Mokošica

Mokošica is a district in the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. The suburb consists of Old (Mokošica) and New Mokošica (Nova Mokošica).

Name
Mokošica was named after Mokosh, the goddess of fertility and protector of women in Slavic mythology.

Geographical location
Mokošica is the first major western suburban town of Dubrovnik (7 km from Dubrovnik). It is located just above the Adriatic Highway which leads to Split. From the north and east it is surrounded by the high mountains of the Dalmatian coast. Towards the north lies the slopes of Golubov Kamen Hill.

History
From the 16th century onwards Mokošica was the summer location for the citizens of Dubrovnik (Houses of Bona, Zuzorić, Ragnina and Giorgi). The most important building is Gozze-Giorgi (Sabino Giorgi) villa where, in 1814, the council met for the last time to restore the Republic of Ragusa. Nearby, there is Mokošica Villa Zamagna with a small chapel as well as ruins of a medieval church St. Pancras.

During the war in Croatia, around November 21, 1991, New and Old Mokošica were invaded and occupied by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), Serbian and Montenegrin armies.

Even though the Yugoslav forces withdrew from both Mokošicas on May 26, 1992, bombing still continued throughout summer 1992 and again in mid-August 1995 following the fall of the Serbian Krajina.

New Mokošica recorded less destruction than the old town. It is believed that this was the case because members of guerrilla units were stationed in Old Mokošica.

Demographics
According to the 2021 census, its population was 7,875. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 7,940. It is considered one of the most densely populated urban districts in Croatia. The vast majority of the population are Croats, with small percentages of Serbs and Bosniaks.

New Mokošica
New Mokošica consists of three residential units, that were built in three phases. New urban development dates back to the early 1980s when the first multi-storey dwellings were built. The terrain on which New Mokošica is located abounds with olive groves, vineyards and fields. There are now residential buildings, a primary school sports hall, a kindergarten, health centre, cafes, shops, bank, bakery, post office, betting shops, playgrounds for children and sports courts for adults. There are plans to construct a new church and a large shopping centre.

There is a large number of high-rise buildings that were built in the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. The second and third phase of construction involved the evolution of "Our House" to "Small houses". Typical homes are residential buildings of three to four-stories, while the so-called Small houses or urban villas consist of up to two floors and four rooms per house. In 2005, the fourth phase of construction of new buildings from the housing incentive program (POS) began. This has resulted in an entirely new look for the area.

Economy
The vast majority of employees in Mokošica work in Dubrovnik. Main branches of economy in Mokošica are tourism, shipbuilding and fishing. There are plans to construct a large shopping centre and consequently the development of trade.

In the immediate vicinity of Komolac there is a marina. ACI Marina Dubrovnik in Komolac is the holder of a blue flag, and is located near the source of the river Ombla. The marina is completely protected from storm waves and the sea. It is considered one of the safest marinas in the world.

Transportation
New Mokošica is connected to Dubrovnik by the Adriatic highway. The 7 kilometre journey is covered frequently by bus lines 1A and 1B of the transportation company Libertas.