1. Korcula- Birthplace of Marco Polo?
While there is no way to know for sure, it is suspected that the island of Korcula is the birthplace of merchant and explorer Marco Polo. There are no official birth certificates from the time, but there are records of the Polo family living in Korcula a few decades after Marco Polo’s birth. There is also a known tower in Korcula that Marco Polo used as his office for many years. Some people believe he was born in Venice, but the Korcula prides themselves on the chance that this revered historic figure was born in their Old Town.
2. Ferrets and limes are their currency
Well, not literally, but their currency is the kuna, which is the Croatian word for a ferret-type creature whose pelts used to be used as currency, and the kuna is made up of lipa, the Croatian word for lime trees. Other forms of Croatian plants and animals also adorn their currency, including local species of birds and fish.
3. They invented the necktie
The necktie originated in Croatia, originally called a cravat. The cravat would then evolve into other forms of neckwear, but is still credited with being the original necktie.
4. Setting for Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s comedy The Twelfth Night is set in Illyria, an ancient region of Croatia which covered the Balkans and much of the Adriatic coastline.
5. Nikola Tesla
One of the brightest minds in history, Nikola Tesla, was born in Smiljan, Croatia in 1856. With over 300 patents to his name, Tesla is often overlooked in favor of his life’s biggest rival, Thomas Edison. Despite this, Tesla is still credited with much of today’s wireless communication and power, including alternating current generation and transmission technology. Unfortunately, Tesla struggled with maintaining wealth and passed away in New York in 1943, never fully being able to reap the benefits of his brilliant mind.
6. Zadar- Best Sunset?
According to Alfred Hitchcock, the coastal town of Zadar, famous for its man-made sea organ, has the most beautiful sunset in the world. Sitting on the sea wall overlooking the ocean with its historic Old Town and Roman ruins at your back, it is easy to see why he thought this.
7. More Croatians outside the country than in
At least there almost are, as it is reported that around 4.2 million Croatians live outside of the country, while the population of Croatia sits at around 4.3 million.
8. World Records holders- smallest town, largest tie, longest strudel
Croatia is home to the world’s smallest town, Hum, with a population of 20 people, the world’s largest tie, taking 5 days to complete and measuring 808 meters tied around the Pula Arena in 2003, and the world’s longest strudel, at 1,479.38 meters long baked in the town of Jaškovo.
9. More sunshine than Australia
Croatia as a whole receives, on average, 2,715 hours of sun a year, and the island of Hvar receives more than 2,800 hours; that’s more than Sydney, Australia
10. Parachute “invented” in Croatia
Although the parachute design was first drawn up by Leonardo da Vinci and the practical parachute we are familiar with today is credited to Sebastien Lenormand in 1783, the first physical parachute to be made and tested was by Croatian inventor Faust Vrancic. He based his design off da Vinci’s drawings, and created and tested the first parachute in 1617 from a Venice tower.
https://www.holidayhypermarket.co.uk/holidays/fun-facts-croatia
https://www.slavorum.org/25-facts-about-croatia-that-you-didnt-know/
https://www.croatiaweek.com/55-fun-facts-about-croatia/
http://thefactfile.org/croatia-facts/2/
https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-parachute-1992334
https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/nikola-tesla