Imotski, Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia

🇭🇷 Imotski is a small town on the northern side of the Biokovo massif in the Dalmatian Hinterland of southern Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Imotski, like the surrounding inland Dalmatia, has a generally mild Mediterranean climate which makes it a popular tourist destination.

Geography The town is located close to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, 10 km away from Posušje and 18 km from Grude. It is located 29 km away from the coast (Baška Voda). The nearest coastal town is Makarska, on the other side of the Biokovo massif.

The town is located on the crossroad of D60 and D76 state roads and 20 km from the Sveti Ilija Tunnel. The A1 motorway is accessed at the Zagvozd Interchange, next to the D76 expressway.

Imotski is known for its medieval fortress on the rocks of Blue Lake. Another phenomenon is the Red Lake which looks like an eye in the scenery. Both lakes are said to be connected with underground channels to the Adriatic Sea.

History The region around Imotski has been populated in the Neolithic age. At the time of Illyrians and Romans it was known as "Emotha" and later "Imota". It was first mentioned by today's name by Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in the 10th century. In medieval historical sources it was mentioned as an important fortress. The fortress above the town, Topana, was first mentioned in the 9th century, in the times of Croatian sovereigns.

Imotski was in Kingdom of Croatia, held by the Ottomans from the fall of Bosnia in 1492 until 1717 when it was captured by the Venetians. In April 1717, a small church, dedicated to the Lady of Angels, was built in honour of the victory against the Ottomans. The Lady of Angels has since then been honored as patroness of Imotski and the Imotski region.

The Hasanaginica folk ballad was created in the Imotski region in mid 17th century.

After that Imotski was in the Illyrian Provinces, Kingdom of Dalmatia, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Independent State of Croatia and SFR Yugoslavia. Today it is part of Republic of Croatia.

In 1912, a secondary school was built in Imotski when the town was part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

From 1941 to 1945, Imotski was part of the Independent State of Croatia. In April 1944, German forces shot down three American B-24s. The local population saved many of the American personnel despite being bombed by them. One airman/paratrooper, Marion Dropulich, who crashed near Imotski but survived and was taken by Italian soldiers, happened to have been a Croatian American with immediate Imotski ancestry.

Population According to the 2011 census, the town proper has a population of 4,757, while the whole municipality has a population of 10,764. The absolute majority are Croats with 96.78% of the population.

The Town of Imotski administratively consists of the following settlements: • Donji Vinjani; • Glavina Donja; • Glavina Gornja; • Gornji Vinjani; • Imotski; • Medvidovića Draga -.