Bizarre Facts you Might not Know About the Balkans

Fascinating Facts about the Balkans

The Balkans is a region often associated with war, dictators and disaster. Recent history of the area has involved several conflicts, earthquakes and, unfortunately, genocide. But, important as it is to learn and reflect on this, that is all in the past. The modern day countries of the Balkans are vibrant, diverse and full of beautiful places to discover. However, not many people consider the Balkans as a great place to spend their vacation. Nor do many people know much about the area or the countries within. Here are some fascinating facts about the Balkans – you might learn something about this mysterious part of Southern Europe.

Montenegro’s Currency is Not Legal Tender

The small coastal country of Montenegro lies just south of Croatia and a hop over the water from Italy. Despite having neighbors that are members of the European Union (EU), Montenegro itself is not part of the group. However, the country still uses the currency of the EU…albeit illegally. The Euro is currently used as the country’s de facto currency.

Between 1996 and 2002 Montenegro used the Deutsche Mark – Germany’s currency. When this was replaced with the Euro, Montenegro also switched. There was no objection from the European Central Bank. However, it is not legal tender. Interestingly, Bosnia Herzegovina also used the Mark, but there it is known as the Convertible Mark. They decided to keep it after the Euro was brought in and are still used today.

The system in Montenegro currently works well, though, and the country is looking to join the EU.

The Origin of the Name “Balkan”

For anyone visiting the Balkans, one of the first things you will notice is the spectacular countryside. Even most of the cities are surrounded by rugged peaks. The abundance of mountains helps to explain the name of the area. The word “Balkan” is Turkish is in origin and means “mountain”.

There are several mountain ranges on the Balkan Peninsula. This affects the climate which usually involves very cold winters and warm summer. The highest peak in entire region is Musala Peak. Mesula sits amongst the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria and reaches and a whopping 9,596 feet (2,925 metres)!

The Balkan landscape makes it an exception location for hiking, skiing and outdoor adventure.

Byrek, Burek or Borek is Everywhere

One of the best things about travel and exploring new places is the food. Sampling the traditional dishes provides a good insight into the history and culture of an area. The Balkans has a very diverse society and therefore many different types of food and drink are immersed into the culture. One food that cannot be avoided, and shouldn’t be missed, is the humble Borek – also known as Byrek, Burek or Pite depending on who you ask.

The origins or borek are unclear but there are several theories. The two prominent theories are that it was either descended from the Romans or the nomadic Turks in the seventh century.

Today you will find borek served on almost every street. There are many different varieties including feta, spinach and meats, all encased in delicious, flaky pastry.

Tesla Originated in the Balkans

Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 to Serbian parents in what is now Croatia, in the Western Balkans. After studying in Europe, he immigrated to the USA in 1884. He arrived in New York City with barely a penny to his name.

After a brief spell working with Thomas Edison, he set up his own lab. He is responsible for hundreds of inventions, but, perhaps the most notable is the Alternating Current (AC) induction motor. This ensured that motors and lighting was powered more efficiently. It also gave him an advantage over rival scientist, Edison.

In later life, he began to make slightly farfetched claims about being able to split the earth in two and having a machine capable of shooting 10,000 places out of the sky. Fortunately, these designs never came to fruition. Tesla died age 86 but left a wealth of scientific knowledge for future study.

I wonder if he would approve of his automotive namesake…?

There are Tonnes of Roman Ruins Across the Balkans

The recent history of the Balkan Peninsula often detracts from the ancient past that is all around. Visit Sofia, Bulgaria, and it’s almost impossible to miss the roman city that still lies beneath. Known by the Romans as Ulpia Serdica, the city became an administrative centre in 49 AD. Roman ruins and artefacts can be seen when using the Serdika II Metro station.

Albania also has its fair share of Ancient ruins. The port city of Durres is home to the largest amphitheater in the Balkans. Designed to hold 15 – 20, 000 people you can imagine the noise during a gladiatorial battle.

The city of Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia is also hiding a secret below its streets. Sirmium, a former capital of the Roman Empire, is slowly coming back from the dead. A large Imperial palace is one of the remains that have already been excavated. It is also thought that as many as five Roman Emperors might have been born here.

