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The town of Sinj

http://www.sinj.hr/

The town of Sinj is the geographical, economic, cultural and historical centre of Cetinska krajina and the largest city of the Dalmatian hinterland. Within its administrative borders lie the mountainous areas of Dinara, Kamesnica and Svilaja and the fertile plains of Sinjsko polje, the largest karst field in Dalmatia (64 km2). With the help of a narrow upstream corridor along the river Cetina, it joins onto Hrvatacko polje with which it shares a multitude of natural features: due to the periodic flooding it is exposed to and the special vegetation resulting from the flooding, Sinjsko (and Hrvatacko) polje has been declared an important area for birds and an important habitat for many plant and animal species as part of the Natura 2000 European ecological network.

At the begining of the 7 th century the Croats came to Sinj and its surrounding. By their constant settlement they created its own civilization they have been building in spite of the historic turbulances until present days.

The modern history of the city of Sinj begins in the 1715 when the scarce Croatian and Charolic army defeated Turkish troops. The leader of this triumphant army, father Pavao Vuckovic succeeded and under the Venetian fortress in The Old town he defeated much stronger enemies. Defenders of Sinj were convinced that Our Lady Mary (Miracle Painting of Bless Virgin Mary of Mercy from the Sinj church) give them strength for glorious victory.

That`s why in town of Sinj, the holiday of Great Lady Mary (VELIKA GOSPA) on August 15, is always specially respected and celebrated.

In memory the glorious victory from the begining of 1715. the people of Sinj started to run the Alka and every first Sunday of August for almost three centuries. This spectacle takes place before more than ten thousand visitors each year.

The town of Sinj offer many cultural contents in two museums: Franciscan and Town Museum.

If you go for a walk along the Vrlicka street and stop in front of the house number 10, you will see a grave monument of the young Roman Gaj Liberie who holds a football in his hands, with which man played football in the Cetina region already in the antique. The world football association FIFA confirmed in its official bulletin this oldest mode of football in Europe and in the world.

Modern aspects of farming and extensive land reclamation have changed the physiognomy of Sinjsko polje, reducing reed and rush beds to islets along artificial channels, substantially decreasing the number of bird, reptile and amphibian species. However, the mountainous areas of Dinara and Kamesnica in the east and Svilaja in the northwest have been more successful in preserving their original appearances. With the help of the MedPaths project, which included Sinjsko polje in the greater Sinj area, partly including Hrvatacko polje and parts of Svilaja, these areas have been saved from "tourist oblivion" and promoted into very desirable and attractive hiking, biking and equestrian destinations in the Dalmatian hinterland.

Sinj