Plitvice Lakes
Encyclopedia
Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe
and the largest national park in Croatia
. The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst
area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina
. The important north-south road connection, which passes through the national park area, connects the Croatian inland with the Mediterranean
coastal region.
The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres (73,353.2 acre). About 90 percent of this area are part of Lika-Senj County
, while the remaining 10 percent are part of Karlovac County
. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide. Each year, more than 900,000 visitors are recorded. Entrance is subject to charges. Strict regulations apply.
, which is deposited by the action of moss
, algae
, and bacteria
. The particularly sensitive travertine
barriers are the result of an interplay between water, air and plants. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year.
The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff
from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,086.6 to 1,650.3 ) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two square kilometers, with the water exiting from the lowest lake forming the Korana River.
The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.
Through different climatic influences and the large difference in elevation within the protected area, a multifaceted flora and fauna has been created. The national park area is home to many endemic species. Those species that prevailed at the lakes before the arrival of man still exist.
. This name was designated due to natural phenomena that have created the lakes. Nature formed shallow basins (Croatian pličina or plitvak, plitko means shallow), which have been filled with water. For centuries, water has changed the limestone and thus the landscape of this area. The emerging travertine barriers decelerated and retained the flowing water. The height of these dams is continuously growing.
Some scientists refer to the river Plitvica
as origin of the name. This little river flows into the Plitvice Lakes at the lower and final part of the lakes. A nearby village bears the same name. The water masses of the Plitvice Lakes continue as Korana
river in northern direction.
The national park has become famous during the 1960s and 1970s through several Western
film productions
of Karl May
novels. Many scenes have been shot at the lakes or waterfalls.
mountain in the west and the Plješevica
mountain in the east amidst the Dinaric mountain range. The national park is located at the national route D1 Zagreb–Split between Slunj
and Korenica
in the vicinity of Bosnia and Herzegovina
. Other lager municipalities within the surrounding area are Ogulin
, Rakovica
, Otočac
, Gospić
and Bihać
in Bosnia.
The shortest linear distance between the Adriatic coast and the national park is 55 km. By road from the coastal town of Senj
the distance is about 60 km (37.28 mi). After traversing the Velebit
mountain range travelers reach the Croatian karst plains of Lika
. These plains are characterized by many karst polje
s (e.g. the Gacko polje).
The fastest north-south road connection within Croatia, the highway A1 Zagreb–Split
is distanced about 50 km (31.07 mi) west of the national park and thus circumvents the protected area. Plitvice Lakes National Park can be reached from Karlovac exit in the north, from Otočac exit in the west or Gornja Ploča exit in the south.
The nearest airports are Zadar
, Zagreb
and Rijeka
. The nearest train stations are Josipdol
and Plaški
, although no direct bus connection from these train stations to the lakes exists. Using public transport the lakes can easily be reached by direct bus lines from Zagreb, Karlovac, Zadar or Split.
(90.7 percent) and Karlovac County
(9.3 percent). Hence the national park authority is under national jurisdiction. The overall water body area is about 2 square kilometers. The two largest lakes, Prošćansko jezero and Kozjak
, cover about 80 percent of the overall water body area. These lakes are also the deepest, with a depth of 37 and 47 meters respectively. On Lake Kozjak, low-noise and ecologically-friendly electric boats are being used. None of the other lakes in the park exceeds 25 meters in depth. The altitude drop from the first lake to the last is 133 meters.
The 16 lakes that can be seen from the surface are grouped into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera).
The highest waterfalls are the Large Waterfall (kroat. Veliki slap) at the end of the Lower Lakes, over which the Plitvica river falls, and Galovački buk at the Upper Lakes.
Within the national park area there are 19 small settlements. Altogether they form the Plitvice Lakes municipality (Croatian općina Plitvička Jezera
). The municipality is part of Lika-Senj County
. The seat is located in Korenica
.
The Plitvice Lakes area has always been regarded as part of the historic regions of Lika
and Kordun
. During the Ottoman Wars, the region was part of the Croatian Military Frontier that was under direct control of the Habsburg
Council of War.
mountain range, which acts as a climatic separator between the coastal region and the Lika high plateau
. For centuries, legends have been created about this mythic mountain range.
The availability of water, influenced by the configuration of the terrain, has a great impact on the biodiversity of this area. The Plitvice Lakes are surrounded by various mountains. The western side of the national park area is enclosed by the Mala Kapela
mountain, while the eastern side is enclosed by the Plješevica
mountain, which also represents the border to Bosnia and Hercegovina. Plitvice Lakes National Park is situated in the Plitvice plateau which is surrounded by three mountains that are part of the Dinaric Alps
: Plješevica
mountain (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela
mountain (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m), and Medveđak (884 m).
The afforested mountain slopes serve as water reservoirs. They are also a refuge for many animal species. The large difference in altitude in a narrow space between the mountains in the south and the Korana river in the north also represents a significant criterion for biodiversity in this region. The overall difference in altitude within the national park area is 912 m (the highest elevation is Seliški vrh at 1279 m, the lowest elevation is reached at 367 m at the bridge across the Korana river).
The national Park is underlain by karst
ic rock, mainly dolomite
and limestone
with associated lakes and caves, this has given rise to the most distinctive feature of the lakes. Right at the lakes, the Golubnjača Cave (145 m) before the second Korana waterfall and Šupljara Cave (68 m) above Lake Kaluđerovac can be visited. Other caves e.g. are Mračna Cave (160 m), Vila Jezerkinje Cave (104 m) and Golubnjača at Homoljačko Field (153 m). Within the national park, several pit-caves exist, such as the Čudinka pit-cave (-203 m) or Jama on Vršić (-154 m, length 110 m). In Rodića Cave at Sertić Poljana and in Mračna Cave at the Lower Lakes, cave bear bones were found, so these sites may be considered paleontologically significant.
The river Plitvica reaches the Plitvice lake chain at the northern end via the Large Waterfall. This place is called Sastavci (English confluence or composition). The water masses of the Plitvice Lakes and the river Plitvice form the Korana
river.
. The typical feature of this karst area is brittle or porous rock, mostly limestone
or dolomite
. This configuration creates different geomorphological
phenomena being referred to as dolina (sinkhole
), polje
, uvala
, ponor
, etc.
In the future, the analysis of underground water courses could be an interesting field of research for speleologists
. Up to now, little has been known about these unexplored courses. At first sight, a lack of water in the karst region could be ascertained. However, this is only the case on the surface. The major part of natural phenomena takes place underground, where an abundance of water exists.
Due to the features of limestone, many rivers drain away into the rock. Therefore, extensive underground river systems exist. Upon reaching hard rock, rivers emerge on the surface. This phenomenon of underground karst rivers (Croatian rijeka ponornica) can also be observed at the Plitvice Lakes.
Tufa
sediments have been formed from the Pleistocene
onwards in sinkholes or depressed areas between the surrounding mountains. Generally seen, the underground of the Plitvice Lakes could be categorized into two zones. The Upper Lakes in the south predominantly consist of dolomite
rock. The Lower lakes in the north predominantly consist of limestone
rock. Dolomite rock is slightly harder than limestone. Though fragile upon physical influence, dolomite rock has lower water permeability properties. In contrast, limestone rock is more compact and massive, but has a higher water permeability.
From an aerial perspective, significant differences between the terrain of the Upper and the Lower Plitvice Lakes can be observed. At the Upper Lakes several little lakes have formed parallel to each other and a rather shallow water flow can be observed. The Lower Lakes, however, are much larger and virtually drill their path through the rock. Furthermore, there are only a few lakes at the Lower Lakes. They have formed a canyon
, which continues as river Korana.
The water temperature at the springs is usually below 10 °C. Within the rivers and lakes, the water temperature rises up to 20 °C. The following example for different water temperatures measured on July 7, 1954 clearly demonstrates large temperature differences within the lakes: Within lake Kozjak at the depth of 4 m a temperature of 18.9 °C has been measured. At a depth of 20 m, 5 °C have been measured. At 44 m depth, virtually at the bottom of the lake, a temperature of 4.1 °C has been measured.
, which is abundantly available in the waters of this karst area. These sedimentations are called tufa
or travertine
(both are called sedra or tuf in the Croatian language
, apart from many other names like bigar or vapneni mačak).
A distinctive feature of the Plitvice lakes is the fact that they do not represent separated, stationary waters. The lakes altogether have always been seen as one composed system of lakes. Due to constant changes it is not even possible to pursue individual analyses of single lakes. The water masses reaching the lakes at the upper or lower part of the system are continuously changing the outlook of the lakes and the surrounding landscape. They finally exit the lakes as river Korana. On the one hand, chalk tufa is being washed away partly. On the other hand, new sediments are continuously being formed. Thus, new waterfalls are being formed while others run dry. Nature itself is continuously adapting to these new conditions. As a whole, the complex of lakes represents a very sensitive and labile ecosystem.
s.
