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The Balkans
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The Balkans

A 29-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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    October 1, 2021
    skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Zagreb Old Town

    October 2, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Zagreb is the capital of and largest city in Croatia where there is evidence of settlement dating to at least Ronan times. The city is informally divided into the upper and lower town. The Old City is in the upper town.
    The 1st picture is the the Stone Gate that was part of the old city wall. It is said that in a fire in the 12th century, all of the wooden gate structure burned except a painting of the virgin and child. It is still there, and people still come to pray.
    Not far away is the Zagreb cathedral in the 2nd picture, looking up a typical narrow lane of the old city. Many buildings such as the cathedral are not open. This is due to damage from an earthquake in 2020. The pandemic has just made it more difficult to get to renovation work.
    The 3rd picture is a recognizable building of Zagreb: St. Mark's Church, dating to the 13th century. The roof is most famous but dates to 1880. The church is in a square of surrounding buildings of the national government offices.
    The 4th picture is of the main square in old town with it's daily (except Sunday) market in full swing.
    The 5th picture is of the tower where a cannon is fired at noon every day as it has for over 100 years. At the foot of the tower is the upper end of the world's shortest funicular.
    The last picture captures a part of the old city wall with a bit of the Mary column to the left and the cathedral to the right.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Tesla Technical Museum

    October 3, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Nikola Tesla was an ethnic Serb who was born in a town that is part of Croatia. He became a naturalized US citizen, and it is here where his most famous work was done. He is probably best known for his work with electricity. He is a fascinating character with a brilliant mind.
    The museum traces the history of technology in many areas: steam power, mining, transportation, space, etc There is a planetarium, a mock up of a mine, and more. Only one section of the museum is dedicated to Tesla himself. That is where most of these pictures were taken as that was my primary interest.
    The 1st picture is the entrance to the Tesla exhibit. This picture on the wall is of his home that was restored after being damaged during the Balkans War. The 2nd picture is a bust of Tesla.
    The next 3 pictures are all working examples of experiments Tesla ran and used to demonstrate his concepts and patents. Yes, the 3rd picture is of the one where electric arcs formed, creating "lightening and thunder". The other 2 show a couple of the systems for creating and transmitting electric power.
    The last picture looks over a portion of the rest of the museum. This section displays examples of the development of manned flight.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Stari Grad Ozalj

    October 3, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Stari Grad means Old Town, and there are bunches of stari grads in Croatia. So it matters which one were talking about. The town of Ozalj (about an hour drive from Zagreb) dates to at least the 13th century, but it was in the 18th century when the town was converted into the castle.
    At one point, the main administrative center moved from here to a new location with the result that this place became the Old Town.
    The 1st picture is of the main gate, looking along the bridge over the old moat. This was a movable bridge until the 19th century. The rest of the pictures look at the buildings and fortifications. The last is the view from one of the bastions.
    Photos were not allowed inside in the museums. I use the plural as there are 2. The main one is the historical museum of the town, including many works by a locally famous artist (Slave Raskav) who lived here.
    The other museum is of the Balkans War of the 1990s. It includes memorabilia, weapons, maps and more.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Zagreb Lower City

    October 4, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The lower town is the heart of the civic and business life of Zagreb.
    The 1st picture is the main square. Markets, concerts, protests and every event you can image happen here. For example, the 2nd picture is the same square but on market day. You will notice a statue in the center of the 1st picture. This stature is of Jelačić, Croatian Field Marshall in the mid 19th century. He is remembered for ending serfdom in Croatia and leading the revolution for independence from Hungary.
    The 3rd picture, into the sun, unfortunately, is of the rail station. The statue left of center is of the 10th century King Tomislav who stood against the Hungarian invasion
    There is a horseshoe shape in the lower town that has 7 parks. The statue in front of the rail station is in one of these. The next picture is of a clock in another of the parks. More accurately, this is a meteorological column that not only tracks time, but measures and records temperature, barometric pressure and humidity and has been doing so since 1884.
    The last 2 pictures are interesting buildings in the lower town. The first is residential; the second is a museum. Older and newer architecture abide in close proximity here    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Samobor, Croatia

