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Sinjska alka
The Sinjska alka (Croatian pronunciation: [sîːɲskaː âːlka]) is an equestrian competition held in the Croatian town of Sinj. It commemorates a Croatian–Venetian victory in the Ottoman–Venetian war in the night of August 14, 1715, in which around 700 professional Venetian soldiers and 100 locals defended Sinj against an Ottoman army led by Mehmed-paša Ćelić of at least 40,000. Because of this victory, the Venetians retained control over Sinj and integrated it into the Venetian Dalmatia in accordance to the terms of the Treaty of Passarowitz signed in 1718.
The people of Sinj believed that the Lady of Sinj miraculously drove away Ottomans, thus helping them to defend their town. On the national holiday of the Assumption of Mary (Velika Gospa) on August 15, in honor of Lady of Sinj, a procession is organised, during which horsemen in full regalia (Alkari) parade a painting of Our Lady of Sinj throughout the town streets.
The Alka itself is an equestrian competition in which various horsemen riding at full gallop aim their lances at a hanging metal ring (alka), and are awarded points according to which sector of the ring they are able to pierce. In 2010, the Alka was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
Alka is the name of the target used in the tournament; it is made of two concentric rings connected by three equally spaced bars. The target is hung on a rope in the middle of the race track. The contestant (Alkar) rides his horse, in full gallop, down the track and tries to hit the central ring with his spear. Depending on which part of the alka he hits, he receives from 1 to 3 points, and no points if he misses. If, however, the alkar sends the alka in the air away from its holder and hits any part of it on its way down, he will be awarded 1-3 points for a target hit and an additional three points, thus increasing the maximum to 6 points in one run. The contest consists of three rounds.
Only men born in Cetinska krajina (area along the valley of river Cetina in the vicinity of Sinj) can take part in the Alka. It is considered a great privilege to participate in the tournament. The vojvoda ("Duke") of Alka is a ceremonial title representing the commander of the Alkars. It is a great honour to become the alkar vojvoda, and only the most notable men from Cetinska krajina become one. The costumes worn by the alkar men are the same that were worn by the warriors in the 18th century. Each alkar is accompanied by a squire (alkarski momak) who is dressed in a folk costume of old, wearing several kinds of weapons (yatagan, flintlock musket and rifle, mace, shield). Alkars ride horses bred, kept or maintained almost exclusively in Alkars' Stud.
Sinjska Alka was created in the early 18th century as a continuation of knightly competitions that were held across the Venetian Dalmatia: Zadar, Imotski and Makarska. The oldest written mention of Alka are in the three sonnets and an ode written by the Italian poet Julije Bajamonti in 1784. The oldest official file about Alka is a letter of the first Austrian Commissioner for the Austria Dalmatia Count Raymond Thurn that he wrote to the commander of Sinj Josip Grabovac on February 10, 1798. In the letter Count Thurn informs Commander Grabovac that the Palatine Commission from Vienna "approved further maintenance of Alka in Sinj on the last day of the carnival".
In the past Alka was organised at a different time than today, occasionally twice a year (in years: 1798 (the last day of the carnival and on 9 May) and in 1818 (on 15 May and 6 July). In 1834 it was organised on 9 February, in 1838 on April 19, and in 1855 on October 4 because of cholera. Alka is organised regularly on August 18, which is the birthday of Emperor Franz Joseph, since 1849, as determined by the Statute of 1902. Since then, Alka is organised in August (and under the new rules), in the first third of the month, so that Bara, Čoja and Alka could be organised in the same month.
In 1818, during his trip through Dalmatia, the Emperor Francis II visited Sinj, and the locals organized a special Alka in his honor. The Emperor awarded the winner a brilliant ring worth 800 forints. Also, by 1818, Vienna was rewarding the winner a prize of 100 florins, and this was probably main reason for the continuation of this knightly tournament. When the Emperor Franz Joseph rose to power in 1848 he established the award in the amount of 100 forints. From 1902 to 1914 prize awarded to winner was 4000 crowns, and from 1914 to 1918 it was 600 crowns.
