Omiš

The town is approximately 25 kilometres (16 miles) south-east of Croatia's second largest city, Split, where the Cetina River meets the Adriatic Sea. Omiš municipality has a population of 14,936 and its area is 266 square kilometres (103 sq mi).

Omiš
Town
Grad Omiš Town of Omiš
View of Omiš
Omiš
Coordinates: 43°26′N 16°41′E / 43.433°N 16.683°E / 43.433; 16.683
Country	Croatia
County	Split-Dalmatia
Government
• Mayor	Ivo Tomasović
Area
• Town	266.2 km2 (102.8 sq mi)
• Urban	3.4 km2 (1.3 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Town	14,139
• Density	53/km2 (140/sq mi)
• Urban	5,985
• Urban density	1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	omis.hr

It is supposed that the name of this city, Omiš, developed from the Slavic Holm, Hum as a translation from the Illyrian - Greek word Onaion, Oneon, meaning "hill" or "place on the hill", or from Greek onos (όνος) meaning donkey, perhaps from the shape of the rocky promontory by the city (naming a city after a natural form was common practice then, as it is now); there is also the possibility that the name of the settlement Onaeum was derived from the name of the river which was called Nestos by the Greek colonists in its lower flow, during Antiquity. According to Petar Šimunović, Omiš is derived from Proto-Indo-European *almissa ("rock", "cliff").

Latin names during Ancient Rome were Onaeum, Oeneum, Alminium, and Almissum. During Medieval times the name was recorded as Olmissium, Almiyssium and from the end of the 15th century, when the city fell to the authority of Venetian Republic, its name was the Italian Almissa.

 

Omiš was well known in the past by the Corsairs of Almissa (Omiški gusari) whose Sagittas (ships) (Genitive case: Sagittae, translated as The Arrow), brought fame to them because they were built for attack and fast retrieval into the mouth of the Cetina River, protecting the town from foreign invaders. At a very early date, neighbours of the Corsairs of Almissa, the highlanders of the Poljica Principality (Poljička Republika), became their friends and allies. This allowed them to harass the seaborne trade, without fear of a sudden attack from inland.

• Historical monuments:
  • Church of St Euphemia by the coast on Brzet, from the early 6th century
  • Mirabella Fortress (Peovica) from the 13th century
  • Starigrad Fortress (Fortica) from the 15th century
  • Renaissance church of the Holy Spirit from the 15th century
  • Old cemetery, the 16th century or 17th century
  • Parochial church from the 17th century
  • Franciscan Monastery on Skalice from the 18th century

In the Priko neighborhood, on the right bank of the Cetina River, stands the site with the most historic significance: the pre-Romanesque Church of St. Peter (Crkva Sv. Petra) from the tenth century A.D. This single-naved edifice, with a cupola and apse, was used in the 18th century as a Glagolithic seminary for novice priests.

Today, Omiš's economy is based on farming, fishing, textile and food-processing industries and tourism.

Within the limits of the town lie the following settlements:

 

Omiš is best known for the traditional festival of the Dalmatian a cappella singing groups. This festival is the highlight of Omiš's summer, the expression of the town's beauty. Omiš's Summer Festival - during which various concerts and recitals are performed - takes place at the plazas and in churches.

• Omiš as a town has eight churches:
  • church of Saint Michael
  • church of Holy Ghost
  • church of Saint Rock
  • church of Saint Peter
  • church of Saint Luca
  • church of Saint Mary
  • Franciscan Monastery with church of Our Lady of Carmel
  • church of Saint Stephan and
  • remains of church of Saint John in Borak.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Omiš is twinned with:

•   Bol, Croatia
•   Havířov, Czech Republic
•   Nepomuk, Czech Republic
•   Zagorje ob Savi, Slovenia
•   San Felice del Molise, Italy
•   Ryazan, Russian Federation
•   Krupina, Slovakia
•   Poprad, Slovakia

•  
  Church of St. Peter
•  
  Coat of arms of Omiš
•  
  Omis bridge
•  
  city beach Punta
•  
  Old city street
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  View of Omis from fortress Peovica
•  
  Cetina Canyon