The Petrovo Polje (, "Peter's Field") is a

karstic field A polje, also called karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually in the range of 5–400 km2 (2–154 sq mi). The name derives from the Slavic languages, ...

in the northern part of

Dalmatian Hinterland The Dalmatian Hinterland () is the southern inland hinterland in the historical Croatian region of Dalmatia. The name means 'beyond (the) hills', which is a reference to the fact that it is the part of Dalmatia that is not coastal and the existe ...

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 ...

Geography

Petrovo Polje is the shape of an isosceles triangle long and wide, and is surrounded by mountains

Svilaja Svilaja is a mountain range in Croatia, in the Dalmatian Hinterland. It is part of the Dinaric Alps and stretches from the town of Sinj northwest to the Petrovo field, approximately 30 km in length. The highest peak is Svilaja or Bat at 15 ...

, Promina and

Moseć Moseć is a village in Šibenik-Knin County, 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 ...

. It slopes from the north-east at 320 m.a.s.l. to its south-western end at 265 m.a.s.l. Its area is .

Climate

The climate of Petrovo Polje has the elements of both the cooler and harsher

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...

of the north and the warmer climate predominant in the south. In the winter,

jugo Sirocco ( ) or scirocco is a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe, especially during the summer season. Names ''Sirocco'' derives from '' šurūq'' (), verbal noun o ...

and bora winds are common. The average number of frost days per year is 30, between October and April. Summers are dry.

Settlements

The settlements are situated on the edge of the field:

Drniš Drniš is a town in the Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia. Located in the Dalmatian Hinterland, it is about halfway between Šibenik and Knin. History The name Drniš was mentioned for the first time in a contract dated March 8, 1494. However, the ...

, Kričke, Ružić,

Umljanović Umljanović is a village in Ružić municipality, Šibenik-Knin County, Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of ...

Kljake Kljake is a village in Šibenik-Knin County, 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 ...

Čavoglave Čavoglave is a village in Dalmatian Hinterland, Croatia with a population of 190.Čavoglave
pristuplj ...

, Gradac, Otavice, Kanjane,

Parčić Parčić is a small village located in the region called Bukovica, 14 km northwest of Kistanje, in the continental part of Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Cent ...

, Miočić, Biočić,

Tepljuh Tepljuh is a settlement in the town of Drniš in Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia. It is located about 7 kilometers northeast of Drniš, in the northwestern part of Petrovo Polje. The settlement has an average elevation of 402 meters above the sea ...

Siverić Siverić is a village in 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, ...

, Badanj.

Kadina Glavica __NOTOC__ Kadina may refer to: Australia New South Wales * Kadina, New South Wales, a locality * Kadina High School South Australia * Kadina, South Australia, a town and locality * Kadina Cemetery * Kadina Town Hall, a town hall in South Australia ...

is located on the hill with the same name, while Baljci and

Mirlović Polje Mirlović Polje is a village in Šibenik-Knin County, 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 ...

are located above the field, on the slopes of Svilaja.

History and culture

In the antiquity, Petrovo Polje was known under the name of Campus Illyricum. Its present-day name, first mentioned in the 11th century, is believed to refer to

Petar Snačić Petar Snačić (very commonly misspelt Petar Svačić) was a feudal lord, notable for being one of the claimants of the Croatian throne between c. 1093 and 1097. It is assumed that he began as a ban serving under king Demetrius Zvonimir of Croatia ...

(or Svačić), the last Croatian king, and his Petrovac castle which he built in the Petrovo Polje's northern edge. In Otavice, a small village on the edge of Petrovo Polje, there is a Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, which is also the Meštrović family

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

, built by the famous

Croat 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 ...

ian sculptor

Ivan Meštrović Ivan Meštrović (; 15 August 1883 – 16 January 1962) was a Croatian and Yugoslav sculptor, architect, and writer. He was the most prominent modern Croatian sculptor and a leading artistic personality in contemporary Zagreb. He studied at Pa ...

between 1926 and 1930.

References

Bibliography