Biskupija
Encyclopedia
Biskupija is a village and a municipality in Šibenik-Knin County
, Croatia
.
The municipality covers a karst field called Kosovo polje located between the mountains of Promina
and Veliki Kozjak
. The village of Biskupija itself is located in the north of the municipality, just south of Knin
.
state road and the Zagreb
-Split
railroad pass through the field.
There are a total of 1,669 inhabitants in the municipality: 1,290 Serbs, 337 Croats
and 42 others. By mother tongue, there are 1,494 Croatian
speakers, 168 Serbian
speakers and 7 speakers of other languages.
Parts of the municipality are several settlements (villages and hamlets):
The village of Zvjerinac was previously referred to as Kosovo.
, the former church and cultural centre of the Croatia
n state in the Middle Ages
. Archaeologists have discovered the foundations of five churches in that village, dating from the period of Croatian rulers from the 9th to the 11th century. St Mary's church was the residence of the Bishop of Knin, who was Bishop of Croatia from 1040 to 1522. The earliest known figure of Our Lady in Croatian art was discovered by archaeologists in that same church on a part of the stone partition wall, which separated the shrine from the church nave. It is still venerated as Our Lady of the Great Croatian Vow.
Today, on the foundations of the old Croatian church of the same name there stands a memorial church, decorated between 1937 and 1938 according to the designs of Croatia’s most famous sculptor, Ivan Meštrović
. The church is a single-nave building (16 x 8.4 m) with a square niche for the altar, and a 12.5 metre-tall steeple before it. Ivan Meštrović also created the statue of Our Lady, depicting a Mother wearing a folk costume from Dalmatian Zagora, with a child on her lap, and who is writing the book of life. Regrettably, however, the statue was destroyed by Serbian
extremists. Above the niche containing the main altar the renowned Croatian artist, Jozo Kljaković, painted the fresco "King Zvonimir holding Court", which was also riddled by bullets fired by Serbian extremists. The church was thoroughly refurbished in 1966, when Meštrović's statue was restored. Since then, the main pilgrimage occurs on the last Sunday in September, when the Holy Virgin’s name is honoured. The church was once again destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence
, and now awaits rebuilding.
Šibenik-Knin County
Šibenik-Knin County is a county in Croatia, located in north-central Dalmatia. Its center is Šibenik; other notable towns are Knin, Drniš and Skradin....
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
The municipality covers a karst field called Kosovo polje located between the mountains of Promina
Promina (mountain)
Promina is a mountain in inland Dalmatia, Croatia. Its highest peak is Velika Promina at 1,148 m.a.s.l....
and Veliki Kozjak
Veliki Kozjak
Veliki Kozjak or just Kozjak is a mountain cliff in Croatia, located in inland of Dalmatian Zagora.It belongs to Dinaric Alps, and it stretches over small village Kijevo between towns of Vrlika and Knin....
. The village of Biskupija itself is located in the north of the municipality, just south of Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
.
Geography
The D33D33 (Croatia)
D33 connects Šibenik to Drniš and Knin. Furthermore the road has junctions to major state roads, namely D8 in Šibenik, connecting to Biograd na Moru and Trogir, and D1 state road in Knin, which in turn connects to Sinj to the south and to Gračac to the north...
state road and the Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
-Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
railroad pass through the field.
There are a total of 1,669 inhabitants in the municipality: 1,290 Serbs, 337 Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
and 42 others. By mother tongue, there are 1,494 Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
speakers, 168 Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
speakers and 7 speakers of other languages.
Parts of the municipality are several settlements (villages and hamlets):
- Biskupija - 466
- Markovac - 77
- Orlić - 341
- Ramljane - 124
- Riđane - 87
- Uzdolje - 214
- Vrbnik - 323
- Zvjerinac - 37
The village of Zvjerinac was previously referred to as Kosovo.
History and culture
The shrine of Our Lady of Biskupija, or St. Mary of Croatia, is situated in the village of Biskupija, 5 km southeast of KninKnin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
, the former church and cultural centre of the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n state in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Archaeologists have discovered the foundations of five churches in that village, dating from the period of Croatian rulers from the 9th to the 11th century. St Mary's church was the residence of the Bishop of Knin, who was Bishop of Croatia from 1040 to 1522. The earliest known figure of Our Lady in Croatian art was discovered by archaeologists in that same church on a part of the stone partition wall, which separated the shrine from the church nave. It is still venerated as Our Lady of the Great Croatian Vow.
Today, on the foundations of the old Croatian church of the same name there stands a memorial church, decorated between 1937 and 1938 according to the designs of Croatia’s most famous sculptor, Ivan Meštrović
Ivan Meštrovic
Ivan Meštrović was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor and architect born in Vrpolje, Croatia...
. The church is a single-nave building (16 x 8.4 m) with a square niche for the altar, and a 12.5 metre-tall steeple before it. Ivan Meštrović also created the statue of Our Lady, depicting a Mother wearing a folk costume from Dalmatian Zagora, with a child on her lap, and who is writing the book of life. Regrettably, however, the statue was destroyed by Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
extremists. Above the niche containing the main altar the renowned Croatian artist, Jozo Kljaković, painted the fresco "King Zvonimir holding Court", which was also riddled by bullets fired by Serbian extremists. The church was thoroughly refurbished in 1966, when Meštrović's statue was restored. Since then, the main pilgrimage occurs on the last Sunday in September, when the Holy Virgin’s name is honoured. The church was once again destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, and now awaits rebuilding.
External links
- http://www.croatia.hr/English/TurizamPlus/Aktivnost.aspx?idActivity=11&idOrder=1