The oldest representation of the Croatian coat of arms is a fresco painting from 1495, made on a porch wall of a house in Innsbruck, but its roots are hidden further back in the mists of time. The stern rhythm of red and white squares, some believe, tells a story of Croatia’s turbulent history: a red square for a year at war, a white one for a year of peace.
Today, the only battle that is waged under the red and white colours is one on the football field, where players and supporters alike proudly wear their recognisable chequered shirts. It’s true: whenever you see this repeated pattern, you can tell it’s connected with all things unmistakably Croatian!