    October 5, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Samobor is a small town not far from Zagreb that dates to at least the 13th century when it was identified in documents as a free royal town. It is (and has been for a long time) a tourist destination from Zagreb due to its closeness and it's environment.
    The 1st picture is of the main square, called King Tomislav square, named after the guy on the statue in front to the rail station in Zagreb (see Zagreb Lower Town post).
    The 2nd picture is of the Livadić mansion, now the town museum. The 3rd picture looks down the Grandna River with St. Anastasia Church in the background. The 4th picture is a covered pedestrian bridge over the Grandna.
    The 5th picture looks up the Gradna River at another of the bridges and a couple more buildings typical of the town.
    The last picture looks up Tepec Hill to the ruins of Samobor Castle, built in the 13th century.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Dobovac Castle, Croatia

    October 5, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    The Dubovac Castle is located near Karlovac (Karlsberg in German). It dates to the 13th century, with updates, enlarging and refurbishing over the centuries. The castle is built upon an artificial hill, presumably to make it more defensible.
    The 1st picture looks up at the fort. The square tower is the oldest part of the fortress. The 2nd picture looks across the inner courtyard to balconies that were used for access to hotel rooms at one time. Apparently, the hotel conversion did a lot of damage, and it is now in the process of being repaired.
    The next 3 pictures are all taken inside the square tower. It is several stories of equal sized square rooms. Picture 3 looks across the bottom room to the stairs. This was set up as a meeting room. Picture 4 is up one floor and is a chapel. The photo shows some of the restored artwork. The 5th picture is up another floor to a room set up as a residence. The fact that the desk is enclosed in glass suggests it's valuable, but I don't know the story. The last picture is taken from the top of the tower, looking across the countryside that would have been part of the castle's domain.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Church of Our Lady

    October 6, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    The Church of Our Lady of Trsat and the adjacent Franciscan monastery (that is still active) date to the 15th century and were built by the Frankapan family (see other posts). This is the oldest Marian shrine in Croatia.
    The 1st picture is of the church and the 2nd picture is of the monastery. You will see a statue of Pipe John Paul II kneeling in prayer facing the church. He was a Trsat pilgrim. Note, too, the mosaic of the Holy Family on the monastery wall.
    The 3rd picture is in the nave of the church. Behind the altar there is a wrought iron screen separating the sanctuary. It looks like there's a bright light back there. Actually, it's reflection from the icon in the 4th picture, believed to have been originally painted by St. Luke.
    The 5th picture is of stained glass that was made by local craftspeople.
    The last picture is the Pastoral Center of Pope John Paul II. This was built to enhance the pilgrimage activities and cultural events taking place.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Trsat Castle

    October 6, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Trsat castle is thought to be built on the site of a Roman (and perhaps even older) fortification. The current castle dates to the 13th century and was originally built by the Frankopan family, the nobles who ruled in the area. (See other posts such as Status Grad Ozalj which was also a Frankopan castle.)
    The 1st picture is the castle gate, and the 2nd picture looks along the walls to the right of the gate. The 3rd picture is of the castle mausoleum. The dungeons are underneath.
    The 4th picture is of the Round Tower, and the 5th is a view from the top of the tower. The last picture is of part of the ruins beyond the Round Tower.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Castle Grobnik

    October 6, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    If you guessed that this might be another Frankapan castle, you would be right. The fortification of this site dates to at least the 10th century, though the structure here now dates to the 15th century. Much of the castle is not restored or is under construction. So there isn't that much to see. However, this site is historically important. It is one of the castles that fortified Europe against the invading Ottomans. It overlooks the Grobnik field where a major battle was fought during that time.
    The 1st picture looks at the current state of the central bailey or courtyard. The other pictures are of the fortifications.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Old Town Rijeka

