Antonio Bajamonti

Antonio Bajamonti
13th, 15th Mayor of Split
In office 9 January 1860 – 1864
Preceded by	Šimun de Michieli-Vitturi
Succeeded by	Frano Lanza
In office 1865–1880
Preceded by	Frano Lanza
Succeeded by	Aleksandar Nallini
Personal details
Born	(1822-02-19)19 February 1822 Split, Kingdom of Dalmatia, Austrian Empire
Died	13 January 1891(1891-01-13) (aged 68) Split, Kingdom of Dalmatia, Austria-Hungary
Political party	Autonomist Party
Spouse(s)	Alojzija Kružević
Alma mater	University of Padua
Occupation	Politician, medical doctor
Profession	Physician

Antonio Bajamonti, drawing

Antonio Bajamonti (19 February 1822 in Split – 13 January 1891 in Split) was a Dalmatian Italian politician. Today he is remembered as one of the most famous and successful mayors of Split, occupying that post almost continuously for twenty years (1860-1880). He was a medical doctor by profession.^[1] Bajamonti's parents were Giuseppe Bajamonti (Pretorial Chancellor of Vis) and Elena Candido of Šibenik.

Unlike many of his predecessors and successors, Bajamonti brought peaceful cooperation between Romance (Italian) and Slavic (Croatian) citizens of the ancient city. His personality alone held off national strife brought on by the Age of Nationalism.

Mayor of Split

Bajamonti became Mayor of Split on 9 January 1860^[2] for the Autonomist Party (succeeding Šimun de Michieli-Vitturi) and stayed in office until 1864, when he was relieved because of his opposition to Austrian centralism. He was replaced by Frano Lanza, but in 1865 he united with the People's Party into the Liberal Union and won the elections again.

He would go on to hold the post for over two decades, until 1880, when he retired from office and was succeeded by Aleksandar Nallini, another Autonomist. After democratic reforms allowed for a greater part of the populace to vote, Bajamonti's Autonomist Party lost the 1882 elections. Croatian Dalmatians, who made up the majority of the population of Split, were able to influence the vote sufficiently and a People's Party mayor was elected, Dujam Rendić-Miočević, a prominent Split lawyer.

Parliament of Dalmatia

Bajamonti was also a member of the Parliament of Dalmatia (1861–91) and the Austrian Chamber of Deputies (1867–70 and 1873–79). He married Alojzija Kružević on the October 6, 1849.

For many years Bajamonti enjoyed the support of Croats and Italians and in this period of relative social peace was the propeller of important public works,^[3] including the introduction of lighting gas,^[4]

In 1859, before its election, he built a public theatre with his own money. During his administration gas lighting was installed instead of oil, the Society for the construction and embellishment of Split was established, west wing of the representative building on the square Prokurative was built and the old Diocletian water-works were reconstructed.

For his initiative Split was also equipped with a square surrounded by galleries. His most famous work was construction of the big fountain that was named later after him. Three months later after the second opening the fountain Antonio Bajamonti died. The fountain was destroyed in 1947 by city authorities as a symbol of fascism and Italian occupation.

Bajamonti instituted the policy Dalmatian Society (1886) and Società Accommodation Split (1888), until, severely indebted, died in his hometown on January 13, 1891. When he died, the information about his death was displayed in almost all the press in Italy.^[5]

See also

• House of Bajamonti
• Split
• Dalmatia
• Dalmatianism

References

External links

Croatian

• Bajamonti Family-Prints in Library & Information Science (Ex libris Bajamonti u Sveučilišnoj knjižnici u Splitu)

The Bajamonti Family has been mentioned for the first time in Split Registry Books at the beginning of the 18th century as owners of a very rich library collection. The first data about the library had been recorded by Julio Bajamonti, registering that the big fire of 1787 had seriously damaged the collection.

• Matica.hr Short History of Split's Riva
• Mvinfo.hr/ Moderna Vremna Info Article originally released in Jutarnjem Listu by Jurica Pavicic-16.09.06

Italian

• Bajamonti: "A noi Dalmati non resta che soffrire"
• Randi, Oscar. Antonio Bajamonti il «Mirabile» Podestà di Spalato, Società Dalmata di Storia Patria, Zara 1932
• Luciano Monzali, Italiani di Dalmazia. Dal Risorgimento alla Grande Guerra, Le Lettere, Firenze 2004
• Valentino Quintana, Vittorio Vetrano di San Mauro Il carattere Italiano della Venezia Giulia e della Dalmazia, Quattroventi, Urbino 2009