Apart from weather and temperature factors, the water quality and other natural factors are significant for the creation of these natural phenomena, prevailing at the Plitvice Lakes. By passing the limestone underground, the karst rivers dissolute chalk (calcit), which concentrates in the water. The saturation level of calcit within the frontal flows is thus very high. The water becomes significantly mineralized, super-saturated with calcium and magnesium-hydrogencarbonate.
The dissolution of limestone happens through alteration processes and the effects of carbonic acid
. In a natural environment, carbonic acid (H2CO3) is formed by the dissolution of carbon dioxide
(CO2) from the air or from rainwater (H2O). Limestone or dolomite
(CaMg(CO3)2) mainly consist of calcit (CaCO3), which poorly dissolves in water. Calcit, however, is dissolved by the effect of carbonic acid, thus creating calcium hydrogencarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2). This is shown by the following formulas:
The quantity of calcium hydrogencarbonate dissolved in water (also called calcium bicarbonate) depends on the quantity of dissolved carbon dioxide in the water. Generally, the following could be said: The colder the water, the higher the quantity of dissolved calcium hydrogencarbonate. Depending on the conditions for the alteration processes, scientists identified limestone dissolution rates of 0,01 until 4 millimeters a year. (It is possible that by the effect of rainwater about 1 m³ of limestone is dissolved in about 10,000 years.)
Another worldwide distinctive feature are the natural factors, particularly the influences of the vegetation in the process of sedimentation. While passing the vegetation, barriers are being created by water being foamed up. These naturally created barriers decelerate and dam the waters, thus forming lakes. At Plitvice, this constant interplay between water, air, rock and vegetation can permanently be observed. The foaming watermasses create ever growing and impressive waterfalls. The thresholds grown up above the water level, over which the water falls down, are called cataract
es. They have originated from the underwater thresholds.
About 30 km (18.64 mi) north of the lakes at the conflux of the Korana
and Slunjčica
rivers, right in the center of the town of Slunj
, similar phenomena occur. This part of the town, called Rastoke
, is often being referred to as "the Small Lakes of Plitvice."
The sedimentation of calcium carbonate from the water occurs only at certain temperature conditions (only above 14°C), e.g. when the water warms up or by evaporation or by another loss of carbon dioxide, additionally fostered by water plants and moss. Since sedimentation only occurs under warm, humide climate conditions, these phenomena have only been occurring since the end of the last ice age. Since then, a layer of hardened tufa, also called travertine, has been formed on the limestone ground.
The area of a river, in which the formation of tufa occurs, is called precipitation area. Along the Korana river for example, measured from its origins tufa is being formed only along the first 10 to 15 km (9.32 mi), even if according to pH measurements the conditions would be favorable further down the river. At the ground of Lake Kozjak a constant yearly sedimentation of 0,8 millimeters during the past 3,000 years has been ascertained. Yearly, the barriers are growing up to 13 millimeters in height. Tufa formation processes thus surpass erosion activities, which would destroy the sensitive barriers of the lakes. It is estimated that the tufa sedimentations at the ground of the lakes date back 6,000 or even 7,000 years.
The precipitation of calcium carbonate, however, does not occur right at the springs of the rivers that flow into the Plitvice Lakes. For the precipitation of carbonate chalk (calcium carbonate) the water needs to reach a certain mineral saturation level. At the springs this saturation level is about 1. For the precipitation, the water saturation level needs to be higher than 3. At the same time, the pH value of the water needs to be above 8,0 (slightly alkaline).
In the course of time, older barriers can be flooded by rising water levels since other barriers have outgrown the older ones. Not so long ago, only 400 years far back, there were two lakes in the place of today's Kozjak lake. In the lowest third of the lake, at the level of Matijaševića draga, a crown of an underwater barrier that is 40 m high, is stretching 4 m below the water surface. This barrier certainly formed a magnificent waterfall in the past. The travertine barrier at the Kozjak bridges (at the current end of the Kozjak lake), however, was growing up quicker. Thus, 400 years ago two lakes merged in one. That is why the greatest depths of Kozjak lake are in its lower basin (north from the little island).
Mosses, algae and water plants play a major role in forming the unique landscape of the Plitvice Lakes and its tufa barriers. Up until the 21. century, it was supposed that plants extract carbon dioxide from the water for photosynthesis purposes and that in return oxygen is being released, thus resulting in the sedimentation of hydrogen carbonate (phytogenesis). The leading scientist arguing for this theory was Ivo Pevalek. Thanks to him the Plitvice Lakes have been put under national protection.
Recent scientific evidence indicates that the vegetation is not primarily responsible for the extraction of carbonate from the flowing water. However, plants indirectly contribute to tufa formation. Pivotal for the sedimentation is the deceleration, aeration and spraying of the water. Mosses are a substrate
for sedimentation. They are giving form to the created travertine, and the Plitvice Lakes waterfalls can thank mosses for their feature. Depending on various species, various biological types of travertine can be differed.
Photosynthesis activities of algae and mosses in conjunction with the water, however, foster the chrystallization of sediments due to the extraction of carbon dioxide. These effects are fostered by millions of microscopically-small bacteria and algae that grow on such plants. They are secreting mucus that is adhered to by the first microcrystals of calcite. The most significant plants of this kind are mosses of the species bryum and cratoneuron.
One can clearly see that young shoots of mosses are green and soft. They are mostly without travertine, while older shoots are encrusted by a thin and fragile yellow layer, completely covered and petrified by plant-formed travertine. The mosses foster not only the creation of tufa barriers but they also become part of the barrier. The moss gets encrusted with travertine and fresh moss grows further out. First a crag is formed but later a cave roof forms under the crag. If the water continues flowing, the cave becomes progressively bigger. Older travertine is filled with fossilized algae and mosses. This type of tufa rock typical of the Plitvice Lakes is called "phytogeneous tufa."
During the 20. century, uncontrolled tourism and water pollution caused by waste water from the hotels or agricultural activities in the surroundings of the lakes have left detrimental traces. This has led to an increasing eutrophication
of the lakes (increased concentrations of organic substances within the water). For the sustainable formation of tufa it is thus imperative to protect this extremely sensitive area from excessively harmful human influence. Since 2006, it is strictly forbidden to bath or swim at the lakes. Until before, swimming was allowed at Lake Kozjak.
, have survived. At the Plitvice Lakes, all species continue to exist that have already existed before the coming of man. This is a rare case worldwide.
The Plitvice Lakes national park is heavily forested, mainly with beech
, spruce
, and fir
trees, and features a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It has a notably wide variety of plant communities, due to its range of microclimates, differing soils and varying levels of altitude.
Scientists have so far listed 1,267 different plants out of 109 species that can be found within the area of the national park. 75 plants are endemic, which means that they have first
been defined and classified in this area of the world or not far from it. A great number of these plants and species is protected by law. Within the national park area 55 different species of orchids can be found.
Examples of endemic plants to be found in the national park:
Examples of other rare plants:
The great plant diversity creates a fascinating interplay of colors changing with the seasons. The lake area is surrounded by dense forests. The national park has an area of 29,842 hectares, out of which 22,308 hectares are forests (74.75 percent), 6,957 ha are meadows (23.31 percent) in village areas and 217 ha (0.72 percent) are water areas. A unique area is the forest of Čorkova uvala, a 79.50 ha large virgin forest in the northwestern part of the park. The beech and fir trees in this area of the park are up to 700 years old.
, wolf, eagle
, owl
, lynx
, wild cat
, and capercaillie
can be found there, along with many more common species.
The wider area of the national park is one of the last areas in Europe, in which a great number of wild brown bears
and wolves can be found. The rich fauna of the Plitvice Lakes can be summed up as follows: As a whole, there exist about 50 species of mammals. At the moment, scientists have discovered 321 different kinds of butterflies, out of which 76 are addressed as day-flying butterflies and 245 as nocturnal moths. Scientists, however, estimate that up until now only about 40 percent of the whole population of butterflies have been ascertained. Furthermore, 12 amphibian species, as well as some species of reptiles have been ascertained so far: e.g. the viviparous lizard
(Lacerta vivipara), the european green lizard
(Lacerta viridis), the dice snake
(Natrix tesselata), Vipera berus
, Vipera ammodytes
and the european pond turtle (Emys orbicularis).
As regards bird species, the Plitvice Lakes rank third among other Croatian national parks. Up to now, 157 species have been counted, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there. The Plitvice Lakes are also home to many kinds of bat
s. Recent findings list about 20 different kinds of bat species, among them the rare species of Plecotus
.
