Town Kastela

The town of Kastela is one urban unit consisting of seven castels, situated by the sea in the fertile Kastela field, between the towns of Solin and Trogir. It has its long history and each castel has its own special story and history. Town Kastela as the urban unit, is mostly dealing wiht tourism, agriculture, trade and transport.

Kastela

Kastela is the common name for the beautiful seven Kastela towns : Stari, Novi, Stafilic, Gomilica, Luksic, Sucurac and Kambelovac. Kastela has got its name after the castles which have been built here, near the sea, and in the Kastela field to protect the inhabitants, the landlords and their families. Kastela are today modern towns which are dealing mostly with tourism, agriculture, trade and the fishing.

History of town Kastela

History of Town Kastela is very long because it was developing area and surrounded by famous ancient towns of Trogir (Tragurium) and Solin (Salona). It was settled on the vast Kastela field between those two towns. Traces of prehistory can be found on this area, especially at the top of the foot of mount Kozjak because inhabitants were escaping the attacks by land or by sea. In the 7th century, when the old Slavs and the Avars attacked Salona and Tragurium, the inhabitants of the mount Kozjak hillside were affected by the consequences of that attack. Not much of those settlements was saved. Since those fields were rather fertile, in the history of town Kastela, there were constant battles between the local and the urban noblemen for the possession and the control of the farmlands. At the beginning of Venetian reign in 1420, the Dalmatia and the Kastela field gets under its control. Because of the Turks' frequent strikes on this area many inhabitants leave the settlements at the foot of mount Kozjak and run to forts-castles built by noblemen from Trogir and Split. In the history of town Kastela, over twenty Castles were built in that area in order to defend themselves from the invasions from any side. Those close to the sea were built as fortified summer houses in the Renaissance style, with large windows, balconies and promenades. The Castles which were on the land were built as classic forts with towers and loop- holes, far less comfortable than the ones by the sea.

Split airport

Split airport is situated in the plane Kastela field, near the town Resnik. Split airport is very modern object with the possibilities of landing for any kind of the aeroplanes and during the all weather conditions. Split airport is very important object for the fast arrival the guests and the tourists, from the distant towns, countries and continents. Split airport is very busy, specially during the tourist season. In the year 2011. Split Airport has accepted 1.270.000 passengers, or daily 7.430 persons. During the period of Jun – September, Split Airport has accepted even 890.000 passengers. From the Split airport, the tourists and guests can continue their trip to all the directions of Dalmatia.

Seven Kastela towns

Outside those forts, in the fertile field, famous seven Kastela towns have been developed. They are: Sucurac, Gomilica, Kambelovac, Stari, Luksic, Novi and Stafilic. During the history, the houses could not be built outside the defense walls and the channels while the Ottomans were controlling the fort Klis. Not until the 17th century the Turks were in retreat from Klis and since then, began the sudden expansion of the Kastela settlements, outside the walls. So, famous seven Kastela towns have been built and developed. Today they are modern towns

Kastela tourist town

Kastela tourist town in this area was mainly agricultural and fishing till the beginning of the 20th century which also marks the beginning of industrialization and great population increase. So these Kastela have practically merged and formed one big Kastela tourist town. Today's inhabitants in the Kastela field are mostly dealing in agriculture, fishery and tourism so these seven castela have become seven modern settlements that develop the economy of this area. It is very interesting that, the first hotel in this area, has been built in Kastel Luksic, in the ancient year 1909.