The report on the implementation of the Convention, due by States Parties every 6 years, includes a section on the elements inscribed on the Representative List. Read more on periodic reports Croatia Inscribed in 2009 (4.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity bell ringers march through the villages that dot the Kastav region in north-west Croatia Clothed in sheepskin throws with bells around their waists and sporting distinctive hats embellished with sprigs of evergreen two to more than thirty ringers swagger in groups behind a guide carrying a small evergreen tree They enliven their gait by bumping each others’ hips rhythmically and leaping into the air as they walk Groups may also include theatrical characters such as a prankster ‘bear’ who regularly escapes the control of his two ‘guards’ the bell ringers form concentric circles in the town square ringing fiercely until the residents offer them food and a chance to rest before they continue their journey the ringers proceed through their own village collecting rubbish at each house and burning it out front involving everyone present in the ceremony With variations distinctive to each village the annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant is a way to strengthen bonds within the community and a valuable means of renewing friendships among the towns in the region while integrating newcomers into its traditional culture Password forgotten? The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students Matej Mostarac was born on 18 November 1987 in Rijeka He became politically active in the SDP Kastav City Organization on whose list he was elected to the City Council in the 2013 elections Mr Mostarac won the mayoral mandate in the 2017 elections Kastav extends over 11 square kilometres and has more than 11 000 residents Kastav is known as an authentic coastal little town of art and joyful festivities rich traditions and history and recently also as a town that boldly accepts contemporary trends and is becoming a place of progressive ideas and successful businesses The combination of tradition and modern life is seen at first sight and perhaps is reflected most in the fact that Kastav remained a place where most of the town's life is taking place in the historic center which show that the town of Kastav extends over 11 square kilometres and has more than 11 000 residents I am the youngest mayor in our county and among the youngest in Croatia There are not many young people who take over such a responsible job at the age of 29 I would like to encourage young people to take responsibility and actively engage in the development of their communities and the mayor's job is difficult because it is impossible to please everyone there are many more positive things that encourage you to do better and better We have marked a continuous population growth through attracting new residents and through an increasing number of new-borns In Kastav there are more than a hundred apartments currently being built that have already been sold We are not proponents of populist measures but we try to find a measure which will ensure the quality of life for our residents leave room in the town's budget for other things that are vital our kindergarten is not the cheapest in this area but its conditions are exceptional The kindergarten operates in five facilities based on the principle of diffusive growth and some groups we ensure life in the old town center as well as a beautiful area near the woods for the children which provides them with unforgettable childhood memories Our school and the Music Department count almost a thousand children and one of the priorities is building a new kindergarten and schools in the largest settlement of the town A certified work program with talented children named European Talent Point is also implemented there We were the first in Croatia to adopt the Smart City Development Strategy and we are working hard on the implementation of new solutions and also bringing significant savings to the town's budget Kastav covered the renovation of the public lighting system which resulted in savings of more than 60 percent and the installation of video surveillance cameras on streetlights The streetlights have Wi-Fi adapters for free internet We have additional sensors that intensify or fade the brightness when necessary We are planning to install air quality sensors on streetlights and when it comes to modern infrastructure the town is participating in a project of installing optics for super-fast internet for the entire town implemented digitalization of the town's administration and are also developing the town app…And we are not stopping with this we will keep going forward with new solutions When it comes to the utilization of the European funds Kastav has around 160 million kunas reported on the EU projects which is an amount that covers three of our town's budgets we have managed to get from the EU a minimum amount of funds that the Town Council spends for its salaries these amounts should be several times higher we are planning to restore the old town center so we have applied for two exceptionally important projects aimed at renovating the main town square and