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Twenty-two kilometers along the Magistrala, past the beach town of Podstrana and at the mouth of the Cetina River on the Adriatic, lies Omis. Directly beyond the town rise the foothills of the Mosor, through which the Cetina cuts a path at this point. The island of Brac looms out of the sea to the south. Its favorable location helped Omis to develop into a bustling harbor.
The main occupation of the residents here was not, however, commerce, but rather piracy; whereby they brought the other Dalmatian cities into difficulty. And even though Omis was brought to its knees in numerous wars, the people always returned to their old ways. It was only after the Venetians irrevocably conquered the city in 1444 that peace returned to the Dalmatian coast.
The Omis of today is a place marked by sand and pebble beaches with pine trees dispensing much-needed shade, and the cozy old town with its many cafes. However, because of several unpleasant industrial installations, Omis has not been able to attract much tourism.
In the Priko neighborhood, on the right bank of the Cetina, stands the most important building in the city: the preRomanesque Sveti Petar Church. This single-naved edifice, with a cupola and apse, was used in the 18th century as a Glagolithic seminary for novice priests.
A visit to the Cetina Gorge beyond Omis is well worth the trip, especially to the destinations of Radmanove mlinice and the Gabavica Waterfall. |
