Nin

Nin, today a small town, was a very important place during medieval times. The first Croatian state was formed at the end of the 8th and beginning of the 9th century, when Nin became the seat of the first Croatian bishop. Upto the 13th century Nin was the Croatian royal town and according to the tradition, seven Kings were crowned here.

Nin was founded on a peninsula, but for defence reasons a channel was digged, seperating the tip from the mainland. So the old town is placed on an artificial island, that by now is connected to the mainland by a bridge.

Seen here is one of the bridges and a statue of Duke Branimir, who followed Duke Zdeslav, whom Branimir had killed in 879. While Zdeslav had supported the Byzantine Empire, Branimir allied with the Roman Papacy, what paid out.

In 879 Pope John VIII gave his blessing to the Duke and the Croatians. This was the first time that the Croatian state was officially recognized.

Pope John VIII - by the way - is at the centre of the "Pope Joan" legend, claiming the Pope was female. The legend appeared in the 13th century and spread throughout Europe. Finally the story made it into a novel by Donna Woolfolk Cross - and in 2009 into the cinemas.