Makarska

Makarska is a coastal town in the Split-Dalmatia County, located at the foot of the mountain Biokovo. It is the center of the Makarska Riviera (known as the Makarska Riviera), a micro-region that stretches from Brela in the west to Gradac in the east. Makarska with the town of Veliko Brdo has 13,834 inhabitants. Historically, Makarska is significant as the former seat of the Makarska diocese, and today's Split-Makarska archdiocese bears the Makarska name.

 

Name

It is believed that Makarska was named after the nearby village of Makru. There is speculation that the name Makar comes from the Phoenician name for crimson or purple (mucar). In support of this theory is the fact that the port of Makarska is rich in volchima, a type of snail from which the Phoenicians produced the color after which they are named.

 

Sights

Franciscan monastery
Makarska co-cathedral of St. Brand
Makarska City Music, founded in 1826.
The folklore ensemble "Tempet" participates in all cultural events on the Makarska Riviera and nurtures the traditions and customs of the Makarska coast.
Antun Gojak City Gallery
City Museum
Institute of Mountains and Sea at the Franciscan Monastery
Malacological museum at the Franciscan monastery
The patron saint of the city of Makarska and the diocese of Makarska is Saint Clement.

In Makarska, the weekly Makarska kronika and Makarsko Primorje are published, which deal with local topics of the Makarska Riviera, Zabiokovlje and the island.

The band Zbunjeni comes from Makarska.

Since 2019, Makarska has been twinned with the Italian municipality of Nocera Inferiore.[6]

Since January 12, 1992, Radio Makarska Riviera[7] has been broadcasting in the city on the frequencies 97.6 MHz and 98.4 MHz.

 

Vepric sanctuary
Makarska co-cathedral of St. Brand
Biokovo Nature Park
Franciscan Monastery and its Malacological Museum
Baroque fountain on Kačić Square
Napoleon's monument
Monument to anti-fascists killed in the Second World War
Monument to fra Andrija Kačić Miošić
Biokovo Botanical Garden Kotišina
Kalalarga Street
Osejava forest park and Nugal beach
Observatory
St. Peter Peninsula
Sundial (award for the best tourist place in a survey by Radio Zagreb in 1951)
Church of St. Ante in Kotišina, protected cultural property
Church of St. Andrije in Kotišina, protected cultural property
Church of St. Petra, a protected cultural asset
House Miličić, protected cultural property
House at Rendićeva 4, protected cultural property
House Vuković at Kalalarga 8, a protected cultural property
House Vuković at Kalalarga 10, a protected cultural property
The tower on Zelenka, a protected cultural property

 

History

Historically, Makarska is significant as the former seat of the Makarska Diocese, and today's Split-Makarska Archdiocese also bears the Makarska name.

It is believed that Makarska got its name from the nearby village of Makru. The first inhabitants of the area of today's Makarska were the Illyrians, who founded a settlement named Muccurum back in the 4th century. The Battle of Makarska on September 18, 887 took place between the Republic of Venice and the Principality of Neretva. Neretvans won.

The name Makarska is mentioned for the first time in a document from the 16th century, during the Turkish conquests. The Turks kept an army and an imperial tax collector in Makarska. After the Turkish rule, Makarska fell under Venetian rule, then under the Habsburg Monarchy. After Napoleon's victories at the beginning of the 19th century, Makarska also fell under his rule. Napoleon encouraged culture and built roads that connected Makarska with other coastal cities. At the western entrance to the city, a monument to his Marshal Marmont, known today as the Napoleon Monument, was erected. Although Napoleon encouraged the development of Makarska's culture and connections, Austria-Hungary was responsible for the flourishing of tourism.

 

Geographical location

Located at the foot of the Biokovo mountain. It is the center of the Makarska coast (known as the Makarska Riviera), a microregion that stretches from Brel in the west to Gradac in the east. Makarska with the Veliko Brdo township has 13,834 inhabitants.

Makarska is in southern Dalmatia, at the junction of Biokovo and the Adriatic Sea. It is located at 43° 17' 38" north latitude and 17° 1' 20" east longitude.

The city of Makarska occupies a central position in the Makarska littoral, not only because of its geographical location, but primarily because of the economic and social factors that made that city the second largest economic and demographic backbone of central Dalmatia (right after Split), which is why the Makarska littoral was recently time is increasingly using the name Makarska riviera.

The city is sharply separated from the interior by the mountain Biokovo (the highest peak of St. Jura, 1,762 m), and it is connected to the central Dalmatian islands of Brač and Hvar by the Adriatic Sea, which modeled some of the most beautiful Croatian beaches on the Makarska coast.

The city itself is located in a natural harbor between two peninsulas, Osejava and Sv. Petra. The flysch zone between the mountain and the sea is only a few kilometers wide, so the further expansion of the city goes east and west, that is, towards the neighboring settlements of Tučepi and Krvavica.

 

Climate

Makarska has a Mediterranean climate. In summer, daytime temperatures are around 30°C, often around 35°C, and nighttime around 25°C. Winter temperatures are mostly from 10 to 15 during the day, and from 6 to 10°C at night. Makarska is one of the warmest cities in Croatia. The average annual air temperature in 2018 at the DHMZ meteorological station Makarska was 18.9°C.

