Vis (town)
Encyclopedia
Vis is a town on the Vis
island of the same name in Croatia
. It has a population of 1960 residents (as of 2001). It is the center of the Vis municipality and part of Split-Dalmatia County
.
colonists from Sicily
under the name of Issa. Greeks were attracted by Issa's geographical position because it enabled control of shipping in the Adriatic Sea
. Antique Issa developed as the urban and economic center of Dalmatia
and also served as a military base for colonization of places near the present-day town of Split
, such as Stobreč
(Epetion) and Trogir
(Tragurion). Issa functioned as an independent polis
until the first century BCE, when it was conquered by the Roman Empire
. After the Roman conquest Issa lost its significance until the late Middle Ages
when it was mentioned in several historical sources.
: Bay of Saint George
) on the north-east side of the island facing the island of Hvar
and the Dalmatian mainland. The port of Vis is located in the south-west part of the bay. The port is protected from open sea
influence by the small island of Host (named after William Hoste
) and the Prirovo (Prilovo) peninsula. Other ports are smaller and located in Kut and Stonca, which are also parts of the town of Vis.
Vis is isolated from its fields (Dračevo polje and Velo polje) thanks to 250–300 m
high hills which are important for the local citizens as the main source of incomes from viticulture. Other official parts of the town on the south and south-east coast are villages located on bays such as Milna, Rukavac, Srebrna, Stiniva, Stončica, although some of them have a tendency to become new towns. These bays and villages are, besides the town of Vis itself, the main source of tourist income for the whole island.
. Area of Vis embraces eight villages: Dračevo Polje, Marine Zemlje, Milna, Plisko Polje, Podselje, Podstražje, Rogačić and Rukavac. Town's council consists of eleven councilors divided currently in three groups; five councilors from SDP
- HNS - HSS
coalition, three from Independent list of Ante Acalinović and three from HDZ
- HSP
coalition. Ascendancy is currently held by HDZ - HSP coalition in alliance with the Independent list.
production. Recently more and more people work in tourism
. The town is also famous for its greenery of palm
s, the only example on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea
.
Vis (island)
Vis is the most outerly lying larger Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, with an area of 90.26 km² and a population of 3,617 . Of all the inhabited Croatian islands, it is the farthest from the coast...
island of the same name in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. It has a population of 1960 residents (as of 2001). It is the center of the Vis municipality and part of Split-Dalmatia County
Split-Dalmatia County
Split-Dalmatia County is the central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. The administrative center is Split. The population of the county is 455,242...
.
History
The first settlement in the place of today's town of Vis was built in the fourth century BC by GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
colonists from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
under the name of Issa. Greeks were attracted by Issa's geographical position because it enabled control of shipping in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. Antique Issa developed as the urban and economic center of Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
and also served as a military base for colonization of places near the present-day town of Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, such as Stobreč
Stobrec
Stobreč is a historical town, now village in Croatia located near Split and Solin. In modern times, Stobreč is considered a desirable vacation/camping spot located on a beautiful scenic peninsula ensconced between the Adriatic Sea and pine woods. Population: approximately 4,700...
(Epetion) and Trogir
Trogir
Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 12,995 and a total municipality population of 13,322 . The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo...
(Tragurion). Issa functioned as an independent polis
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
until the first century BCE, when it was conquered by the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. After the Roman conquest Issa lost its significance until the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
when it was mentioned in several historical sources.
Geography
The town of Vis is located in a relatively large and protected bay ' onMouseout='HidePop("89129")' href="/topics/English_language">EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Bay of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
) on the north-east side of the island facing the island of Hvar
Hvar
- Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7...
and the Dalmatian mainland. The port of Vis is located in the south-west part of the bay. The port is protected from open sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
influence by the small island of Host (named after William Hoste
William Hoste
Captain Sir William Hoste, 1st Baronet KCB RN , Royal Navy captain, was the son of Dixon Hoste, rector of Godwick and Tittleshall in Norfolk...
) and the Prirovo (Prilovo) peninsula. Other ports are smaller and located in Kut and Stonca, which are also parts of the town of Vis.
