Vir (island)
| Vir | ||
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| Waters | the Adrian Sea | |
| Geographical location | 44 ° 18 ' N , 15 ° 4' E | |
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| length | 10.12 km | |
| width | 4.25 km | |
| surface | 22.08 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Barbinjak 112 m |
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| Residents | 3000 (2011) 136 inhabitants / km² |
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| main place | Vir | |
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Vir (ital. Puntadura ) is an island in the archipelago off Zadar in Croatia .
Location and inhabitants
Vir is one of around 300 islands in the Zadar archipelago in the Croatian Adriatic . With an area of 22.08 km², a length of 10.12 km and a maximum width of 4.25 km, it is the eighth largest island in the archipelago and the twentieth largest island in Croatia. An approx. 300 meter long bridge has been connecting it with the Dalmatian coast since 1976 .
Vir has three villages: Vir of the same name with around 1600 inhabitants (as of 2001), Torovi and Lozice. The highest point is the 112 meter high Barbinjak. The nearest islands around Vir are Pag , Maun , Planik , Olib , Ist , Molat , Sestrunj , Rivanj and Ugljan .
beaches
Lučica
Lučica Beach is located on the northern side of the island. The seabed is partly stony and partly sandy. Outside the water, the beach is concreted. The beach borders a small marina (yacht harbor ).
Jadro
This beach is located on the southern side of the island, right by the village of Vir, and has the most important marina on the island. The bank consists of gravel, in the water of sand. The annual summer festival "Virsko ljeto" and other performances take place in the square in front of the town hall.
Attractions
Kastelina
The most famous sight on Vir is the Venetian fortress Kaštelina. This is located on the area of Kozjak. The fortress was apparently built in the early 17th century. The Venetians built the fortress to protect the people of Vir and Nin from the Turks who were invading the area at that time. Part of this fortress has been preserved to this day. On the front of the Kaštelina, the coats of arms of the Venetian family of the Governor General of Dalmatia, who administered this area at that time, are still preserved. On the north side there is a damaged lion, which is the symbol of the Republic of Venice . The renovation of this attraction took place from May 2001 to April 2002.
lighthouse
The lighthouse was built in 1881 on the southwest coast of the island of Vir. This lighthouse is a typical example of the construction of lighthouses on the eastern Adriatic coast in the 19th century. The lighthouse is one of 50 similar lighthouses that were built during this period. This lighthouse was occupied until automation. The workers lived there with their families and ran the daily errands to keep the lighthouse working. During the Second World War, the anti-fascist fighters who maintained a link between the partisans on the mainland and the island of Molat were based in this tower. In 1944 the lighthouse was destroyed by the German occupying forces. After the World War, the lighthouse was renovated and reopened in 1950.
