1106, 1126, 3119 CROATIA (Split-Dalmatia) - Historic City of Trogir (UNESCO WHS)

1106 City of Trogir

Posted on 19.06.2014, 05.07.2014, 12.08.2017
Located on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo, on the Adriatic coast, at 27km west of the city of Split, the historic city of Trogir is an excellent example of a medieval town built on and conforming with the layout of a Hellenistic and Roman city that has conserved its urban fabric to an exceptional degree. The ancient town of Tragurion (island of goats) was founded by Greek colonists from the island of Vis in the 3rd century BC. The Hellenistic town was enclosed by megalithic walls and its streets were laid out on a Hippodamian grid plan: the line of the ancient cardo maximus is that of the modern main street.

1126 Aerial view of the city of Trogir

 

The town flourished in the Roman period as an oppidum civium romanorum; during the late Roman period it was extended and refortified. It was also endowed with two large aisled basilicas, sited where the latter-day Cathedral and Benedictine Church of St John the Baptist now stand. During the migration of Slavs, the citizens of the destroyed Salona escaped to Trogir. In the second half of the 9th century Trogir became part of the Byzantine Theme of Dalmatia, with its capital at Zadar, and it was occupied by Venice at the end of the 10th century.

3119 City of Trogir - Kamerlengo Castle

Early medieval Trogir expanded to the south and new fortifications were constructed. At the beginning of the 12th century Trogir accepted Hungarian rule when the Theme of Dalmatia was overrun. There was a short period of Venetian rule in the early 14th century, but it was not until 1420 that the town became part of the Venetian empire. Between the 13th and 15th centuries much new building took place, this period seeing the construction of the Cathedral and the Camerlengo fortress, a radical remodelling of the main square, and two campaigns of reconstruction and strengthening of the fortifications.

0379, 1129, 3117 CROATIA (Dubrovnik-Neretva) - Old City of Dubrovnik (UNESCO WHS)

0379 View of the Dubrovnik walls from the South

Posted on 09.11.2012, 07.07.2014, 05.08.2017
Located in the southern Dalmatian coast, Dubrovnik, named official Ragusa until 1918,  and known as Pearl of the Adriatic or even Thesaurum mundi,  "is a remarkably well-preserved example of a late-medieval walled city, with a regular street layout", reason for which it was designated by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1979 (with an extension in 1994), under the name Old City of Dubrovnik. Until recently, it was believed that the city was founded about 614 AD by a group of refugees from Epidaurum (today's Cavtat), who fled of the Slavs and Avars and established a settlement to an island, and named it Laus (lausa means rock in latin), which will become Ragusa or Rausa.

1129 Stradun, the main street of Dubrovnik 

Opposite that location, at the foot of Srđ Mountain, the Slavs developed their own settlement, under the name of Dubrovnik (from dubrava, which means oak woods). In the 12th century the channel that separated these two settlements was filled (in present is Placa or Stradun, the main street of the city) and they were united. But recent archaeological discoveries have pushed the city's history before the Common Era, there being evidence that Dubrovnik was established by Greek sailors.

3117 The Church of Saint Blaise and the statue of the saint,
the patron saint of the city

Being first under the protection of the Byzantine Empire, Ragusa came, after the infamous Fourth Crusade, under the sovereignty of Venice (1205-1358), then became part of the Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom, and since 1458 paid a tribute to the Ottoman Empire, but was effectively a free state between 1358 and 1808, named Respublica Ragusina (Ragusan Republic). Its motto, Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro (Latin for "Liberty is not well sold for all the gold"), says everything about its principles, as also the fact that the republic abolished the slave trade early in the 15th century, and its official language was Latin until 1472, and thereafter the Ragusan dialect of the Romance Dalmatian language.

ALBANIA / AUSTRIA / BELGIUM / BULGARIA / CROATIA / GERMANY / ITALY / ROMANIA / SLOVAKIA / SLOVENIA / SPAIN / UKRAINE - Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (UNESCO WHS)

This transboundary property stretches over 12 European countries. Since the end of the last Ice Age, European Beech spread from a few isolated refuge areas in the Alps, Carpathians, Dinarides, Mediterranean and Pyrenees over a short period of a few thousand years in a process that is still ongoing. The successful expansion across a whole continent is related to the tree's adaptability and tolerance of different climatic, geographical and physical conditions.