    October 6, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Rijeka is a town with a good deep water harbor that has made the town strategically important. It's history is first recorded in the 1st century during the Roman period.
    The 1st picture is taken from the Trsat Castle (see another post) and looks over the city and old town to Kvarner Bay off the Adriatic Sea.
    The 2nd picture is not a camera trick. The tower is leaning. It dates to the 14th century and is built of materials taken from the old Roman baths that existed on the site.
    The 3rd picture is of an excavation of the old Ronan settlement, and the 4th picture is the old Ronan arch that is the only city gate structure remaining from that period.
    The 5th picture is in the atrium of the former governor's palace, now a city museum. The last picture is of the old town at night with the fountain at the end of Korzo, the main pedestrian street through the old town.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Opatija

    October 7, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Opatiha is a fashionable resort town on the Kvarner Gulf where there has been settlement dating to pre-Roman times. It was in the middle of the 19th century when Opatija began to become well known. This is when it came to the notice of the Hapsburg royalty and aristocracy. Villas were built. The 1st sailing club on the Adriatic began. Lots of hotels opened.
    The 1st picture is the statue of the Maiden with a Seagull. The gull on her head is an interloper. This statue has become a symbol for the town.
    The 2nd picture looks along the shore toward most of the town. Note the concrete structure. This coast is all rocky. No sand for beaches. So these structures make the shore usable for swimming.
    The 3rd picture looks the opposite direction along the shore, and you can see St. Jacob's Church. The 4th picture is in the nave of St. Jacob's that dates to the 16th century.
    The 5th picture gives a longer look at the coastline in this area,. The 6th looks out to the islands just offshore.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Labin

    October 7, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Labin is described as a well preserved medieval walled hill town and is located in the ancient district of Istria. It is built on Roman foundations of their town called Albona.
    The 1st picture looks at the town walls. At the bottom of the corner in the center of the picture, you can make out the town gate. The gate is in the 2nd picture.
    The next 2 pictures are of a couple of the narrow stone-paved streets typical of the town.
    On the very top of the hill in the center of town is the bell tower of St. Just in the 5th picture. The stairs to the top are very old, steep, uneven and hard to climb. My impression is the they may be original. The last picture looks out from the top of the bell tower.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Pula Old Town

    October 8, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Pula was an administrative center from Roman times until recently and is best known for its many Roman ruins, most notably the 1st century amphitheater (see Pula Arena post).
    The 1st picture shows the Hercules Gate named for the picture of Hercules above the arch. Some of the remaining Roman walks are shown too. There are several monumental gates still here
    The 2nd picture is of the forum. The temple to the left is the Temple of Augustus and is original to the 1st century. All other Roman buildings and temples are gone.
    The 3rd picture is of the bell tower and Cathedral of the Assumption which dates to the 6th century but reached its current form in the 16th century. The bell tower dates to the 17th century.
    The 4th picture is of house ruins from the 1st century said to be Agrippina's house. Originally, the wall to the left was part of the wall tif the forum.
    The 5th picture is a preserved Roman floor mosaic, and the 6th is a typical stone paved street in town.
    I just have to end with a shout out to Claire Pula.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Pula Arena

    October 8, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    My 1st reaction when I saw place this was "mini-coliseum". That is what it looks like. It is one of the six largest arenas of this type remaining. Given that this a seismically active area, it give credence to the capabilities of Roman engineers that so much of it is still standing.
    This arena was built between 27 BCE and 68 CE. So it was begun during the reign of Augustus and finished at about the end of the reign of Nero (and expanded under both Vespasian and Titus).
    Apparently the arena was even used for jousts and fairs during the middle ages. Today it is a concert, performance venue.
    The 1st picture shows the extent of the building showing why I thought if the coliseum. The 2nd picture is in a tunnel under the structure and central performance area. The 3rd picture looks down on the remains of the functional space beneath what had been seats. Here and on the lower level is where gladiators, beasts, criminals, etc. were kept before their entry to the arena. The remaining 3 pictures look at various views of the arena.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Svetvinčenat