So far, the exact origins of the different fish species have not been entirely identified. As original species the brown trout
(Salmo trutta fario and Salmo trutta lacustris) can be named. Salmo trutta fario prevails at the Upper Lakes, while Salmo trutta lacustris predominantly exists within Lake Kozjak. These species developed under different life conditions independently from each other within the various lakes.
Due to the spreading growth of the vegetation at the barriers, allochthonous (species that do not belong to this ecosystem) fish species spread quickly and thus endanger autochthonous trout species. Apart from the trouts, common minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus) too exist. By human interference the species salvelinus
alpinus and the North American rainbow trout
have been exposed to this ecosystem. Recently, even European chub
(Squalius cephalus) and common rudd (Scardinius erythropthalmus), species whose emergence could be attributed to climate change, have been discovered. The number of crayfish
that have almost been extinct is now again increasing. Even rare olm
s (Proteus anguinus) can be found in the karst caves of this region.
Examples of some animals that exist in the national park:
While other nature protection areas are located far away from any interference by man, the Plitvice Lakes have permanently been exposed to human influence in the course of history. The Plitvice Lakes do not represent an abandoned or lonely nature reserve. They are located along an important transport route and have always been a meeting place of occidental
and orient
al cultural influences.
, Thracians
, Celts, Japods, Romans
, Avars
, Slavs, and Turks
. Under Julius Caesar
the region was incorporated as the province of Illyricum
into the Roman Empire
. The areas of the neighborly tribes of the Pannonians, the Liburnians
and Dalmatians
were united into the province of Dalmatia
. Successively, the Ostrogoths took over the rule. After the Battle of Nedao
in 454, the Ostrogoths were rewarded with a federation agreement with the Roman Empire.
During the 6. century, Avars
settled in this region, which were accompanied by the Croats
. The Croats eventually defied Avar control and settled permanently in this region. In medieval times, frequent attacks by Mongols
posed a permanent threat to the settled population. The lakes formed part of the medieval kingdom of Croatia which in 1102 elected to be in personal union with Hungary.
Croat rule and particularly the rule of the noble families Zrinski
and Frankopan
led to economic recovery in the wider area. On the remnants of an ancient settlement of the Japods and Romans a monastery was built at the lakes. Presumably, this monastery belonged to the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit (Croatian pavlinci) or the Knights Templar
s. Today, only ancient wall remnants of this building (Croatian gradina) exist. The foundation was made of travertine rock.
and Ottoman Empire
took place. During the Battle of Krbava field
almost the entire Croatian nobility was killed. The Ottomans advanced far into Western lands up to Croatia
and Hungary
. In 1527, at the parliament on Cetin
the Croatian nobility elected the Habsburg monarch Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria
as the new king of Croatia in the hope of resources to ward of the Ottoman advance. In 1528, the area fell to the Ottomans
and was retaken by the Habsburg Empire
150 years later.
In 1538, king Ferdinand I
ordered the establishment of the Croatian Military Frontier as a borderland of Habsburg Austria to the Ottoman Empire. The laws that prevailed in this area under special jurisdiction had formative impact on the local population for centuries. As a consequence of the establishment of this special regime, people abandoned these areas in great masses towards the West.
In addition to the native Croats
already inhabiting the region and serving in the Austrian military, many central Europeans migrated to the region as did Serb
Orthodox
refugees fleeing Ottoman repression, who were given refuge in the abandoned areas in exchange for military service. The entire population of the military frontier, particularly the so-called frontiersmen, had the duty to protect this area of permanent unrest and terrible destruction. The region once also used to be called the garden of the devil (hortus diabolus).
The Ottomans succeeded several times to gain control over the area of the Plitvice Lakes for shorter periods. In 1788, this area permanently fell back under Habsburg rule. When the Ottoman threat subsided, the Military Frontier was reverted back to the civilian control of the Croatian viceroy
(Ban). The area then formed part of Banovina of Croatia
within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
and then part of the Socialist Republic of Croatia
within the Socialist Yugoslavia
. Today, it is part of the Republic of Croatia
.
In 1805, another major rule change happened, which created an economic upturn. Dalmatia
and Lika
fell under the rule of Napoleon, who founded the Illyrian provinces
. After 1814, the area of the Plitvice Lakes came back under Habsburg rule. Since 1850, only professional soldiers served in the Military Frontier. This was also a time of national awakening in Croatia. In 1871, the famous Croatian politician Eugen Kvaternik
was killed north of the lakes at Rakovica
. The Croatian rebellion was put down by Austrian authorities. Kvaternik propagated the rule of law and argued for the liberation from Austrian-Hungarian predominance.
Already in 1861, an accommodation for travelers was erected at Velika Poljana. The local population called this accommodation the Emperor's house, since imperial military officers used to reside in this location. For the visit of Crown Princess Stéphanie of Belgium
, the wife of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in 1888, the Plitvice Lakes and their surroundings were arranged for tourist purposes for the first time in history. Two paths still bear the names of the daughters of the Emperor Franz Joseph
: "Stephanie's
Path" (Croatian Štefanijin put) and "Dorothea's
Path" (Croatian Dorotejin put).
In 1890, the tradesman Ante Devčić from Senj
built the first hotel with a restaurant at Prošćansko jezero. However, he exaggerated in his efforts and also caused partly irreparable damage on the nature. For example, he constructed canals across the travertine barriers for his saw mill that are visible even today.
At the same place, today called Labudovac, Gustav Janeček, a Czech from Zagreb, built a restaurant and accommodation. In 1893, Janeček founded the Society for the preservation of the Plitvice Lakes (Croatian Društvo za uređenje i poljepšanje Plitvičkih jezera), with the aim of preserving the lakes after all negative influence they have been exposed to. The society also built a hotel at the lakes. In 1898, one of the waterfalls was named after Croatian opera singer Milka Ternina
. She gave money from concerts to preserve the park, upgrade tracks and build pathways.
During the First World War, the Croatian parliament in Zagreb passed the Law on the Protection of the Plitvice Lakes in 1916. However, this law did not contain adequate measures of protection and is thus not regarded as official founding declaration of the national park.
During the following decades, preservation efforts reached a deadlock. However, some very significant meetings took place at the Plitvice Lakes during the Second World War, as for example the first secret regional conference of the League of Communists of Croatia
(Croatian: Savez komunista Hrvatske, SKH) in 1940. On June 14, 1943 one of the founding sessions of the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia (ZAVNOH) took place at Plitvice Lakes. This was the highest governing organ of the anti-fascist movement in Croatia during World War II. The former Secretary General of the Communist Party of Croatia, Rade Končar
, was born in Končarev Kraj at the Plitvice Lakes in 1911.
During the 1960s, a modern road connection to the Plitvice Lakes has been constructed, which led to increasing traffic volumes. During these years, several hotels and other objects were erected according to innovative plans of Croatian architects. However, some buildings that would fit current standards have already been demolished during the 1980s by the Communist authorities.
Between 1962 and 1968, many Western
film productions
of Karl May
novels have been shot at the Plitvice Lakes (mainly German-French-Yugoslav cooperations). The most successful film of this series, The Treasure of Silver Lake has also been produced at some locations within the national park. (Lake Kaluđerovac served as scenery for the Silver Lake.
During the 1970s, detailed land registers of the national park were recorded. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List in 1979 in recognition of its "outstanding natural beauty, and the undisturbed production of travertine (tufa) through chemical and biological action".
During the 1980s, tourism was booming in Yugoslavia. Plitvice Lakes National Park soon became one of Yugoslavia's most popular tourist attractions. The beginning of the 1990s, however, marked another great turning point in the history of this national park. In March 1991 it became the scene of the Plitvice Lakes incident
(also called the "Plitvice Bloody Easter"), the first armed confrontation of the Croatian War of Independence
that resulted in fatalities. The park was held by local Serb rebels backed by Slobodan Milošević
and the Yugoslav People's Army
(JNA) as part of the self-proclaimed "Republic of Serbian Krajina
" during the conflict and suffered some damage in the process, with hotels and other facilities being used as barracks. During the period under the control of Serb forces loyal to Belgrade, Croats were ethnically cleansed from the region systemically. The region was retaken by the Croatian Army in August 1995 during Operation Storm
, which ended the Croatian war.
During the war from 1991 until 1995, many buildings in the national park were destroyed or burnt down. Due to the apparent risk of mines, the park was even put on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger during the war years. After the war, the Plitvice Lakes were among the first areas to be cleared of mines and renovated. In 1998, the national park was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger. In 2000, the national park was expanded by a further 102 km² in order to protect the underground tributary streams.
Within the national park continuous scientific research projects are being carried out. The national park administration currently endeavors to introduce new, progressive protection measures. The idea exists to replace the wooden bridges and paths by swimming ponton
bridges. The existing wooden paths are anchored within the travertine sediments, creating the danger of seepage and cracks of the weak travertine.
