Editing Croats (section)

===Tradition===
{{Main|Culture of Croatia}}
[[File:Akar 1.jpg|upright=1.15|right|255px|thumb|[[Sinjska alka|Alka]] is a traditional knights' competition.]]
[[File:Istrian scale Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor (1922), 1st mvt., bars 13-20.png|thumb|255px|upright=1.5|Istrian scale in Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor (1922), 1st mvt., bars 13–20 ({{audio|Istrian scale Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor (1922), 1st mvt., bars 13-20.mid|Play}}); flat fifth marked with asterisk<ref name="Roots">[[Peter van der Merwe (musicologist)|Van der Merwe, Peter]] (2005). ''Roots of the Classical'', p.227-8. {{ISBN|978-0-19-816647-4}}.</ref>]]
The area settled by Croats has a large diversity of historical and cultural influences, as well as the diversity of terrain and geography. The coastland areas of Dalmatia and [[Istria]] were subject to [[Roman Empire]], [[Venetian Republic|Venetian]] and Italian rule; central regions like [[Lika]] and western [[Herzegovina]] were a scene of battlefield against the Ottoman Empire, and have strong epic traditions. In the northern plains, [[Austro-Hungarian]] rule has left its marks. The most distinctive features of Croatian [[folklore]] include [[klapa]] ensembles of Dalmatia, [[tamburitza]] orchestras of [[Slavonia]].{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} Folk arts are performed at special events and festivals, perhaps the most distinctive being [[Sinjska alka|Alka]] of [[Sinj]], a traditional knights' competition celebrating the victory against Ottoman Turks. The epic tradition is also preserved in epic songs sung with [[gusle]]. Various types of [[Kolo (dance)|kolo]] circular dance are also encountered throughout Croatia.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}