The picturesque old town of Trogir in Croatia is situated on a small island which is connected to the mainland by a bridge and protected by walls and a fortress. In 380 B.C. Greeks from Issa settled there and founded the fortified city of Tragyrion.

It was only under Croatian rule that the island fortress regained its former importance when, in 1107, it became a diocesan city and received municipal rights by King Koloman.

At the south-western end of the island is the imposing Kamerlengo Fortress, former residence of the Venetian governor and his militia. High walls connect various towers from which there is a good view of the sea.

Church steeples rise above the rooftops.as though to highlight the importance of religion during Venetian rule. Several coastal towns entered into agreements with Venice whose mighty fleet offered protection against pirate raids.

In 1997 the entire old town was designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site, a closely packed-together collection of residential buildings, churches, narrow streets and courtyards.

Repeated hostilities of the Ottomans finally ended the heyday of this fine city but its former splendour has been well preserved and Trogir now serves as a priceless glance back into the Middle Ages.