Vrsi Municipality is one of the youngest municipalities in the Republic of Croatia. It was established by the Croatian Parliament’s Decision on July 13 2006. and started work on January 1 2007. The 13th of July is also honored as a Day of municipality. Vrsi and Poljica are part of the Vrsi municipality. According to the 2011 census, the municipality of Vrsi had 2,030 inhabitants. The municipality is located on a small peninsula in the far northwestern part of northern Dalmatia, about 20 km away from Zadar.
Vrsi Municipality abounds in cultural heritage and natural beauties. The inhabitants are mainly engaged in agriculture, tourism and maritime affairs. From 1970 to 1990, the municipality had three hundred active sailors. Maritimeism has largely contributed to the construction of tourist infrastructure and the beautiful apartments along the coast.
Every year the municipality subscribes to buying olive trees and vineyards for their villagers. Also, the municipality is a member of the LAG Bura, an association of nine municipalities with a common goal of achieving sustainable and integrated development of the entire area, with particular emphasis on rural development.
One of the largest natural resources of the Vrsi municipality is the beautiful and indented coastline of 34 km long. The shore is dominated by natural coves and hidden beaches while in the areas of Vrsi-Mulo and Vrsi-Zukve you can find urban beaches with lighted promenades.
Cultural heritage
Zahvaljujući prirodnim i klimatskim pogodnostima teritorij sela Vrsi je naseljen više od 10 000 godina o čemu svjedoče brojni arheološki ostatci iz te davne prošlosti.
Croats settled in the territory of the village even in the 7th century AD, and there built medieval villages of Jasenovo, Vrsi, Sv.Toma and Selina on antique and Roman remains. Some of the surnames mentioned in the sources are also evidenced by the existence of these settlements, and they continued to live in Vrsima and after the Turks withdrew.
We will also proudly mention the Barakovic play who lived in Seline. In this area, our well-known poet Juraj Baraković was possessed in 1586 and is probably the same area called Barakovci today.
In the Venetian-Turkish wars in the 16th and 17th centuries, these 4 settlements: Jasenovo, Vrsi, Sv. Toma and Selina were destroyed and relaxed, and they created a unique village of Vrsi.
Most of the population, after the Turks’ withdrawal, came to Vrsa from Kotar, Bukovica and Lika. The first data on the number of inhabitants was recorded in 1603 and then Vrsi had 100 inhabitants. Throughout the year, the number of inhabitants is on the uphill path, and today in Vrsima there are 38 surnames or generations.
The fact that Vrsi originated in four settlements was confirmed by the churches still existing in the areas of these former settlements. Today, our place is proud of its churches that make up our cultural heritage.
Church of Sv. Toma was located in the medieval village of the same name, which was probably named after the church.
The church originates from the 13th century and is built in the form of a trolley. The foundations that were excavated and decorated in 1961 testify to its existence. It is about 1 km east of the place, on the way to Poljica. We hope that in the near future, on this basis, we will renew the church in its original form.
Church of Sv. Jakov is located in the area of the medieval village of Selina or Zloušana. The nineteenth-century church dates back to the late 11th and early 12th centuries. Around it was discovered many medieval graves (124), as the churches burial the deceased. The church is completely restored and its holy mass is held there during the season, on Sunday night.
The one-nave Romanesque church of Sv. Lovre 13th century craft served for the ritual purposes of the former Jasenovo settlement. Today, unfortunately, only the walls left her. All the locals have a great desire to renew this church. It is interesting that only around this church there were no graves found. This is why we find this in the existence of another church in the village of Jasenovo, the church of Sv. Michael.
In the center of today’s village is the parish church of Sv. Mihovil, the patron saint of the village whose celebration is celebrated on 29 September. The one-nave parish church was built at the end of the 17th and early 18th centuries.
On the Feast of Sv. Mihovil from the parish church starts the solemn procession through the place bearing the statue of our patron. It was built on the ruins of an old church that was devastated during the wars with the Turks.
The church was built to commemorate the apparition of Our Lady of the apparition to the widow Jelena Grubišić 21.04.1516. It was completely restored in 1983 when a new bell tower with 1 bell was built.
This church is located on the islet of Zecevo, and it is mentioned in written sources since 1335. Beside the church itself there was a monastery of desert, which, like a church, was destroyed in the Turkish invasions. The statue of Our Lady is transmitted to Nin. Each year, the Lady is transferred from Nin to the church in Zeceva, followed by a parade of believers accompanying the boats. Our Lady’s Appearance is celebrated May 5, and the island is also on August 5th. For all believers, this is a unique event.
In 2007, in the center of Vrsi, a chapel was built and dedicated. The chapel was erected in the same place where, according to the tradition, it existed in 1919.
How many chapels means to our locals, enough to speak of the flowers that are daily brought to honor the Virgin Mary, Anti and Sv. A chapel whose statue and pictures are in the chapel.