2652 CROATIA (Primorje-Gorski Kotar) - An old tram in Opatija

The Opatija tram line was planned in 1892 as a steam driven tramway line from Matulji to Volosko, but this concept was not accepted due to complaints by the hotel industry fearing the smoke and noise generated by steam locomotives, which would disturb their guests. The preliminary work for an electric tramway started in 1900. The concession for building this 12 kilometer long track was issued on February 9, 1906 and the tramway went into operation on February 9, 1908.

2644 CROATIA (Istria) - Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč (UNESCO WHS)

The Euphrasian Basilica is a basilica in Poreč, on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, which, together with a sacristy, a baptistery and the bell tower of the nearby archbishop's palace, forms the most complete surviving complex from early Christianity, and also an excellent example of early Byzantine architecture. The earliest basilica was dedicated to Saint Maurus of Parentium and dates back to the second half of the 4th century. The floor mosaic from its oratory, originally part of a large Roman house, is still preserved.

2361 CROATIA (Bjelovar-Bilogora) - Eugen Kvaternik Park in Bjelovar

Located in central Croatia, on a plateau in the southern part of Bilogora mountains, Bjelovar was first mentioned in 1413, but gained importance only when a new fort was built there in 1756, at the command of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa. The central square and park was named after Eugen Kvaternik (1825-1871), a Croatian nationalist politician, one of the founders of the Party of Rights, the leader of the 1871 Rakovica Revolt which was an attempt to create an independent Croatian state.

2070 CROATIA (Primorje-Gorski Kotar) - Rijeka Carnival

About a century ago, Rijeka (by then in Austro-Hungarian Empire) lived its carnival life more intensively than any other town in this part of Yanis country. Carnival parades were organized as well as carnival balls with the presence of Austrian and Hungarian aristocrats, Russian princesses, German barons, earls and countesses from all over Europe. The rebirth of the Rijeka Carnival started in 1982.

1811 CROATIA (Split-Dalmatia) - Stari Grad Plain (UNESCO WHS)

Hvar (Greek: Pharos; Latin: Pharia; Italian: Lesina) is an 68km long island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula, with a large fertile coastal plain, and fresh water springs. On the northern side of the island is located one of the oldest towns in Europe, Stari Grad (literally Old Town), originally named Pharos by the Greek settlers from the island of Paros, who arrived in 384 BC. The cultural landscape of Stari Grad Plain has remained practically intact, and the original agricultural activity of this fertile plain, mainly centring on grapes and olives, has been maintained since Greek times to the present.

1759 CROATIA (Požega-Slavonia) - Pakrac

Located in western Slavonia, Pakrac was first mentioned in 1237 by the Knights Templar as a fortress in the shape of an irregular pentagon strengthened with 7 circular towers at the corners, and one more great guard tower in the interior. Most likely here was the location of the Croatian banovac mint. Over the centuries it changed ownership. It was the seat of the Vrana priory with some of the most powerful men in Croatia at the time, one time owner was Nikola Zrinski, followed by the Turks. After liberation from the Turks, serving as a barracks. After the military relocation begins its devastation. The stone was used for the construction of roads and other facilities. In 1922 the highest tower was pulled down, and in 1950 the last remnants.

1568 CROATIA (Istria) - City of Motovun (UNESCO WHS - Tentative List)

Located in central Istria, on an elevation that dominates over the valley of the Mirna River, Motovun is in nowadays only a village with 531 inhabitants, but it was a medieval town that grew up on the site of an ancient city called Kastelijer. On the inner walls are several coats-of-arms of different Motovun ruling families and two gravestones of Roman inhabitants (dating from the 1st century). In the 10th and 11th centuries it belonged to the Bishop of Poreč, but from 1278 it was taken over by Venice and surrounded by solid walls which are still intact today. All three parts of the town are connected by a system of fortifications containing elements of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles, being a typical example of Venetian colonial architecture.

