NOVIGRAD ZADAR

Novigrad is a picturesque historical town located on the southern shores of the Novigrad Sea, at the foot of the Velebit massif, in a deep cove whose steep sides are covered in dense pinewood.

Novigrad has been continually settled from pre-historical times. The oldest part of the locality, the historical nucleus, is situated on the northeastern part of the cove, on the slopes of a hill under the fortification Fortress, and surrounded by ramparts. The foundations of the Roman fort with an Illyrian (Liburnian) hill-fort were rearranged in the 13th cent. and the locality was called Castrum Novum in Latin, Novigrad in Croatian.

In 976 the Benedictine monastery and the church of St. Paul in Novigrad were demolished. They were probably located on the spot where today stands the church of St. Catherine. (From the book "Zara Christiana" - Carlo Federico Cav. Bianci, Zara 1879).

The historical nucleus of the town took a trapezoid shape, with eastern and southern lateral walls descending from the fortification towards the sea where the two walls joined to form a third, southern one, that went parallel with the shores of Novigrad port. Nine towers fortified the ramparts.

Under the fortification and inside the ramparts, the buildings were densely built creating a dense net of horizontal and vertical streets (flight of streets) of a cascading structure locality. At the end of the 17th cent., the larger area of Novigrad was liberated from the Turks and walls started being built towards the sea.

Only traces of the western part can be found today, while the eastern part has been quite well preserved, even though some buildings lean against one side of the wall.

During the 20th cent. new settlements have developed to the east (Yaz) and west (Zagrad) from the town walls.

Novigrad is the center of the municipality with 2800 inhabitants. The locality itself has 650 inhabitants.

In the recent Serbian chauvinist aggression from 1991-1995 and during its one-year occupation of the locality, Novigrad was thoroughly plundered and suffered heavy damages from bombings, particularly the historical and cultural heritage.

Novigrad is still healing its wounds. Many buildings of monumental importance are being restored.

In spite of everything, and thanks to its natural position, ideal connection of cultural heritage, traditional architecture, terrain configuration, clear sea and preserved Mediterranean vegetation, Novigrad offers a pleasant stay far from the crowds and noise.

Besides its two neat public gravel beaches the shores of Novigrad are full of small and isolated gravel coves, offering an intimate atmosphere in the shadow of tamarisks.

Novigrad has been privileged in being the central meeting place of natural and cultural variety of exceptional beauty, which offers visitors unimagined experiences.

The national parks that can be visited from Novigrad are: Paklenica, Plitvice, Krka, Kornati, Velebit Nature Park, Tulove grede, the Podvelebit Canal, the Karin Sea, rivers Zrmanja and Krupa, Cerovačke Caves, the natural ornithological reserve of Vrana with Lake Vrana.

source: Muncipal tourist board Novigrad

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