Pag

Pag

Island of Pag is the island of the North Dalmatian group, surface of 284,5 km2, and belongs to the Kvarner archipelag . It is distinguished by a variety of natural attractions: sand and pebbles, crystal clear sea, several wonderful beaches. Southwest and west coasts of the island are flat, and northeast coast is steep and high with Pag bay (with huge bay Caska) and Stara Novalja bay located here.

Climate on the island is Meditarranean, the biggest part of the island is rocky ground, while smaller part is covered by macchia. In the vallies and fields (Novaljsko, Povljansko, Vlašićko and Dinjsko) wines, vegetables and fruits are cultivated. The area of penninsula Luna is mostly planted with olive trees, so the manufacturing of oil is well developed. Inhabitants also breed sheeps, and make famous Pag cheese.




The tradition on the island is also making of the Pag lace, far knonb. Beside these, the island is also very famous by salt production (Pag slat-pan). Main towns on the island are linked by road which is the extenstion of the Adriatic highway. Beside ship lines, it is linked to the land by bridge (Pag bridge).








In the pre-historic period the oisland was inhabited by Illyric Liburnii which is evident in the remnants of the forts and necropolis by Kolana. At the beginning to the 1st cenutrry Romans built fortification system for the defence from Illyric tribes; big Castrum Cissa (Ciska), port castrum Novalia (Novalja) and some smaller forts. Beside these forts there were also some bigger Roman settlements (Pagus) and a few smaller.
Slavs inhabited the island very early, and tehir main settlement was Kesša (present Novalja). In 1071. king Petar Krešimir th 4th donated the north part of the island to the Rab church, and south part to Zadar, which caused frequent conflicts on the ihsland. Between 1409-1797. Pag had been under Venetian rule, and after came under Austrian rule.