Imotski

Imotski
Town
Town of Imotski
Grad Imotski
Imotski City Hall

Flag
Seal
Imotski
Location of Imotski in Croatia
Coordinates: 43°27′N 17°13′E / 43.450°N 17.217°E / 43.450; 17.217Coordinates: 43°27′N 17°13′E / 43.450°N 17.217°E / 43.450; 17.217
Country  Croatia
County Split-Dalmatia
Government
 • Mayor Ivan Budalić (HDZ)
Area
 • Town 73.25 km2 (28.28 sq mi)
Elevation 300 m (1,000 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Town 4,757
 • Urban 10,764
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code 21260
Area code(s) 021
Website imotski.hr

Imotski (pronounced [ǐmɔtskiː]; Italian: Imoschi; Latin: Emotha, later Imota) is a small town situated on the northern side of Biokovo massif, Dalmatian Hinterland, Croatia. As of 2011, the town population is 4,757 and the total municipal population is 10,764. Imotski has a very mild and pleasant climate with many sunny days.

Geography

The town is located close to the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, by the towns of Posušje and Grude. The nearest coastal town is Makarska.

Imotski is known for its medieval fortress on the rocks of Blue Lake. Another phenomenon is the Red Lake which looks like an eye in the scenery. Both lakes are said to be connected with underground channels to the Adriatic Sea.

History

The region of Imotski County has been populated in the Neolithic age. At the time of Ilirians and Romans it was known as "Emotha" and later "Imota". It was first mentioned by today's name by Byzantine Emperor Constantin Porfirogent in the 10th century. In medieval historical sources it was mentioned as important fortress. The tower above the city, Topana, was first mentioned in the 9th century, in the times of Croatian sovereigns.

Imotski was held by the Turks from the fall of Bosnia in 1492 until 1717 when it was captured by the Venetians.[1] In April 1717, a small church, dedicated to the Lady of Angels, was built in honour of the victory against the Ottomans. The Lady of Angels has since then been honored as patroness of Imotski and Imotski region.

The Hasanaginica folk ballad was created in the Imotski region in mid 17th century.

In 1912, a secondary school was built in Imotski when the town was part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austro-Hungarian empire.

From 1941 to 1945 Imotski was part of the Independent State of Croatia. In April 1944, German forces shot down three American B-24s. The local population saved many of the American personnel despite being bombed by them. One airman/paratrooper, Marion Dropulich (Marijan Dropuljić) who crashed near Imotski, but survived and was taken by Italian Soldiers happened to have been a Croatian American with immediate Imotski ancestry.[2] Marijan Dropuljic'i (Marion Dropulich's)grand daughter Doreena Dropulich Tompkins Authored a book "The Day I Found Our Family In Croatia" in October 2015. The story tells of the journey to find the Dropuljic' family in Croatia/Imotski. https://www.amazon.com/The-Day-Found-Family-Croatia/dp/1515231372

Climate

The climate is Mediterranean, with the highest air temperature averaging 26 °C (79 °F) during July and the lowest averaging 5 °C (41 °F), in January. Summers are usually very hot during the day.

Temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F) last for more than 240 days a year.

Two kinds of wind are common in the area - the northern to north-eastern bura which usually brings cold and clear weather in winter and the southern to south-eastern jugo (jug=south) which often brings rain.

Notable people

Žarko Domljan, the first Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, was born in Imotski. The famous poet Tin Ujević spent part of his childhood in Imotski. Politician, poet and Croatian dissident Vlado Gotovac was born and spent his early years in Imotski. The city itself is home to Croatian league football club NK Imotski.

There are other individuals born in Imotski to have made their names known outside of the local region. In the world of entertainment, there is the singer Neda Ukraden and film director Antun Vrdoljak. Sports stars include female tennis player Silvija Talaja and footballers Tomislav Bušić and Ivan Gudelj. The father of former Canada national men's ice hockey team captain Joe Sakic, Marijan Šakić, is from Imotski. The famous boxer Mate Parlov was born near Imotski in the village of Ričice, and a croatian emigrant famous for air piracy Zvonko Bušić is also from Imotski. Dinko Šakić officer in WWII NDH was born in Imotski, and Veljko Kadijević, Minister of Defence in the Yugoslav government from 1988 to 1992, was born in Glavina Donja, near Imotski, but then moved to Moscow,Russia. Ante Rebić is from Imotski.

Twin towns

Imotski is twinned with:

References

  1. ↑ Naklada Naprijed, The Croatian Adriatic Tourist Guide, pg. 308, Zagreb (1999), ISBN 953-178-097-8
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 3, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2010. županija/tabid/76/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/59750/Default.aspx

Further reading

  • Ante Ujević (1991) [1954]. Imotska krajina. Matica hrvatska.
  • Vjeko Vrčić (1996). Plemena Imotske krajine. Franjevački Samostan. ISBN 978-953-6012-03-9.
  • Nedeljko Kujundžić (1981). Imotska krajina u narodnooslobodilačkoj borbi 1941-1945: pali borci, žrtve fašističkog terora i spomen obilježja. Prilozi izučavanju revolucionarnog pokreta, NOB-a i socijalističke revolucije. Imotski.
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