The Plitvice Lakes are today one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in Croatia. Due to their high natural, cultural and tourist significance they have become a motor for the local economy. About 900,000 visitors per year greatly contribute to the economic development of the wider region.
is well known for its low wooden houses with roofs made of rye straw or shingles. Many features of the ancient living style are mirrored in local costumes. They tell a lot about regional affiliations or social standings of those who have worn those costumes. Under French rule, men were allowed to wear their costumes during military service.
Up until the 20. century, social gatherings during the winter months, when no agricultural activities could be performed, called "prelo" represented a typical tradition of this region. These gatherings served for the joint production of textiles or butter or for the further processing of harvest products (production of flour, etc.). These activities used to be accompanied by drinks and dances, particularly during the evenings. An well-known dance of this region is the round dance
(Croatian kolo).
Local cuisine consists of drinks, such as Slivovitz
(Croatian šljivovica), wine and coffee or dishes, such as soft cheese (Croatian vrhnje), polenta
, pršut, sausages, (as for example the paprika sausage), roasted suckling pig
(Croatian: odojak) or lamb (Croatian: janjetina).
(Slunj), at the Krka National Park
or at the river Pliva in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Band-e Amir
lakes within the Hindu Kush
mountain range form a similar system of lakes and dams, though diverging tufa formation processes prevail. Calc-sinter formation processes that have not emerged along a river flow can be observed at the Mammoth Hot Springs
within Yellowstone National Park
(USA) or at Pamukkale
in Turkey.
Southeast Europe
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a relatively recent political designation for the states of the Balkans. Writers such as Maria Todorova and Vesna Goldsworthy have suggested the use of the term Southeastern Europe to replace the word Balkans for the region, to minimize potential...
and the largest national park in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. The important north-south road connection, which passes through the national park area, connects the Croatian inland with the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coastal region.
The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres (73,353.2 acre). About 90 percent of this area are part of Lika-Senj County
Lika-Senj County
Lika-Senj county is a county in Croatia that includes most of the Lika region and some northern coastline of the Adriatic near the town of Senj, including the northern part of the Pag island...
, while the remaining 10 percent are part of Karlovac County
Karlovac County
Karlovac County is a county in central Croatia, with the administrative center in Karlovac.The city of Karlovac is another fort from the times of the Military Frontier...
. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide. Each year, more than 900,000 visitors are recorded. Entrance is subject to charges. Strict regulations apply.
Features
The national park is world famous for its lakes arranged in cascades. Currently, 16 lakes can be seen from the surface. These lakes are a result of the confluence of several small rivers and subterranean karst rivers. The lakes are all interconnected and follow the water flow. They are separated by natural dams of travertineTravertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
, which is deposited by the action of moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
, algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
, and bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. The particularly sensitive travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
barriers are the result of an interplay between water, air and plants. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year.
The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,086.6 to 1,650.3 ) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two square kilometers, with the water exiting from the lowest lake forming the Korana River.
The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.
Through different climatic influences and the large difference in elevation within the protected area, a multifaceted flora and fauna has been created. The national park area is home to many endemic species. Those species that prevailed at the lakes before the arrival of man still exist.
Origins of the name and reputation
The name Plitvice was first mentioned in a written document in 1777 by Dominik Vukasović, the priest of OtočacOtocac
Otočac is a town in Lika, Croatia. It lies in the northwestern part of Lika, in the Gacka river valley. The population of the town is 4,354 as of 2001, with a total of 10,411 people within the municipality at large, the majority of whom are Croats ....
. This name was designated due to natural phenomena that have created the lakes. Nature formed shallow basins (Croatian pličina or plitvak, plitko means shallow), which have been filled with water. For centuries, water has changed the limestone and thus the landscape of this area. The emerging travertine barriers decelerated and retained the flowing water. The height of these dams is continuously growing.
Some scientists refer to the river Plitvica
Plitvica
Plitvica is a settlement in the Municipality of Apače in northeastern Slovenia.There is a small chapel with a belfry in the eastern part of the village on the road towards Lutverci. It was built in 1930 and is dedicated to the memory of missing soldiers of the First World War from the Plitvica...
as origin of the name. This little river flows into the Plitvice Lakes at the lower and final part of the lakes. A nearby village bears the same name. The water masses of the Plitvice Lakes continue as Korana
Korana
The Korana is a river in central Croatia and west Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river has a total length of and watershed area of .It rises in the eastern parts of Lika, creates the world-famous Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Downstream from Plitvice Lakes the Korana river forms a 25...
river in northern direction.
The national park has become famous during the 1960s and 1970s through several Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film productions
Karl May movies
Karl May films are films based on stories and characters by German author Karl May . The characters Old Shatterhand, Winnetou, and Kara Ben Nemsi are very famous in Central Europe....
of Karl May
Karl May
Karl Friedrich May was a popular German writer, noted mainly for adventure novels set in the American Old West, and similar books set in the Orient and Middle East . In addition, he wrote stories set in his native Germany, in China and in South America...
novels. Many scenes have been shot at the lakes or waterfalls.
Routes and distances
The Plitvice Lakes have formed in a depression between the Mala KapelaMala Kapela
Mala Kapela is a mountain in Croatia, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction northwest-southeast, and it extends from the mountain pass called "Kapela" or "Vrh Kapele" that separates it from Velika Kapela, down to the mountain pass that connects Otočac and Plitvice and from then...
mountain in the west and the Plješevica
Plješevica
Plješivica or Plješevica is a mountain in Croatia and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction north–south, and it extends from the mountain pass that separates it from Mala Kapela, along the Krbava field to the west and the Una River...
mountain in the east amidst the Dinaric mountain range. The national park is located at the national route D1 Zagreb–Split between Slunj
Slunj
Slunj is a town in the mountainous part of Central Croatia, located along the important North-South route to the Adriatic Sea between Karlovac and Plitvice Lakes National Park, on the meeting of the rivers Korana and Slunjčica...
and Korenica
Korenica
Korenica is a village in Lika, Croatia, located in the municipality of Plitvička Jezera, on the road between Plitvice and Udbina. It has 1,570 residents .In SFR Yugoslavia it was named Titova Korenica after Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito...
in the vicinity of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. Other lager municipalities within the surrounding area are Ogulin
Ogulin
Ogulin is a town in north-western Croatia, in Karlovac County. It has a population of 8,712 , and a total municipal population of 15,054...
, Rakovica
Rakovica
Rakovica can refer to:* Rakovica, Belgrade, an urban neighborhood and a municipality of Belgrade, Serbia* Selo Rakovica, an urban neighborhood of Belgrade in the municipality of Voždovac* Rakovica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village near Ilidža, Bosnia...
, Otočac
Otocac
Otočac is a town in Lika, Croatia. It lies in the northwestern part of Lika, in the Gacka river valley. The population of the town is 4,354 as of 2001, with a total of 10,411 people within the municipality at large, the majority of whom are Croats ....
, Gospić
Gospic
Gospić is a town in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika, Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Lika-Senj county. Gospić is located near the Lika River in the middle of a karst field....
and Bihać
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
in Bosnia.
The shortest linear distance between the Adriatic coast and the national park is 55 km. By road from the coastal town of Senj
Senj
Senj , German Zengg, Hungarian Zeng and Italian Segna) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3000 years ago on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala...
the distance is about 60 km (37.28 mi). After traversing the Velebit
Velebit
Velebit is the largest though not the highest mountain range in Croatia. Its highest peak is the Vaganski vrh at 1757 m.The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior...
mountain range travelers reach the Croatian karst plains of Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
. These plains are characterized by many karst polje
Polje
A polje is a large flat plain in karst territory, with areas usually 5 to 400 km². The name derives from the Slavic languages and is a cognate with the English word field.-In geology:...
s (e.g. the Gacko polje).
The fastest north-south road connection within Croatia, the highway A1 Zagreb–Split
A1 (Croatia)
The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
is distanced about 50 km (31.07 mi) west of the national park and thus circumvents the protected area. Plitvice Lakes National Park can be reached from Karlovac exit in the north, from Otočac exit in the west or Gornja Ploča exit in the south.
The nearest airports are Zadar
Zadar Airport
Zadar Airport is the airport serving Zadar, Croatia. It is located in Zemunik Donji 8 km from the Zadar railway station. The airport serves as the flying base for Lufthansa's flight school InterCockpit and Croatian Air Force main training base....
