Drniš

Drniš

Drniš Drniš (Croatia)
County	Šibenik-Knin
Latitude	43.86°N
Longitude	16.16°E
Mayor	Ante Dželalija (Independent)
Surface (mi²)	221
Population (2006)	8,595
Time zone (UTC)	UTC+1 Central European Time

Drniš is a town in Croatia, located in inland Dalmatia at 43°51′45″N 16°9′20″E halfway between Šibenik and Knin. Its municipality population is 8,595 (2001), with 3,332 in the town itself and the rest in two dozen surrounding villages. In the 2001 census, 91.16% of the population declared themselves Croats

History

The town was founded during the time of the Turkish invasion in 1522 because of its strategic location and view of the area. During the time, many buildings were built, that are still preserved today. During the Baroque period, the mosque built by the Turks was transformed into a church

During the Croatian War of Independence, on September 16, 1991, Drniš was attacked by forces of the Republic of Serbian Krajina, at which point the Croatian population fled under mortar fire, and on the following day the Serbian forces occupied the town. After Operation Storm in August 1995, Drniš was restored to Croatian government control, and the Serbian population fled to Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Croats have mostly returned to the city.

Heritage

The village of Otavice near Drniš is the place where the noted sculptor Ivan Meštrović spent his childhood. A museum has been built which has an exhibition of the archeological rests from the neolithic and Roman eras, along with Croatian history.

The composer Krsto Odak (March 20, 1888-November 4, 1965) was born in Siverić near Drniš. Politicians Božidar Adžija and Dražen Budiša and sculptor Ivan Mestrovic were also from the area. Famous center from Croatian national basketball team, Stojko Vranković is also from Drniš.

The area is also known for its agricultural orientation and a once notable mining center.

External Links

• Info Adriatic: Drnis
• Official site