Croatian Sites on UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

Croatian sites on UNESCO’s Tentative List

The beauty of Croatia is no secret any longer. More tourists visited the country in 2016 than any other year before.

Apart from the stunning beaches and crystal clear sea, many of those tourists were introduced for the first time to Croatia’s wonderful cultural and historical heritage. They had the chance to visit 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Plitvice Lakes

A little know fact is that Croatia, together with Spain, have the most cultural and historical heritage under the protection of UNESCO, and Croatia has the highest number of UNESCO intangible goods of any European country.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Stari Grad Plains on Hvar, Cathedral of Saint James in Šibenik, the city of Trogir, the old city of Dubrovnik, the historical complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian, the Episcopal complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč and the Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards are all on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Diocletian’s Place in Split (photo: Minestrone under CC)

There could be more sites added to the list in the near future. The Croatian government have submitted a number of outstanding sites of universal value which have been deemed suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List.

Governments are encouraged to submit their Tentative Lists every decade and for any nomination to be considered the cultural or natural heritage must be on the submitted list.

Here is Croatia’s Tentative List of Cultural or Natural Heritage for Inscription on the World Heritage List.

Zadar’s Cathedral

Zadar Cathedral (photo credit: Palauenc05 under CC)

The Cathedral of St. Anastasia in Zadar is the largest church in all of Dalmatia with its origins dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries.

Ston

Walls of Ston (photo credit: Ljubo Gamulin / Društvo prijatelja dubrovačke starine)

The historical-town planning ensemble of Ston with Mali Ston, connecting walls, the Mali Ston Bay nature reserve, Stonsko Polje and the salt pans are on the list. After the Great Wall of China, the magnificent Walls of Ston are the longest preserved fortification system in the world.

Tvrđa – Osijek

Tvrđa – Osijek (photo credit: Espino under CC)

Tvrđa (Fort) in is the Old Town of the city of Osijek in Croatia. It is the best-preserved and largest ensemble of Baroque buildings in Croatia and consists of a Habsburg star fort built on the right bank of the River Drava. Tvrđa has been described by the World Monuments Fund as “a unique example of an eighteenth-century baroque military, administrative, and commercial urban center”.

Varaždin

Varaždin Castle (photo credit: Pudelek under CC)

The Historic Nucleus and Old Town (the Castle) of Varaždin are on the list. The Old Town (fortress) is an example of medieval defensive buildings. Construction began in the 14th century, and in the following century the rounded towers, typical of Gothic architecture in Croatia, were added.

Veliki Tabor

Veliki Tabor (photo credit: osep Renalias under CC)

Veliki Tabor is a castle and museum in northwest Croatia, dating from the 12th century. The castle’s present appearance dates back to the 16th century. It is located in the region of Zagorje near Desinić.

Lonjsko Polje

Lonjsko Polje (photo credit: Frka under CC)

Lonjsko Polje (Lonja Field) is the largest protected wetland in both Croatia and the entire Danube basin. The area of Lonjsko Polje is designated a protected nature park area in Croatia.

Velebit

Velebit (photo credit: Ekem under CC)

Velebit is the largest though not the highest mountain range in Croatia. Its highest peak is the Vaganski vrh at 1,757 m. The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior.

Lubenice

Lubenice (photo credit: SI-ZIGA under CC)

Lubenice is an ancient fort city on the island of Cres, Croatia that was founded approximately four thousand years ago on top of a 380 m high ridge that overlooks the Adriatic Sea.

Primošten Vineyards

Primošten is located in the south, between the cities of Šibenik and Trogir, on the Adriatic coast and is renowned for its vineyards.

Blaca Hermitage

Blaca (photo credit/Ivan Bura)

Blaca Hermitage was originally established in 1551 by two Glagolitic monks. It was renovated and turned into a very unique museum in the 1980’s, displaying a collection of ancient weapons, watches, furniture, a rich library and much more.

Motovun

Motovun (photo credit Sobrecroacia)

Motovun is a medieval town that grew up on the site of an ancient city called Castellieri. It is situated on a hill 270 metres above sea level with houses scattered all over the hill.

Korčula

Korčula (photo courtesy of croatia.hr)

The island of Korčula was, according to legend, founded by Trojan hero Antenor in the 12th century BC. There is stone inscription found on the island in Lumbarda which is the oldest written stone monument in Croatia.

Kornati

Kornati

The Kornati archipelago is located in the northern part of Dalmatia, south from Zadar and west from Šibenik, in the Šibenik-Knin county. In 1980, the eighty-nine southernmost of the 140-odd islands, islets and reefs of the Kornati archipelago were declared a national park, Nacionalni Park Kornati, protecting the islands and their marine surroundings.

Šibenik- St. Nicholas Fortress

St. Nicholas Fortress (photo credit: Visit Šibenik)

The fortress is one of the most valuable and best preserved examples of defense architecture in Dalmatia. The fortress is made of brick because this material was considered to be most resistant to cannonballs, while the foundations are made of stone.

Northern Velebit & Paklenica National Parks

Beech tree forests (photo credit: Intipacha under CC)

Beech tree forests in the Northern Velebit and Paklenica national parks are being nominated for the World Heritage List for their primeval nature, geographic position and size.