SINJ - The Heart of Knight Country

The Cetina region spreads across the area along the upper part of the Cetina River, between the Dinara massif to the north and the Kamešnica massif to the northeast, the Kozjak and Svilaja massifs to the west, and several lower hills to the south. Sinj is historical centre of this region. It is located in the western part of spacious Sinjsko Polje (Sinj Field), at the intersection of roads connecting the sea with inland Croatia.
The earliest settlements in this area date back to the late Bronze Age, while in Roman times, at the beginning of the modern era, the Osinijata settlement - from which comes the ancient name for Sinj (Osinium) - was established.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, when Venetian rule in this area began, Sinj started to take on the contours of an urban centre. A new Franciscan such institution in this country. This museum, presenting the archaeological heritage from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, includes a valuable collection of objects from ancient Aequum, as well as ecclesiastical
vessels and treasures from the monastery and the Church of Our Lady of Sinj began to be built on the hill beneath the old medieval fortress. Opposite them was built the small Kamičak Fortress, along with the Kvartir, which served as a barracks for the Venetian army. Sinj owes its development to the favourable conditions prevailing during the time of Austrian administration in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1853 a classical gymnasium was founded at the Franciscan monastery, where instruction was given in Croatian, while 1860 saw the opening of the Museum of Antiquity, the fourth most important monastery and the Church of
Our Lady of Sinj.
The Cetina River gave this area both its name (Cetinska Krajina, or the Cetina region) and its life. The Cetina, which springs from beneath Mt. Dinara in Vrličko Polje (Vrlika Field), flows gently through Sinjsko Polje, emerging from a deep cave and branching out across the field in clear streams. This fertile field, among the largest in Dalmatinska Zagora, is an oasis of greenery in the region’s stony karst landscape. The fertile plain is surrounded by human settlements: Gala,recognised and sought after by guests seeking tranquillity and recreation in pure natural surroundings. Nature and the traditional way of life have created excellent conditions for this kind of tourism. The gastronomy of the Cetina region is known far and wide for its method of preparing old-time recipes using high-quality ingredients: arambašiÊi (filled cabbage rolls), koštradina (dried meat cooked in sauerkraut), soparnik, prosciutto, cheese, cabbage, Sinj-style soup, wild game, fish, crawfish and frogs are only some of the delicacies served to guests here.
Sport fishing and hunting, along with hiking, cycling, and river kayaking and canoeing, are popular activities in this area, which offers visitors a unique encounter with nature.Otok, UdoviËiÊi, Ruda and Grab to the east, Sinj, Brnaze, Turjaci and Košute to the west, Glavice to the north, and Jabuka and Trilj to the south, at the end of Sinjsko Polje. The local inhabitants have traditionally engaged in cattle raising, horse breeding and farming. This hilly area is considerably influenced by the Mediterranean climate which, in combination with the continental, forms a sub-Mediterranean atmosphere that makes it a cool oasis during the summer months. Here nature is attractive in every season. In spring the field is adorned with primroses and daffodils. At the start of summer the fragrance of thyme and sage attracts thousands of heather-seeking bees. Warm summer days have the aroma of wild strawberries, while autumn enriches nature with fruits that attract man and beast alike. All of this is accompanied by the rippling of the Cetina’s clear waters on their way to the sea.
For the people of Sinj, horses have been part of the plain and the river since time immemorial. This is also evident today, when tourism is increasingly becoming a part of their everyday lives. Rides along the river and through the green hills surrounding Sinj, or on organised excursions lasting several days, suggest that equestrian sports could become the driving force behind Sinj tourism.
In recent times, thanks to incentives for developing village households, this area has become increasingly