About Senj

Nehaj Fortress

Nehaj Fortress, a symbol of the town of Senj, was built in 1558 under the supervision of Captain and General of the Croatian Military Frontier Ivan Lenković. It was built from the materials of ruined churches, monasteries and houses originally located outside the city walls. It has a square shape and is oriented towards the sides of the world. It is 18 m high and 23 m wide. There are about a hundred loopholes and eleven large openings in the walls.
Inside there is a cistern-well above which are three coats of arms: on the left the coat of arms of Captain Ivan Lenković with the year of construction of the Fortress, in the middle the coat of arms of Austrian Archduke Ferdinand I – then lord of Senj, and on the right the coat of arms of Senj captain Herbart VIII Auersperg Turjaški. On the ground floor on the right was a fireplace, and around the room for the team and weapons.
Here you can see the foundations of the small early Romanesque Church of St. George from the 11th century. On the first floor were rooms for officers and the commander of the fortress. On the second floor there was a cannon battery of 11 heavy cannons, and today renowned cultural and musical events, scientific gatherings and other cultural events are held here. The top of the fortress serves as a lookout. From there, vigilant guards observed the approaches to Senj from land and sea, and received smoke and light signals from their associates from the island and the coast.
From the top of the Fortress there is a beautiful view of the Croatian coast and the islands of Rab, Goli, Prvić, Cres, Krk, and the mountains of Gorski kotar, Učka and Velebit.
In the Nehaj Fortress, the collection of the Senj Uskoks and the Senj Coastal Captaincy has been set up, as well as the exhibitions of the Senj Church through History and the City Noble Coats of Arms of Senj.

Nehaj Park

Nehaj Park is located between the old town and the village Trbušnjak, at about 50 meters above sea level by the sea. The center of the park is the Nehaj Fortress, a symbol of the Uskoks of Senj, the City of Senj and its glorious history. Around the Nehaj Fortress, the Park covers about 14 hectares.
Nehaj which offers a range of content for all ages. The Calvary Monument was built back in 1740. Believers visit Calvary throughout the year, and the Way of the Cross with 14 stations leads to it, which symbolizes 14 rest areas in the Park. In the heart of the Park is Kosturnica, a monument to anti-fascism and all the victims of freedom. The Park offers an exceptional view of Senj, especially its old town – a protected cultural monument created in the Middle Ages.
The hill is intertwined with about 4 kilometers of pebble trails suitable for recreation such as walking, brisk walking, etc., and two children’s playgrounds located in the Park provide children with carefree fun. In the park there is also a sports field “Tennis” which in summer can serve as a summer stage for various events, concerts, festivals, plays and the like.

Glagolitic - Senj printing house

Senj is, among other things, known as a Glagolitic city. The Senj plaque, found on the staircase of the Nehaj fortress during the reconstruction works, testifies that the Glagolitic alphabet was as widespread in the 11th century as it was on neighboring Krk. It is one of the oldest Croatian Glagolitic monuments, created almost at the same time as the Baška tablet. It has not been preserved in its entirety, but only fragments with carved plant ornaments and Glagolitic letters have been found. Today, the preserved fragments are kept in the City Museum of Senj.
After the Senj tablet, there are no written traces of the use of the Glagolitic alphabet for a long time, until the letter of Pope Innocent from 1248 to the Bishop of Senj, Filip, in which he gave him permission to worship in the Old Slavonic language. The importance of this letter is that for the first time a Catholic bishop is given permission to serve Mass in a non-Latin language. This letter laid the foundation for the entry period of Croatian Glagolitic culture in the XIV. and XV. The letter is kept today in the Secret Vatican Archives.
From XIV. and XV. The largest number of inscriptions and documents written in Glagolitic, such as the Statute of the Senj Chapter from 1340, has been preserved. as the so-called Lobkowicz’s Glagolitic Psalter, a book of psalms intended for lay people. The Glagolitic alphabet gets a new rise after the Croatian-Hungarian King Sigismund in 1392. gave the Senj Chapter the right to seal. After receiving the privilege, Kaptol began issuing Glagolitic and Latin documents, translating them from one language to another, and established cooperation with the city notary. Of the rich Glagolitic material of legal significance, only the Kaptolian “Quadrenna” and the will of Tomo Partinić from 1445 have been preserved.
In addition to the Senj tablet, 10 other Glagolitic inscriptions were found in Senj:
An inscription on a stone slab from the church of St. Martin, and the Second inscription from the church of St. Martin kept in the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb, Inscription on the door of the house in Gorica Street, Inscription on the lintel of the house in Ulica široka kuntrada, Inscription of Fr. Šimun Mečarić, two fragments from the lintel or upper window sill, inscription on the tombstone found in the fortress Nehaj, and today they are kept in the City Museum of Senj, the inscription on the lintel of the old, today demolished house Gradišer, the inscription on the demolished church of St. George and the Inscription from the facade of the Senj Cathedral.

