Croatia claims records
Roaming in Croatia or on the Adriatic, visitors can listen to the boasting stories told by locals. That is, features, persons are claimed to be the best, the biggest, the smallest, etc. Anyway, here we come with the records and tops, more or less authentic.
Last updated: December 27, 2011.
The biggest white truffle of the world
According to the Guinness book of records the biggest white truffle ever found is the piece dug out in the valley of River Mirna in Buje's vicinity, in Istria, in 1999. This Tuber magnatum pico weights 1310 g. (Since that an even bigger truffle of 1,5 kg was found around Pisa in Italy, but it didn't enter the Guinness World Records collection.) Source: Restaurant Konoba Marino Kremenje and Wikipedia.
The longest wild asparagus of the world
During the 2010 asparagus season Mario Sirotić found a 2.8 meters long asparagus near Bale (Istria). Source: 24sata.hr.
The shortest river in the World and Europe's longest underground river
With its "length" of 30 meters River Omble in Dubrovnik's western part claims to be the World's shortest river. (This title in the Guinness Book of Records is currently occupied by Roe River in the US state of Montana.) It's also worth mentioning that before coming to surface water travels 20 km under the karstic area: River Trebišnjica disappears on Popovo polje and emerges again as River Ombla (and as a couple of other rivers). Source: Poljoprivredna bioraznolikost Dalmacije (study), Trebišnjica (Wikipedia).
The mountain hut at the lowest altitude in the world
With its position with only 20 meters above sea level, the Miroslav Hirtz hut in Jablanac wins this title. Source: Jablanac.info.
The World's smallest cathedral
The former seat of Nin bishops, the St. Cross Cathedral on the island of Nin lagoon is believed to be the smallest one in the world. Source: Wikipedia.
The narrowest street of the World
The narrowest street of the World can be found in Vrbnik, on Island Krk: Klančić Street is only 50 cm (25 inches) "wide"! Source: Index Fórum: Utazás Horvátországba - merre??? - message #88908.
One of the skinniest houses of the World
The house at no. 2 Trg Frane Petrića in the town of Cres with its width of 1.82 meters is in the club of the skinniest houses of the World. Source: Show "More", Edition December 18, 2011, Minute 14, broadcasted on Croatian Radio and Television's Channel 1.
The smallest town in the World
Owning town status, Istria's Hum with its 17 inhabitants (2001) is probably the least populated town in the World. Source: www.hum.hr.
The World's first bauxite mine
Written sources has that bauxite was mined below Sovinjak Castle in Istria as early as 1566 - and mining went on for centuries there. Previously Les Baux-de-Provence in France was believed to be the venue of the first bauxite mine opening in 1873. Source: The Mining-Geological-Petroleum Engineering Bulletin.
The second longest wall
On the isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula, the 14-15th c. wall connecting the towns of Mali Ston and Ston has a length of 5.5 km. This puts the Ston walls on the second place right after the Great Wall of China. Source: www.ston.hr.
The second deepest cave pitch of the world
In 2007 Croatian cavers discovered the world's second deepest cave pitch in the Northern Velebit range: the shaft of Paskov gušt is 553 m high/deep. Source: www.speleologija.hr.
The oldest picture of a ship in Europe
The amfora found in Grapčeva špilja (cave) near Gromin Dolac (on the Island of Hvar) is decorated with a picture of a ship. With its estimated date of making around 2700 B. C. this depiction is believed to be the first one in Europe. Source: Amfore dalmatinskog akvatorija, Slobodna Dalmacija.
The World's longest stone bench
The stone bench made of one single piece of Brač stone set up on the Main Square of Opuzen in 2008 is the longest stone bench in the World. Source: Opuzen.hr.
The oldest tinned fish factory of the Mediterranean
The factory producing tinned fish in Komiža (Island Vis) started its business in 1870. After mergers the factory continued its production under the name Neptun up to a couple of years ago. Source: (coming soon).
The World's first torpedo
Upon commission from an Austrian military officer in Rijeka (then Fiume) the first prototype of a self-propelled torpedo
was constructed by an English engineer, Robert Whitehead in 1864. In 1870 Whitehead opened the world's first torpedo
factory in that same town of Rijeka. Both the prototype and the products of the factory are shown in the exhibition of
the Croatian Maritime Museum in Split.
Source: Secret Dalmatia Blog.
The World's first depiction of a football ball
A 1st century B. C. relief found on the location of an ancient Roman camp on Gardun Hill (near Trilj, on the River Cetina) shows a man, Gayus Liberius, holding a ball in his hands. Source: Dalje.com.
Europe's deepest lake
According to the findings of the speleological expedition of 1998, Crveno jezero by Imotski is 281 meters deep. The cliff walls surrounding it add a couple more hundreds of meters to the fascinating ambience of the place: there is a 528 meters difference between the bottom and the top of the location. Source: Wikipedia.
The oldest preserved urban plans in Europe
As the owner of the area, Dubrovnik constructed the wall system of Ston, as well as the planned town in the 14th c. During the constructions the plans designed in 1335 and in 1358 were used. The plans, which are considered to be the oldest ones in Europe, are still extant, they are preserved at the Dubrovnik Archives. Source: Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board.
One of the oldest trees in Europe
The wild olive tree known by the locals as Mastrinka (species mastrinka, Olea Europaea oleaster) in Kaštel Štafilić is 1500 years old. The tree was burnt down in September 2009, luckily enough, though, it should survive the incidents as it has survived heavy bura-s and other tortures during its long life. Source: Kaštela Tourist Board - Kaštel Štafilić and Kaštelanska panorama.
One of the oldest finds of dog remains in Europe
At the beginning of the 2000s archeologists found, amongst other prehistoric finds like bear and man, the 9000 years old remains of a dog in the Vlakno Cave on Dugi otok. In this part of Europe this find is considered to be the oldest one. Source: Zadarski list and Zadarske Internet Novine.