| DISTINGUISHED CROATIANS
In respect to its total territory area, the Republic of Croatia has a great number of localities put under legal protection: 8 national parks, 10 nature parks and 2 strict nature reserves, nearly 100 special reserves, 19 park forests, 28 protected landscapes and 72 nature monuments.
Through this story we will introduce the above mentioned localities, mostly situated on the coast and on the islands, and invite you to visit them during your vacation in Croatia.
MARCO POLO - WORLD TRAVELER
Did you know that one of the greatest world travelers, Marco Polo, was born in 1254 on the island of Korcula? At the time when the life and culture of exotic culture in the East were completely unknown to all of Europe, and no one had heard of paper money, the seventeen year old Marco Polo headed for China to the great Kubla Kahn. He became so fond of Marco Polo that he put him in charge of an entire region, which is why Marco Polo stayed at the Mongolian court for 17 years.
During that time, he traveled through and got to know a large part of Asia, which he later described in his well-known travel record "Milijun" (Million). After having returned with extensive riches, he spent his life convincing friends of the accuracy of his unusual experience in the mysterious East. However, what everyone has been grateful for is - pasta, which he brought to Europe from China. The only thing we can say is: Marco Polo, thank you for this gastronomic pleasure!
NIKOLA TESLA - INVENTOR OF ALTERNATING CURRENT
Did you know that one of the world's greatest inventors, Nikola Tesla, was born in 1856 in the small village of Smiljan in Croatia? Since he did not have enough money to continue his studies, after wandering around Europe, Tesla went to New York where he made himself a career in science. Namely, he invented the multiphase system of alternating currents, he solved the problems of transferring electric power, he discovered the principle of the rotating magnetic field and was among the first who experimented with electromagnetic waves.
He patented over 700 inventions. To remind you of how important the invention of alternating current was, we will just mention the fact that, thanks to it, nowadays we use such everday devices such as televisions, computers, refrigerators, that is, almost everything that surrounds us.
FAUST VRANCIC - INVENTOR OF THE PARACHUTE
Did you know that the inventor of the first parachute, Faust Vrancic, was born in Sibenik in 1551? This young man who, besides natural sciences, also engaged in lexicography and history, published an unusual scientific work in 1595. In it, besides other technical inventions, he presents plans, as well as concrete solutions, for building the first parachute, which set the foundation for modern parachuting. With this discovery, Vrancic showed how far ahead he was from his time, because parachute jumps started to be frequent at the beginning of the 20th century. i | |