Romania has a Claim to the Jet Engine

If you have ever flown into Romania’s Bucharest, you most likely landed in the Henri Coandă International Airport. Coandă was a prominent Romanian Scientist and has a claim to the invention of the jet engine.

In 1910 he exhibited the world’s first jet propulsion airplane. This meant a plane could operate without the traditional propeller. However, his invention was never put into practical use. But, without this innovative theory – that was well ahead of its time – the jet engine as we know it might have taken longer to become a reality.

Coandă’s invention was put to good use after the Russian Royal Family asked him to incorporate the engine in a sled. He did so and it was used with great success.

Sarajevo had Electric Street Lighting Before London

This is one of our favorite fun facts about the Balkans! In 1874 Bosnia Herzegovina came under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The city of Sarajevo went through something of an industrial revolution and many of the Empires new inventions were tested in the city.

The Austro-Hungarians had reservations about the safety of electricity so decided to test it out in a city of the colonies. As a result, in 1895, Sarajevo was kitted out with electric street lighting while London was still lighting its dark hours with gas. Later that year, the city also became the first in Europe to have an electric tram. Second in the world only to San Francisco!

Just before the turn of the century, the Bey’s Mosque became the first mosque in the Islamic world to have electricity installed.

Bulgarians Nod their Heads for No and Shake for Yes

In the South eastern corner of the Balkans lies Bulgaria. Here, the predominant language spoken is Bulgarian. So far, nice and simple. In this south Slavic language, “da” (да) means yes and “ne” (не) means no. However, the body language can get a little confusing.

When gesturing for “yes” Bulgarians shake their head from side to side and they will nod their head up and down for “no”. The opposite, of western cultures! This can become quite confusing for visitors, even if they are aware of the difference. Try it at home, it’ll mess with your mind.

But don’t let it put you off visiting. Bulgarians are reserved but kind people who will help people out when needed.

Lake Ohrid is the Oldest Lake in Europe

Lake Ohrid sits across the Albanian and North Macedonian border and is officially the oldest lake in Europe. The lake has existed for nearly 1.4 million years. Because of this, it is also home to over 300 unique plant and animal species.

The small town of Ohrid sits on the North Macedonian side of the lake and is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. The town was developed mainly between the 7^th and 19^th centuries. However, there is evidence of prehistoric dwellings on the shore of the lake.

Many ancient religious artefacts and architecture has been found around the lake shore. This suggests the area was of great importance as a religious centre.

The Final Feature in our Fun Facts about the Balkans Series…

The Cyrillic Alphabet Originated in the Balkans

The Cyrillic alphabet is usually associated with the Russian language. However, it was actually developed in the First Bulgarian Empire way back in the 9^th Century.

The “Apostles of the Slavs” – St Cyril and St Methodius – are thought to be responsible for creating the script – hence the name “Cyrillic”. When trying to translate biblical texts from Greek to Slavic, they found that Slavic languages used more sounds than Greek and so it was necessary to add to or modify letters of the Greek alphabet.

The Cyrillic alphabet was initially made up of 43 letters. The letters of the Greek alphabet made up 24 of them and the additional letters were added for the extra Slavic sounds.

Many countries today still use a version of the Cyrillic alphabet and it is used in over 50 languages.

Fun Facts About the Balkans

The Balkans are much more accessible than you might think and are absolutely full of natural beauty. Travel between countries is easy and very cheap, however, public transport is not exactly efficient. But that’s all part of the fun! You don’t need to travel for weeks on end to see a good chunk of this beautiful part of the world. Check out our blog that shows you How to Make the Most of 8 Days in the Balkans. Or, for more fun facts about the Balkans, visit our Balkan FAQs page

Final note: Things change in the Balkans all the time and there is not much information online in English. We would definitely advise checking with a local where possible. We found people to be really friendly and super helpful.

Do you have any more fun facts about the Balkans? Are you planning a trip and need more information? Drop a comment in the box, we’d love to hear from you!