Compiled by FACTS Neža Lukančič & VINARIUM TOWER Benjamin Wolf The Pannonian Eiffel Tower is the SLOVENIA highest observation tower in Slovenia POPULATION: and allows a view in four countries: 2,067,000 Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Austria. CAPITAL CITY: LJUBLJANA (288,250) ŽIČE CHARTERHOUSE The ruins of this 12th century GDP: €43 BILLION monastery complex, overgrown with GDP PER CAPITA: ivy and moss, are a magical place. €21,000 MEŽICA MINE CROATIA ZAGREB POPULATION: The underground of Slovenia also offers hidden treasures. Sit in a small train and descend to a mine The history of Croatia’s capital dates back 4,167,000 universe that has been active for over 350 years. to the Romans. Today, the area houses a CAPITAL CITY: quarter of the country's population. ZAGREB (806,920) Zagreb’s old town boasts buildings from the 13th to the 19th century. GDP: €49 BILLION GDP PER CAPITA: OTOČEC €11,700 PREDJAMA CASTLE The only water castle in Slovenia was build on a small Source: Eurostat (2017). This Renaissance castle is built within a cave, island on Krka River. It is a favorite wedding venue, pressed next to a cliff under the original while the nearby leisure park offers fun times. Medieval fortification. METAL DAYS (SOČA) LJUBLJANA Every July, the peaceful Soča River is Slovenia’s capital stands at the middle the setting for one of the biggest heavy of a trade route between the northern metal music festivals in Europe with Adriatic Sea and the Danube region. the fitting motto: “Hell over Paradise.” Among the sights of this green city are Tivoli Park and Ljubljana Castle. ŠTANJEL This scenic Karst village on the hill has been declared a national monument. At the end of a labyrinth of tiny alleys, you can find the Ferrari garden, built in the 1920s and ’30s by architect Max Fabiani for the Ferrari family. HRASTOVLJE CHURCH The Holy Trinity Church in Hrastovlje is a Romanesque edifice of the late 12th century. A late Middle Ages fresco depicts a Danse Macabre. Comics lovers will adore it. ISTRIAN VILLAGES BORA PULA In the so-called Croatian Tuscany in The Bora is a dry, cold wind that blows from the Istria, picturesque villages dot the hills, A proud little coastal city with a mainland out to sea. It is typical for Croatia. The overlooking vineyards and olive groves. stunning bay, also known as the Pula Bora’s gusts can reach hurricane strength, Truffles also abound. Riviera. The city’s crown jewel is the particularly in the channel below Velebit, for well-preserved Roman amphitheater. example in the town of Senj. 1102 1919 1991-95 DRAVA, SAVA Koloman, the Hungarian king, is The country of Slovenes, Croats After Tito’s death, conflicts crowned king of Croatia and and Serbs is created, from 1929 between the Yugoslavian KEEP FLOWING Dalmatia. onward it is known as the states break out. From the settlement of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav wars end with 1945 the Erdut and Dayton accords Celts to the centuries of The Yugoslav state is founded AD 6 – 9 1526 of 1995. Roman rule and the arrival Emperor Augustus conquers King Louis II dies in the battle of as a Socialist republic. Croatian- all of Pannonia, including the Mohács against the Turks. The born Josip Broz (Tito) becomes of the Illyria, Illyria has Adriatic coast, and constructs kingdom passes to the president in 1953. Nearly all forts along the rivers. Italians leave or are expelled 2013 Habsburgs but is only fully Croatia joins the European seen many changes that from Istria and Dalmatia. shaped today's Croatians. liberated from the Turks in 1688. Union. 56 JULY | AUGUST 2018 ILLUSTRATIONS: KARIN DREHER; KARIN-GRAFIKDESIGN.COM; SHUTTERSTOCK. o R t ep e u r i b OSIJEK p l i c m Osijek used to be a multi-peopled town of E P a a Croats, Austrians, Hungarians and Serbs. r i t t a V. o Later, the city was on the frontlines of the Sl Cr ovenia & Croatian independence war. THERE IS A VINEYARD FOR EVERY 70 PEOPLE IN Slovenia. Viticulture has existed in this region since the time of the Celts and Illyrians tribes, long before the Romans would introduce winemaking to the lands of France, 30,000 Spain and Germany. QUEEN BEES hatch every year in Slovenia, Fashion trends of today’s dandies a third of which are exported. In the 19th were actually dictated back in the century, the beekeepers of the region sent 17TH CENTURY by Croatian soldiers. MORE THAN 170,000 indigenous Carniolan THE CRAVATE (tie) was a decorative Bees abroad. Today, every 200TH SLOVENE IS part of their uniform. PLITVICE LAKES AN APIARIST, the highest density in the world. In the heart of Croatia lies this scenic national park, intertwined with footbridges There are over 1,000 ISLANDS leading to waterfalls and lakes. IN CROATIA, the exact number varying by definitions, and they cover a total area of about 3,300 km2 (slightly less than the size of the Burgenland). SPLIT Emperor Diocletian retired from public DUBROVNIK life to a lavish palace in the bay of Split in 305. This masterpiece is still Game of Thrones lovers have surely breathtaking, 1700 years later. heard of the city that stars in the series as King’s Landing. Discover a rich past that doesn’t only exist in GoT. DALMATIA The southern stretch of the Croatian coast is known as Dalmatia and is one VIS of the four historical regions of the country, alongside Croatia proper, Croatia has more than 1,200 islands. Slavonia and Istria. The island of Vis served as a fake Greece scenery for the second part of the hit movie Mamma Mia. FROM SAMO 300 BC 1550 1849 2004 Celts settle on the territory The first Slovene book is Ljubljana becomes connected Slovenia becomes a of today’s Slovenia, for the printed as a part of to Vienna and Trieste by the member of NATO and the TO SLOVENIA first time cultivating wine in Protestant literature. fledgling railway system. European Union. On the crossroads of these lands. 1991 three Roman provinces, On June 25, Slovenia 1282 1941 declares its the Slovene lands were 630 The Habsburgs assume Italy attacks Yugoslavia. From independence, which home to Alpine Slavs and The territory of today’s control and power over February 1942 onward, it asserts in the Slovenia becomes part of the land. Ljubljana is surrounded by 10-Day-War. all those who were eager west Slavic tribal union barbed wire. to live alongside them. Samo’s Empire. J ULY | AUGUST 2018 57.