, Zagreb
Zagreb Airport
Zagreb Airport , also known as Pleso Airport after the nearby suburb of Pleso, is the main international airport of Croatia and also a Croatian Air Force and Defense major fighter jet base. Located 10 km from the central railway station in Zagreb, it served 2,071,561 passengers in 2010 and is the...
and Rijeka
Rijeka Airport
Rijeka Airport is the airport serving Rijeka, Croatia. It is located near the town of Omišalj on the island of Krk, 17 km from the Rijeka railway station....
. The nearest train stations are Josipdol
Josipdol
Josipdol is a village and municipality in Karlovac County, Croatia. The municipality is part of Lika.-Geography:Josipdol is situated in the Ogulin-Plaški valley which together with Lika and Gorski Kotar forms Mountainous Croatia. The town is located at the crossroads of state roads D-23, which...
and Plaški
Plaški
Plaški is a village and a municipality in Karlovac County, Croatia. It is part of Lika.- Geography :Plaški is situated in the lower part of the Ogulin-Plaški valley. Together with Gorski kotar and Lika, the Ogulin-Plaški valley forms Mountainous Croatia...
, although no direct bus connection from these train stations to the lakes exists. Using public transport the lakes can easily be reached by direct bus lines from Zagreb, Karlovac, Zadar or Split.
Outline
The area of Plitvice Lakes National Park extends across two political subdivisions or counties (Croatian županija). Its 296.85 square kilometre area is divided between Lika-Senj CountyLika-Senj County
Lika-Senj county is a county in Croatia that includes most of the Lika region and some northern coastline of the Adriatic near the town of Senj, including the northern part of the Pag island...
(90.7 percent) and Karlovac County
Karlovac County
Karlovac County is a county in central Croatia, with the administrative center in Karlovac.The city of Karlovac is another fort from the times of the Military Frontier...
(9.3 percent). Hence the national park authority is under national jurisdiction. The overall water body area is about 2 square kilometers. The two largest lakes, Prošćansko jezero and Kozjak
Kozjak
Kozjak is a mountain situated on the border between the Republic of Macedonia and Serbia. It is situated north-east from Kumanovo. The tallest peak of Kozjak is Virovi at 1284 meters....
, cover about 80 percent of the overall water body area. These lakes are also the deepest, with a depth of 37 and 47 meters respectively. On Lake Kozjak, low-noise and ecologically-friendly electric boats are being used. None of the other lakes in the park exceeds 25 meters in depth. The altitude drop from the first lake to the last is 133 meters.
The 16 lakes that can be seen from the surface are grouped into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera).
| Lake | altitude (m) | area (ha Hectare The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2... ) |
depth (m) | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prošćansko jezero | 636 | 68.0 | 37 | Upper Lakes |
| Ciginovac | 625 | 7.5 | 11 | Upper Lakes |
| Okrugljak | 613 | 4.1 | 15 | Upper Lakes |
| Batinovac | 610 | 1.5 | 6 | Upper Lakes |
| Veliko jezero | 607 | 1.5 | 8 | Upper Lakes |
| Malo jezero | 605 | 2.0 | 10 | Upper Lakes |
| Vir | 599 | 0.6 | 5 | Upper Lakes |
| Galovac | 585 | 12.5 | 25 | Upper Lakes |
| Milinovo jezero | 576 | 1.0 | 1 | Upper Lakes |
| Gradinsko jezero | 553 | 8.1 | 10 | Upper Lakes |
| Buk | 545 | 0.1 | 2 | Upper Lakes |
| Kozjak | 535 | 81.5 | 47 | Upper Lakes |
| Milanovac | 523 | 3.2 | 19 | Lower Lakes |
| Gavanovac | 519 | 1.0 | 10 | Lower Lakes |
| Kaluđerovac | 505 | 2.1 | 13 | Lower Lakes |
| Novakovića brod | 503 | 0.4 | 5 | Lower Lakes |
| Plitvice Lakes | 217.0 |
The highest waterfalls are the Large Waterfall (kroat. Veliki slap) at the end of the Lower Lakes, over which the Plitvica river falls, and Galovački buk at the Upper Lakes.
| Waterfall | height |
|---|---|
| Veliki slap (Large Waterfall) | 78 m |
| Galovački buk (Galovac Waterfall) | 25 m |
Within the national park area there are 19 small settlements. Altogether they form the Plitvice Lakes municipality (Croatian općina Plitvička Jezera
Plitvicka Jezera
Plitvička Jezera is a municipality in central Croatia, in the eastern part of the Lika-Senj county, that lies in and near the eponymous Plitvice Lakes National Park, bisected by the D1 main road . Its total area is 539.08 km². The main town and seat of the municipality is Korenica...
). The municipality is part of Lika-Senj County
Lika-Senj County
Lika-Senj county is a county in Croatia that includes most of the Lika region and some northern coastline of the Adriatic near the town of Senj, including the northern part of the Pag island...
. The seat is located in Korenica
Korenica
Korenica is a village in Lika, Croatia, located in the municipality of Plitvička Jezera, on the road between Plitvice and Udbina. It has 1,570 residents .In SFR Yugoslavia it was named Titova Korenica after Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito...
.
The Plitvice Lakes area has always been regarded as part of the historic regions of Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
and Kordun
Kordun
The Kordun region is a part of central Croatia from the bottom of the Petrova Gora mountain range, which extends along the rivers Korana and Slunjčica, and forms part of the border region to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The southern border of Kordun touches the Lika region...
. During the Ottoman Wars, the region was part of the Croatian Military Frontier that was under direct control of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
Council of War.
Terrain
The particular geographic position of the Plitvice Lakes and the specific climate features contributed to the emergence of many natural phenomena and a rich biodiversity within this area. Despite the vicinity to the Mediterranean climatic region, a moderate mountainous climate prevails at the Plitvice Lakes. These climatic conditions prevail due to the VelebitVelebit
Velebit is the largest though not the highest mountain range in Croatia. Its highest peak is the Vaganski vrh at 1757 m.The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior...
mountain range, which acts as a climatic separator between the coastal region and the Lika high plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
. For centuries, legends have been created about this mythic mountain range.
The availability of water, influenced by the configuration of the terrain, has a great impact on the biodiversity of this area. The Plitvice Lakes are surrounded by various mountains. The western side of the national park area is enclosed by the Mala Kapela
Mala Kapela
Mala Kapela is a mountain in Croatia, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction northwest-southeast, and it extends from the mountain pass called "Kapela" or "Vrh Kapele" that separates it from Velika Kapela, down to the mountain pass that connects Otočac and Plitvice and from then...
mountain, while the eastern side is enclosed by the Plješevica
Plješevica
Plješivica or Plješevica is a mountain in Croatia and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction north–south, and it extends from the mountain pass that separates it from Mala Kapela, along the Krbava field to the west and the Una River...
mountain, which also represents the border to Bosnia and Hercegovina. Plitvice Lakes National Park is situated in the Plitvice plateau which is surrounded by three mountains that are part of the Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro....
: Plješevica
Plješevica
Plješivica or Plješevica is a mountain in Croatia and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction north–south, and it extends from the mountain pass that separates it from Mala Kapela, along the Krbava field to the west and the Una River...
mountain (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela
Mala Kapela
Mala Kapela is a mountain in Croatia, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction northwest-southeast, and it extends from the mountain pass called "Kapela" or "Vrh Kapele" that separates it from Velika Kapela, down to the mountain pass that connects Otočac and Plitvice and from then...
mountain (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m), and Medveđak (884 m).
The afforested mountain slopes serve as water reservoirs. They are also a refuge for many animal species. The large difference in altitude in a narrow space between the mountains in the south and the Korana river in the north also represents a significant criterion for biodiversity in this region. The overall difference in altitude within the national park area is 912 m (the highest elevation is Seliški vrh at 1279 m, the lowest elevation is reached at 367 m at the bridge across the Korana river).
The national Park is underlain by karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
ic rock, mainly dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with associated lakes and caves, this has given rise to the most distinctive feature of the lakes. Right at the lakes, the Golubnjača Cave (145 m) before the second Korana waterfall and Šupljara Cave (68 m) above Lake Kaluđerovac can be visited. Other caves e.g. are Mračna Cave (160 m), Vila Jezerkinje Cave (104 m) and Golubnjača at Homoljačko Field (153 m). Within the national park, several pit-caves exist, such as the Čudinka pit-cave (-203 m) or Jama on Vršić (-154 m, length 110 m). In Rodića Cave at Sertić Poljana and in Mračna Cave at the Lower Lakes, cave bear bones were found, so these sites may be considered paleontologically significant.
