Kaštela

Kaštela () is a town in Dalmatia, Croatia. The town is an agglomeration of seven individual settlements which are administered as a single municipality, with populations individually ranging from 3,000 to 7,000 residents. The town is located northwest of the city of Split, west of Solin and east of Trogir, on the central Dalmatian coast. With a total population of 37,794 since 2021Template:Dated maintenance category (articles) census, it is the 14th largest town in the country.

History

In the area of today's Kaštela, in the Early Iron Age – from the 9th to the 5th century BC. – the first Illyrian settlements (fortresses) were established in the area of Biranj, Luko and Ostrožine. Traces of life in the Kaštela area can be found as early as prehistoric times, as evidenced by the sources from Mujina cave, which is located in a mountainous area above Plano on the way to Prgomet. Prehistoric man settled in this area and then he found enough fertile soil and drinking water here. From the 1st century BC they were under Roman Empire rule, when a large number of summer houses (villae rusticae) were built for the needs of Roman veterans; the remains of the Siculi settlement near Resnik have been preserved from that period. A large number of buildings date from the early Christian and early Croatian periods; the remains of churches and buildings of early Croatian rulers have been found at the sites of Bijaći, Putalj, Kozice, Lažane, Ostrog and Sv. Petar od Klobučac.

The local population came into contact with the Greeks already present in Trogir, their culture and art. The area of the Resnik port bears witness to the trade between the Greeks, as numerous artifacts from the Hellenistic period have been found there.

In the Middle Ages, the area of Kaštela Field, as an integral part of the royal estate (territorium regale), was included in the communal estate of Split and Trogir by royal grants, and became the subject of numerous disputes between these two cities. From 1420, together with the rest of the Dalmatian coast, it was included in the territory of the Venetian Republic. From the end of the 14th century nobles from nearby towns built sixteen fortress-palaces to defend against the Ottomans; around seven of them, settlements formed, consisting of regularly arranged peasant houses within the walls. The castles had Renaissance architectural features, luxurious inner courtyards and rich interiors. Until 1797, the castles were part of the Venetian Republic, from 1797 to 1806 part of the Austrian part of the Habsburg Monarchy, from 1806 to 1813 part of the French Illyrian provinces, and from 1815 they were again part of the Habsburg Monarchy. When a new administrative division was introduced in 1822, small municipalities (so-called unions) were established in the area of the castles: Kaštel Lukšić and Kaštel Kambelovac (together with Kaštel Sućurac and Kaštel Gomilica) which belonged to the Split district and the Kaštel Novi union (with Kaštel Štafilić and Kaštel Stari). In 1847, the Lukšić and Kambelovac unions merged.

Geography

The town of Kaštela is located in Dalmatia region, in Kaštelanski zaljev (Kaštela bay), between the city of Trogir on the west and Solin on the east, or the island of Čiovo and Marjan hill (780 m), underneath the Kozjak mountain. It stretches for approximately 20 km and it consists of following settlements (from Trogir to Solin):

• Kaštel Štafilić (2,822)
• Kaštel Novi (6,507)
• Kaštel Stari (6,950)
• Kaštel Lukšić (5,221)
• Kaštel Kambelovac (5,051)
• Kaštel Gomilica (4,699)
• Kaštel Sućurac (6,544)

Kaštela is an urbanized area with a rich agricultural environment (vines, fruits, vegetables, flowers), developed industry (cement, chemical industry) and tourism. Split Airport is located in the western part of Kaštela (in Kaštel Štafilić).

Overview

The Kaštela Riviera is a fertile area, about in length, featuring the first Roman floating docks and 50 places on the long, verdant area, northwest of Split. It is divided into Gornja (upper) and Donja Kaštela (lower), and it consists of seven old and two relatively new settlements. The Kaštela region with its Mediterranean tone, picturesque landscape and unique composition of natural environment attracted people since prehistoric times. From ancient Greek sailors, Roman patricians, Croatian kings, rulers, Venetian royals to the present sun and sea lovers, as well as mysterious legacies from the past.

Once an ancient Greek port, a stopover point for Roman veterans and a summer place for Croatian kings is today a tourist resort, carrying the same name. Along its long sandy beach there are terraces and viewpoints, tennis and other sports grounds, surrounded by greenery of pine and tamaris trees.

The Jadro River (the original water supply for the ancient city of Diocletian's Palace) flows through the town of Solin and provides water supply to both Split and Kaštela. Contemporary studies indicate favourable water quality levels of the river near the headwaters at Jadro Spring. Certain other studies of hydrology and sedimentation have been conducted in this area.

Climate

Since records began in 1981, the highest temperature recorded at the local weather station was , on 2 August 2017. The coldest temperature was , on 7 January 2017.

Economy

The industrial zone is developed, and there is an aluminium extraction facility in the vicinity of Kaštel Sućurac and the Split Airport is located in Kaštel Štafilić. Present area of Kaštela and its inland in the vicinity of ancient Salona were inhabited very early (the finds from the Roman and Old Croatian period).

Culture

Folklore society KUD 7 Kaštela was formed in 1980. Society organizes annual "Tamburica & Mandolina" folklore summer event, with folklore societies from Slavonija and Dalmatia.

Twin towns – sister cities

Kaštela is twinned with:

• Template:Flagicon Bardejov, Slovakia
• Template:Flagicon Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
• Template:Flagicon Kiseljak, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Template:Flagicon Kupres, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Template:Flagicon Lindlar, Germany
• Template:Flagicon Pszczyna, Poland
• Template:Flagicon Yountville, United States

See also

• Dalmatia
• Split Airport