Piazza (St. Michael's Square)

You are on St. Michael's Square, also known as "Pjaca", in the very heart of old Omiš. Everything is connected here - from the 17th-century Church of St. Michael, built on the foundations of an even older Gothic church, to the stone houses that have witnessed the life of the city for centuries. The square was the main place of gathering, trade and exchange of news, and today it is the lifeblood of the old town, connecting the land gates with the Cetina River. The medieval history of the square connects it to the main city street, today's Knezova Kačića, which once connected the defensive walls built due to the constant threat from the Ottomans and the Venetians. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the square takes on a Baroque appearance - a stone rosette stands out on the facade of the church, and the bell tower with a pyramidal roof was designed by the famous Venetian engineer G. B. Camozzini in 1719. Next to the square are the 16th-century Bishop's Palace with a Renaissance monophor and the coat of arms of the Tomadelli family, and the Caralipeo-Despotović house preserves a coat of arms with an inscription from the same period. Until the mid-20th century, all public life took place here, until it was replaced by Fošal, a new promenade built on the site of the former defensive ditch. Today, St. Michael's Square is the venue for the final concerts of the Dalmatian Klapa Festival, surrounded by cafes and shops that preserve the Dalmatian spirit. Interesting fact that you may not have known: Omiš was famous for its pirates in the past, and the Cetina River, which runs right next to the square, served as a safe haven and hidden port for them. The Church of St. Michael combines Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements, making it the most interesting building in Omiš. The interior of the church hides valuable works of art, and the narrow streets around the square are often so narrow that it is almost impossible to capture the entire church in a photograph.