Streljani Prvog splitskog partizanskog odreda

Streljani Prvog splitskog partizanskog odreda is a memorial and crypt in the Ruduša forest near Sinj, in Dalmatia, Croatia. It marks the place where fighters of the First Split Partisan Detachment were shot in 1941. It is a quiet, little-visited site for anyone interested in World War II history and Yugoslav memorial architecture.

What does the site commemorate?

At Ruduša, 24 members of the First Split Partisan Detachment were executed in 1941 after being captured. The detachment was among the first partisan formations in Dalmatia, and most of its fighters came from the Split workers' body known as RNK Split. The memorial was built in their honour.

What does the monument look like?

The memorial and crypt were completed in 1962 to a design by Vuko Bombardelli. The concrete structure is roughly 5 metres tall and 8 metres wide. It belongs to the wider group of postwar Yugoslav monuments, often called "spomeniks", which combined stark, abstract form with the function of a place of mourning. Databases documenting such monuments list it as a concrete memorial with a crypt dedicated to the battle of the First Split Detachment.

Link to the Košute memorial in Split

The Ruduša monument is often described as a counterpart to the memorial at Košute in Split, unveiled in 1961. The Split monument commemorates the detachment's struggle, while the one near Sinj marks the site where partisans were executed. Together they tell one story of the beginnings of resistance in the region.

Damage and restoration

In the early 1990s the monument was devastated. In 2009 brothers Jozo and Slaven Žužul, construction entrepreneurs from the Imotski area, paid for its restoration, as Croatian media reported. According to spomenikdatabase.org the site has been described as neglected and in only fair condition, so check its current state before visiting.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the memorial? In the Ruduša forest near the town of Sinj, in Dalmatia, Croatia.

Who designed it? Vuko Bombardelli; it was completed in 1962.

Whom does it commemorate? Fighters of the First Split Partisan Detachment, 24 of whom were executed in 1941.

Has it been restored? Yes. After the damage of the early 1990s, the Žužul brothers funded restoration in 2009.

Is it worth visiting? If you are interested in twentieth-century history and monumental concrete architecture, yes. Do not expect developed visitor facilities; it is more a place for reflection than a managed attraction. Plan to arrive by car from Sinj.