Cres
Cres (pronounced "Tsres" in
Croatian,
Italian:
Cherso,
German:
Kersch,
Latin:
Crepsa,
Greek:
Chèrsos,
Χερσος) is an
Adriatic island in
Croatia. It is one of the northern island in the
Kvarner Gulf and can be reached via ferry from the island
Krk or from the
Istrian peninsula (line
Brestova-
Porozina).
With an area of 405.78 km², Cres is, together with
Krk which is the same size (but thought to be the largest for years), the largest Croatian island. The island has a population of 3,184 (2001).
Cres and the neighbouring island of
Lošinj once used to be one island, but were divided by a channel and connected with a bridge at the town of
Osor. Cres's only fresh water source is the
Lake Vrana.
History
Cres has been inhabited since Paleolithic time period and was later ruled by the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Roman Empire the island was taken over and became a part of the Byzantine Empire, and remained this way for centuries. In the 7th Century the Croats invaded the island, and the other islands around it, and took the islands over, however the Croats returned the islands in the eary 800's (believed to be somewhere around 812).
Around 822 Croatia became an independent state, while on the island Croat-Roman tensions grew. Then, around 866 the inhabitants saw the first conflicts between the Croats and Venetians. The Venetians eventually set up their rule of the islands in the 10th and 11th centuries.
However the Croats regain the islands and the islands goes through a changing of rulers for Centuries, being ruled by Croats, Hungarians, and for 400 years the Venetians take control of the islands. However, Napoleon's victory over the Venetians created Austrian rule on the island, which quickly changed hands again to French Rule.
After the fall of Napoleon, Austria once again takes control of the island for 100 years, during this time we see the rising economy on the island with olive trees, sage, and other plants becoming key to the success of the island. At the end of World War I, with the
Treaty of Rapallo signed in 1920, the island was once again handed over to Italian Rule. This lasted until 1947 when the Islands, along with Istrian Peninsula, were assigned to Croatia.
The island has gone through an agricultural down slope, as certain amount of residents left. This has caused a majority of plants to become over grown and just recently people have been returning and the citizens have seen the island industries grow, both agriculturally, and from tourism.
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