| History and culture |
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"For Croatia, the protection and preservation of its cultural heritage
is an important element which helps forge a sense of identity." 
Cultural and Monumental heritage
World Monumental Heritage Sites (UNESCO) - Trogir, Split, Šibenik, and 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. |