a beautiful summer open-air stage Ecology is another topic that all of us have to strongly pay attention to We have just completed the EU project called "Kastav - a town with an attitude towards waste disposal" through which we have educated the residents about the importance of waste sorting - from the youngest ones in kindergartens to retirees We are developing the town in a way that will ensure a pleasant life for everyone Many incentives and thoughtful policies are implemented to warrant the high quality of life with a nice and safe environment all of which are baits for many of our new residents I am personally glad to see success and a large number of entrepreneurs in our town We are trying to make their work easier by providing many measures in these hard times caused by the coronavirus pandemic I am happy to see platforms that bring people together and enable the exchange of experiences for the residents of the European family We will make an endeavour to promote your web portal among our residents and I also believe that the experiences of other European cities will enrich us I also believe that this story about Kastav will inspire some of our new friends to visit the town go for a walk in the old town centre and woods visit our numerous quality restaurants with exceptional gastronomic offerings and try the local wine - the Belica - that we are known for To honour it we have been organizing a big celebration every first weekend of October since 1400 To find out more about Kastav, visit the profile of the municipality. The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital The freshness of spring is already in the air by February in the Croatian hilltop village of Viskovo A riotous noise approaches: a cavalcade of bell-ringing an army of men in grotesque animal masks dance They huddle into a concentric circle and shake their rumps They’re orchestrated by a flamboyant commander (the komandante) in an all-white uniform and golden epaulets while a man dressed as a bear terrorizes locals soundtracked by the happy chaos of a brass band If it sounds like a scene from a surrealist horror film borrowed from the minds of Stanley Kubrick or Alejandro Jodorowsky, keep in mind this strange, Viking-like army is harmless it has more in common with Where the Wild Things Are This is the annual Habuje Zvončari (bell ringers) procession a pre-Christian tradition that’s endured for hundreds of years in the Kastav region of Croatia it’s time to let the wild rumpus begin The pack roams from village to village for days, terrorizing townsfolk with noise and hijinks till the bystanders offer up donations of food and wine. Afterwards, the Zvonarciy rampage onto the next town to do it all over again. The bell-ringing continues until Ash Wednesday when they burn a symbolic figure called Pust setting alight all the metaphorical misgivings of the past year and giving rise to fresh beginnings this performance served a ritualistic purpose It was supposed to awaken the fertility gods during the dour winter months and protect livestock from any curses levied against them has an alternative theory about the Zvončari’s provenance During an invasion by the Ottomans in the Middle Ages the Turks camped nearby in a karst field known as Grobničko polje Terrified locals didn’t know how to respond they wrapped themselves in sheepskins and the bells they used for tracking livestock and walked triumphantly towards the field of invaders When the Turks saw “these people in crazy attire they got scared and fled—that’s what the legend says,” Host explains the riotous dancing and yelling is a commemoration of ancient customs The Shrovetide celebrations culminate in Rijeka’s city carnival which showcases the various bell ringers from different regions as part of its colorful parade almost-cartoonish costumes are what bring the event to life menacing animal heads stare at the crowd with lifeless black eyes but not without a strange gentleness to them “Facial masks cause a change in the behavior of their wearers The magical empty faces are only seemingly mindless—they bear layers of ancient meanings and purposes,” writes the Croatian anthropologist Ivan Lozica in his essay about Croatian carnival traditions “Each mask represents an animal. The masks aren’t realistic; they have elements of a wolf, a fox, or a wild boar. Everyone adds their element,” adds Host. The original masks weren’t dissimilar in their frightening aesthetic “It was once just plain leather with two holes for eyes and a hole for the mouth.” The eerier has always been the central guiding principle behind their design Like with many ancient Pagan practices, the Zvončari have weathered attempted erasure by the spread of Christianity and disapproving church leaders. After World War I, Kastavština was divided in two: the west under Italian rule, and the east forged part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The Italians effectively banned mask-wearing “They didn’t allow the Zvončari to cover their faces so these bell ringers made hats with flowers and asparagus; their faces were uncovered,” says Host because the Yugoslavian system after 1945 didn’t approve “Zvončari are not just carnival participants; it’s a