Rivers
The Plitvice Lakes originate in the south of the park area at the confluence of Bijela Rijeka (English White River) and Crna Rijeka (English Black River). These rivers originate south of the municipality of Plitvički Ljeskovac and unite at one of the bridges in this village. From this place onwards to the lakes, the water masses are referred to as Matica (English for root or origin). At the bay of Liman (also called Limun), a part of Prošćansko jezero, another little river flows into the lakes. This river is fed by permanent springs; the water quantity, however, varies. Temporarily, water from other, usually dead creeks reaches Prošćansko jezero from the west.The river Plitvica reaches the Plitvice lake chain at the northern end via the Large Waterfall. This place is called Sastavci (English confluence or composition). The water masses of the Plitvice Lakes and the river Plitvice form the Korana
Korana
The Korana is a river in central Croatia and west Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river has a total length of and watershed area of .It rises in the eastern parts of Lika, creates the world-famous Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Downstream from Plitvice Lakes the Korana river forms a 25...
river.
Properties of the underground
The underground configuration of the Plitvice Lakes consists of various geologic features. Generally, the whole area of Plitvice Lakes National Park can be attributed to the South-East European karst areaKarst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
. The typical feature of this karst area is brittle or porous rock, mostly limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
or dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
. This configuration creates different geomorphological
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
phenomena being referred to as dolina (sinkhole
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
), polje
Polje
A polje is a large flat plain in karst territory, with areas usually 5 to 400 km². The name derives from the Slavic languages and is a cognate with the English word field.-In geology:...
, uvala
Uvala
Uvala is a village in the municipality of Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, ponor
Ponor
A ponor is a natural surface opening that may be found in landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is characterized by some kind of karst....
, etc.
In the future, the analysis of underground water courses could be an interesting field of research for speleologists
Speleology
Speleology is the scientific study of caves and other karst features, their make-up, structure, physical properties, history, life forms, and the processes by which they form and change over time...
. Up to now, little has been known about these unexplored courses. At first sight, a lack of water in the karst region could be ascertained. However, this is only the case on the surface. The major part of natural phenomena takes place underground, where an abundance of water exists.
Due to the features of limestone, many rivers drain away into the rock. Therefore, extensive underground river systems exist. Upon reaching hard rock, rivers emerge on the surface. This phenomenon of underground karst rivers (Croatian rijeka ponornica) can also be observed at the Plitvice Lakes.
Tufa
Tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine...
sediments have been formed from the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
onwards in sinkholes or depressed areas between the surrounding mountains. Generally seen, the underground of the Plitvice Lakes could be categorized into two zones. The Upper Lakes in the south predominantly consist of dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
rock. The Lower lakes in the north predominantly consist of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
rock. Dolomite rock is slightly harder than limestone. Though fragile upon physical influence, dolomite rock has lower water permeability properties. In contrast, limestone rock is more compact and massive, but has a higher water permeability.
From an aerial perspective, significant differences between the terrain of the Upper and the Lower Plitvice Lakes can be observed. At the Upper Lakes several little lakes have formed parallel to each other and a rather shallow water flow can be observed. The Lower Lakes, however, are much larger and virtually drill their path through the rock. Furthermore, there are only a few lakes at the Lower Lakes. They have formed a canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
, which continues as river Korana.
Climate
On average, the annual precipitation rate at the Plitvice Lakes is 1500 mm (59.06 in). Usually, in spring and fall the largest rain quantities are measured. The average relative air humidity is 81.8 percent. In January, the average temperature is 2.2 °C. During the summer months of July and August, the temperature rises to 17.4 °C. The general average annual temperature is 7.9 °C. Snow falls from November until March. Usually, the lakes are frozen during December and January.The water temperature at the springs is usually below 10 °C. Within the rivers and lakes, the water temperature rises up to 20 °C. The following example for different water temperatures measured on July 7, 1954 clearly demonstrates large temperature differences within the lakes: Within lake Kozjak at the depth of 4 m a temperature of 18.9 °C has been measured. At a depth of 20 m, 5 °C have been measured. At 44 m depth, virtually at the bottom of the lake, a temperature of 4.1 °C has been measured.
The dissolution and creation of rock
The lakes of Plitvice are a result of century-old processes and the sedimentation of chalkCalcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found in rocks in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime,...
, which is abundantly available in the waters of this karst area. These sedimentations are called tufa
Tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine...
or travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
(both are called sedra or tuf in the Croatian language
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
, apart from many other names like bigar or vapneni mačak).
A distinctive feature of the Plitvice lakes is the fact that they do not represent separated, stationary waters. The lakes altogether have always been seen as one composed system of lakes. Due to constant changes it is not even possible to pursue individual analyses of single lakes. The water masses reaching the lakes at the upper or lower part of the system are continuously changing the outlook of the lakes and the surrounding landscape. They finally exit the lakes as river Korana. On the one hand, chalk tufa is being washed away partly. On the other hand, new sediments are continuously being formed. Thus, new waterfalls are being formed while others run dry. Nature itself is continuously adapting to these new conditions. As a whole, the complex of lakes represents a very sensitive and labile ecosystem.
Alteration processes
In geological terms, the actual phenomena molding the Plitvice Lakes are quite young. The complex processes of dissolution and sedimentation of limestone require specific climatic preconditions. These have only existed since the end of the ice age about 12,000 to 15,000 years ago, according to tufa radiocarbon datingRadiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
s.
Apart from weather and temperature factors, the water quality and other natural factors are significant for the creation of these natural phenomena, prevailing at the Plitvice Lakes. By passing the limestone underground, the karst rivers dissolute chalk (calcit), which concentrates in the water. The saturation level of calcit within the frontal flows is thus very high. The water becomes significantly mineralized, super-saturated with calcium and magnesium-hydrogencarbonate.
The dissolution of limestone happens through alteration processes and the effects of carbonic acid
Carbonic acid
Carbonic acid is the inorganic compound with the formula H2CO3 . It is also a name sometimes given to solutions of carbon dioxide in water, because such solutions contain small amounts of H2CO3. Carbonic acid forms two kinds of salts, the carbonates and the bicarbonates...
. In a natural environment, carbonic acid (H2CO3) is formed by the dissolution of carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
(CO2) from the air or from rainwater (H2O). Limestone or dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
(CaMg(CO3)2) mainly consist of calcit (CaCO3), which poorly dissolves in water. Calcit, however, is dissolved by the effect of carbonic acid, thus creating calcium hydrogencarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2). This is shown by the following formulas:
| H2O + CO2 ↔ H2CO3 ↔ H+ + HCO3- ↔ 2 H+ + CO32- |
| CaCO3 + H2CO3 → Ca(HCO3)2 |
| CaCO3 + H+ + HCO3- ↔ Ca2+ + 2 HCO3- ↔ Ca(HCO3)2 |
The quantity of calcium hydrogencarbonate dissolved in water (also called calcium bicarbonate) depends on the quantity of dissolved carbon dioxide in the water. Generally, the following could be said: The colder the water, the higher the quantity of dissolved calcium hydrogencarbonate. Depending on the conditions for the alteration processes, scientists identified limestone dissolution rates of 0,01 until 4 millimeters a year. (It is possible that by the effect of rainwater about 1 m³ of limestone is dissolved in about 10,000 years.)
Sedimentation processes
The previously mentioned mechanical and chemical dissolution processes are quite frequently occurring natural phenomena. A unique process occurring at the Plitvice Lakes, however, is the sedimentation of water-bound chalk at certain places. With regard to other similar phenomena in the world, at Plitvice Lakes the sedimentation of chalk and the formation of tufa happens dynamically all along the waterflow and in various forms (fluviatile sedimentation). It is thus not a static phenomenon occurring at only single places.Another worldwide distinctive feature are the natural factors, particularly the influences of the vegetation in the process of sedimentation. While passing the vegetation, barriers are being created by water being foamed up. These naturally created barriers decelerate and dam the waters, thus forming lakes. At Plitvice, this constant interplay between water, air, rock and vegetation can permanently be observed. The foaming watermasses create ever growing and impressive waterfalls. The thresholds grown up above the water level, over which the water falls down, are called cataract
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...
es. They have originated from the underwater thresholds.
About 30 km (18.64 mi) north of the lakes at the conflux of the Korana
Korana
The Korana is a river in central Croatia and west Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river has a total length of and watershed area of .It rises in the eastern parts of Lika, creates the world-famous Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Downstream from Plitvice Lakes the Korana river forms a 25...
and Slunjčica
Slunjcica
The Slunjčica is a river, which flows through the Kordun region in central Croatia. It partly flows underground through porous karst and surfaces in the vicinity of the city of Slunj. At Rastoke the Slunjčica leads into the river Korana, which reaches this point after passing the Plitvice Lakes...
rivers, right in the center of the town of Slunj
Slunj
Slunj is a town in the mountainous part of Central Croatia, located along the important North-South route to the Adriatic Sea between Karlovac and Plitvice Lakes National Park, on the meeting of the rivers Korana and Slunjčica...
