KORCULA

Tito's Birthday celebrations

Croatia declared its independence from the old Yugoslavia in 1991 and suffered little from the ensuing conflict, a notable exception being the artillery bombing of Dubrovnik. For the most part the country's treasures remained intact, whether natural scenery or historic monuments. The photographs of Korcula in this feature were taken before 1991 and the photographs of Zagreb subsequent to 1991. Josip Jelacic was born near Novi Sad in 1801 and was created Ban (Viceroy) of Croatia in 1848. His aims were greater autonomy for Croatia and his rule saw an extension of democratic rights and the abolition of feudalism. The people revered him and following his death, a statue of the Ban was erected in 1866 on Trg Jelacica. This statue was dismantled during the Tito years but was subsequently replaced after the declaration of independence in 1991.