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* "OROGRAPHY: That part of physical geography which deals with the geological formation, the surface features and description of mountains. The terms "oreography," "orology" and "oreology" are also sometimes used.</ref> of Dalmatia communications between the different Dalmatian cities occurred mainly through the sea. This helped Dalmatian cities to develop a unique Romance culture, despite the mostly Slavicized mainland.
* "OROGRAPHY: That part of physical geography which deals with the geological formation, the surface features and description of mountains. The terms "oreography," "orology" and "oreology" are also sometimes used.</ref> of Dalmatia communications between the different Dalmatian cities occurred mainly through the sea. This helped Dalmatian cities to develop a unique Romance culture, despite the mostly Slavicized mainland.
==== Late Middle Ages====
From the late Middle Ages onwards the population did slowly start to merge with the Slavic peoples of Dalmatia. This process was most evident in the coastal and island regions of Dalmatia. Dalmatia is a region of Europe with a very multicultural and multiethnic history.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=kMXURN7sxh4C&pg=PA8&dq=The+Italians+of+Dalmatia:+Middle+ages+population+merge+with+the+Italian+Slavic++Dalmatia&hl=en&ei=WVuQTby_GdO8cdCT3ZAK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false The Italians of Dalmatia:] From Italian Unification to World War One by Luciano Monzali (p8)</ref> Croatians in Dalmatia as well as other regions have language remnants of the extinct [[Latin|Romance Latin]] language - Dalmatian and additionally we have influences of old Venetian in the [[Directory:Korcula History 2#Korcula dialect and Venetian|local dialects]]. The Republic of Venice controlled most of Dalmatia from 1420 to 1797. During that period, part of its Slavic population was italianised.
The Venetian possessions were called "Venetian Dalmatia" and enjoyed a flourishing period of economic bonanza with huge development of the arts and culture. Dalmatia was greatly influenced by the Italian Renaissance and many buildings, churches and cathedrals were done in those years, from Zadar and Split to Sibenik (Sebenico) and Dubrovnik. Zadar was the capital of the Venetian Dalmatia. In these centuries, the Venetian language became the "lingua franca" of all Dalmatia, assimilating the Dalmatian language of the Romanised Illyrians and influencing partially the coastal Croatian language (Chakavian).
== Cultural and historical Venetian presence in Dalmatia ==
== Cultural and historical Venetian presence in Dalmatia ==
In 1880 Antonio Bajamonti (the last Dalmatian Italian Major of Split under [[Austria|Austrian]] rule) developed an urbanisation project of this city centred on the "Riva", a seaside walkway full of palms based on the Italian Riviera models. Even today the Riva (with cafe bars) is used by the locals to stroll in a typical Italian way from the "Palace of Diocletian" toward an old square called locally "Pjaca" (or square in Venetian).
In 1880 Antonio Bajamonti (the last Dalmatian Italian Major of Split under [[Austria|Austrian]] rule) developed an urbanisation project of this city centred on the "Riva", a seaside walkway full of palms based on the Italian Riviera models. Even today the Riva (with cafe bars) is used by the locals to stroll in a typical Italian way from the "Palace of Diocletian" toward an old square called locally "Pjaca" (or square in Venetian).
In Dalmatia religious and public architecture flourished with clear influences of Italian Renaissance. Important to mention are the Cathedral of St James in Sibenik (Sebenico), Chapel of Blessed John in Trogir, and Sorgo’s villa in Dubrovnik.
In Dalmatia religious and public architecture flourished with clear influences of Italian Renaissance. Important to mention are the Cathedral of St James in Sibenik, Chapel of Blessed John in Trogir, and Sorgo’s villa in Dubrovnik.
[[File:400px-Split riva.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The "Riva" of Split, that was created and named by Antonio Bajamonti. ''(photo by Mate Balota)'']]
[[File:400px-Split riva.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The "Riva" of Split, that was created and named by Antonio Bajamonti. ''(photo by Mate Balota)'']]
=== Perast in Coastal Montenegro ===
An enduring example of the Italian cultural and historic presence in Dalmatia is the small town of Perast (Perasto) in coastal Montenegro. Perast was at its peak in the 18th century under the Republic of Venice, when it had as many as four active shipyards, a fleet of around one hundred ships, and 1,643 residents. At that time the most beautiful buildings arose in this fortified town. Many ornate baroque palaces and magnificent dwelling-houses decorated the town of Perast (Perasto), full of typical venetian architecture. Perast had the privilege to keep war-flag of the Venetian Navy in the peace time (it was called "La fedelissma Gonfaloniera").