1370 CROATIA (Primorje-Gorski Kotar) - Krk

Krk is an island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner, inhabited without interruption since the Neolithic age. According to Greek and Latin sources, it is one of the Apsyrtidian or Electridian islands held by the Liburnians. For many years, Krk has been thought to be the largest Adriatic island, although recent measurements now give the neighboring island of Cres an equal surface area. Anyway, it is the most populous Adriatic island, with numerous towns and villages that contain a total of 19,286 inhabitants. Ruled by the Romans, then by the Byzantines, the island was conquered by Venetians for the first time in 1001, and from then its history was closely linked with the history of the Republic of Venice for seven centuries. In 1822 the Austrians separated the island from Dalmatia and linked it to Istria, so that Krk, Cres and Lošinj came under direct rule from Vienna. This link contributed to the Croatian National Revival and together with Kastav, the town of Krk played a leading role in the spread of Croatian education and culture. after a brief Italian Occupation (1918-1920), it was handed over to Croatia, then in Yugoslavia.

0118, 1227 CROATIA - The map and the flag of the country

 

Posted on 07.02.2012 and 17.09.2014

When Croatia has separated from Yugoslavia and it has declared independence, I thought that its territory's shape (as the jaws of a crocodile - isn't at all a political allusion) will be very difficult to defend. And probably so it's, but the war of four years that followed proved that this mission isn't impossible to accomplish. The upper "jaw" is Slavonia (closely linked with the Croatia itself in the last thousand years), and the lower "jaw" is Dalmatia. In fact the present border between Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina (located between "jaws") is, with certain approximation, the boundary which separated, for centuries, Austrian Empire and Ottoman Empire.

The area known as Croatia today was inhabited throughout the prehistoric period, fossils of Neanderthals being unearthed in northern Croatia, with the most famous and the best presented site in Krapina. The Iron Age left traces of the early Illyrian Hallstatt culture and the Celtic La Tène culture. Much later, the region was settled by Liburnians and Illyrians, the first Greek colonies were established on the islands of Korčula, Hvar and Vis. In 9 AD the territory became part of the Roman Empire. Emperor Diocletian built a large palace in Split when he retired in AD 305. The period ends with Avar and Croat invasions in the first half of the 7th century and destruction of almost all Roman towns. Tomislav became the first king by 925, elevating Croatia to the status of a kingdom, which retained its sovereignty for nearly two centuries. Croatia entered a personal union with Hungary in 1102, and in 1527, faced with Ottoman conquest, the Croatian Parliament elected Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg to the throne.

0733, 0734, 1136, 1170 CROATIA (Split-Dalmatia) - Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian (UNESCO WHS)

Posted on 11.07.2013, 09.07.2014, and 29.07.2014
It is said that the Diocletian's Palace is placed on the center of the city of Split. For the sake of accuracy, I must say that in fact the city was built around the palace. It was began in 293 AD, and was finished in 305, right on time to receive its owner, who retired there, becoming the first Roman Emperor to voluntarily remove himself from office. He will enjoy only 6 years by the pleasures offered by the opulent refuge, because he committed suicide in 311. After the Romans abandoned the site, the palace remained empty until the 7th century, when nearby residents fled to the walled palace to escape invading barbarians, and so was born the current city. After the Middle Ages the palace was unknown in the West until the Scottish neo-classical architect Robert Adam discovered the ruins in 18th century.

As can be seen in the first postcard, a reconstruction of the palace in its original appearance, made by the French architect and archaeologist Ernest Hébrard in 1912, the ground plan of the assembly is an irregular rectangle (approximately 160m x 190m), with towers on three sides. The palace is enclosed by walls, and at times, it housed over 9000 people. Only the southern facade, the one seaward, was unfortified. The palace combines therefore the qualities of a luxurious villa with those of a military camp. A monumental gate in the middle of each of the walls led to an enclosed courtyard. The southern sea gate (the Porta Aenea) was simpler in shape and dimensions than the other three. The transverse road (decumanus) linking the eastern gate (the Silver Gate or Porta Argentea) and western gate (the Iron Gate or Porta Ferrea) divided the complex into two-halves.

