Preko

Last updated
Preko
Oltre (Italian)
San Michiel (Venetian)
Općina Preko
Municipality of Preko
29.03.2016. Preko Kroatien - panoramio (4).jpg
Bell at fortress of St. Michael in Preko.jpg
Village de Preko, sur l'ile d'Uglian.jpg
I10 490 Pasman, Crkva sv. Marije.jpg
Preko und Insel Galovac.JPG
Preko
Croatia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Preko
Location of Preko in Croatia
Coordinates: 44°05′11″N15°10′58″E / 44.08639°N 15.18278°E / 44.08639; 15.18278
Country Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
County Flag of Zadar County.png Zadar County
Government
  Municipal mayorJure Brižić (HDZ)
Area
[1]
   Municipality
54.6 km2 (21.1 sq mi)
  Urban
5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Population
 (2021) [2]
   Municipality
3,556
  Density65/km2 (170/sq mi)
   Urban
1,250
  Urban density220/km2 (570/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
23273 Preko
Vehicle registration ZD
Website opcina-preko.hr

Preko (Italian: Oltre; lit. "Across") is a village and a municipality in Zadar County, Croatia. It is situated, as the name suggests, opposite of Zadar, on the island of Ugljan, in northern Dalmatia. Its old centre consists of typical Dalmatian architecture with numerous patrician family summer houses. According to the 2011 census, there are 3,805 inhabitants, 88% which are Croats. [3]

Contents

History

Sitting in the mountains above Preko is Fort St. Michael, built by the Eastern Roman Empire in the 6th century. The castle was rebuilt by the Republic of Venice in the 13th century. Its main purpose was control above channel of Zadar and the archipelago of islands behind the island of Ugljan. The castle was sacked by English crusaders on their way to the Holy Land, and by the Nazis in World War II. The high position of the castle made it the perfect lookout and listening station for the occupying Germans. Today, the castle is home to a telecommunications station. About 80 m from Preko lies the islet of Galevac (Školjić).

The 11th century Romanesque church of St. John the Baptist is situated on the eastern side of the locality, near the ferry port. Preko is the closest starting point for the excursion to Fort St. Michael (265 m above the sea level). The view from the fortress extends to more than 200 islands of the archipelago of Zadar and the Kornati National Park.

Demographics

In 2021, the municipality had 3,556 residents in the following 8 settlements: [2]

Preko: Population trends 1857–2021
v
population
3374
3856
4294
5025
5740
6407
7496
7065
7189
7030
6929
6510
4382
4613
3871
3805
3556
18571869188018901900191019211931194819531961197119811991200120112021

References

  1. Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata   Q119585703.
  2. 1 2 "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
  3. "Population by Ethnicity, by Towns/Municipalities, 2011 Census: County of Zadar". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.