Croatia is a unique mix of history, nature and culture that has left an unmistakable and lasting mark on the country’s cities and landscapes. It is therefore hardly surprising that numerous places are protected as World Heritage sites by UNESCO. UNESCO is an international organization based in Paris that has made it its mission to promote education, science, culture, communication and information. The organization awards the World Heritage title to unique, authentic sites that are of exceptional importance due to their special position, function or condition and are considered particularly worthy of protection and preservation for humanity. The road to World Heritage is long and rocky: the cultural and natural monuments scattered around the world must be proposed by UNESCO states and officially designated by UNESCO after extensive examination. Currently (as of July 2015) the list includes 1031 monuments worldwide – 7 of them are in Croatia.
Historical complex of the city of Split with the palace of Emperor Diocletian
Split is not only unofficially the capital of Dalmatia – the port city with its eventful history is also one of the most exciting and worth seeing places in the whole country. Since 1979, the entire city center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The World Heritage includes Diocletian’s Palace on the one hand, but also the medieval city extension on the other. The late antique imperial palace in particular attracts millions of visitors every year – and rightly so! Hardly any other city in the world offers the opportunity to walk through such a well-preserved complex in the middle of the city and marvel at the perfect unity of early Christian, Byzantine and early medieval art. Here, between imperial chambers, official reception halls and mighty cellar vaults, you can wonderfully immerse yourself in the splendid and eventful history of the city and the country.
The original palace covered an area of almost 30,000 m² and had a rectangular floor plan of 180x215m, which was surrounded by mighty walls. Where cafes now invite you to relax and tour guides explain details of buildings and works of art, the only Roman emperor who voluntarily left office once resided. Anyone looking for a little relaxation in view of the well-preserved splendor and mighty walls will find the Venetian city loggia on the “Narodni Trg” square in the western adjacent medieval city center, which now houses the ethnographic museum. Many small restaurants and cafes invite you to linger here. In the center of Diocletian’s Palace is the Peristyle with the Sveti Duje Cathedral, which offers perhaps the most beautiful view of the city from the church tower. The most popular meeting place in Split is the Riva, a promenade along the harbor bay, which is also part of the UNESCO-protected old town.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Hidden in the hilly karst region of central Croatia lies one of the most spectacular national parks in the country, if not Europe, the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Croatia’s largest national park in terms of area has been under special protection by UNESCO since 1979.
The magical beauty of the lakes flowing into one another, the majestic waterfalls and the dazzling white travertine terraces are what justify this special status to this day. This wonderful world of water, stone and dense forests is home to numerous plants and animals, some of which are endemic and highly endangered, which, with a little luck, can be discovered on a long hike along well-paved park paths.
A boat trip on the park’s lakes is much less strenuous and at least as exciting. The full beauty of this unique region unfolds from the water. The intense blue and green of the lakes contrasts impressively with the deep green of the surrounding forests and the light grey of the bizarre karst mountains that have protected this incomparable gem from the world for centuries.
The Old Town of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, the pearl of the Adriatic, is not only a popular cruise ship and jet-set destination with an eventful and fascinating history – the old town of the lively port city in the very south of the country has also been under UNESCO protection since 1979. Although a severe earthquake severely damaged large parts of the city in 1667 and the Croatian War of Independence also left its mark, it has managed to preserve its unique unity and beauty in an impressive way to this day.
Framed by a majestic, fully accessible city wall, the old town forms an urban unit characterized by narrow alleys, lively squares, the city harbor with the main promenade Stradun and buildings worth seeing such as the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary with its baroque basilica from the 13th century. But Dubrovnik’s fascination does not come from individual buildings such as the oldest pharmacy in Europe in the Franciscan monastery from the 14th century or the Prince’s Palace. It is the fascinating unity of churches and monasteries, palaces and fountains from different centuries that makes this city so worth seeing and preserving.
The historic city center of Trogir
Another place that is particularly worth seeing is Trogir, a port city not far from Split in central Dalmatia. The old town, which is completely protected by UNESCO, is located on a small island that is connected to the mainland and the neighboring island of Ciovo by two bridges. Although the Saracens destroyed it almost to its foundations in the 12th century, the former Greek settlement is now considered a prime example of the continuity of a city – and for this reason has been a UNESCO cultural heritage site since 1997.
The historic city center, which is partly surrounded by a wall, still has the checkerboard-like street grid from the Hellenistic period, but also has lovingly restored and very well-preserved architectural masterpieces from various eras. Residential buildings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance periods invite you to explore and marvel, including the Prince’s Palace from the 13th century and the City Loggia and the Great and Small Cipiko Palace from the 15th century. Romanesque churches are equally impressive in their architecture and furnishings, including the St. Lawrence Cathedral from the 13th century. It is considered the most important example of Romanesque-Gothic art in Croatia and still amazes today with the opulently designed west portal by Master Radovan.
The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik
Sibenik, the charming port town near the mouth of the Krka in northern Dalmatia, has only recently become a UNESCO cultural heritage site. The Cathedral of St. James has been under the special protection of the international organization since 2000. It is considered a unique example of sacred architecture – among other things because influences from northern Italy, Dalmatia and Tuscany come together in an inimitable (and very aesthetic) way to create a masterpiece.
Located on the south side of the market square, the stone building dominates the face of the city with its monumental size and grandeur. Despite its dimensions, the majestic building appears very harmonious overall, which is due to the genius of the three architects Francesco di Giacomo, Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac. A unique harmony makes the building an aesthetic masterpiece, from the foundation to the simple naves to the cleverly constructed dome. The Renaissance building combines a clarity and perfectly formed structure that characterizes Bauhaus designs in modern times – and impresses with timeless elegance and beauty.
The early Christian complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč
A very special treasure awaits visitors in Porec, a medieval town on the west coast of Istria. Just the sight of the defiant defense towers and the well-preserved city fortifications gives you an idea that there is something particularly valuable to protect here. In the northern part of the peninsula it rises, the treasure of Porec, the Euphrasian Basilica complex. The cathedral and its outbuildings have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.
The church, built in its current form in the 6th century, is considered one of the most important examples of late antique and early Byzantine art in the Adriatic region – not least because the sacred building has remained practically unchanged since then. It owes its name to Bishop Euphrasius, who had the cathedral completely rebuilt and refurbished in the 6th century. Particularly remarkable is the extraordinary, harmonious mix of early Christian architecture, classicism and Byzantine aesthetics, which is particularly evident in the basilica. But the Euphrasian Basilica is best known for its breathtakingly beautiful, richly decorated mosaics on the walls, floors and apse. The finest marble, elaborate stucco work and inlays made of stone and mother of pearl testify to the great skill of the masters involved in the construction – and to the great importance of the church, which gained a foothold in this region early on.
Starigrad Plain
Anyone who visits the vast plain “Starigradsko polje” on the island of Hvar, dominated by vineyards and olive groves, is amazed at first glance not only by the fertile greenery, but also by the interesting geometric structures that characterize the landscape. Since the Greeks established their first settlements here, these structures have not fundamentally changed – a strong reason to place the region under UNESCO protection. The largest fertile plain on the Adriatic islands has been on the UNESCO list since 2008 and is a unique testimony to ancient land division and use. To this day, the chora, the individual plots, are clearly separated from one another. On closer inspection, it is a system of dry stone walls that adorns and characterizes this landscape to this day. Gutters, storage facilities, cisterns and a rainwater recovery system prove how progressive and innovative the entire complex was. Also worth seeing are the ancient residential buildings and outbuildings, including around 60 luxury villas from Roman times, which decoratively adorn the man-made landscape.