A monumental court, called the Peristyle, formed the northern access to the imperial apartments. It also gave access to Diocletian's mausoleum on the east (now Cathedral of St. Domnius), and to three temples on the west (two of which are now lost, the third having become a baptistery, originally being the temple of Jupiter). The northern half of the palace, divided in two parts by the main north-south street (cardo) leading from the Golden Gate (Porta Aurea) to the Peristyle, is less well preserved. The palace was built of white local limestone, marble of high quality, tuff and brick, and was decorated with numerous 3500 year old granite sphinxes, originating from the site of Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. Only three have survived the centuries. In the left is the Bell Tower, constructed in the year 1100 AD, in the Romanesque style, the city's main symbol.

The Cathedral of St. Domnius, known locally as the Sveti Dujam, is the Catholic cathedral in Split, actually a complex of a church and a bell tower. Strictly the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the bell tower to Saint Duje. The cathedral, consecrated at the turn of the 7th century, is regarded as one of the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that remains in use in its original structure. The structure itself, built in 305 as the Mausoleum of Diocletian, is the second oldest structure used by any Christian Cathedral. The Bell Tower was constructed in the year 1100, in the Romanesque style.

1073 CROATIA (Lika-Senj) - Plitvice Lakes National Park (UNESCO WHS)

Situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in country. It is famous for the 16 lakes arranged in cascades between Mala Kapela Mountain and Pljesevica Mountain, a result of the confluence of several small rivers and subterranean karst rivers. The lakes are all interconnected and follow the water flow, being separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae, and bacteria. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1cm per year.

1039 CROATIA (Dubrovnik-Neretva) - Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston with Mali Ston, connecting walls, the Mali Ston Bay nature reserve, Stonsko Polje and the salt pans (UNESCO WHS - Tentative List)

The fertile fields and large protected bays of the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula, where is located the municipality of Ston, favoured always the human settlements, as proved the archaeological excavations, which brought to light a variety of cultural layers since prehistory through antiquity, the Middle Ages to the present day. The sites of the Ston region, blended inseparably with the natural framework, make up a universal civilizational value and link between Nature and Man, and assert the regions and the 2000 years of its history.

1013 CROATIA (Zagreb) - Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

As the largest city of Croatia, Zagreb occupy, of course, leading economic position in the country, making it a global and cosmopolitan metropolis. This thing, but mostly its status as the capital, its history and its cultural tradition, are all reasons to consider it not only an important centre of Croatian culture, but also of Europe and the world. In addition to museums, galleries, schools and places of worship, there are about 20 permanent or seasonal theaters and stages in Zagreb, the most important being the Croatian National Theater, built in 1895 and opened by emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.

0889 CROATIA (Zagreb) - A girl in traditional clothes and Zagreb Cathedral

In the center of the postcard can be seen the two spires of the Zagreb Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and to kings Saint Stephen and Saint Ladislaus. It is typically Gothic, and is the tallest building in Croatia. Its construction started in 1093, but the building was destroyed by the Tatars in 1242. At the end of the 15th century, the Ottomans built fortification walls around it, and in the 17th century a fortified renaissance watchtower was erected on the south side. Severely damaged in the 1880 earthquake, was restored in the Neo-Gothic style, two spires 108m high being raised.

0649 & 0849 CROATIA (Šibenik-Knin) - The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik (UNESCO WHS)

Posted on 17.05.2013 and completed on 26.10.2013
Šibenik, located on the Dalmatian coast, distinguishes from the majority of the settlements situated along the Adriatic coast (established by Greeks, Illyrians or Romans) through the fact that it was founded by Croats, in the 10th century. Disputed and successive mastered by the Republic of Venice, Byzantine Empire, Kingdom of Hungary and Kingdom of Bosnia, it reached in the end, in 1420, under the control of the Venetian, situation that will be maintained until 1797, when became part of the Austrian monarchy (Austria side after the compromise of 1867). After WWII, despite the claims of Italy, Šibenik became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (subsequent Yugoslavia).

The most important building in the town is Cathedral of St. James (Katedrala sv. Jakova), also the most important architectural monument of the Renaissance in Croatia. Built entirely of limestone from a nearby stone quarry and marble from the island of Brač by local and Italian masters, it is considered "a unique and outstanding building in which Gothic and Renaissance forms have been successfully blended", in which are mixed the influences of three culturally different regions (Northern Italy, Dalmatia, and Tuscany).