History of Drage

Drage is a tourist place near Pakostane. It is located halfway between Zadar and Šibenik. Drage is a peaceful and quiet Dalmatian place and at first glance conquers with the naturalness of the ambience. The indented coast with numerous bays and pebble beaches provide favorable conditions for tourism development.

Until fifteen years ago, the inhabitants of Draga were mostly engaged in agriculture, while now the inhabitants are increasingly engaged in service activities. The place has a very developed tourism, which is shown by the tourist resort Dolaška Draga, which has over 250 tourist houses. Next to Drago is the Vrana Lake Nature Park, which stretches from Pakostane to Prosika.

Drage were inhabited in prehistoric times, as evidenced by the remains of Liburnian ruins on a hill above the present Čelinka places. Besides the ruins Čelinka, in the area of Drage there are the remains of two other forts – Vela and Mala Kurela. However, they are not used for housing, but they had a military purpose.

The continuity of settlement can be observed in antiquity. It is possible to conclude on the basis of grave finds from this period.

Through the early Croatian period not we find confirmation that the area of today’s village Drage used to be a settlement. There is some possibility that some of the settlements mentioned Jelić (according Venetian sources) belonged zablatska sub-county, was in the area of today’s settlement. However, it is not possible to assert.

According to available historical sources, it is possible to conclude that Drage founded at the turn of the XVIII on the XIX century, and certainly before the thirties XIX century. Specifically, then, was to prepare a cadastral maps, among others, and our area. Cadastral maps are completed 1840 and the two are drawn Drage. Also, according to official statistics, it is known that Drage year 1857 numbered 48 people. On the other hand according to Grimani maps, which were published in the first half XVIII century in the area of Drage there are certain properties, however, they granted the title of Villa, which means village. Therefore, it is realistic to conclude that Drage established late XVIII century or at the very beginning XIX century.

Drage are justified by Pakoštanci and were, except by the church authorities, and of the secular authorities, considered part of the settlement Pakoštane. This is evidenced by available statistics, which rarely make the distinction between Pakoštane and Drage. Drage are observed separately from Pakoštana only in the first half of XX century.

Expensive characterized by a kind of loose urbanization makes this settlement specifically in the wider environment. The settlement makes more cores which are spatially relatively far apart from each other. This suggests that the settlement was established in peacetime, or when the life in our area gradually began to normalize.