On the 23 December 1990, Slovenia held an independence referendum. The ballot sheet asked voters: “Should the Republic of Slovenia become an independent and sovereign state?”. Only a few days later, on the 26th, the results of the referendum were announced. 94.8% of all those who participated voted in favour of independence, with a turnout of over 90%. The 26 December would later be declared a national holiday, celebrating its Independence and Unity Day. To celebrate, here are ten fascinating facts you might not have known about the country!
1 – Traditionally, those who succeed in climbing Mount Triglav – Slovenia’s highest mountain with its 2864 metres – for the first time have to face a peculiar christening: being spanked with a rope. This three-headed (its name means as much) peak is so much a part of Slovenian identity that it even features on the country’s national flag. Climbing the mountain at least once in a lifetime is often considered the patriotic duty of every Slovene.
2 – France Prešeren’s poem ‘Zdravljica’ (‘A Toast’) is Slovenia’s national anthem. Uniquely, each of its stanzas is shaped like a wine glass through concrete poetry techniques, making it quite suitable for raising a toast.
3 – In 2003, a campaign started to partially or completely alter Slovenia’s flag, adopted after achieving independence. The aim was to enhance Slovenia’s international recognition, and especially to differentiate it from the very similar flag of Slovakia. An eleven-striped design won the official contest. However, due to public opinion being strongly against this change, the results of this contest were never enacted.
4 – Vrtiglavica, a karst shaft in Slovenia, features the longest straight vertical drop in the world (603 metres) and one of the tallest underground waterfalls. It won’t surprise you to learn that the Slovenian word “vrtiglavica” translates to “vertigo”.
5 – The fifth largest religion in Slovenia is the Trans-Universal Zombie Church of the Blissful Ringing. Born as a parody religion in 2013 with the aim of protesting corruption in politics, it has since enlarged and now counts over ten thousand members. Followers of this religion gather every Wednesday around the “Temple of Corruption” (the National Assembly Building of Slovenia) for holy mass. During the mass, they use pots, pans, and bells to produce clanking sounds.
6 – Lake Bled is undoubtedly the most recognisable tourist attraction in Slovenia. In the middle of it, you will find one of the very few islands in Slovenia. Bled Island is home to an important pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. The church is a popular destination for couples looking to marry. Traditionally, it is considered good luck for the groom to carry his bride up 99 steps leading up to the church, before ringing the bell and making a wish inside.
7 – A whopping 216 square kilometres of Slovenia are covered in vineyards. There is one vineyard or winery approximately for every 70 people! Wine is so important here that the country even can boast the oldest vine in the world. The Old Vine in Maribor is over 400 years old and still bears between 35 and 55 kilos of red grapes annually.
8 – In the early and mid 20th century, the spaces of Ljubljana Castle were transformed into apartments for socially disadvantaged citizens.
9 – Slovenia is among the most biologically diverse countries in the world. It accounts for less than 0.004% of the Earth’s surface but is home to more than 1% of all living creatures and 2% of terrestrial creatures. A total of 24,000 animal species live there, and almost 60% of its territory is covered by forest. In recent decades, the proportion of forest has been increasing, with the government planting over 1,200,000 trees a year. As if that weren’t enough, a remarkable 53.6% of the country is protected land, a higher percentage than any other European nation.
10 – Hives and honey are extremely popular in Slovenia: there are around 90,000 beekeepers in a population of just two million.
loved the fact with the zombie religion 😀 Hilarius