do here for a day or two. One may say that this calm is part of its charm.
