Murter (; it, Mortero; la, Colentum) is an island in the

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

n part of the

Adriatic Sea 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 Sea) ...

Population

The main settlements on the island are Murter, located on the north-western part of the island, and the southern part of Tisno. Other settlements on the island include the villages of

Betina Betina is a village located on the Croatian island of Murter, seven km from Tisno, where a drawbridge connects the island and the mainland. The largest of the Šibenik archipelago islands, and the closest to the mainland, it has been populated ...

on the northwestern side and Jezera on the southeastern coast. In the 2011 census, the total island population is about 3,608 inhabitants.

Geography

The island is in the northwest part of the

Šibenik Šibenik () is a historic city in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia, where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is a political, educational, transport, industrial and tourist center of Šibenik-Knin County, and is also the ...

archipelago, separated from the mainland by a wide sea canal at Tisno which is spanned by a short draw-bridge. The island covers an area of about , and the highest point is the peak of Raduč at

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as '' orthometric heights''. The ...

. There are old military tunnels dug deep inside the hill. The southwestern coastline is predominantly steep slopes divided by many sandy

cove A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. Coves usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are of ...

s. The island has many rocky beaches, as well as several sandy ones.

History

The island has been populated for nearly two millennia. An Illyric- Roman settlement known as Colentum has been found near Betina. In 1293, documents show that Murter was called "Villa Magna' meaning big village. During the 13th century there were two documented settlements on the island: Jezera and Veliko Selo. Srimač (now Murter) and the island itself were mentioned in the year 1318 as Insula Mortari. Betina and Tisno were most likely built around the beginning of the 15th century, during the time of Ottoman attacks in the area. The population of the island increased as refugees fled from the Turks. In a naval battle in June 1944, the Yugoslav torpedo boat T7 - then part of the pro-Nazi Navy of the Independent State of Croatia - was driven aground on Murter and destroyed by

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

Fairmile D motor torpedo boat The Fairmile D motor torpedo boat was a type of British motor torpedo boat (MTB) and motor gunboat (MGB)Reynolds, Leonard C. ''Dog Boats at War: Royal Navy D Class MTBs and MGBs, 1939–1945.'' 2000. designed by Bill Holt and conceived by F ...

Heritage

*Many

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

texts written in

Glagolitic The Glagolitic script (, , ''glagolitsa'') is the oldest known Slavic alphabet. It is generally agreed to have been created in the 9th century by Saint Cyril, a monk from Thessalonica. He and his brother Saint Methodius were sent by the Byzan ...

/ Slavonic instead of the traditional

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

style have been found and are preserved here and in the Vatican. *St. Michael's church, St. Rock's chapel, and the church of Our Lady of Gradina are the oldest churches on the island. *The population of Murter traditionally are engaged in agriculture and fishing and are well-known for these skills, as well as being producers of excellent olive oil. There is a short film documentary about the touristic season; off the island, the title of the film is
Post Mortem
. *Beaches, quality accommodation, and various services make Murter an ideal tourist destination; it has been one of the most visited destinations in this region for years. * A little-known fact is that the island had a military base built in World War Two on top of the hill, with tunnels bored deep inside it. Some locals believe the place is haunted.

References

{{Authority control Islands of Croatia Islands of the Adriatic Sea Landforms of Šibenik-Knin County