Sinjska Alka

Sinjska Alka is the historic knightly tournament of Sinj, a town in Croatia’s Dalmatian hinterland. It has been held every year since 1715 to commemorate the defense of Sinj against the Ottoman army. The main competition takes place on the first Sunday in August. Alkars, mounted competitors traditionally from the Cetina region around Sinj, race at full gallop down the track and thrust a lance at the hanging iron ring called the alka. The ring’s sections carry different values, and the most famous hit is the tiny center, srida. When a rider strikes it cleanly, the crowd answers with the unmistakable shout “U sridu!” Sinjska Alka was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010.

Alka weekend in Sinj builds through the trial races Bara and Čoja on the Friday and Saturday before the main tournament. On Alka day, the town fills with horses, drums, trumpets, and historical uniforms, and spectators line the Alkarsko trkalište to watch each run. The competitors wear richly detailed 18th-century dress, while alkarski momci walk beside the horses in equally distinctive costume. Many visitors also stop at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sinj, because the 1715 victory is traditionally linked with the town’s Marian devotion. Restaurants and family tables often feature Sinjski arambašići, the local small cabbage rolls closely associated with Sinj and with the ceremonial days around Alka.

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