The Old Town

Sunday, 05 September, 2010

Ljubitelji aktivnog odmora i prirode za boravka u gradu Pagu mogu uzivati u nizu sportsko rekreacijskih sadrzaja. Uz brdski kamenjar, na nekadasnjim drevnim ovcarskim stazama, uredeno je 115 km biciklistickih staza. Stijene koje se okomito uzdizu nad morem, pravi su izazov za alpiniste, a na njima su postavljeni i alpinisticki smjerokazi. Podmorje Paga iznimno je atraktivno za ronjenje, a sama Paska uvala pogodna za jedrenje i surfanje.

Grad Pag obiluje pjescanim, sljuncanim i kamenim plazama. Prsten Paske uvale sini sak 27 km plaza, a najpoznatije i najljepse medu njima su Janjece vode, Tri glave, Bosana, Dubrava, Sveti Marko, Sveti Duh, Zrce, Caska, Rucica, Slana, Malin, Veliki Zaton, Bijele stijene, Veli bok, Mali bok, Kotica i Basaca. Do vecine plaza unutar uvale mo�ete doci autom, osim do plaza smjestenim u Paskim vratima, do kojih mozete doci iskljucivo brodom.

U gradu Pagu se proizvodi kvalitetan i vrlo cijenjen tvrdi ovcji sir. Uz Paski sir mozete probati ukusnu pasku janjetinu, bijelo vino, rakiju travaricu i domaci prosek. Na ribarnici mozete kupiti svjezu ribu, rakove i skoljke, a riblje specijalitete mozete probati u restoranima. U benediktinskom samostanu sv. Margarite se proizvodi baskotin, tvrdo pecivo cija se tajna proizvodnje cuva u samostanu.

Grad Pag ima bogatu folklornu bastinu. Paska narodna nosnja je lijepih boja i oblika, a osobito je atraktivno zensko pokrivalo za glavu obrubljeno paskom cipkom. Paska cipka je najljepsi autohtoni suvenir, izraduje se sivanjem, a koristi se kao samostalni ukras ili dio odjece.

Grad Pag obiluje kulturno-povijesnim spomenicima. Najznacajnije gradevine su Zborna crkva Marijinog Uznesenja, Knezev dvor i kula Skrivanat - jedina preostala od devet kula koje su, zajedno s bedemima, nekada okruzivale grad. Osim navedenih gradevina mozete razgledati crkve sv. Jurja, sv.Frane, samostan sv. Margarite i magazine soli. Arheolosko podrucje Stari grad s crkvom sv.Marije i ostacima akropole udaljeno je samo kilometar od gradske jezgre.

Grad Pag je grad morske soli. Zbog njene vaznosti u 15. stoljecu nastao je Pag kao planski i plansko utvrdeni grad, koji pri obilasku pruza poseban osjecaj. Grad Pag je i grad rukotvorina poznate paske cipke koja se njeguje kroz stoljeca, svaka je zaseban unikat, a taj spori i naporni rucni rad zivi i danas na ulicicama starog grada. Povijesno-kulturno najzanimljivije mjesto na Pagu grad Pag nije i najstarije mjesto na otoku. Kilometar juznije nalaze se ostaci naselja (utvrdeni samostan i crkva) koje je prethodilo danasnjem gradu Pagu - Stari grad Pag.

The Old Town

Stari grad is about one kilometre away from the old town's centre, however, it has been a part of the town from the twenty seventies. Once Stari grad was a big and wealthy town, surrounded by mighty walls. Košljun, a settlement on the west side of the island, was its harbour. Exploiting of the salt was the main occupation. There also existed a harbour for the middle-sized boats.

There are many remains of houses and walls in Stari grad as well as the remains of paths and fortresses. However, the best preserved are the parts of the Franciscan monastery and the Romanic church of St. Marija. The church is mentioned for the first time in 1192.

The explorers have discovered the remains of the antique monuments and the parts of the foundations in Stari grad that point to the possibility that this town had existed already in the Hellenistic times. The contemporary church of St. Marija in all likelihood was constructed on the foundations of the Old Croatian basilica from the 8th century. Pag has often been attacked because of the salt-pans. For this very reason, fierce fighting was going on between the two powerful ecclesiastical, economical and military centres, Zadar and Rab. Besides, Pag was constantly struggling for the autonomy, and because of that, several combats took place in Stari grad. The most disastrous one happened on 30. May, 1393, when the mercenaries attacked the town, plundered it and burnt it down.

After the resettlement in 1467, the Franciscans built a monastery next to the existing church in 1589. The characteristics of Stari grad are the monastery well and the statue of the other of God of Stari grad. The monastery well is located in the middle of the yard. According to a legend, during a terrible drought endangering the whole population of the island, the inhabitants prayed to the Mother of God and She filled up the monastery well with water. There was so much water, it was pouring over the rim, even after everyone had quenched their thirst, had given cattle to drink and had made the supplies. Since then, says the legend, this well can not run dry even during the worst droughts. The citizens of Pag carry the statue of the Mother of God in a solemn procession to the town of Pag every year on the day of the Assumption (15th August). They place it in the Church of the Assumption where it stays until the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, 8. September, when they carry it back to its sanctuary also in a solemn procession.