The sailormen of Perast were involved in the last battle of the Venetian navy, fought in Venice in 1797. At the fall of the "Serenissima" (1797) Perast was the last city of the Republic to lower the Venetian flag. On 12 May 1797, the Republic of Venice ended, but a few places in the Albania Veneta for several months still continued to remain loyal to the Venetian Republic: Perast was the last place of the Republic to surrender. On 22 August 1797 the Count Giuseppe Viscovich, Captain of Perast lowered the Venetian war-flag of the Lion of Saint Mark pronouncing the farewell words in front of the crying people of the city and buried the "Gonfalon of Venice" under the altar of the main church of Perast .
The population has since decreased to 430 in 1910 and around 360 today. According to the "Comunita' nazionale italiana del Montenegro", in Perast actually there are 140 persons who still speak at home the original venetian dialect of Perast (called "veneto da mar").
====Musical styles====
====Musical styles====
In some of the musical styles of [[Croatia]] it is quite evident of the merge of Slavic and Italian music. One such musical style is Klapa music (klapa is an a cappella form of music - Venetian: clapa "singing crowd"). Klapa singing dates back centuries. The arrival of the Croatians to Dalmatia and their subsequent settlement in the area, began the long process of the cultural mixing of Slavic culture with that of the traditions of the Roman-Latin population of Dalmatia.
In some of the musical styles of [[Croatia]] it is quite evident of the merge of Slavic and Italian music. One such musical style is Klapa music (klapa is an a cappella form of music - Venetian: clapa "singing crowd"). Klapa singing dates back centuries. The arrival of the Croatians to Dalmatia and their subsequent settlement in the area, began the long process of the cultural mixing of Slavic culture with that of the traditions of the Roman-Latin population of Dalmatia.
*Statements made by the contemporary historian John Van Antwerp Fine (Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Michigan):{{Cquote|''Such substitutions of “Croat” for” Slav,” however, mislead the reader into believing something the sources do not tell...''<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=wEF5oN5erE0C&pg=PA11&dq=John+Van+Antwerp+Fine+Such+substitutions+of+“Croat”+for”+Slav,”+however&hl=en&ei=oT-ITfy5CoPCvQOo56HZDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Ethnicity did not Matter in the Balkans:] by John Van Antwerp Fine (p11)</ref>
*Statements made by the contemporary historian John Van Antwerp Fine (Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Michigan):{{Cquote|''Such substitutions of “Croat” for” Slav,” however, mislead the reader into believing something the sources do not tell...''<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=wEF5oN5erE0C&pg=PA11&dq=John+Van+Antwerp+Fine+Such+substitutions+of+“Croat”+for”+Slav,”+however&hl=en&ei=oT-ITfy5CoPCvQOo56HZDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Ethnicity did not Matter in the Balkans:] by John Van Antwerp Fine (p11)</ref>
{{Cquote|''There is no justification to falsify history to support ethnic ambitions. The Croats and their Balkan neighbours have done this in a major way'' <ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=wEF5oN5erE0C&pg=PA15&dq=When+ethnicity+did+not+matter+in+the+Balkans++falsify+history&hl=en&ei=vmmZTeq9O4_qvQOtmfj5Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false When Ethnicity did not Matter in the Balkans] by John Van Antwerp Fine (p15)</ref>}}}}
{{Cquote|''There is no justification to falsify history to support ethnic ambitions. The Croats and their Balkan neighbours have done this in a major way'' <ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=wEF5oN5erE0C&pg=PA15&dq=When+ethnicity+did+not+matter+in+the+Balkans++falsify+history&hl=en&ei=vmmZTeq9O4_qvQOtmfj5Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false When Ethnicity did not Matter in the Balkans] by John Van Antwerp Fine (p15)</ref>}}}}
'''Note''': Communist Yugoslavia executed Historian - ''Kerubin Segvic''. He was executed mainly for proposing a different historic model than that of Yugoslav regime state policies of Croatians arriving in the Western Balkans.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6UbOtJcF8rQC&pg=PA20&dq=Kerubin+Segvic+Becoming+Slav,+Becoming+Croat:+Identity+Transformations+in+Post-Roman&hl=en&ei=ITrwTP7nLsW3cO_RwJYK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat:] Identity Transformations in Post-Roman and Early Medieval Dalmatia by Danijel Dzino (p20)</ref>
== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/zadar-the-charming-past/ Image of Zadar post Allied bombings (February 4th 1944)]
* [http://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/zadar-the-charming-past/ Image of Zadar post Allied bombings (February 4th 1944)]