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HISTORY

From the beginning the town of Makarska has been the center of the Makarska Riviera, due to its geographical position, cultural and historical importance. It is stands in a naturally protected harbor; where the Osejava cape closes it from the southeast side and peninsula of St. Peter 's from the northwest. Nowadays town expands towards the mountain of Biokovo.

Most of Dalmatian towns prosper under the authority of the Venetian Republic so Makarska become the center of Venetian and Turkish struggles of interests.

Makarska began to get its modern physiognomy at the time when Bishop Nikola Bjankovic. St. Mark's cathedral was built and constructed in 1766 in front of it is a large square and a late baroque style drinking-fountain built in 1775.

Through the 19th century libraries and reading-rooms in seaside towns, as well as in Makarska, became centers of cultural, public and political life. In the middle of 18th century Makarska was the first Dalmatian town to get the public library. On that tradition grew foundations of future cultural and public life. Theater, a philharmonic orchestra, drama and singing companies witness the wide society life of that time. That philharmonic orchestra made possible the foundation of the modern City Music Band and in the first years of 20th century many sport clubs were founded.

In the early twenties Makarska began to get the image of a tourist resort owing to its urban planning and natural advantages. And because of tourism Makarska makes every effort to modernize its infrastructure, economy and health system as well as tourism, cultural, recreational and sports life. Veliko Brdo, Puharici, Makar and Kotisina are small villages situated at the foot of Biokovo Mountain . From there one can reach the highest peaks of Biokovo. Everyone can enjoy walking through beautiful parks, valleys, pits, and meadows.

The specialized hotel "Biokovka" offers possibilities of highly developed health-and-recreation programs to anyone who needs that.

Makarska has many churches and sights to see:

- Old monastery church is Church of St. Mary and it exists in Makarska no later then in 15 th century.
- New monastery church was the project of architect Stjepan Podhorski in 1930 year when old church became small.
- Franciscan monastery - In year 1518 small lodging for refuges was declared as a monastery. Monastery building has been repaired after a quake in 1962.
- The Makarska Municipal Museum today has holdings which are sorted in several collections and sub-collections, and there are more than 2700 exponents in its inventory, as well as considerable written sources, photographic documentation, drawings, blueprints and copies related to the abundant cultural heritage of the town of Makarska ..
- Malacological museum was founded by Fra Jure Radic in 1963, this beautiful display of snails and shellfish of the Adriatic and the whole world is today the best-known malacological collection in Croatia .
- The church of St. Mark was blessed from the bishop in 1756, although according to the original plan, two long, broad wings were still lacking.
- Vepric (Croatian Lourdes) is a Croatian sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes and was founded in 1908 by Bishop dr. Juraj Caric (1867 - 1921), who himself was buried on the premises of the sanctuary.It is the natural cave as well as the surrounding landscape formed was formed by hills and the creek running in the valley.