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Sinjska alka AI simulator
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Sinjska alka
The Sinjska alka (Croatian pronunciation: [sîːɲskaː âːlka]) is an equestrian competition held in the Croatian town of Sinj. It commemorates a Croatian–Venetian victory in the Ottoman–Venetian war in the night of August 14, 1715, in which around 700 professional Venetian soldiers and 100 locals defended Sinj against an Ottoman army led by Mehmed-paša Ćelić of at least 40,000. Because of this victory, the Venetians retained control over Sinj and integrated it into the Venetian Dalmatia in accordance to the terms of the Treaty of Passarowitz signed in 1718.
The people of Sinj believed that the Lady of Sinj miraculously drove away Ottomans, thus helping them to defend their town. On the national holiday of the Assumption of Mary (Velika Gospa) on August 15, in honor of Lady of Sinj, a procession is organised, during which horsemen in full regalia (Alkari) parade a painting of Our Lady of Sinj throughout the town streets.
The Alka itself is an equestrian competition in which various horsemen riding at full gallop aim their lances at a hanging metal ring (alka), and are awarded points according to which sector of the ring they are able to pierce. In 2010, the Alka was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
Alka is the name of the target used in the tournament; it is made of two concentric rings connected by three equally spaced bars. The target is hung on a rope in the middle of the race track. The contestant (Alkar) rides his horse, in full gallop, down the track and tries to hit the central ring with his spear. Depending on which part of the alka he hits, he receives from 1 to 3 points, and no points if he misses. If, however, the alkar sends the alka in the air away from its holder and hits any part of it on its way down, he will be awarded 1-3 points for a target hit and an additional three points, thus increasing the maximum to 6 points in one run. The contest consists of three rounds.
Only men born in Cetinska krajina (area along the valley of river Cetina in the vicinity of Sinj) can take part in the Alka. It is considered a great privilege to participate in the tournament. The vojvoda ("Duke") of Alka is a ceremonial title representing the commander of the Alkars. It is a great honour to become the alkar vojvoda, and only the most notable men from Cetinska krajina become one. The costumes worn by the alkar men are the same that were worn by the warriors in the 18th century. Each alkar is accompanied by a squire (alkarski momak) who is dressed in a folk costume of old, wearing several kinds of weapons (yatagan, flintlock musket and rifle, mace, shield). Alkars ride horses bred, kept or maintained almost exclusively in Alkars' Stud.
Sinjska Alka was created in the early 18th century as a continuation of knightly competitions that were held across the Venetian Dalmatia: Zadar, Imotski and Makarska. The oldest written mention of Alka are in the three sonnets and an ode written by the Italian poet Julije Bajamonti in 1784. The oldest official file about Alka is a letter of the first Austrian Commissioner for the Austria Dalmatia Count Raymond Thurn that he wrote to the commander of Sinj Josip Grabovac on February 10, 1798. In the letter Count Thurn informs Commander Grabovac that the Palatine Commission from Vienna "approved further maintenance of Alka in Sinj on the last day of the carnival".
In the past Alka was organised at a different time than today, occasionally twice a year (in years: 1798 (the last day of the carnival and on 9 May) and in 1818 (on 15 May and 6 July). In 1834 it was organised on 9 February, in 1838 on April 19, and in 1855 on October 4 because of cholera. Alka is organised regularly on August 18, which is the birthday of Emperor Franz Joseph, since 1849, as determined by the Statute of 1902. Since then, Alka is organised in August (and under the new rules), in the first third of the month, so that Bara, Čoja and Alka could be organised in the same month.
In 1818, during his trip through Dalmatia, the Emperor Francis II visited Sinj, and the locals organized a special Alka in his honor. The Emperor awarded the winner a brilliant ring worth 800 forints. Also, by 1818, Vienna was rewarding the winner a prize of 100 florins, and this was probably main reason for the continuation of this knightly tournament. When the Emperor Franz Joseph rose to power in 1848 he established the award in the amount of 100 forints. From 1902 to 1914 prize awarded to winner was 4000 crowns, and from 1914 to 1918 it was 600 crowns.