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There are several thematic trails in the Omiš area, of which one of St. Leopold Mandić, opened in 2009, is the most prominent.
Blessed Leopold Bogdan Mandić, the second canonized Croatian saint, famous confessor and a promoter of Christian unity, originates from the small village of Poljica. He was the youngest of twelve children, and his parents, faithful Christians, came from Zakučac in Boka Kotorska, where Leopold was born on May 12, 1866. He entered the Capuchin Seminary at the age of 16 and was ordained to the presbyterate at the age of 24. After a short stay in Zadar, Kopar and Rijeka, by the will of his superiors he was finally determined to Padua, where this priest, a person small in height (only 135 centimeters tall) but with a great soul, met his death on July 30, 1942. He left his confessional in Padua only during the First World War, when he refused to accept Italian citizenship and had to go to the concentration camp as a stranger from an enemy country. He explained his decision in words: “Blood is thicker than water!”
Leopold Mandić was declared holy by Pope John Paul II, on October 16 1983, and his feast is celebrated on 12th May.
Thematic trail in honor of him is the first opened to the public in the Omiš area. It was created thanks to the work and cooperation of the Tourist Board of Omiš, Public institutions for managing protected natural values in Split-Dalmatia County and Split-Dalmatia County. Thematic (educational) route is situated in an area of significant landscape “Kanjon Cetine”. It is circular in shape and it has natural and cultural features of this part of the canyon highlighted on it. It is intended for the education of all visitors of Omiš and of protected “Kanjon Cetine” area and is part of the former “lifeline” of this region – of a path over the cliffs of Mosor, which connected the residents of Gornja Poljica to the other settlements.
Features of the thematic trail are:
Length: 2.6 km
Trip time: about 2.5 hours
Educational boards: 9
Resting places: 11
Lookouts: 5
Intensity: medium
Required equipment: comfortable sports shoes
Type of the tour: hiking
Besides the thematic trail of St. Leopold Mandić, 4 more will be made within one year: Illyrian river trail, the old Austro-Hungarian path, Laborers’ road and Ethno-Eco Village trail (Tugare). The goal is to use these thematic trails to promote cultural and rural tourism in the town of Omiš. Therefore, to present production and offer of traditional gastronomy products such as wine, olive oil and typical homemade delicacies like the Poljica soparnik which is protected as part of the national cultural heritage.
Cultural tourism would be presented through the late Roman villae rusticae, prehistoric heaps, the remains of the Illyrian culture, churches, shrines, late medieval tombstones, sarcophagi, etc. In the area which is covered by thematic trails there are 2 ethno-eco-villages, 50 registered family farms with accommodation facilities and a very diverse offer of indigenous gastronomic specialties.
Written by: Joško Stella
This post is also available in: Croatian
