Savudrija

Savudrija (Italian "Salvore") is a coastal settlement in northwestern Istria, Croatia. It has developed from a fishing village into a pleasant holiday centre.

The village was mentioned in written sources already in the second part of the 12^th century and was from 13^th century part of the Piran municipality, while today it is part of Istria County in Croatia. On February 18^th 1893 Piran municipality became owner of Savudrija with the neighbour area.

The territory remained part of the municipality of Piran until 1947, when the municipality of Savudrija was set up. In 1954, when the Free Territory of Trieste was dissolved and its southern part became officially part of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Savudrija was annexed to the Socialist Republic of Croatia rather than to the Socialist Republic of Slovenia.

According to the last Austrian census in 1910, almost 80% of the population of the Savudrija territory was Italian-speaking, around 20% were ethnic Slovenes and only around 2% were ethnic Croatians. During the period of fascist rule (1922-1945), the zone was almost completely Italianized. After 1945, most Italians fled the zone and were replaced by a Croatian-speaking population. Today, Savudrija remains largely Croatian-speaking, but there is a small Italian minority and most topographic signs are bilingual.

The main sight of the settlement is a 29 m high lighthouse. Three kinds of wind meet here so the area is popular with windsurfers.

ee also

*Savudrija Bay