Bibinje () is the only settlement in the eponymous municipality in southern

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

, a suburb of

Zadar Zadar ( , ), historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian, ; see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ...

, between the Adriatic tourist road and the sea, having a four-kilometer coastline with beaches and pathways. According to the 2011 census, it has 3,985 residents, 97% of which are

Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...

. The name Bibano or Bibanium dates as far back as the 11th century. The population always depended on agriculture and cattle breeding, followed by the fishing trade in more recent times. Bibinje was first mentioned in written

documents A document is a written, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ', which denotes a "teaching" or "lesson": ...

in 1214. Bibinje has been inhabited since

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

times, which proves the origin of the name of this settlement. Bibinje was named after Vibius, a Roman patrician who owned property in the area of today's Bibinje.

Demographics

Tourism

Tourism dates back to the middle of the 20th century. There is a

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

in the Bibinje area called ''Dalmacija'', with various facilities. Its area is about 70,000 m², and it is the largest

Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

marina with 1,400 berths. Visitors are greeted by their hosts and welcome to rent rooms and apartments with accommodation for approximately 2,500 guests in 800 registered rooms and apartments. There are several camps to choose from, all of them situated a few meters from the sea. Local restaurants offer special dishes of the region, there are cafes, small shops, a self-service shop in the center, a repair shop for vehicles and boat engines. There is a post office with money exchange office, a kindergarten, a general practice clinic, a dentist's office, and a drugstore. One can always get all the necessary information in the Bibinje tourist office concerning accommodation or entertainment. There is a very interesting ethnographic collection in the town museum, and sacral 15th century exhibits in the

John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

's Church. There are five

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

churches in Bibinje. The village is home to a monument to the first

n president

Franjo Tuđman Franjo Tuđman (14 May 1922 – 10 December 1999) was a Croatian politician and historian who became the first president of Croatia, from 1990 until his death in 1999. He served following the Independence of Croatia, country's independe ...

and a memorial entitled ''Greeting to the Sea''.Unveiling of memorial ''Greeting to the Sea'' in Bibinje ''(in Croatian)''
/ref> The tourists are known for their monthly Marathon Mondays, wherein participants can only drink alcoholic beverages over a twenty-three hour period, from sunrise to sunrise. During peak season, sunrise starts early, much to the chagrin of locals. By completing the challenge, people feel a great deal of accomplishment and pride. Tourists tend to join their spiritual tradition, but the majority fails tremendously. When participants fail the laborious challenge, they are dunked into the sea by fellow drinkers.

References

External links

*
Tourist office Bibinje
Municipalities of Croatia Populated places in Zadar County {{Zadar-geo-stub