14/05/2024
𝟮𝟭 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮:
1. Croatia has one of the richest intangible cultural heritages in the world, recognized by UNESCO with numerous elements listed, including the famous Annual Carnival Bell Ringers’ Pageant from the Kastav area.
2. The world’s smallest town, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is Hum, located in Istria, Croatia, with a population varying from 17 to 23.
3. Croatia is the original home of the Dalmatian dog, a breed named after the Dalmatian coast.
4. The necktie (Cravat) originated in Croatia, initially part of the traditional uniform worn by Croatian soldiers in the 17th century.
5. Dubrovnik was a significant independent republic for 450 years. The Republic of Ragusa, as it was known, was a major rival of Venice in the Adriatic.
6. Croatia boasts the world's first hydroelectric power plant. Built in 1895, it is located in the town of Šibenik.
7. The amphitheater in P**a is one of the six largest Roman arenas still standing and is the only one with all four side towers completely preserved.
8. Zadar has the world’s first sea organ that creates music powered by the sea waves.
9. Croatia has a beach known as Zlatni Rat (Golden Cape), famous for changing its shape and direction based on the wind.
10. The island of Hvar is estimated to be the sunniest spot in Europe, boasting over 2,800 hours of sunlight annually.
11. The inventor of the torpedo was Ivan Lupis, a Croatian engineer, in cooperation with Robert Whitehead during the 19th century.
12. Croatia is home to the world’s largest truffle, which was found by Giancarlo Zigante in Istria. It weighed 1.31 kilograms (2.9 lbs).
13. The island of Korčula is believed to be the birthplace of Marco Polo, the famous explorer.
14. Croatia has over 1,000 islands, islets, and reefs, making it one of the most fragmented coastlines in Europe.
15. The UNESCO-protected Plitvice Lakes National Park has 16 lakes interconnected by a series of waterfalls and set in deep woodland populated with deer, bears, wolves, boars, and rare bird species.
16. The Velebit Botanical Garden is not a traditional garden, but a wild area where plants naturally grow, showcasing the rich biodiversity of the Velebit mountain range.
17. The currency of Croatia, the Kuna, means "marten" in Croatian, a throwback to when marten pelts were used as units of value in medieval trade.
18. Croatia’s Diocletian's Palace in Split was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian and is the most complete remains of a Roman palace in the world.
19. The popular TV series "Game of Thrones" filmed several scenes in Croatia, including Dubrovnik as King's Landing and the Fortress of Klis as Meereen.
20. Nikola Tesla was born in Smiljan, making Croatia the birthplace of one of the greatest inventors and electrical engineers.
21. Croatia’s national flower is the Iris, specifically the Iris Croatica, which is protected and considered a symbol of the country’s natural beauty.
