May 21, 2026
In 1409, Zadar was sold to Venice for 100,000 ducats, a chapter known as the ‘shameful sale of Dalmatia.’ Venetian dominance persisted until the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797.
Later, Zadar became part of the Kingdom of Italy under the 1920 Treaty of Rapallo, which settled the status of former Austro-Hungarian territories. It had a large Italian majority and was an Italian enclave in Dalmatia. From the 1920s on, many more Croats were pressured to leave the city. Up until 1941, the city was surrounded by Italian fortifications.
*
The bombing of Zadar during the Second World War by the Allies lasted from November 1943 to October 1944. The bombing of Zadar stands out because of the number of attacks and the number of fatalities. Reports vary greatly; the Allies documented 30 bombing raids, while contemporary Italian accounts claim 54. Fatalities recorded range from under 1,000 to as many as 4,000 of the city’s 20,000 inhabitants.
Over the course of the bombing, 80% of the city’s buildings were destroyed. Zadar has been called the “Dresden of the Adriatic”. The city was rebuilt following the original street layout.
There was a music competition happening while we were in Zadar. Every evening they would stroll the streets singing and then end in the square for the judged competition.
A procession outside my window to open the contest every evening. I am sorry the photo does not come through.
*