 

Administration and politics

By its structure, Makarska is a city. Members of the city council are elected in local elections. The current Mayor is Zoran Paunović, (SDP).

The members of the City Council 2017-2021 were:
Marko Ožić Bebek (HDZ) (president), Jagoda Martić (SDP) (vice-president), Ivan Perić (HSLS) (vice-president), and members: Marko Raos, Marija Lelas, Miro Mucić, Ivan Kotarac, Daniela Primorac, Neven Vranješ from HDZ , Tonći Bilić, Sretan Glavičić and Gordana Muhtić from (SDP), Josip Paunović (HNS), Milan Grbavac (HSU), Hloverka Novak Srzić (HSLS), Ivan Šimić (Living Wall) and Siniša Srzić (Candidacy list of the voter group)

 

Elections

Elections 2017. Year
HDZ won the most votes. Jure Brkan was elected mayor.

Elections 2013. Year
SDP won the most votes. Tonči Bilić was elected mayor.

Elections 2005. Year
SDP won the most votes. Siniša Srzić (independent candidate) was elected mayor.

According to the coalition agreement, Dragan Srzić (SDP) was supposed to take over the position of mayor after half of the mandate, but this did not happen due to the transfer of councilor Siniša Srzić (independent candidate) to HSLS.

On May 17, 2007, a session of the City Council was convened by the Central State Office for Administration, and the agenda included the dismissal of the previous mayor and the appointment of a new one.

Dr. Marko Ožić Bebek (HDZ) was appointed mayor of the city.

 

Economy

The main economic activity of Makarska, as well as the entire region, is tourism. A large number of beds in hotels and private accommodation are available to tourists.

 

Demography

Census 2011
According to the 2011 census, the city of Makarska has 13,834 inhabitants. The majority of the population are Croats with 95.43%, and the religiously determined majority of 84.41% are members of the Catholic faith.

Census 2001
According to the 2001 census, Makarska has 13,381 inhabitants, and with the urban settlement of Veliki Brdo, 13,716 inhabitants.

 

Celebrities

Alen Bokšić, former Croatian football player. He was one of the best strikers in the world in the 1990s. He was a member of the professional staff of the Croatian national football team
Petar Kaer, Croatian. educator, artist, scientist, archaeologist, Roman Catholic priest, collector and recorder of national treasures
Grozdan Knežević, Croatian architect, born in 1928
Žanamari Lalić, Croatian. singer
Andrija Liepopili, Croatian priest, politician, journalist and publicist
Ante Lulić, provincial of the Franciscan province of the Holy Redeemer, general definer of the Franciscan order and general visitor of the Franciscan provinces in Dalmatia and Italy, church historian, fighter for Croatian culture
Mirando Mrsić, Croatian doctor, hematologist, university professor and politician. Former Minister of Labor and Pension System, Member of Parliament.
Vjekoslav Cezar Pavišić (Luigi Cesare Pavissich) (1823 – 1905), Croatian. teacher and writer, priest, author of language manuals
Iva Visković, Croatian. theater, television and film actress
Ivan Cvitanušić, Croatian. philosopher, novelist, comparatist, historian
Dražen Lalić, Croatian. sociologist
Vinko Garmaz, Croatian. filmmaker, pioneer of local television, film pedagogue
Ivo Raffanelli, commander of the Croatian Navy

 

Sport

Athletic Club "Sveti Marko"
Badminton club "Arka"
Cycling club "Makarska"
Bocce Club "Makarska"
Sailing club "Bura"
Windsurfing Club "Jedro"
Judo club "Biokovo"
Kickboxing club "Mawashi"
Basketball club "Amfora"
Bowling club "Biokovo"
Model club "Sveti Petar"
Minor football club "Novo vrijeme"
Workers' football club "Zmaj"
Volleyball club "Makarska"
Speleological mountaineering club "Extrem"
Croatian Mountaineering Association "Biokovo"
Sports dance club "Briljantin"
Rugby Club "Makarska Riviera"
Maritime Sport Fishing Association "Arbun"
Handball club "Kingtrade"
Women's handball club "Makarska"
Chess Club "Makarska"
Tennis club "Makarska"
Fire polo club "Galeb"
Rowing club "Biokovo"
Association of small football Makarska, which organizes:
Minor football league Makarska
League of veterans of small football Makarska
League cup UMN Makarska
Makarska Small Football Veterans' Cup
Memorial mini-football tournament "Kobac" has been held since 1996.

In 1998, a WTA Tier IV tournament called the Makarska International Championship was held. From 2022, the WTA125 tournament Makarska Open will be held.

The mountain race Makarska - Vošac has been held since 2007.

 

Education

Elementary schools
Father Petar Perica's elementary school
Stjepan Ivičević Elementary School
Primary music school

High schools
technical school
Andrija Kačić Miošić Secondary School
Secondary music school

 

Interesting things

The average height of seventeen-year-olds in Makarska, according to research from the beginning of 2019, is 187.6 cm. Thus, Makarska is the city with the highest average height of its inhabitants in the world.