    October 9, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    This is a small village in Istrian Croatia dating to at least the 10th century. The village is dominated by Grimani Castle, shown in the 1st picture. The structure we see today dates to the 16th century.
    The 2nd picture is of the main square of the town, considered a renaissance design. Grimani Castle is just to the left of the picture. In the center is St. Vincent's Church, originally dating to the 10th century and replaced in the 12th or 13th century. It was founded as part of a Benedictine monastery that was, in turn, dissolved in the 14th century with only the church surviving. The 3rd picture is in the nave.
    The 4th and 5th pictures are of streets in the village that grew up around the monastery and the church. Much of the growth occurred in the 16th century after it became the property of a Venetian family.
    The last picture is the product of a successful local business: Kampanjola Brewery that produces several fine brews.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Rovinj

    October 9, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Rovinj is a city in Istrian Croatia whose old town is situated on a hill on what had been an island but is now a peninsula. It dates back to pre-Roman times and was made part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Today it is an active fishing port and popular tourist destination.
    The 1st picture looks across the edge of the new pier and bay to the old town on the hill. It is a bit reminiscent of Venice with buildings right in the water. No surprise as the city was ruled by Venice for centuries. The tower of St. Euphemia Basilica can be seen at the very top. St. Euphemia's is in the 2nd picture. The bell tower is just to the left.
    The 3rd picture is part of the old city walls. The 4th picture is of the main or harbor square and is a central meeting point filled with restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, etc.
    The 5th picture is Balbi's Arch, dating to 1680. Interestingly, on one side is carved a head of a Turk. On the other side is the head of a Venetian. And, no, I haven't learned why it has that name. My guess is a guy named Balbi commissioned it.
    The last picture is a typical "street" leading up the hill.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Jama Baredine

    October 10, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Baredine cave is a karst formation in Istrian Croatia. The cave entrance is a 15 meter vertical drop, now with stairs. The cave continues down to a subterranean lake at 60 meters below grade where the public access ends. There is another lake at the bottom of a shaft that drops to 132 meters below grade.
    The 1st 4 pictures are of various cave formations. The 5th is too except most folks thought this one looks like that famous tower in Pisa. My 1st thought was it reminds me of Taipei 101.
    The last picture is of an aquatic salamander that is often associated with cave ecosystems, at least of the science related TV shows. This is the olm, the largest animal that is completely subterranean. At about 25 cm long, it is the apex predator in the ecosystem, and it can live 100 years.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Episcopal Complex, Poreč

    October 10, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The episcopal complex, as it is called, was built around the Euphrasian basilica (see another post). It consists of several parts. The Episcopal Palace was not open, but adjoins the atrium that is shown in the 2nd picture.
    The 1st picture is of the entrance to the complex from the street. Even here, the mosaics are stunning.
    The 3rd picture is of the baptistry with the bell tower behind. The 4th picture looks at the inside of the baptistry which is an open multistory octagonal building. It has both an ancient hexagonal immersion pool and a baptismal font.
    The 5th picture looks at a portion of the complex wall in the atrium showing examples of the bas relief carvings that have been preserved. The last picture looks from the atrium to the basilica facade with more extraordinary mosaics. The carvings above are there but not discernible.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Euphrasian Basilica

    October 10, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Originally built in the 4th century, the basilica as it exists today dates mostly from the 6th century and is part of the Episcopal complex (see another post). It is named for Bishop Euphrasius, the 6th century bishop responsible for the building of the basilica as it mostly exists today. The most striking feature is the mosaics.
    The 1st picture is of the nave, and the 2nd is a detail of the chancel. Note the gold mosaics. The pictures don't do them justice. In particular, the Mary with child in the center is the only surviving image of the Mother of God in an early church. The ciborium in the apse dates to the 13th century and is modeled on the one in St. Mark's in Venice.
    The 3rd picture is of some of the ancient frescos found here. The 4th picture is one of the side aisles with unrestored walls and what appears to be a processional cross.
    The 5th picture is a detail of the altar rail. This is the 1st time I've seen a carved stone altar rail.
    The last picture is of floor mosaics preserved from the previous church on site. They are located below the current floor    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Poreč

