Novigrad ( it, Cittanova) is a town in

Istria County Istria County (; hr, Istarska županija; it, Regione istriana, "Istrian Region") is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian peninsula ( out of , or 89%). Administrative centers in the county are Pazi ...

in western

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 ...

. It is also sometimes referred to as Novigrad Istarski () to distinguish it from three other Croatian towns of the same name. Novigrad is set on a small peninsula on the western coast of

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...

, north of the mouth of the river Mirna and some south of the border with

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

. At the 2011 census the town proper had a population of 2,622, while the administrative area – which also includes four nearby villages – had 4,345 inhabitants. 66% of population were ethnic

Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...

while the biggest minority group were Istrian Italians (10%).

History

There was an ancient city in the broad area of what is now Novigrad, which was called Aemona. In the 5th-6th centuries Novigrad was called ''Neapolis'' ( Greek Νεάπολις). From the early

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

and right up until 1828 it was the seat of the Diocese of Novigrad, which has been identified with the Ancient see of Aemona and nominally restored as Latin Catholic

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

under both names. From 1270 it was under the rule of the

Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

, which gave it the Italian name of ''Cittanova'', until Venice fell in the late 18th century. According to the 1921 census, there were no

in Novigrad.

Novigrad today

Situated on a peninsula, Novigrad has retained its medieval structure and layout, with narrow, winding streets and small shops. The fortifications belong to the medieval era: the town wall still stands with its battlements and two round towers. There are examples of secular architecture from the time of the Venetian empire, such as the town loggia and several houses built in

Venetian Gothic Venetian Gothic is the particular form of Italian Gothic architecture typical of Venice, originating in local building requirements, with some influence from Byzantine architecture, and some from Islamic architecture, reflecting Venice's trading ...

style. The present church was built in the 15th and 16th centuries on the foundations of the 8th-century

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

of Saint Pelagius that had a nave and two aisles. Under the present presbytery is a late Romanesque crypt. In the sacristy are 15th-century antiphonaries with beautiful simple initials. Novigrad was the host of the

2016 nine-pin bowling Single's World Championships The 2016 World Singles Ninepin Bowling Classic Championships was the sixth edition of the world singles championships and was held in Novigrad, Croatia, from 22 May to 28 May 2018. In the men's sprint and single triumphed Vilmoš Zavarko (Se ...

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, Novigrad had 2,622 residents, with a total municipal population of 4,345. Ethnic Croats comprised 66.42% of the total population, followed by

Italians , flag = , flag_caption = The national flag of Italy , population = , regions = Italy 55,551,000 , region1 = Brazil , pop1 = 25–33 million , ref1 = , region2 ...

(10.20%),

Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...

(3.36%),

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...

(2.83%) and

Slovenes The Slovenes, also known as Slovenians ( sl, Slovenci ), are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Slovenia, and adjacent regions in Italy, Austria and Hungary. Slovenes share a common ancestry, culture, history and speak Slovene as their n ...

(2.09%), while 10.66% of the population was regionally affiliated. Italians in Novigrad are organised in an association with the objective of preserving and promoting the specificity of the Italian community. The Town of Novigrad consists of following settlements: * Antenal, population 152 * Bužinija (''Businia''), population 936 * Dajla (''Daila''), population 396 * Mareda, population 239 *Novigrad (''Cittanova''), population 2,662

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities and towns in Croatia Populated coastal places in Croatia Populated places in Istria County Italian-speaking territorial units in Croatia