look like a giant fingerprint.

The island of “fingerprints” of Baljenac

The oval-shaped island of Baljenac is covered by a system of stone walls extending for 23 km. At first you might think it was a labyrinth built in ancient times, but in fact these waist-high walls were designed by farmers to make farming easier. easier.

The rocky terrain and strong winds are not ideal for growing trees, so the inhabitants of the nearby island of Kaprije built these stone walls to separate them, mark the boundaries between adjacent plots and protect them. .

Since the photos taken from above looking down on Baljenac Island began to spread on the Internet, the “fingerprint” island has suddenly become famous with its rapid speed and began to have a large number of visitors. tourism.

Although the people here still welcome visitors to visit, most of them are still worried about the walls being destroyed by unconscious tourists.

In 2018, UNESCO officially recognized these dry stone wall systems as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of protection.