Dalmatia

Ball Howard Oona

Londra, Faber & Faber Limited, 1932, Biblioteca della Camera dei Deputati, Bodleian Library, British Library

A metà strada tra il libro di viaggio e la guida per il turista inglese, il volume di Oona Howard Ball si compone di capitoli di carattere generale, dedicati alla storia, alla geografia e agli usi e costumi della Dalmazia - con un particolare interesse rivolto alla distinzione tra popolazione slava e “latina”. Si concentra poi sulla presentazione delle singole città, corredata da testimonianze fotografiche e da numerose citazioni prese in prestito da sir Thomas Jackson (Dalmatia the Quarnero and Istria, 1887). Nonostante la scrittrice affermi che in ogni viaggio guidato dovrebbe essere posta come prima tappa Zara, la scelta della prima descrizione ricade su Dubrovnik (tutte le città sono identificate con i nomi slavi) in quanto città a sé mai stata soggetta a Venezia. Prosegue con Zara (l’unica ad avere denominazione italiana poiché facente parte del Regno d’Italia), Šibenik, Split, Solin, Trogir, Korčula; conclude con le Boka Kotorska.

Itinerari del libro di viaggio

“Ragusa, which is Dubrovnik, has often been compared to Aigues Mortes, for she still sits enthroned behind her ancient walls. […]. Landward she is backed by high bare mountains, but, at their base, is a luxuriant vegetation, semi-tropical pal... leggi tutto

Ragusa

“‘Zara is naturally the place where the traveller will first touch Dalmatian soil, and first be introduced to the people, the scenery and the arts of south-east Europe’. Thus wrote Sir Thomas Jackson in the ‘eighties of last century […]. Bu... leggi tutto

Zara

“No one who comes to Dalmatia because he is interested in architecture, can afford to miss seeing Šibenik. It is most easily reached from the sea and it is one of regular calling-stations of the Yugoslav line of steamers. […]. The entrance to ... leggi tutto

Sebenico

“It is possible to enter Split by land, to get out of a train in the ordinary way, to call a taxi and to drive to one’s chosen hotel. But no one who values first impressions, no one who wishes to add to his small total of Things Seen As They We... leggi tutto

Spalato

“Trogir can be reached either by boat, for it lies at the other end of the sea of Solin, or by motor-bus, along the road of the Seven Castles. Trogir, like all the cities along the coast, had a chequered history, but, until it fell into the hands o... leggi tutto

Traù

“Having reached this coast of a thousand islands and come, as he is recommanded to do, to Dubrovnik, the natural islands to start with are those nearest to the place that you are in: but we will start first with the largest and th... leggi tutto

Curzola

“If it were fair or wise to start making comparisons between the less and the greater interest of the sights of Dalmatia, it is possible that the former small, but valiant Kingdom of Montenegro, now part of the Banat of Zeta, which is in the prov... leggi tutto

Bocche di Cattaro

“Our first stopping-place will be the Adriatic New Castle - Ercegnovi. Here we have a place with a mild climate, a sub-tropical vegetation, terrace upon terrace of the coastal range with fortifications - some in ruins, some still workable, stalking... leggi tutto

Castelnuovo

“There is not, as the guide-books have it, much that need detain the traveller, but that is mainly because there is so much to come, and also because Kotor suffered so much and has had so much of her beauty and interest destroyed. […]. There is... leggi tutto

Cattaro