, similar phenomena occur. This part of the town, called Rastoke
Rastoke
Rastoke is the historic center of the Croatian municipality of Slunj. This old part of Slunj is known for its well-preserved mills and the picturesque little waterfalls along the Slunjčica river, which flows into the river Korana at this place. The Korana river originates at Plitvice Lakes...
, is often being referred to as "the Small Lakes of Plitvice."
Preconditions for sedimentation
Measurements of carbon dioxide quantities in the water show that they correspond with continuous sedimentation processes in the Plitvice Lakes area. Carbon dioxide quantities at the springs are about twenty times higher than in the atmosphere. The quantity of carbon dioxide decreases along the water route. The Plitvica river for example loses even up to 97 percent of its original quantity of carbon dioxide along its route.The sedimentation of calcium carbonate from the water occurs only at certain temperature conditions (only above 14°C), e.g. when the water warms up or by evaporation or by another loss of carbon dioxide, additionally fostered by water plants and moss. Since sedimentation only occurs under warm, humide climate conditions, these phenomena have only been occurring since the end of the last ice age. Since then, a layer of hardened tufa, also called travertine, has been formed on the limestone ground.
The area of a river, in which the formation of tufa occurs, is called precipitation area. Along the Korana river for example, measured from its origins tufa is being formed only along the first 10 to 15 km (9.32 mi), even if according to pH measurements the conditions would be favorable further down the river. At the ground of Lake Kozjak a constant yearly sedimentation of 0,8 millimeters during the past 3,000 years has been ascertained. Yearly, the barriers are growing up to 13 millimeters in height. Tufa formation processes thus surpass erosion activities, which would destroy the sensitive barriers of the lakes. It is estimated that the tufa sedimentations at the ground of the lakes date back 6,000 or even 7,000 years.
The precipitation of calcium carbonate, however, does not occur right at the springs of the rivers that flow into the Plitvice Lakes. For the precipitation of carbonate chalk (calcium carbonate) the water needs to reach a certain mineral saturation level. At the springs this saturation level is about 1. For the precipitation, the water saturation level needs to be higher than 3. At the same time, the pH value of the water needs to be above 8,0 (slightly alkaline).
Thresholds become barriers
Tufa barriers are the result of continuous sedimentation processes along natural thresholds. As the water flows in thin layers over thresholds, it is splashed up. Thereby the chemical balance is disturbed. This leads to the sedimentation of carbonate from the water along these thresholds. Since the water forms larger surfaces at these places, increased quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) are released. Calcium carbonate is secreted in the form of microcrystals that are deposited, eventually creating tufa sediments (CaCO3). This phenomenon particularly occurs on abundantly available mosses, enabling better adherence of the crystals.In the course of time, older barriers can be flooded by rising water levels since other barriers have outgrown the older ones. Not so long ago, only 400 years far back, there were two lakes in the place of today's Kozjak lake. In the lowest third of the lake, at the level of Matijaševića draga, a crown of an underwater barrier that is 40 m high, is stretching 4 m below the water surface. This barrier certainly formed a magnificent waterfall in the past. The travertine barrier at the Kozjak bridges (at the current end of the Kozjak lake), however, was growing up quicker. Thus, 400 years ago two lakes merged in one. That is why the greatest depths of Kozjak lake are in its lower basin (north from the little island).
Influence of the vegetation
Recent scientific evidence indicates that the vegetation is not primarily responsible for the extraction of carbonate from the flowing water. However, plants indirectly contribute to tufa formation. Pivotal for the sedimentation is the deceleration, aeration and spraying of the water. Mosses are a substrate
Substrate
Substrate may mean:*Substrate , Natural stone, masonry surface, ceramic and porcelain tiles*Substrate , the material used in the bottom of an aquarium*Substrate , the material used in the bottom of a vivarium or terrarium...
for sedimentation. They are giving form to the created travertine, and the Plitvice Lakes waterfalls can thank mosses for their feature. Depending on various species, various biological types of travertine can be differed.
Photosynthesis activities of algae and mosses in conjunction with the water, however, foster the chrystallization of sediments due to the extraction of carbon dioxide. These effects are fostered by millions of microscopically-small bacteria and algae that grow on such plants. They are secreting mucus that is adhered to by the first microcrystals of calcite. The most significant plants of this kind are mosses of the species bryum and cratoneuron.
One can clearly see that young shoots of mosses are green and soft. They are mostly without travertine, while older shoots are encrusted by a thin and fragile yellow layer, completely covered and petrified by plant-formed travertine. The mosses foster not only the creation of tufa barriers but they also become part of the barrier. The moss gets encrusted with travertine and fresh moss grows further out. First a crag is formed but later a cave roof forms under the crag. If the water continues flowing, the cave becomes progressively bigger. Older travertine is filled with fossilized algae and mosses. This type of tufa rock typical of the Plitvice Lakes is called "phytogeneous tufa."
Adverse effects for tufa formation
Even though the vegetation has beneficial effects for the formation of tufa, excessive concentrations of organic substances within the water have adverse effects on these formation processes. Excessive plant covers have adverse effects to mineral sedimentation. Down the Korana river from the Korana bridge, for example, travertine creation ends quite quickly, in spite the supersaturation with calcium bicarbonate, because of the increasement of concentration of the organic substance in the water. The park authorities have thus begun to systematically remove excessive vegetation along the barriers. Water purity is the decisive factor for tufa formation. The water at the influx to the Plitvice Lakes is notedly pure from an analytical point of view. The Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) value of the water hardly exceeds 2,5 mg/L at the influx to the Upper Lakes (Matica). At the Lower Lakes higher concentrations are being measured (5,15 mg/L). At the springs of other Croatian rivers in the karst region similar concentrations have been ascertained.During the 20. century, uncontrolled tourism and water pollution caused by waste water from the hotels or agricultural activities in the surroundings of the lakes have left detrimental traces. This has led to an increasing eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
of the lakes (increased concentrations of organic substances within the water). For the sustainable formation of tufa it is thus imperative to protect this extremely sensitive area from excessively harmful human influence. Since 2006, it is strictly forbidden to bath or swim at the lakes. Until before, swimming was allowed at Lake Kozjak.
Types of rock
| Cellular rock | Porous rock that has been exposed to external effects, for example rainwater (dolomite Dolomite Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone.... or limestone Limestone Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera.... ) |
| Tufa Tufa Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine... |
Sedimentations of minerals from the water that typically consolidate on moss or on the underground of the lakes. These sediments are the results of century-old sedimentation processes. Year after year, new layers of sediments are being added. |
| Travertine Travertine Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot... |
Consolidated tufa. Older, hardened sediments. This porous type of rock is very sensitive to physical impacts. |
Flora and Fauna
With regard to plant and animal diversity, the area of the Plitvice Lakes belongs to the most significant areas of Croatia. On the one hand, this is due to climatic conditions and on the other hand due to the location of this area, since the lakes are far away from polluted and noisy cities or industrial plants. For reasons of the poor industrial development of this region and early introduced protection measures, a nearly untouched landscape has been preserved. In the partially primeval beech and fir forests various rare species, such as the brown bearBrown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, have survived. At the Plitvice Lakes, all species continue to exist that have already existed before the coming of man. This is a rare case worldwide.
Flora
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
, and fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
trees, and features a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It has a notably wide variety of plant communities, due to its range of microclimates, differing soils and varying levels of altitude.
Scientists have so far listed 1,267 different plants out of 109 species that can be found within the area of the national park. 75 plants are endemic, which means that they have first
been defined and classified in this area of the world or not far from it. A great number of these plants and species is protected by law. Within the national park area 55 different species of orchids can be found.
Examples of endemic plants to be found in the national park:
| Edraianthus tenuifolius | Ranunculus scutatus, a sort of Ranunculus Ranunculus Ranunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine.... |
| Scilla litardierei |
Examples of other rare plants:
| Cypripedium calceolus Cypripedium calceolus Cypripedium calceolus is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus Cypripedium.It is a widespread plant worldwide, found from Europe east through Asia to the Pacific Ocean. It is found in open woodland on moist calcareous soils. It is found in continental Europe growing in the... |
Ligularia sibirica Ligularia sibirica Ligularia sibirica is the type species for the genus Ligularia. It is a 0.3-1.3 m tall perennial herbaceous plant, native to fens and damp grassy meadows in Siberia, Central and Eastern Europe... |
| Common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris Pinguicula vulgaris Pinguicula vulgaris, the Common butterwort, is a perennial carnivorous plant in the Lentibulariaceae family. It grows to a height of 3–16 cm, and is topped with a purple, and occasionally white, flower that is 15 mm or longer, and shaped like a funnel. This butterwort grows in damp... ) |
Telekia speciosa |
| Daphne laureola Daphne laureola Daphne laureola, or Spurge-laurel , is a species of Daphne in the flowering plant family Thymelaeaceae... |
The great plant diversity creates a fascinating interplay of colors changing with the seasons. The lake area is surrounded by dense forests. The national park has an area of 29,842 hectares, out of which 22,308 hectares are forests (74.75 percent), 6,957 ha are meadows (23.31 percent) in village areas and 217 ha (0.72 percent) are water areas. A unique area is the forest of Čorkova uvala, a 79.50 ha large virgin forest in the northwestern part of the park. The beech and fir trees in this area of the park are up to 700 years old.
