This Croatian Island Has 23 Kilometers Of 'Walls' That Make It Look Exactly Like A Fingerprint

Nov 20, 2018

Croatia is a stunning, Balkan country located in eastern Europe. It is comprised of hundreds of different islands including 79 of large size and 500 smaller islets. In total, Croatia spans about 3,300 square kilometers. The precise number of islands changes depending on which metrics are used.

However, there is no doubt that this country is a treasure-trove of beautiful islands. There is more than enough to explore for visitors to this Mediterranean paradise. There is one island, in particular, that is perhaps the most spectacular of all.

There is a small island that is nestled along the Dalmatian Coast in the southern portion of the country. The name of the island is Baljenac, and it is part of the Šibenik archipelago. This island is one of the smallest in the area and has a coastline of only 1,431 meters.

Baljenac only measures 0.14 square kilometers in total size. Despite the island's lack of size, Baljenac should be on every visitor's to-do list while in Croatia. The island is home to a whopping 23 kilometers of pristine, dry stone walls.

From the air, this island looks like a Dalmatian fingerprint in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

The walls of this island were constructed before any modern means of construction were available. Instead of using cement or mortar, these walls were simply held together by the power of gravity. The builders had to carefully place each stone on top of each other in order to maintain balance.

The walls couldn't be built too high in order to avoid the risk of collapse. This intricate system of walls was built to separate different fields on the island. The walls also helped to protect the crops from the wind. Olives were the primary plant grown on the island.

The walls were erected by inhabitants of a neighboring island called Kaprije. The inhabitants of this island have been using Baljenac for agricultural purposes since ancient times. The locals still continue to farm this land within the confines of the same network of stone walls as their ancestors.

There are many other islands in the Šibenik archipelago that have these same dry stone walls. Baljenac has the highest concentration of these walls. The unique shape of the island also makes it appear to be a fingerprint from an aerial view.

On average, Baljenac has a kilometer and a half of these walls per every hectare of the island. The other island in the area don't come close to having this level of density. The island's small size contributes to this impressive number.

It is believed that these walls were constructed during the 19th century, although some of them could have been built earlier. Including all of the Croatian islands, professionals estimate that around 300 farmers were able to construct 106 kilometers of the wall within an area of 12 square kilometers.

Do you know someone who needs to go with you to this island? Let us know in the comments and show your friends and family this cool, unique island!