Only fifty years after the invention of the printing press, a group of people appeared in Senj who understood the importance of this invention. One of them was Blaž Baromić, one of the most important figures in Croatian cultural history. In 1493, he printed a breviary in Venice bearing his name. Five copies of his breviary have been preserved: two in the National and University Library in Zagreb, and one each in the State Library in Munich, the Parma Library in Schwarzau (Austria) and Sibiu (Romania). After printing the breviary, Baromić returned to Senj and the following year acquired all the necessary machines for the organization of the printing house. On August 7, 1494, the first and most valuable work of the Senj printing house Misal was printed. The Missal is a book in which all the texts used in the Mass for the whole liturgical year are collected. The language of the Missal is Croatian-Church Slavonic. Three well-known specimens have been preserved: in Budapest, Petersburg and Cres.
In addition to the missal in the Senj Glagolitic printing house, six other booklets were printed:
Confession general (1496), Naručnik Plebanušev (1507), Transit Sv. Jerome (1508), Lent (1508), Miracles of the famous Virgin Mary (1507/1508), Master of the Age of Death with ritual (1507/1508).

Senj Writers' Park

The city of Senj, where some of the most famous Croatian writers and poets of their time were born and lived (Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević, Milutin Cihlar Nehajev, Vjenceslav Novak, Milan Ogrizović, Pavao Ritter Vitezović), dedicated a park above the old town beach to them. set up their busts.
In the park there is also the votive church of St. Mary of Art.

Northern Velebit National Park

Northern Velebit National Park is the youngest Croatian national park, founded in 1999. It was intended to include the most attractive and naturally most valuable areas of the northern part of Velebit. In the area of ​​this distinctly mountain park, an extremely large number of attractions are concentrated in a small area – magnificent karst forms of Hajduk and Rožan hips, a unique botanical garden in nature, Lukina jama, one of the deepest in the world. Therefore, Croatian mountaineers consider this area to be the greatest gem among Croatian mountains. Slightly lower attendance due to the distance from the main roads only increases the mystique and pristine natural ambience of this area.

Velebit Nature Park

Although two national parks have been singled out on Velebit, the largest Croatian mountain – Paklenica and Northern Velebit, in the remaining larger part of the mountain there are still a number of natural sights that are among the most valuable that Croatia has. Therefore, the entire 150-kilometer-long Velebit Mountain, together with both national parks and a number of other smaller specially protected areas, is protected as a nature park and as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. With as much as 2,000 square kilometers, the Velebit Nature Park is by far the largest protected area in Croatia, larger than all other protected areas combined. This magnificent mountain has faces – a rugged barrenness on the coast and endless forests on the continental side and boasts countless beauties – unusual rocks, wild canyons, deep pits, caves and many other karst forms.

SURROUNDINGS OF SENJ

Sveti Juraj is a typical coastal town located in a bay with the Gradina hill on one side and the island of Lisac on the other. In prehistoric times, the settlement of Lopsica was located here. In the old cemetery by the sea you can still see the remains of the church of Sv. Philip and James, which is mentioned in the Middle Ages. In the center there is a local beach, and those who want a little more intimacy, will find their peace in the special bays Spasovac, Ujča, Vlaška, Planikovac, Kalić, Grabova and Rača. If you are traveling with pets, look for refreshment in the bay Vlaška, where there is a beach for dogs. Apart from being a tourist destination, Sveti Juraj is also known for the production of the best flower honey in the world.

Lukovo Otočko – a small place named after the church of Sv. Ports from the 18th century. A winding road leads to the town, along which there is a lookout point where you can stop and enjoy the beautiful view of the stone islands of the Velebit Channel. The beautiful pebble beach and the peninsula of Malta, which houses an ethnographic museum and old tuners that once served fishermen as tuna observatories, and today are a tourist attraction, are the locations that make this place special. The history of this fishing village is evidenced by the remains of a prehistoric fortress on the hill Klis and the white rocks of Lukovačka, which show drawings of people and ships from antiquity and the Middle Ages. These cliffs can only be reached by boat. In the vicinity of Lukovo, the seabed is preserved and intact. Apart from the main beach, the place is surrounded by small isolated bays Vlaška, Anžina and Biluća only ten minutes walk away.

