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Culture and History

The legend of Miljenko and Dobrila (Kaštel Lukšić)
A legend from the second half of the 17th century tells of the tragic love of two young people from Kaštel Lukšić. A daughter, Dobrila, was born to the noble Vitturi family, and a son Miljenko to the Rušinić family. The two later fell in love, but their relationship was forbidden due to hostilities between their families. From the moment their parents learned of their love, Dobrila was under strict supervision, while Miljenko was sent to Venice by his parents. However, this was not the end of it. Dobrila's father arranged that she marry an older noble from Trogir. Miljenko learned about this and arrived at the very moment that the bride and groom were saying their vows, he appeared and stopped the wedding. In order to punish her for the shame that she had brought him, Dobrila's father sent her to a convent in Trogir and, to keep Miljenko from finding her, he ordered Miljenko's death.

However, Miljenko was clever (disguising himself as a friar) and the plan failed. In attempting to find Dobrila, Miljenko came into conflict with the law and was therefore sentenced to prison in Visovac. There he met a nurse and through her, sent messages to Dobrila and planned his escape. When the two ran off, Dobrila's parents were forced to give in, and they sent a message that the two return to Kaštel Lukšić so that they could be married. After the wedding was held in August 1690, Dobrila's father, unable to come to terms with the fact that his daughter had married Miljenko, killed his new son-in-law on the bridge before the castle. Dobrila lost her mind, fell in and died soon afterwards. Her final wish was to be buried together with Miljenko in the Chapel of St. John in Kaštel Lukšić opposite the castle. The inscription "Peace to the lovers" stands forever on their grave, while both castles, of the Vitturi and Rušinić families, still stand in Kaštel today.

The fate of the two young lovers has inspired: novels, an opera and a theatre play, while the children's home in Kaštel Lukšić, situated near their final resting site, bears the name Miljenko and Dobrila.
 
Treasure trove of impressive history
Welcome to Croatia! A land whose rich cultural heritage is not discovered only from within the walls of numerous museums, galleries and churches, many of which today, as zero category monuments, are included in a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, but much more in that magical place on the Mediterranean, where even the shortest stroll becomes a journey down a staircase thousands of years old which takes one through a history that is at the same time turbulent, exciting and glorious. Whether walking the intricate grid of narrow white stone streets and alleys, or revelling in the teeming life of the port towns of Istria, Kvarner or Dalmatia, or climbing the green serpentines of Central Croatia to the fairy-like fortresses and castles, each step is an ever fresh experience, made special by the fact that on her territory as many as four cultural circles meet, intertwine and complement one another - west, east, Central European and the southern spirit of the Mediterranean. Croatia is a land of urban culture which numbers more cities than any other part of the Mediterranean.


If you are interested in the days of antiquity, you should start from the Roman amphitheatre in Pula, through Zadar and its forum - the largest excavated forum on the eastern shores of the Adriatic - and then to the magnificent palace of Emperor Diocletian in Split. Walk through time, from the pre-Romanesque Church of St. Domnius in Zadar dating from the 9th century, to the world of the Romanesque that is the magical monument city of Trogir, or the islands of Krk and Rab. Follow the Gothic period in Zagreb, Pazin, or, for instance, the town of Ston on the Pelješac peninsula. Discover the Renaissance in Osor on the island of Cres, Šibenik cathedral, the islands of Hvar and Korčula, and finally, the one and only Dubrovnik. The towns of Varaždin, Bjelovar and Vukovar glow with the splendour of the Baroque, while the heritage of the 19th century is at its best in Rijeka, Osijek and, of course, in downtown Zagreb.