7 miracles of Croatia
When someone says seven miracles, the first association is seven miracles of the world. Those are well known human achievements in architecture and buildings. Although miracles by it’s definition aren’t material goods, at this list they represent the miracle of human cognition. I bet every, even the smallest, country can list seven miracles of their own. Among seven miracles of Croatia, five of them are listed on UNESCO world’s heritage list and those are:
1. Palace of Diocletian – Palace is the hearth of the Mediterranean town Split. It is one of the most preserved architectural monuments of Roman imperial. Construction started in 1. century as a conjunction of villa and military object, and it occupies 28.900 square meters. It is famous by great number of stone constructions, pillars, stairs, piazzas and, above all, it’s basement. Unearthing of the basements started in 19. century and by today, only 85% is known. Many archeologist and scientists studied Diocletian palace; there are theories that the construction of the palace was lead by the position of the Sun. Particularly, the Sun orbit from geographical East to winter and summer East in Split in solstice days is 33 degrees. All objects in palace are placed and built according to this relations! For the purpose of adjustment of geo astronomical relations with architecture, ground-plan of the palace is not an ideal rectangle! 
2. The cathedral of St. Jacob – a pride of Mediaeval town Sibenik, finished in 16. century. It is the only after bombing of it’s cupola in recent war, that the world found out about it’s unique construction. It turned out that the cupola consists of three cylindrical arcs like no other building in the whole world. Cathedral was building for more than a hundred years and few masters of the time left their stamp on it, Juraj Dalmatinac, Nikola Firentinac and others. But all there is to know about them, the Cathedral and that time, can’t solve the mystery about who were the models for the imposing coronal of carved heads around the building and in the baptistery inside.
3. Arena in Pula – at first it looks like an typical example of Roman amphitheaters built in numbers across the long gone Roman imperial. But the wonder of it is not only in it’s beauty and great preservation. Four stairway towers are the rare example of architectural technical solutions that make Arena representative. Towers were used to communicate between third and fourth floor and for accessing the roof. The roof was the place where the big canvas was anchored in order to protect the audience from the sun.
4. The walls of Ston – Ston is a small town which just to be one of the harbors of famous Republic of Dubrovnik in 14. century. The truth is that this small harbor must of been of great importance since the walls built for protecting it are the second biggest of the world. The only bigger wall is that one in China – one of the seven miracles of the world! Ston’s walls are 5,5 kilometers long and they are linked with twenty something tower along the line.
5. Dubrovnik – it’s old city center now appeals enquirers from around the globe. Great beauty of tight streets, little squares, churches, monuments and walls, all carved in stone carves in anyone hearth and mind. Every cut in shiny Dubrovnik stone testify of it’s glorious history and wealth of it’s residents. Dubrovnik republic was free maritime force and the world’s trends and architectural tastes of the time didn’t pass by it. It was affected by the great earthquake in 17. century, so, some parts of it are replaced by the later baroque stile, but that did not minimized charm and value of Dubrovnik.
6. Old city of Trogir – another city center that does not lag of one of Dubrovnik. Unique conjunction of stiles, Romanic, Gothic, renaissance and baroque, makes it intriguing and astonishing. Above all dominates the Cathedral with the famous portal by master Radovan.
7. The Cathedral in Zagreb – It is the biggest church in Croatia, the pride of the capital city. It is a part of Medieval fortress, but renewed in 19. century in Gothic style. The most imposing parts of the Cathedral are it’s towers, 105 meters tall with five bells. The biggest of the bells weights 5700 kilos. The Cathedral can accept more than 5000 people. It was first finished in the year 1217. and since than has altering it’s look till the beauty we admire today.
About the immaterial seven miracles of Croatia some other time!