Klada – A steep branch from the Adriatic Highway will descend to Donja Klada, an old fishing village on the Velebit coast, which is a 30-minute drive from Senj. From the small waterfront you can enjoy the sunset and the view of the islands. Feel the power of silence and the smell of the sea, “recharge your batteries” and rest your soul. A walk along the paths of almost untouched nature will refresh you and completely revitalize you! In the hinterland of Klada, mountaineers can visit Zavižan, one of the most famous sites in the Northern Velebit National Park (1594 m above sea level), which houses the oldest high-altitude meteorological station in Croatia, a mountain lodge and the Velebit Botanical Garden.

Vlaška Bay Beach (dog beach) – If you are traveling with pets, the ideal place for you is the beach Uvala Vlaška (Beach Planikovac) which is located near Senj. It is the first beach for dogs opened in the area of ​​the town of Senj. It offers visitors and their four-legged friends a parking lot, a running track, a park with a table and benches, and a painted access tunnel.

Škver City Beach – The most popular and largest beach is the Senj city beach Škver. The beach is pebbly with large concrete surfaces and adapted for people with disabilities. The offer of the beach is complemented by catering facilities, a campsite, a children’s playground, a volleyball court, showers, sports and recreational facilities (jet ski, kayak, pedal boats, boats, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.).

Prva Draga Beach is an accessible small pebble bay with crystal clear sea and is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Senj. The offer is completed by a catering facility.

The famous Senj beach Banja has a long history of beaches, dating back to before the Second World War. Today it is a modern beach with various tourist facilities, adapted for people with disabilities. During the day it offers rental of deck chairs, umbrellas, catering offer, while in the evening it turns into a place of entertainment for young people with performances by DJs, dancers and hostesses.

City of Senj

Senj, a town and port 69 km southeast of Rijeka; 4822 pp. (2011). It lies on the shores of the Velebit Channel, at the foot of the lowest Velebit pass Vratnik (694 m), along the Adriatic Highway. Above the town (Kuk; 85 m) the fortress → Nehaj (today a museum), on the ground floor of which the foundations of the pre-Romanesque church of St. George, from which the Glagolitic inscription from XI / XII originates. century, the famous Senj plate. The old part of the city is characterized by a Mediterranean appearance. It consists of a network of narrow, winding streets with arches and balustrades and squares, as well as numerous Gothic-Renaissance and Renaissance-Baroque houses (15th – 18th centuries); Velika placa square (Cilnica) is one of the most beautiful baroque squares on the northern coast; square Mala placa (Campuzia) with got. town hall and city. lodge from the XIV. The single-nave Romanesque Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (12th century) and the Renaissance votive naval church of St. Mary was baroqued in the XVIII. st .; Frankapan Castle (14th century), Church of St. Of the Holy Spirit (15th century), the ruins of the monastery and the church of St. Francis with the graves of prominent Senj Uskoks. In the eastern part of the walls, at the end of Jozefinska cesta (Karlovac – Senj), there is the Great Gate (18th century; current form from the 19th century). Palaces: Gothic-Renaissance Vukas

