Dalmatian Fortresses - A Hit Among Tourists

By 4 January 2016
Until a few years ago, only the locals and a few tourists knew about the existence of the historic fortresses in Dalmatia. Today, fortresses from ancient times are increasingly the chosen destination for thousands of tourists. The boom in this part of the cultural tourism is the result of the work and enthusiasm of the tourism professionals, government representatives and NGOs dealing with cultural heritage. Fortresses that once protected the villages and towns are now becoming known destinations, a story from the past reaches to the future, as those centennial buildings get new facilities, informs an article in Slobodna Dalmacija from January 4, 2016.

One such place, a historic fortress, that protected the Dalmatia from Turks is Klis and among many cultural and historical values, Klis people are the most proud of their Krlis Fortress. Jakov Vetma, the mayor of the municipality Klis shares more information about the historical Klis and the Klis of today and tomorrow. The Fotress as a symbol of resistance dominates the city. Once a famous place of the rulery of Petar Kružić, today a place that is being visited by thousands of tourists.

 
- Klis is waking up and one of the most important focuses for us is the cultural tourism. Our Klis Fortress is being renovated for the last six year, by a very good cooperation of the County, Department of Conservations and the Municipality of Klis. Many collapsed buildings were renovated, so the 20% increase in visitors per year is understandable.

A good cooperation is essential in this area with many beautiful sites. Foreign guest do not know, where Split ends and Klis starts, so a common approach to this form of tourism is extremely important. We have a good cooperation with Split, both in terms of summer cultural program as a part of the Split Summer Festival, as well as through a joint project of bicycle paths from the fortress to the Diocletian´s Palace - says Vetma. Within this common approach of developing cultural tourism, everyone should keep its own values, so they believe in Klis.

Klis has every right to be proud of its history, so it is not surprising that the Klis Fortress was used as a location for filming the HBO series Games of Thrones" and stories about the history of Klis spread in the movie-making world. To preserve the history and tradition, one should think about the future, introduce new technologies. Klis will, through a new project (which made it to the shortlist of the Ministry of Culture) of an interpretations centre with holograms, so far unseen on similar historical buildings, take its guests through the turbulent history of Croatia.

 

Read the whole article here.

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