Zadar is the oldest continuously-inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serves as the seat of Zadar County and of the wider northern Dalmatian region. The city proper covers 25 km2 (9.7sq mi) with a population of 75,082 in 2011, making it the second-largest city of the region of Dalmatia and the fifth-largest city in the country.
The area of present Zadar traces its earliest evidence oh human life from the late Stone Age, while numerous settlements date as early as the Neolithic. Before the Illyrians, an ancient Mediterranean People of an Indo-European culture inhabited the area. Zadar traces its origin to its 9th century BCE founding as a settlement of the Illyrians tribe of Liburnians known as Lader. In 59 BCE, it was renamed Ladera when it became a Roman Municipium. In 48 BCE, it became a Roman Colonia. During Roman rule, Zadar acquired the characteristics of a Traditional Ancient Roman City with a regular road network, a public square (forum), and an elevated Capitolium with a temple.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and the destruction of Salona by Avars and Croats in 614, Zadar became the capital of the Byzantine theme of Dalmatia. In the beginning of the 9th century, Zadarcame briefly under Frankish rule, but the Pax Nicephori returned it to the Byzantine in 812. The first Croatian rulers gained brief control over the city in the 10th century. In 998, Zadar swore allegiance Doge Pietro Orseolo ll and became a vassal of the Republic of Venice. In 1186, it places itself under the protection of Bela lll king of Hungary and Croatia. In 1202, the Venetians, with the help of Crusaders, reconquered and sacked Zadar. Hungary regained control over the city in 1358 when it was given to King Louis I of Hungary. In 1409, King Ladislaus sold Zadar to the Venetians. When the Turks conquered the Zadar hinterland at the beginning of the 16th century, the town became an important stronghold, ensuring Venetian trade in the Adriatic, the administrative Center of the Venetian territories in Dalmatia and a cultural Center. This fostered an environment in which arts and literature could flourish and between the 15th century and 17th centuries, Zadar came under the influence of the Renaissance giving rise to many important Italian Renaissance figures like Giorgio Ventura and Giovanni Francesco Fortunio, who wrote the first Italian grammar book and many famous Croatian writers, such as Petar Zoranić, Brne Krnarutić, Juraj Baraković and Some Budnić, who wrote in the Croatian language.
After the fall of Venice in 1797, Zadar came under the Austrian rule until 1918, except for the period od short-term French rule (1805–1813) still remaining the Capital of Dalmatia. During French rule, the first newspaper in the Croatian language, II Region Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin, was published in Zadar (1806–1810). During the 19th century, Zadar functioned as a Center of the Croatian movement for cultural and national revival in a context of increasing polarization and politicization of ethnic identities between Croats and Dalmatian's Italian's. With the 1920 Treaty of Rapallo, Zadar was given to the Kingdom of Italy. During World War II, it was bombed by the Allies and witnessed the evacuation of ethnic Italians. Partisans captured the city on 1 November 1944; in 1947, it officially became part of SR Croatia, a federal constituent of SFR Yugoslavia, whose armed forces defended it in October 1991 from the Serb forces who aimed to capture it.
Today, Zadar is a historical center of Dalmatia, Zadar County's principal political, cultural, commercial industrial educational, and transportation centre. Zadar is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zadar. Because of its rich heritage, Zadar is today one of the most popular Croatian tourist destinations, named "entertainment center of the Adriatic" by The Times and "Croatian's new capital of cool" by The Guardian. In 2016, the Belgian portal Europe's Best Destinations named Zadar the Best European Destination after three weeks period of online voting involving more than 288.000 votes.
The most important sites to see tourists who visit this city are:
Roman Forum (founded by the first Roman Emperor Augustus)
Church of St. Donatus (9th century)
St. Anastasia's Cathedral (built in the 12th to the 13th century)
St. Chrysogonus and St. Simeon (Romanesque style 14th century)
St Mary's Church which retains a fine Romanesque campanile from 1105, belongs to the Benedictine Convent founded in 1066 by a noblewoman of Zadar by the name of Cika.
The Citadel 1409
The Land Gate - built to a design by the Venetian architects Michele in 1543.
The unique sea organ.
The Great Arsenal.
Welcome to the beautiful city of Zadar!