Push for Baljenac Island to be Inscribed on UNESCO List
- by croatiaweek
- in News
The stone that resembles the look of lace on the island of Baljenac could soon be registered under UNESCO Cultural Heritage.
There is to be a push to have a unique island of stone walls in Croatia protected by UNESCO.
The small island of Baljenac, located in the Šibenik archipelago on the Dalmatian coast, could soon be inscribed on UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage list.
The cultural heritage which would be protected by UNESCO would be the age old tradition of using dry stone walls to cultivate grapevines. Locals in the area used the 10-hectare Baljenac island to grow grapes and other fruits.
An application to have the island inscribed as a UNESCO cultural heritage is underway.
“It is because of the stone lace pattern that Baljenac caught the eye of guardians of cultural heritage. The Conservation Department in Šibenik, on a proposal from the University of Zadar, will prepare an application for protection status of Baljenac as a cultural heritage” conservationist Mark Sinobad told HRT.
Locals are hoping to turn the island into a brand and have even created a series of tourist souvenirs featuring the unique island.
Croatia currently has 14 cultural assets inscribed on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage list, including the 300-year-old Knights Tournament in the town of Sinj – Sinjska Alka, Klapa singing, lacemaking, folklore dancing, the Festival of St. Blaise and the culture of the traditional fishing boat Batana found in Rovinj.
