In the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia there is a small island of Balanac, its length is only 500 m, and the area is 1.4 km ², but recently it is enjoying increasing popularity among tourists.
The fact is that the island is covered with a network of low stone walls, a total length of 23 km! From a bird’s-eye view, stone partitions resemble papillary lines.
Unusual designs have an ancient history. In the old days, they defined the boundaries between neighboring fields. The construction used stones perfectly adjacent to each other, thus creating durable structures. The partitions also performed another function. In addition to the differentiation of fields, they protected plants from strong winds.
Recently, the Croatian Government has applied to UNESCO requesting that the island of Balanac and its dry stone walls be included in the World Heritage List.