way of life,” says Host The Zvončari treat the ritual with almost militaristic seriousness. Despite knocking back rakia (potent Croatian brandy) at 8 a.m., they volunteer to carry out these heavyweight duties, walking over 12 miles (20 kilometers) a day for six days, festooned with animal hides and heavy brass bells “The whole Zvončari equipment weighs about 20 kilograms [44 pounds] and the bells have a volume of 10 liters [two and half gallons],” says Host anarchic spirit with an “anything-goes” atmosphere It’s a way to let loose after the long and go wild without the usual moral judgments But just as the case is for Max from Where the Wild Things Are, there comes a moment when “it’s time to return, replenished to the comforts of home.” After giving into the excesses of the carnival—wild dancing, pyre burning, eating, drinking, screaming, feet-stamping—the darker days of winter are expelled Everyone returns to the comforts of their homes and ready for the promise of new beginnings We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders creating a bold contrast in material and form and forging a direct dialogue between the contemporary and historic architecture.  all images courtesy of nenad fabijanic in accordance with the design brief, the project is conceived by fabijanic as bi-functional: in summer as a stage for the cultural events of kastav and the rest of the year as a freely accessible square and observation point. the remains of the church form a spatial ‘shell’ an ideal stage for architectural artefacts and enabling a unique spatial experience for public and cultural events the layout of this terrace is defined by the typological pattern of the envisaged church visitors can enjoy a wide view of the surroundings.  the architect’s intervention is inspired by the existing stone remains as the new walls are positioned beside the fragments of the walls of the church the architect envisioned this project to prove the possibility of achieving a high level in both functionality and aesthetics becomes part of the remains and gives it a new use for the people of crekvina project name: ‘summer stage at kastav’ architect: nenad fabijanic designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Total Croatia News Continuing her look at the considerable intangible UNESCO heritage in Croatia Filipa Marusic gets into the Carnival mood with the bell ringers of Kastav and time for the latest in the TCN series on intangible UNESCO heritage in Croatia – the bell ringers pageant from the Kastav region the Carnival is taken seriously and the week before Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) each town will have festive pageants and events related to the carnival All the events reach the peak on Shrove Tuesday when each town has various pageants live shows and local people put on their masks and condemn an imaginary creature made from recycled material and garbage that is responsible for all the bad deeds and sad events during the past year This tradition is quite common in most of the towns which have Carnival celebrations The creature who is responsible for all the bad things that happened in previous year is called “Pust” in Primorje “Krnjo” in Dalmatia or Fašnik/Princ Karneval in Northen Croatia Carnivals worth seeing are definitely Fašnik in Samobor To see authentic Carnival preparations and celebration head to smaller towns on islands and inland in Dalmatia and towns in Kastav area for the unique bell ringers pageant In Kastav during Carnival period (from 17th January on “Antonja” to Ash Wednesday) dozen groups of men called “Zvončari” or bell ringers march through their villages and surrounding areas This ritual comes from pre-Christian customs of chasing away the winter and had an ancient magical meaning of inviting fertility There is an alternative story about this tradition and it is related to scaring away the Tartars and Turks with their masks in the times they were threat for the area The pageant is still performed to evoke spring and celebrate the end of winter It has a range of events during Carnival and has special significance for locals for the last 150 years the bell ringers interact with locals from the villages This ritual keeps the social significance and mutual relationship of the villages in the Kastav area and it is still a vital part of everyday life today All the bell ringers come from villages like Bregi All the villages are included in this pageant and everybody participates in this ritual Some bell ringers groups have formed official NGOs while some of them are just informal groups of people who nurture the same heritage Being part of UNESCO intangible heritage is of great value for this custom as it contributes to preserving it and implementing this heritage in the everyday life of local community The bell ringers usually wear masks while some have headgear symbolizing vegetation and fertility decorated with evergreen sprigs The headgear is usually quite special – they have evergreen trenches or paper flowers while some groups have multi colourful paper strips zoomorphic masks on their face – this comes from the times when they were only bell ringer group who was allowed to keep the masks while other villages