Description: Over 400 Croatian Products available.. Traditional Croatian Souvenir 'Gingerbread Heart', Licitarsko Srce. Made in Croatia. Perfect for a gift or your own collection. You will receive a souvenir, not an edible item. Not made from edible materials, purely a souvenir. History..What is Licitarsko Srce? A famous symbol of Croatia, especially so from Zagreb (which actually incorporates them into the tourist logo of the city) and northern Croatia, these are heart-shaped biscuits which are made from gingerbread or honey dough, painted red and decorated with colourful icing, little mirrors and often a little message. Traditionally, they would be given as gifts to a loved one, although nowadays they are a popular souvenir (but don’t try and eat the souvenir ones!) that come in a range of sizes. The licitarsko srce are similar to the lebkuchen hearts that you find in Germany and Austria, although the red colouring and decoration of the Croatian ones means they are distinct. This kind of gingerbread making is actually on the UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage list. What is a licitar? Licitar is colorfully decorated cake made of honey dough. From the distant past the secrecy of licitar making has been preserved within the family of gingerbread crafts from the central and lowland of Croatia. Although entirely made of edible ingredients, at first it brings joy for eyes and soul. Traditionally it is of bright red color and produced in various shapes and sizes. Small size licitars (heart, cherry, doll, small bird, mushroom, horse-shoe, small wreath, horse) are favorite decoration of Christmas trees in Croatian homes, whereas the large size licitars are created for giving as a gift to the loved ones at special occasions. A young man giving a heart shaped licitars to his girlfriend to express this love and devotion to her is a custom deeply rooted in the Croatian traditional heritage. The St. Valentine’s Day, the largest holiday of those in love, is a special occasion for such sign of attention. This custom has been portrayed in the famous baler “Licitar heart” by Krešimir Baranović performed on stages throughout the world. History The tradition of licitar making dates back to the Middle Ages, especially to the 16th and 17th century when cakes in richly decorated wooden moulds were made in many European convents. In the Easter Alps region, such tradition of cake making soon grew into a craft, which was gradually spreading to the other Central European regions, when it also came to the Pannonian parts of Croatia. In the 18th and 19th Century, in the towns of Zagreb, Karlovac, Koprivnica, Samobor, Varaždin and elsewhere, licitar makers were reputable craftsmen, and their products favorite among members of all social classes. Here, craftsmen were making dough and wax products such as licitars, gingerbread cakes, candles, wax votive gifts and drinks such as “gvirc” and mead. Since their early days, these products have been sold at fairs and parish fairs related to church festivals. Thanks to licitars producers, the stalls with gingerbread and mead products provided picturesqueness and special atmosphere. Brand New Sent from Melbourne by Australia Post Australia Post Express available See other items https://www.ebay.com.au/str/shopncro
Price: 17.9 AUD
Location: Fitzroy North, Victoria
End Time: 2024-11-01T04:43:23.000Z
Shipping Cost: 12.94 AUD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
Returns Accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Modified Item: No
MPN: Does Not Apply
Era: 1800s
Country: Croatia
