Murter is a north Dalmatian island with an area of 17.58 km2.
The settlements on the island are Betina, Tisno, Jezera and Murter,
which is the largest and oldest place on the island, and is
connected to the mainland by a short bridge in Tisno. Today, the
island of Murter is a significant tourist destination with numerous
cultural and historical sights, natural beaches and uninhabited
islands in the immediate vicinity.
History
The island was
inhabited by the Illyrians in prehistoric times. It was first
mentioned by the Greek naturalist Ptolemy under the name Scardon.
Historical continuity has been maintained throughout the reign of
Rome, as evidenced by the remains of the Roman settlement of
Colentum, numerous ruins of Roman mansions, frescoes and mosaics
scattered over land and sea. The remains of the ancient city of
Colentum are today largely covered by the sea, lying at the foot of
the hill Gradina, on the north side of the bay Hramine. Colentum
flourished most probably during the reigns of the Roman emperors
Nero (37-68) and Vespasian (9-79) whose money was found during the
first archaeological excavations conducted from 1907 to 1909. It is
assumed that Colentum 2nd century demolished and looted by pirates,
and there are indications that it was destroyed in an earthquake. It
is assumed that the Slavic population, upon arrival, found an empty
ancient settlement and settled there.
Under the Croatian name
"Srimač" it is mentioned in 1251 when the Hungarian-Croatian king
Bela proclaimed the borders of the Šibenik commune. At that time
there were only two settlements on the island: Veliko Selo (Villa
Magna), today Murter and Jezera, while Betina and Tisno were formed
in later centuries during the settlement before the Turkish
invasions.
In 1298, Murter had 203 inhabitants. In Murter and
other settlements on the island until the XVIII. Glagolitic and
Bosnian were nurtured in the 16th century. In 1866, the oldest
public library in Dalmatia was founded in Murter. The primary school
and post office were opened in 1877, and in 1910 the Oil Cooperative
was founded.
The island of Murter was first mentioned in 1318
under the name "Insula Mortari", after which the town of Murter was
later named. Since 1740 the island has been called Murter.
Latin sail/ Latinsko idro
Latin sail/ Latinsko idro is an
international sailing regatta in Croatia.
It has been held
regularly, every year, since 1998 on the island of Murter.
Every year on the occasion of the feast of St. Mihovil, the patron
saint of the Murter parish, the Latin Sail regatta is being held.
Participants in this regatta are traditional boats with a Latin
sail.
The Latin sail is actually neither a ship nor a sail,
nor a regatta nor a tourist festival ... The Latin sail is a
reminder of a way of life, of an exceptional space, of a spiritual
world and its existence. The Latin sail is a synthesis of all
activities and procedures, all knowledge and crafts, all maritime
skills and temptations, states of mind and beliefs, everything that
was woven in this wonderful waters. And at the starting point of it
all was a ship. He was the pivot around which everything revolved.
Nothing at this unusual point on the Adriatic was possible without
him and his sails. As in the book of Genesis: everything was a ship
and everything became by it. Latin sail - that's us. (source
www.latinskoidro.hr)