The angel of the Adriatic: Exploring the real Dubrovnik

Twenty-two years ago, Dubrovnik was under constant attack from land and sea, during the Yugoslavian war. Today this ancient walled city is also subject to a daily siege. Not from hostile Serbian artillery, of course, but from hordes of eager tourists.

On busy days, several thousand passengers spill out of their cruise ships.They flow into the city’s narrow, stone thoroughfares. They visit the secluded Franciscan monastery, the handsome Rector’s Palace - and they stroll up and down the elegant, car-free main street, its flagstones polished to a sheen by centuries of shoes. By 3pm, though, the trippers are all gone, clutching their souvenirs. And those checking in for a longer, more satisfying stay are at liberty to find out what else Dubrovnik has to offer. Set sail anywhere within a five-mile radius, and you’ll find a handsome shoreline hotel or villa. Yes, the war brought devastation to large numbers of buildings in the area in the Nineties, but they have been both re-built and improved.

Oznake: dubrovnik

Makarska Riviera: More foreign tourists than last year

Makarska Riviera these days better attendance records yet, but last year, the resorts of Brela to Gradac municipality, according to the tourist office and the county tourist boards, carried out 50,140 holiday guests, or 4 percent more than in the same period last year. Credit for that goes to foreign guests was 48,187, or 5 percent, while domestic tourists 12 percent less than last year. According to the number of leads Makarska where 10,645 tourists staying in Baska Voda were 10,177, followed Gradac, Tucepi and Podgora who are better attended than last year, while Brela, Živogošće and feature decreased the number of tourists.

And the six-month tourist Balance as Makarska Riviera is confirmed in numerous arrivals and overnight guests than last year. On the Riviera is the end of June, paid 165,850 tourists who have made 875,708 overnight stays, which is at 3 percent better than last year's six-month performance. The town of Makarska, according to the Tourist Office, now hosts 10,645 guests and the total accommodation capacity even 7 percent better filled than the same time last year.

In the first six months however Makarska has hosted 42,353 tourists with 214,461 overnight, an increase in arrivals of tourists by 18 percent, while rates of 13 percent compared to the same period last year. Members of the Tourism Council of Makarska Tourist Board at today's session are expressed satisfaction with the tourist traffic, but also warned that the private placement completed worse than last year. While hotels and two newly apart-hotel in Makarska generally very well filled and to continue to rest in these facilities is recommended prior reservation of accommodation in private rooms and apartments Homeowners decreased the number of guests. With this year reported 200 new renters in Makarska 1394 private households involved in tourism, but many offer accommodation in the "gray economy" remains unregistered.

Oznake: makarska, brela, zivogosce, podgora

Treasures of ‘Magnificent Century’ come to Istanbul

Hundreds of objects and accessories, which were ordered during the renovation of the Seraglio at the time of the Ottoman Sultan Murad III, went down into water when the ship sank near the inlet Gnalic in Croatia. The 16th century treasures, which have been removed from the shipwreck, will arrive in Istanbul next year for an exhibition.

Works have been continuing for the exhibition “Gnalic Shipwreck – 16th Century Treasures,” which is one of the significant cultural projects between Turkey and Croatia. The coordinator of the project, the Turkish Foundation of the Underwater Archaeology President Ouz Aydemir said due to the fact that 2013 had been launched by UNESCO as the 500th Year of the map of Piri Reis, they had organized Piri Reis cartography exhibitions in six Croatian cities.

He said the Turkish TV drama “Magnificent Century” (Muhteşem Yüzy1l) was very popular in Croatia and people were much interested in Ottoman culture and that the exhibition project about the trade ship that had sunk in the 16th century had come up due to this interest.

“Excavations are still continuing in the shipwreck, which was discovered by a Belgian tourist in 1968. Some objects that have been removed from the shipwreck and cleaned are on display at the Croatian Museum of History. The ship is directly related to Ottoman history. This is why we have decided to organize this exhibition in Istanbul,” he said.

Aydemir said the objects had been ordered for the renovation of the Seraglio section in the Topkap1 Palace. “A lot of objects, accessories and treasures were sent to the Ottomans in the winter months of 1583, but the ship sank in the northern Dalmatian coasts. We can get clear information about the objects via the insurance documents of the ship. The most important artifacts found in the ship are objects displayed in Topkap1 Palace. Among the striking pieces were a 43-meter-long weaved silk cloth, glass objects made on Murano Island and candles that were found in an iron chest.”

He said the treasures ordered by Safiye Sultan and Nurbanu Sultan had been removed by the insurance company after the accident. “We don’t have any information about whether these treasures were sent to Istanbul or not. We believe these objects are very precious to understand the magnificence of the Ottoman palace,” he noted.

Aydemir said the Creation Culture Minister Andrea Zlatar Violic and Turkish Culture Minister Ömer Çelik had signed a protocol for the exhibition, and they had agreed in principle with a museum in Istanbul.

Aydemir said a project was also carried out to simultaneously display the artifacts removed from the Saint Paul shipwreck, which sunk in the 16th century around the Croatian Mljet Island. “The 0znik tiles found in this shipwreck have not been displayed so far. The project drew attention of businessman Ömer Koç, who has a big collection of 0znik tiles. We plan to exhibit these tiles in Istanbul first, then Zagreb and finally in Dubrovnik,” he said.

Text: hurriyetdailynews.com

Oznake: Mljet, dubrovnik