History of game

 

Sinjska alka is a well-known Croatian knight game (dates from 1715.) that is held every August in honor of the Turks, and then the whole Cetina region lives for this magnificent event.

Sinjska alka was created in the time when many similar knight games in Europe were created and already existed.

Most of the games have been forgotten, but Sinjska alka has not been forgotten and since 2010. is under the protection of UNESCO’s World Intangible Heritage.

People of Sinj believe in their heavenly patroness, Lady of Sinj, which is driven by the Ottomans ( ” saw a woman in white walking the walls of Sinj ”) and to demonstrate loyalty and respect the people established this magnificent knights game, which lives even today in which we can enjoy.

The name and symbol of ALKA

 

The name Alka (tur./arapha halqa: ring, rim) originates from the details of the footsteps on the saddle of the sealed horse of the Turkish serasker-pastor Čelić. In the Alka ceremony two men lead a bridle horse symbolizing pasha, Edeka.

Alka has two concentric iron circles connected to three arms, so that the spacing between the circles is divided into three equal parts. The middle, the smallest circle is worth three points, the upper field two, and the two lower fields one. The altar in a full gallop with a wooden spear with an iron tip shot at the beginning. The boss becomes the one who in the three races of Alka gets the most gold medal. If multiple forearms have the same number of balls then they compete until one collects more squares.

Alka is a symbol of struggle for freedom, peace, fire, for faith and hope. It unites the past and the future, celebrating honor and honesty, the customs of our old people, the heroism and courage.

It is precisely this combination of chivalrous knighthood and folk color that is an interesting combination that makes Sinjska alka a unique and recognizable tourist symbol of Croatia in the world

INTERESTING FACTS

 

We bring you some interesting facts about Sinjska alka that we learned during our visit:

• Alkar can not be anyone, Alkar must be born Cetinjanin, have eagle eye and firm right, and most must be honest man
• Before Alke’s, two general tests are held. At Bari and Čoji competition is conducted according to the rules of Alka, only participants are without ceremonial odor
• Bara is held two days before Alke. Winner of Bare gets a bronze medal, and in the procession through Sinj he wears a bucket of two meters of green coat
• Čoja is held before the competition itself. The winner of Čoja gets a silver ribbon and in the procession through Sinj carries a 311 cm red spear on the buckle
• Alka is on the list of the immaterial world heritage in Croatia and definitely remembered the great victory of the Turks that should be kept for future generations as well.

 

If you are near Split, I highly recommend to go in 30 kilometers far away Sinj city and definitely visit this event worthy your attention that you will not forget so easily.

I think that only three days of “celebration” of this game are insufficient and that this should be changed and extended so that more people can attend this event.

We all know the project “The Sinjska alka theme park”, which unfortunately has not yet come to fruition, which should open up to 30,000 jobs and invest large amounts of money and increase tourism spending.

My opinion is that we need to nurture the memory of this magnificent and historic game, and this whole region together with the city of Sinj and its surroundings has plenty to offer to the local population as well as to tourists coming from all over the world.

The opening of the theme park significantly would bring the development of the entire region, town of Sinj as the development of religious and cultural tourism.