Aerial views offer unique perspectives to plenty of countries. Some of these shapes have become so iconic, they get associated with the country itself (i.e. “Italy’s Boot,” “Michigan’s mitten”).
But this tiny island off the coast of Croatia boasts a truly unique designation.
The island of Baljenac (or Bavljenac) looks eerily similar to a giant fingerprint from overhead. Low walls throughout the island give the appearance of a fingerprint’s tiny ridges. Even the oval shape of Baljenac adds to the finger comparison. Of the 0.14 square km island, 23 km length of walls weave through the area. In total, Baljenac is only half a kilometer long and is completely uninhabited.
“Baljenac was landscaped to everyone’s amazement,” said area resident Mladen Radovcic.
Photo credit: sibenski.slobodnadalmacija.hr
Currently, the Croatian government has been working with UNESCO to include the island on its World Heritage Sites list. The ‘lace pattern’ is exactly what people want to put on the map. Croatian researchers hope Baljenac can be a fingerprint on the global spectrum.
Photo credit: sibenski.slobodnadalmacija.hr
“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.
Photo credit: unknown
Croatia has also 14 cultural assets noted on the UNESCO list. This includes the 300-year-old Knights Tournament and the fishing culture of Rovinj. This island is one of Croatia’s 78 larger islands and over 500 inlets.
Photo credit: unknown
Photo credit: unknown
Baljenac isn’t the only area of the globe to boast these spectacular walls. Both Ireland and Scotland also have these same low-standing walls historically used to mark boundaries of farmland. However, those countries are considerably larger than the tiny Croatian island.
Photo credit: unknown
For more aerial angles, check out this video below:
Now, you can follow Conscious Reminder on Facebook & Instagram!
∼If you like our article, give Conscious Reminder a thumbs up, and help us spread LOVE & LIGHT!∼