Vis is isolated from its fields (Dračevo polje and Velo polje) thanks to 250–300 m
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
high hills which are important for the local citizens as the main source of incomes from viticulture. Other official parts of the town on the south and south-east coast are villages located on bays such as Milna, Rukavac, Srebrna, Stiniva, Stončica, although some of them have a tendency to become new towns. These bays and villages are, besides the town of Vis itself, the main source of tourist income for the whole island.
Authorities
Formal area of town of Vis is whole eastern part of the island. Western part of the island is under the authority of KomižaKomiža
Komiža is a town, harbour and municipality on the western coast of the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea; population of 1677 residents.Komiža is located at the foot of the Hum hill . An average air temperature in January is . Economy is based on farming, winemaking, fishing and fish processing,...
. Area of Vis embraces eight villages: Dračevo Polje, Marine Zemlje, Milna, Plisko Polje, Podselje, Podstražje, Rogačić and Rukavac. Town's council consists of eleven councilors divided currently in three groups; five councilors from SDP
Social Democratic Party of Croatia
Social Democratic Party of Croatia , commonly referred to in Croatia as simply Social Democratic Party , is the largest centre-left political party in Croatia...
- HNS - HSS
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
coalition, three from Independent list of Ante Acalinović and three from HDZ
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
- HSP
Croatian Party of Rights
The Croatian Party of Rights is a right-wing political party in Croatia. The "right" in the party's name refer to the idea of Croatian national and ethnic rights that the party has vowed to protect since its founding in the 19th century...
coalition. Ascendancy is currently held by HDZ - HSP coalition in alliance with the Independent list.
Economy
Until the middle of the twentieth century the main sources of income were vineyards and wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
production. Recently more and more people work in tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. The town is also famous for its greenery of palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
s, the only example on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
.
Famous people
- Ivan Farolfi (1892–1945), high-ranked official and former mayor;
- Ranko MarinkovićRanko MarinkovicRanko Marinković was a Croatian author born in Komiža on the island of Vis ....
(1913–2001), Croatian poet born in Vis; - Vesna ParunVesna ParunVesna Parun was a Croatian poet.After schooling in Zlarin, Šibenik and Split, she studied Romance languages and philosophy at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. From 1947 she was a free artist, writing poetry, essays, criticism and children's literature. She...
(1922–2010), Croatian poet born in ZlarinZlarinZlarin is a small island of the Dalmatian coast of Croatia near the city of Šibenik. Administratively, it is part of the Šibenik-Knin County. In winter times the island has a population of 276 people, but from March to October its population grows substantially up to 1,500 people. Zlarin has a...
but spending childhood in Vis; - Mihovil Pušić (1880–1972), bishop of HvarHvar- Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7...
with ancestry from Vis
Monuments and historical sights
- Rests of antique Issa (thermae, necropolis, theatre, parts of the port)
- Five Roman CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
churches (Župna crkva Gospe od Spilica, Crkva svetog Ciprijana, Crkva svetog Duha, FranciscanFranciscanMost Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery on peninsula of Prirovo and Crkva Vele Gospe) - Residences of Hvar and Vis noble families (Hektorović, Jakša, Gariboldi, Dojmi Delupis)
- War forts dating from various time (from old VeniceRepublic of VeniceThe Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
to Austria-HungaryAustria-HungaryAustria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
) - British Military Cemetery
Education
- Primary school Vis
- Secondary school named after Antun Matijašević - Karamaneo built in 1975. It is the center of secondary school education in whole island because no secondary schools exist in the rest of the island. Until the 1960s schools existed in villages of Podselje, Podstražje and Marine Zemlje which were closed because of emigrating population and lack of students.
Sport
- CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Club, named after Sir William HosteWilliam HosteCaptain Sir William Hoste, 1st Baronet KCB RN , Royal Navy captain, was the son of Dixon Hoste, rector of Godwick and Tittleshall in Norfolk...
, Bt. - ŠRC Issa (sport and recreation club Issa)
- bowlingBowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
club Vis