    October 10, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Poreč is another seaside town in Croatia. In fact, this is part of the most visited tourist destination of Croatia. This post focuses on the old town where the UNESCO listed basilica/episcopal complex is located (see other posts). Like most of this region, there is evidence of prehistoric settlement, but it was thanks to the Romans in the 1st century BCE when it became more settled. It may be of any interest that the old town preserves the locations of the streets of the old Roman town.
    The 1st picture looks along the quay and bay to the old town. The bell tower of the episcopal complex is visible.
    The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pictures are of various places along the ancient defensive walls.
    The 5th picture is of the main square, called Freedom Square. This looks across to the end of the main pedestrian and shopping street that is in the last picture.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Kraljevica

    October 11, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    This is a small coastal town not far from Rijeka that has another Frankopan castle. The towns name means King's Cove. It has the oldest shipyard on the Adriatic Sea where Tito (Marshal of Yugoslavia) worked while organizing the communist party. Further, this shipyard is considered the oldest continuously operating shipyard in the world.
    The 1st picture looks up to the castle; the 2nd is the central courtyard within the castle; and the 3rd is a look at the fortifications along the harbor.
    The 4th picture is so he have of the Church of St. Nicholas, the towns patron saint. The 5th picture is in a courtyard of a residence in the old town. The last picture is the view from the castle over the harbor.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    St Donatus Church, Zadar

    October 12, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Originally known as Holy Trinity, this cylindrical church dates to the 9th or 10th century. It was renamed in the 15th century for the bishop who likely commissioned it. It is in the center of old Zadar and is built on the ruins of an ancient forum. Those ruins include a Roman era sacrificial altar dedicated to Juno and Jupiter. It has been deconsecrated and often now used for concerts due to it excellent acoustics.
    The 1st picture looks across the main square which was also the old Roman forum at the building's exterior.
    The 2nd picture looks at column bases where you can see original engraving and some of the rubble from the forum.
    The remaining 4 pictures are an attempt to show the circular space, as it is unusual to n my experience.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Zadar

    October 12, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Zadar is the oldest city in Croatia that has been inhabited continuously. Occupation here dates to the stone age, but Zadar is best known for Roman and Venetian ruins. The town as it is today dates mainly to the middle ages and Renaissance.
    The 1st picture is of the main gate into the city, and the 2nd picture is the small and ancient harbor just outside that gate.
    The 3rd picture is of a part of the walls with what is known as the Captain's Tower in the background. It is interesting that the walls only are the UNESCO site here.
    Just inside that wall is a set of 5 wells in a row (the 4th picture). This is the 1st time I've seen a group of wells together like this.
    The 5th picture are Roman ruins, and the last is a typical street in the old city.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    More Churches in Zadar

    October 12, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The 1st 2 pictures are of the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. This Romanesque church dates to the 12th century, but there had been a church here since the 4th and 5th centuries. The 1st picture is of the facade and the 2nd is the nave.
    The 3rd picture is of the icon in the entry of the Church of Our Lady of Health. The icon dates to the 15th century and is associated with health and protection in Zadar ever since she was credited with stopping a fire that began in the nearby arsenal.
    The 4th and 5th pictures are in the deconsecrated Church of Saints Peter and Andrew. The building is now an exhibition gallery for local artisans. The 4th picture is Saint Andrew's which is the entry to the building and gallery. The small door in the rear leads to the Saint Peter the Elder portion which dates to the 5th century. There are some frescos still visible.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelThe Balkansskip's retirement travel

    Sea Organ Zadar

    October 12, 2021 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The sea organ was designed by Nikola Basić as a sound art object and experimental musical instrument. It consists of a number of polyethylene tubes and resonating chambers that interact with movement of the sea against the seawall of which it is a part.
    This video captures a bit of the natural music created here. It is almost haunting, somewhat reminiscent of the recordings of whale songs.    Read more

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