List of World Heritage Sites in Croatia

Dubrovnik

Split

Plitvice

Poreč

Trogir

Šibenik

Stari Grad Plain

Stećci - Cista Velika

Stećci - Dubravka

Paklenica

Velebit

Zadar

class=notpageimage|

World Heritage Sites in Croatia. Red dots mark cultural and green dots mark natural sites.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.^[1] Croatia, following its declaration of independence from Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991, succeeded the convention on 6 July 1992.^[2]

Currently, there are ten sites inscribed on the list and 15 sites on the tentative list. The first three sites, Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian, Dubrovnik, and Plitvice Lakes National Park, were inscribed to the list at the 3rd UNESCO session in 1979. Further sites were added in 1997, 2000, 2008, 2016, and 2017.^[2] In total, there are eight cultural and two natural sites, as determined by the organization's selection criteria. Three of the sites are shared with other countries.^[2]

During the Croatian War of Independence, following the breakup of Yugoslavia, military confrontations took place in Dubrovnik (Siege of Dubrovnik) and in the Plitvice Lakes area. Extensive artillery damage in Dubrovnik and landmines laid around Plitvice resulted in the two sites being listed as endangered in 1991. Following their restoration, Plitvice and Dubrovnik were removed from the list of endangered sites in 1997 and 1998, respectively.^[3][4] Although Croatia's World Heritage Sites generate large numbers of visitors, new threats are emerging due to the detrimental effects of uncontrolled mass tourism.^[5][6]