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[[File:250px-Croatia-Dalmatia.png|thumb|right|400px|Dalmatia (the dark purple) within todays modern [[Croatia]]]]

[[File:250px-Croatia-Dalmatia.png|thumb|right|400px|Dalmatia (the dark purple) within todays modern [[Croatia]]]]

'''Dalmatian Italians''' are an [[Italy|Italian]] national minority in the region of Dalmatia (today part of [[Croatia]]). In the 1860s, during the [[Austria|Austrian]] rule of the Kingdom of Dalmatia, the ethnic group started to suffer from a trend of decreasing numbers and only around 1,000 of the group remain.

'''Dalmatian Italians''' are an [[Italy|Italian]] national minority in the region of Dalmatia (today part of [[Croatia]]). In the 1860s, during the [[Austria|Austrian]] rule of the Kingdom of Dalmatia, the ethnic group started to suffer from a trend of decreasing numbers and only around 1,000 of the group remain.

 

When Austria occupied Dalmatia the Italian (Venetian speaking) population, was (according to the Italian linguist Bartoli) nearly one third of the Dalmatia in the first half of the 19th century. According to the Austrian census it decreased from 22% in 1816 to 12.5%  in 1853, then a mere 2.9% in 1910.

== Early History==

== Early History==

=== Roman Dalmatia ===

=== Roman Dalmatia ===

* "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.

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 ''Romance 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.

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 ''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.

== Cultural and historical Venetian presence in Dalmatia ==

== Cultural and historical Venetian presence in Dalmatia ==

Cultural and historical Venetian presence in Dalmatia is related to the northern Italian influences in Dalmatia. The  original Roman Dalmatia is now divided between Croatia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. The cultural influence from the ''Republic of Venice'' is clearly evident in the urbanisation plans of the main Dalmatian cities. One of the best examples is the one of Split.  

Cultural and historical Venetian presence in Dalmatia is related to the northern Italian influences in Dalmatia. The  original Roman Dalmatia is now divided between Croatia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. The cultural influence from the ''Republic of Venice'' is clearly evident in the urbanisation plans of the main Dalmatian cities. One of the best examples is the one of Split.  

In 1880 Antonio Bajamonti (the last Dalmatian Italian Major of Split under 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  (Sebenico), Chapel of Blessed John in Trogir, and Sorgo’s villa in Dubrovnik.

====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.