Proud Keepers of the Krka: mysterious as a whole and in the details

Not a single one of Dalmatia’s four rivers has as many fortresses along its banks as the Krka: with numerous fortifications found along its entire course, from the source to the mouth. In commemoration of World Conflict Resolution Day, celebrated on the third Thursday in October, the Šibenik Photo Club and Public Institute of Krka National Park have prepared an exhibit of photographs entitled “Proud Keepers of the Krka: mysterious as a whole and in the details”. This exhibit is on display at the Juraj Šizgorić Library in Šibenik, and was opened on 15 October and will remain open until the end of the month. During periods of historical turbulence, the local population found safe refuge in the fortresses on the cliffs of the Krka canyons. Today these fortresses proudly bear witness to human inhabitation on the Krka, a river that is so beautiful that the eye can capture but a fragment of its grandeur. The ruins of the medieval fortresses can be observed as a whole or in their details, in which we often find new life among the bare rock. As they once protected human lives, today with the new life growing within them, they represent a symbol of peace, endurance and new hope. Wood, as the symbol of life, has been selected as the visual for this year’s World Conflict Resolution Day, as it symbolises growth and the development of nature in a healthy environment. World Conflict Resolution Day has been commemorated since 2005, with the aim of raising awareness and educating about acceptable ways to resolve conflict that contribute to a higher quality life of individuals, including their improved mental health. Just as the tree grows in height from year to year, so too does our knowledge about constructive ways on how to resolve conflicts as a precondition for the growth of individuals and the community, towards a healthier social environment.

The exhibit in the library is the result of cooperation between the Public Institute of Krka National Park and the Šibenik Photo Club, a technical culture society with programmes focused on the photographic arts and techniques. The Šibenik Photo Club is a member of the Croatian Photo Association. Today it brings together some 30 experienced amateur photographers and young enthusiasts. During the half century of continuous and successful work in creative photography, the members of the Šibenik Photo Club have recorded the history of their city in their work, and presented it at exhibits in Croatia and abroad, thus giving a strong contribution to the cultural life of Šibenik. The medieval fortresses were once owned by the Croatian noble families. In addition to their defensive function, some of these stone fortresses also formed the core of the settlements. They were erected in carefully selected spots – and it appears as though their builders built them for eternity. Though they have since lost their original function, today they justify their existence, preserved or in ruins, through their material presence, historical and aesthetic value, functional forms and respectability. In the medieval fortresses within Krka National Park, archaeological research, architectural and geodetic imaging and conservation works are performed systematically.