Although Croatia is not as popular or known as many other bigger countries, there is much about this country that we can be proud of. From its natural beauty to its amazing people who have achieved so much in all fields, we can all be proud.
Let’s stress out the top 11 reasons why we adore Croatia!
1. World Cultural Heritage on the UNESCO list
Due to its size, Croatia has many goods listed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO. On the list of world cultural heritage there is the historical complex of Split and Diocletian’s Palace, the Old Town of Dubrovnik, the Plitvice Lakes National Park, the Euphrasian Basilica complex in the historic center of Poreč, the historic town of Trogir, the St. Jacob’s Cathedral in Šibenik, the Starogradsko polje in Hvar, the stećci – medieval graveyard tombstones, defense systems of the Republic of Venice in the 16th and 17th centuries in Zadar and Šibenik, and beech forests and original beech forests.
2. Plitvice lakes
The Plitvice Lakes National Park is among Europe’s most beautiful natural sights and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Croatia. Every year, around 1.5 million people visit it. Plitvice Lakes was declared a national park in 1949, and thirty years later, in 1979, it was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a wooded mountain area through which, one below the other, sixteen lakes of crystalline blue-green color are combined with cascades and waterfalls.
3. Nikola Tesla – the genius that invented the modern world
We can also be proud of Nikola Tesla, undoubtedly the greatest world inventor we can thank for the world we know today was born in Croatia in a small village in Lika. Today, Tesla’s birth house is the Memorial Center. Tesla has more than 700 inventions, and the most important are a multi-phase current and rotating magnetic field system, an alternating transmission and distribution system, a Tesla oscillation transformer (Tesla coil), high-frequency lighting, a wireless transmitter, and power system (ship’s remote control), Tesla’s turbine and radio.
4. Croatian Cuisine
We know a variety of flavors in Croatia. Some we love, some we adore… It depends on taste! A person’s taste is not to be contested. Therefore, it is impossible to judge which cuisine is better: Dalmatian, Slavonian, from Zagorje, Istrian, from Međimurje, or Lika. Croatians like diverse food, and there is plenty of it. Croatian cuisine has become extremely rich, diverse, and delicious with so many dishes and ingredients—fresh aromatic herbs, fruits and vegetables, domestic animals, game, salt, sugar, white and red wine, olive and pumpkin oil, and apple vinegar.
We should be immensely proud of our culinary treasure and share it with others so they can taste and enjoy it!
5. GREAT INVENTIONS OF CROATIAN SCIENTISTS
Croatian scientists and inventors have left a significant mark on modern life. Without Franjo Hanaman, there would be no light bulb; without Slavoljub Penkala, there would be no mechanical pencil. Ivan Huan Vučetić is the father of dactyloscopy – fingerprints. Modern Croatian scientists also capture the world’s attention with their achievements. For example, a Croatian team led by Professor Ivan Đikić has developed a discovery that can help early detection and treatment of liver tumors in the future. The scientific discovery was published in a prominent scientific journal of Human Genetics.
6. FAUST VRANČIĆ – the father of the parachute
Faust Vrančić was born in the 16th century in Šibenik and was a man of many interests, from lexicography, philosophy, theology, and technology. Besides that, he fluently spoke seven languages.
He moved to Venice to serve as a secretary at the king’s palace. During that period, he published one of his most famous books, “Machinae novae,” which included detailed sketches, projects, and constructions. The book was written in Latin and Italian and later translated into Spanish, German, and French. “Machinae novae” was indeed a book ahead of its time with sketches of ideas such as suspended bridges and, of course, the parachute, or, to be more precise, Homo volans, an illustration of a man in a parachute jump that is often misattributed to Leonardo da Vinci.
7. THE CROATIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM
The Croatian national football team has achieved remarkable success on the world stage, especially for a country with a relatively small population. Their first major accomplishment came in 1998 when they finished third in the FIFA World Cup in France, just a few years after gaining independence. Twenty years later, in 2018, Croatia achieved its greatest success by reaching the World Cup final in Russia, ultimately finishing as runners-up to France. In 2022, they once again proved their strength by securing third place in the Qatar World Cup. Croatia’s achievements have brought immense pride to the nation and cemented their place among football’s elite.
Photo by Davor Denkovski on Unsplash
8. CROATIA IS SUCCESSFUL IN SPORTS
In addition to football, Croatia has achieved great success in various other sports. One of the early highlights was the silver medal won by Croatian basketball players at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. In tennis, Iva Majoli won the 1997 French Open at Roland Garros, and Goran Ivanišević famously claimed the Wimbledon title in 2001 as a wildcard entry. Janica Kostelić made history at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City by winning three gold medals—in slalom, giant slalom, and combined—and a silver in the super-G. The Croatian handball team has also been dominant, securing multiple international titles and winning Olympic gold twice, in 1996 and 2004. Other notable athletes include Sandra Perković, who won two Olympic golds in the discus throw, and Blanka Vlašić, who became a world champion in the high jump. These achievements have brought international recognition to Croatian athletes across various disciplines.
GORAN-IVANIŠEVIC-WIMBLEDON-WINNER-2001.
9. TRANSLATIONS OF HERMAN DALMATIN & ST. JEROME
Thanks to a Croatian, St. Jerome, in the 4th century, the Holy Bible got its first generally accepted translation from the original languages to Latin. Although the translation (The Vulgate) was written during his lifetime at the beginning of the 5th century, it was accepted in all Christian churches in the 7th century, becoming the basis of the current Holy Scripture.
St. Jerome was born in the Roman Province of Dalmatia in the village of Stridon/ŠTRIGOVA. Since he was a child, he has shown great talent in foreign languages, especially Latin. Because of his vast knowledge, he climbed the social ladder and became Pope Damasus I’s right hand.
Altar of san Giuseppe da Copertino -St.Jerome by A.Vittoria
Croatian Herman Dalmatin, Herman of Carinthia, was an Istrian philosopher, astronomer, astrologer, mathematician, and translator. Most of the works he translated were about astrology and the occult. These subjects deeply enchanted Dalmatian, and he wrote some books, „De indication cordis” and „De Occultis.” The crown of his work was the translation of the Qur’an into Latin, which played a significant role in presenting Islam to Christian Europe.
10. RIMAC AUTOMOBILI
Mate Rimac started his electric car business in 2009 in his garage. Not even ten years later, his company has become globally famous, and one of its investors is the famous Porsche. Today, Rimac has employees from around the world and keeps growing.
11. Croatia is the world leader in the number of transplants and donated organs
Croatia is one of the world’s leading providers of donated and transplanted organs per million inhabitants and transplant outcomes, the first being the number of transplanted kidneys and livers per million inhabitants and the second being the number of transplanted hearts worldwide.