(15th century; today the city museum), baroque Domazetović or “Ferajna” (18th century; Croatian reading room from 1835, Music Institute from 1842), Posedarić-Bezjak, Homolić (Daničić). Postgraduate study of Rijeka econ. faculty (since 2006). International Senj Summer Carnival (since 1967). Textile (knitwear), metal and wood industry. Tourism. Hydrometeorological station (bura). Senj is the birthplace of N. Jurišić, I. Paskvić, P. Vitezović Ritter, V. Novak, S. S. Kranjčević, M. Ogrizović, M. Cihlar Nehajev, etc. – Above the town on the hill Kuk there was a Bronze Age hillfort settlement. In the area of ​​today’s city there was an Illyrian settlement, and then an ancient city, mentioned by Greek geographers under the name Sénia (Σένια). Roman sources record it as Senia (portus Senia, colonia Seniensis), and for Octavian (35 BC) it received the status of a municipality (remains of monumental Roman buildings, inscriptions, necropolises, money). In antiquity it was an important trade and traffic center through which the Roman road led, connecting Aquileia with Narona and Shkodra. During the migration of the people, he suffered in the invasions of the Visigoths, Huns and Avars. With the arrival of the Croats, it was rebuilt, and in 1169 it became the center of the diocese. God. 1209 Croatian-Hungarian King Andrew II Arpadović donated it to the Templars, and in 1248, at the request of Bishop Philip of Senj, Pope Innocent IV. allowed the use of the Glagolitic alphabet and the Old Slavonic language in all churches in the Senj diocese. In 1269, the Templars ceded the city to King White IV. in exchange for Dubica County, and in 1271 it came under the rule of the Frankapans (from 1302 the princes of Senj), for whom a castle was built – the prince’s residence. God. In 1380 it was attacked and burned by the Venetians, and then rebuilt by the Frankapans. God. In 1388, the city statute was drafted. With the strengthening of the Ottoman threat in the second half of the XV. In the 19th century, the Croatian-Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus sought to retake Senj from the Frankapans, assigning it an important strategic role. By the king’s order, the army under Blaž Podmanicki occupied the city in 1469, which then became a free royal city and the center of the newly established Senj captaincy. In the XV. In the 19th century, new towers were built (Leon’s Tower, Lipica, Šabac). From 1494 to 1508, the Glagolitic printing house operated there, which was later moved to Rijeka. With the fall of Klis in 1537 into Ottoman hands, → Uskoks came to Senj, and they were joined by fugitives from Venetian territory (venturini). In the first half of the 16th century, the town was fortified with city walls, and in 1558 the Senj captain I. Lenković built the Nehaj fortress on a hill above the town.

the second half of the 16th and the first half of the 17th. Senj Uskoks often invaded the neighboring Venetian and Ottoman territories. Due to the looting of Venetian merchant ships, the Venetian Republic blocked the city from the sea at the end of the 16th century. God. In 1596, the Uskoks of Senj took part in the battles for Klis, during which the Bishop of Senj Antun Dominis was killed, and in 1597 they seized Venetian and Ottoman ships in Rovinj. Due to Venetian complaints at the Viennese court, the Court War Council in Graz sent Captain J. Rabatt to Senj in 1601, who was to conquer the Uskoks, but was soon killed. Due to the Uskoks, the Uskok or Gradiška War broke out between the Habsburg Monarchy and the Venetian Republic in 1615, ending in a peace treaty in Madrid (1617), by which the Uskoks were forcibly displaced from Senj after 1618. From the 1630s, it was the center of the newly established diocese, formed by merging the dioceses of Senj and Modruš-Krbava. Although King Ferdinand III. The Habsburgs confirmed Senj’s city rights in 1640, and in 1652 the status of a free royal city, the influence of military administration in it remained strong. In the middle of the XVIII. century became part of a single commercial area, called the Austrian Littoral, and as early as 1776 it was returned to the Military Frontier. Since it was connected to Karlovac by Jozefinska cesta in 1779, the importance of the port of Senj has increased. From 1809 to 1813 it was under French rule as part of the Illyrian provinces, and then it was re-annexed to the Military Frontier; since 1871 it has been a part of the Ban of Croatia. God. In 1868 the Chamber of Commerce and Crafts was founded in the town, and in 1870 the Brodarsko društvo was founded; nevertheless, after the opening of the Zagreb-Rijeka railway via Ogulin (1873), port traffic fell sharply, losing Senj’s economic importance. The population first grew (2953 inhabitants, 1857; 3496 inhabitants, 1869), then fell and stagnated (2785 inhabitants, 1890; 3036 inhabitants, 1921). For II. World War II the city was destroyed in a bombing raid. God. In 1969, the Diocese of Senj and Modruš was merged with the Archdiocese of Rijeka into the Archdiocese of Rijeka and Senj and the metropolis. Since 2000, the city is under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Gospić-Senj diocese.

Citation:
Senj. Croatian Encyclopedia, online edition. Lexicographic Institute Miroslav Krleža, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2022. <http://www.enciklopedija.hr/Natuknica.aspx?ID=55414>.

The town of Senj is one of the oldest towns on the northern Adriatic and is known for its extremely rich and turbulent history. In addition to the urban center, the city area includes 76 km of coastline with several fishing villages, many bays and beautifully clean rocky beaches.
The symbol of the city is the fortress Nehaj, built in 1558, from which the famous Uskoks of Senj defended the city from foreign invaders – Turks and Venetians. Early on, Senj became the center of Glagolitic literacy, and in 1494 the town got its first printing house, which in the same year published its first work, the Missal, according to the law of the Roman court.
Nowadays, Senj is more and more oriented towards tourism and offers its guests a pleasant stay, crystal clear sea, beautiful beaches and excellent gastronomic and entertainment offer.


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