Biograd na Moru (Italian: Zaravecchia) is a city and municipality in northern Dalmatia, Croatia. Its population is 6,059 (2005). Biograd is administratively part of the Zadar county. It is located on the Adriatic Sea coast, overlooking the island of Pašman, on the road from Zadar and Sukošan towards Vodice and Šibenik. It has a population of 5,259 (2001 census), 95% which are Croats.
The city of Biograd is a noted tourist resort with a long tradition. Its first tourists started arriving in the 1920s from the Czech lands and its first hotel was built in 1935.
Geography
Biograd na Moru is located 28 km south from county center Zadar. It is located on small peninsula surrounded by two little bays - Soline on south and Bošane on north and in front islands Planac and Sveta Katarina. Average temperature in january is 7°C and 24°C in july. Biograd is only settlement in municipality.
History
The town's name means "white town on the sea". It was first mentioned in the 10th century as a town founded by Croatian kings. It became the capital of Croatian kings as well as bishops, and was the city where Coloman of Hungary was coronated in 1102, marking Croatia's joining the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1202, when the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade occupied the city of Zara (Zadar), many of its citizens took refuge in Biograd, after which the city was also referred to as Zara vecchia ("Old Zara").
During the 13th and 14th century the city was run by the dukes of Cetina, the Knights Templar of Vrana and the dukes of Bribir the Šubićes. It was acquired by the Venetian Republic in 1409 and would remain its property until its downfall in 1797.
During the Venetian-Turkish wars, the city was gravely damaged, and on two occasions, in 1521 and in 1646, it was destroyed and burned. In the 16th and 17th century, the Croatian militia formed in Biograd and had much involvement in the wars against the Turks.
In recent history, the Serbian forces inflicted considerable damage by long-range bombardment in the period 1991-1993 during the Croatian War of Independence.
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