Culture of Croatia

"For Croatia, the protection and preservation of its cultural heritage is an important element which helps forge a sense of identity."

Peristil is part of Diocletian's palace

Cultural and monumental heritage

World Monumental Heritage Sites (UNESCO) - Trogir, Split, Šibenik, and Dubrovnik;
monumental wholes-Solin (ancient and early Christian complex), Korčula, Hvar, Ston, Diocletian’s Palace;
cathedrals in Zadar, Šibenik, Trogir, Split, Hvar, Korčula, and Dubrovnik;
archaeological sites - Bribir, Biskupija, the surroundings of Zadar, early Croatian churches from Nin to Dubrovnik.
More about culture in Croatia
In the territory of Croatia, many layers of prehistoric cultures are present, the formation and disappearance of which is tied to the migration of unidentified ethnic groups. The prehistoric Mediterranean groups in the coastal regions and the Pannonian groups in the continental areas developed Neolithic and Eneolithic cultures (Danilo, Hvar, Vucedol) and quite likely the first phases of culture of the Metal Age. They were connected to the Illyrians, the ethnic group with a clearly defined cultural and artistic physiognomy. In the period of their development, the first serious conflicts appeared with the ancient Greek world (the colonies of Issa, Faros, Tragurion) and later with the penetration to Rome, which ended with the inclusion of the entire region into the Roman Empire, despite the long resistance by the Illyrians. Dalmatia was made a special province, with its capital Salon. The Romans left lasting traces in the social and culture life of this region; they built roads and fortified centers and erected many towns with a numerous monumental structures. These towns, particularly in the coastal regions, remained the foundation for later urbanization in the Middle Ages (Porec, Pula, Zadar, Salon-Split). The fall of the Roman Empire brought the cultural sphere of Byzantium to the southern regions of Croatia, and this new cultural influence was expressed with a series of monuments from Porec (the Euphrasian Basilica) to Dubrovnik.

Many different cultural areas are brought together in Croatia - for example Istria and Dalmatia have been shaped by northern Italy, Zagreb and northern Croatia by Double Monarchy, Slavonia by Central and Eastern European countries and north-east by Hungarians. This cultural diversity is often nurtered by the various cultural traditions.

Did you know?

Founder of San Marino, the first republic in Europe - Marin (4th century) was born on the island of Rab.
Famous world traveller and explorer Marco Polo, was most probably born in 1254 on the island of Korčula. Even today there are people on the island who bear the same family name.
Mathematician, Marin Ghetaldus Getaldić (1566 - 1606) is known for the application of algebra in geometry and also as a pioneer in the making of conic lenses.
Physicist, mathematician and astronomer Ruđer Bošković (1711 - 1787) was one of the most educated people of his time, predecessor of modern physics, founder of dynamic atomistic.
Inventor of the torpedo was Ivan Lupis (1813 - 1875), nautical officer from Rijeka.
Inventor of dactyloscopy (identification through fingerprints) Ivan Vučetić (1858 - 1925), was born on the island of Hvar.
One of the world greatest innovators Nikola Tesla (1856 - 1943) was born in a village Smiljani near Gospic.
Inventor of propelling pencil (a penkala), Eduard Penkala (1871 - 1922) lived in Zagreb.
Famous sculptor, known for monumental sculptures with national themes Ivan Meštrović (1883 - 1962) is also Croat. His best known sculpture is "Indians" in Chicago.
Chemist Vatroslav Ružička (1887 - 1976) is the winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1939.
Chemist Vladimir Prelog (1906 - 1998) is the winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1975.

Further reading:
Ministry of Culture
An Overview of the Croatian History, Culture and Science

We can say that during the centuries Croatia's "melting pot" of different cultures resulted in something very much unique

Did you know?

Footprints of dinosaurs were discovered in Bale, near Rovinj, and on the Brijuni archipelago, while their bones have been found on the sea bed at a considerable depth.
The earliest (5000 years old) European calendar known by now is the calendar discovered on a ceramic vessel from the Vučedol culture (north of Croatia).
The first quarantine in Europe was established in Dubrovnik in the 14th century. Also, in Dubrovnik, there is one of the tree oldest European pharmacies (since 1317).
Around the year 1800 Dubrovnik maintained Consular offices in over 80 countries around the world. Dubrovnik also had a fleet of 673 ships, 250 of which sailed the seven seas?
Croats have their own, glagolitic script that was used in 18th century and still taught in some schools in Istria.
The first naval museum in the world was founded in Pula in 1870.
The only national costume in Europe, showing women's legs above the knees is worn by women on the island of Susak.

Further reading:
An Overview of the Croatian History, Culture and Science
Travel expedition Faros-Paros-Faros

Our history timeline looked something like this:

around 400 BC
Greek colonies were founded on Adriatic islands

around 100 BC
Romans rule over the east coast of the Adriatic

305
Roman emperor Diocletian builts a palace in present day Split

around 620
Immigration of Croats from the north

until 925
Under Byzantine and Franconian sovereignty

925
Independent kingdom under King Tomislav

1102
Beginning of Hungarian, later Austro-Hungarian sovereignty; until 1918 the whole of Croatia belongs to the Habsburg monarchy.

1433
The beginning of the defence against the Turks, who through time occupy the larger part of Croatian territory

1699
Continental Croatia - under the rule of Habsburg
Adriatic coast and islands - under Venice
Dubrovnik Republic - remains completely independent

1866
Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer founds the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, the first in southeast Europe

1918
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Istria and Zadar under Italian rule

1929
Kingdom of Yugoslavia

1941
German troops invade Yugoslavia

1941
Independent State of Croatia

1941-1943
Istria and some coastal areas annexed by Italy

1945
Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia

1970/71
"The Croatian Spring": a national democratic mass movement suppressed by the Yugoslav Government

1990
Dr Franjo Tudjman becomes President of the Croat Republic.

1990
HDZ gains an absolute majority in the first free parliamentary elections

1990
Croatian Serbs in Knin start the armed conflict

1991
The Serbian Republic of Krajina declares itself independent

1991
Croatia declares its independence

1991-1995
War in Croatia

1991
Fall of Vukovar

1992
Recognition most EU states 15 January 1992,
Serbs occupy and bombard Dubrovnik

1995
Operation Lightning - retaking Serbian-controlled Western Slavonia Missile bombardment of Zagreb by Serbs

1995
Operation Storm - retaking Serbian-controlled Krajina

1996
Agreement on normalizing relations between Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

1996
Admission of Croatia to the Council of Europe

1998
Complete reintegration of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja into Croatia

2000
Parliamentary elections Social Democratic leadership (six-party coalition)

2001
Signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU

2003
Croatia presents its application for membership of the European Union