Review article
Rural architectural heritage in the function of Croatian tourism offer
Damir Demonja
; Institute for Development and International Relations, Zagreb, Croatia
Robert Baćac
; Ruralis - a consortium of Istria's agritourism and rural tourism, Gračišće, Croatia
Abstract
Rural heritage is a special kind of landscape basis with the specifics of a particular area that allows construction of appropriate settlement. The population of these areas, if live in a sustainable relationship with natural environment by transferring experience and knowledge from generation to generation, creates its own tradition, which makes identity that with time becomes an integral part of rural heritage. The identity of living area consists of tangible heritage (architecture, landscape design, roads, trails/paths, bridges, etc.) and intangible heritage (legends, history, art, beliefs and customs, dances, songs and all other events arising from the way of life in rural areas), and various public events whose tradition goes back not so much in the past, but through such events foster and maintains a part of tradition (gastronomic fairs and exhibitions of original dishes and food products, the old rural crafts fairs, etc.).
Tourism in Croatian rural areas offered to dynamic tourism market activities/contents designed on farm holidays that, among other things, concern about preserving and managing rural heritage. Rural heritage in Croatia in recent years are recognized as one of leading ideas of tourism development, although Croatia is in an environment in which the very fact of rural richness and heritage manages the development of tourism activities and provides visibility of the local community as a valuable tourist destination. Rural tourism in Croatia today has the special importance, because one of its key roles are to preserve tradition on the way to use rural heritage creatively. Croatian rural heritage is equally valuable part of its cultural heritage and in recent years in Croatia is visible increased concern and care for its restoration.
This article discusses one segment of rural heritage, the role of traditional architecture/construction in shaping of tourism offer on Croatian rural territory, analyzes the types of traditional architectural
heritage that appears in the Croatian rural territory and its basic characteristics, especially their attractiveness that is one component of traditional farm holidays, which gathers tourism specifics based on preserved tradition of life and work in rural areas. Article proposes guidelines, recommendations how to arrange successfully traditional farm holidays that consists of primarily traditional architectural heritage, and, finally, discusses tourism valorization of traditional heritage in the function of sustainable development.
Keywords
Croatia; rural heritage; traditional architecture; guidelines; tourism valorization
Hrčak ID:
107198
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2013.
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