couldn’t do so because they were under Italian rule in 1920 and instead of masks wore hats with colourful flowers Some groups have wooden maces called “balta” and have white trousers and sailor t-shirts All of the bell ringer groups are clothed in sheepskin and have bells around their waist Bell ringers usually have 3 smaller bells (in villages Mučići Rukavac) or one larger bell – they ring the bells by moving rhythmically and bumping each others’ hips They also stagger a bit in order to harmonise the ringing They form groups from two to thirty ringers and have a group leader called “Kapot” In the group there are always few men who carry small batches of wine and the group guide who carries a small evergreen tree Group size depends on the village – for example Halubaje has a larger group of bell ringers while some villages like Žejane and Mune have smaller group of just 2 to 10 people Groups may also have theatrical characters such as a prankster bear or devil that regularly escapes his guards and “attacks” the crowd These are all elements of folklore theatre During the whole pageant they keep the same formation and when they approach the centre of village or certain house they gather together and form concentric circles and face towards the crowd and start ringing intensively until locals offer them drinks and food This is the peak of their visit to the village and after a short stop; they are again on their way to next village they cover approximately 10 to 15 kilometres The bell ringers are often one of the most entertaining groups at the Carnival in Rijeka Halabuje Carnival has thousands of visitors each year and it is visited by bell ringers from Grobnik In Matulji there is also the well visited annual bell ringers pageant The Carnival events often include events for children like the junior bell ringer pageant in Marčelji gather in front of the houses and collect rubbish from the households and burn it out front – this peak happens on Shrove Tuesday when they burn “Pust” and this marks the end of this Carnival period Each village in Kastav area has its own variations of the bell ringers’ pageant and it represents a way to strengthen local community and keeping alive the heritage and folklore traditions which bring together the villages and towns in the region this tradition is interesting for visitors and non-residents This tradition carries with itself a variety of additional heritage elements such as traditional dishes and website in this browser for the next time I comment Eurovoix Let 3 have returned to Croatia today have been presented with a golden electric tractor in Kastav Damir Martinović Mrle and Zoran Prodanović Prlja were in Kastav today and were presented with a golden electric tractor The tractor was designed by fabricator and mechanic Zoran Drnjević and is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Let 3 turning up to Dora 2023 by a tractor We are fighting for the preservation of nature The technology just needs to be directed in the right direction in the sense that it is not used for war purposes Let 3 will perform “Mama ŠČ!” this May at the Eurovision Song Contest Croatia will be represented by Let 3 who will perform seventh in the first semi-final on May 9 Source: HRT | Image Source: HRT Croatia debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 They were one of three countries to debut in the contest that year Croatia’s best result came in 1999 when Doris Dragović finished 4th in Jerusalem She performed the song “Marija Magdalena” which scored a total of 118 points including 12 points from Slovenia and Spain Croatia returned to the contest in 2016 having withdrawn after the 2013 contest due to a string of poor results and financial difficulties it has been a pleasure to find out more about this amazing continent through the Eurovision Family of Events it's been brilliant to see the site grow and flourish and continue to bring our readers everything from the world of Eurovision 2024 – How much do you know about the Rijeka zvončari Keeping evil spirits at bay in costumes which alter depending on their origin unabashed performance of the Halubian bellmen called the Rijeka zvončari in Croatian (zvono standing for bell) the term refers to the long-running folk tradition that dates back to pagan antiquity the bellmen (or bell ringers) don their extravagant costumes and bells staging a show to chase malevolent spirits away and usher in the fruitful spring season The eastern part remained under the rule of the Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes where no such ban was in place so the bellmen cheerfully carried on donning gigantic head masks shaped as fantastic animal heads The best known players of this sort are the bellmen of Grobnik the masters of the trade who perform at the carnival parade: all bellmen wear enormous bells attached to their belts at the small of their back with an occasional addition of a few smaller ones in front there’s no rulebook: flamboyant flower hats tongues sticking out… As long as it’s effectively horrifying not necessarily horrifying – the youngsters are allowed a certain dose of cuteness: the deafening noise of the Rijeka zvončari’s bells keeps the evil spirits at bay