Fauna
The area of the national park is home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bearBrown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, wolf, eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, wild cat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
, and capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
can be found there, along with many more common species.
The wider area of the national park is one of the last areas in Europe, in which a great number of wild brown bears
Brown Bears
The Brown Bears is a name shared by all sports teams at Brown University, a university located in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States. The Bears are part of the Ivy League conference. Brown's mascot is Bruno. Both the men's and women's teams share the name, competing in 37 National...
and wolves can be found. The rich fauna of the Plitvice Lakes can be summed up as follows: As a whole, there exist about 50 species of mammals. At the moment, scientists have discovered 321 different kinds of butterflies, out of which 76 are addressed as day-flying butterflies and 245 as nocturnal moths. Scientists, however, estimate that up until now only about 40 percent of the whole population of butterflies have been ascertained. Furthermore, 12 amphibian species, as well as some species of reptiles have been ascertained so far: e.g. the viviparous lizard
Viviparous lizard
The viviparous lizard or common lizard is a Eurasian lizard. It lives farther north than any other reptile species, and most populations are viviparous , rather than laying eggs as most other lizards do.-Identification:The length of the body is less than...
(Lacerta vivipara), the european green lizard
European green lizard
The European Green Lizard is a large lizard distributed across mid European latitudes from the north of the Iberian peninsula to as far east as Ukraine. It is often to be seen sunning itself on rocks or lawns, or sheltering amongst bushes.- Description :The lizard reaches up to 13 cm in length...
(Lacerta viridis), the dice snake
Dice snake
The dice snake is a European nonvenomous snake belonging to the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae.- Brief description :...
(Natrix tesselata), Vipera berus
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
, Vipera ammodytes
Vipera ammodytes
Vipera ammodytes is a venomous viper species found in southern Europe through to the Balkans and parts of the Middle East. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs and high venom toxicity...
and the european pond turtle (Emys orbicularis).
As regards bird species, the Plitvice Lakes rank third among other Croatian national parks. Up to now, 157 species have been counted, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there. The Plitvice Lakes are also home to many kinds of bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s. Recent findings list about 20 different kinds of bat species, among them the rare species of Plecotus
Plecotus
The genus Plecotus consists of the lump-nosed bats. Many species in the genus have only been described and recognized in recent years.-Species:Genus Plecotus - Lump-nosed bats*Plecotus ariel*Brown Long-eared Bat, Plecotus auritus...
.
So far, the exact origins of the different fish species have not been entirely identified. As original species the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
(Salmo trutta fario and Salmo trutta lacustris) can be named. Salmo trutta fario prevails at the Upper Lakes, while Salmo trutta lacustris predominantly exists within Lake Kozjak. These species developed under different life conditions independently from each other within the various lakes.
Due to the spreading growth of the vegetation at the barriers, allochthonous (species that do not belong to this ecosystem) fish species spread quickly and thus endanger autochthonous trout species. Apart from the trouts, common minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus) too exist. By human interference the species salvelinus
Salvelinus
Salvelinus is a genus of salmonid fish often called char or charr; some species are called "trout". Salvelinus is a member of the Salmoninae subfamily of the Salmonidae family. Charr may be identified by light cream pink or red spots over a darker body. Scales tend to be small, with 115-200 along...
alpinus and the North American rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
have been exposed to this ecosystem. Recently, even European chub
European chub
The European chub , sometimes called the round chub, fat chub, chevin, pollard or simply "the" chub, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae...
(Squalius cephalus) and common rudd (Scardinius erythropthalmus), species whose emergence could be attributed to climate change, have been discovered. The number of crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
that have almost been extinct is now again increasing. Even rare olm
Olm
The olm, or proteus , is a blind amphibian endemic to the subterranean waters of caves of the Dinaric karst of southern Europe. It lives in the waters that flow underground through this extensive limestone region including waters of the Soča river basin near Trieste in Italy, through to southern...
s (Proteus anguinus) can be found in the karst caves of this region.
Examples of some animals that exist in the national park:
| Lynx Lynx A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes... (Lynx lynx) |
Brown bear Brown Bear The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized... (Ursus arctos) |
| Wolf (Canis lupus) | Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) |
| European Polecat European polecat The European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark... (Mustela putorius) |
Golden Eagle Golden Eagle The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas... (Aquila chrysaetos) |
| Alpine Newt Alpine Newt The Alpine Newt is a newt of the Salamander order Caudata in the class of Amphibians.-Description:... (Triturus alpestris) |
White-throated Dipper White-throated Dipper The White-throated Dipper , also known as the European Dipper or just Dipper is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is divided into several subspecies, based primarily on colour differences, particularly of the pectoral band... (Cinclus cinclus) |
| European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) |
History
Main article: History of CroatiaHistory of Croatia
Croatia first appeared as a duchy in the 7th century and then as a kingdom in the 10th century. From the 12th century it remained a distinct state with its ruler and parliament, but it obeyed the kings and emperors of various neighboring powers, primarily Hungary and Austria. The period from the...
While other nature protection areas are located far away from any interference by man, the Plitvice Lakes have permanently been exposed to human influence in the course of history. The Plitvice Lakes do not represent an abandoned or lonely nature reserve. They are located along an important transport route and have always been a meeting place of occidental
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
and orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
al cultural influences.
Early History and Medieval Age
Humans have inhabited the Plitvice Lakes area for thousands of years. It has been settled in turn by IllyriansIllyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
, Thracians
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
, Celts, Japods, Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
, Slavs, and Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
. Under Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
the region was incorporated as the province of Illyricum
Illyricum
Illyricum can refer to:* Illyria, a region in the Balkans* Illyricum * Diocese of Illyricum* Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum...
into the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. The areas of the neighborly tribes of the Pannonians, the Liburnians
Liburnians
The Liburnians were an ancient Illyrian tribe inhabiting the district called Liburnia, a coastal region of the northeastern Adriatic between the rivers Arsia and Titius in what is now Croatia....
and Dalmatians
Dalmatae
The Dalmatae or Delmatae were an ancient people who inhabited the core of what would then become known as Dalmatia after the Roman conquest - now the eastern Adriatic coast in Croatia, between the rivers Krka and Neretva...
were united into the province of Dalmatia
Dalmatia (Roman province)
Dalmatia was an ancient Roman province. Its name is probably derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Dalmatae which lived in the area of the eastern Adriatic coast in Classical antiquity....
. Successively, the Ostrogoths took over the rule. After the Battle of Nedao
Battle of Nedao
The Battle of Nedao, named after the Nedava, a tributary of the Sava, was a battle fought in Pannonia in 454. After the death of Attila the Hun, allied forces of the Germanic subject peoples under the leadership of Ardaric, king of the Gepids, defeated the Hunnic forces of Ellac, the son of Attila,...
in 454, the Ostrogoths were rewarded with a federation agreement with the Roman Empire.
During the 6. century, Avars
Avars
Avar or Avars may refer to:* Eurasian Avars, a nomadic people that conquered the Hungarian Steppe in the early Middle Ages* Uar * Caucasian Avars, a modern people of the Caucasus** Avar language, the language of the Caucasian Avars...
settled in this region, which were accompanied by the Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
. The Croats eventually defied Avar control and settled permanently in this region. In medieval times, frequent attacks by Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
posed a permanent threat to the settled population. The lakes formed part of the medieval kingdom of Croatia which in 1102 elected to be in personal union with Hungary.
Croat rule and particularly the rule of the noble families Zrinski
Zrinski
The Zrinski family was a Croatian noble family, influential during the period in history marked by the Ottoman wars in Europe in the Kingdom of Croatia and Hungary and in the later Austro-Hungarian Empire...
and Frankopan
Frankopan
The Frankopans are a Croatian noble family. Also called Frankapan, Frangepán in Hungarian, and Frangipani in Italian.The Frankopan family is the leading princely Croatian aristocratic family which dates back to the 12th Century and even earlier to Roman times...
led to economic recovery in the wider area. On the remnants of an ancient settlement of the Japods and Romans a monastery was built at the lakes. Presumably, this monastery belonged to the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit (Croatian pavlinci) or the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
s. Today, only ancient wall remnants of this building (Croatian gradina) exist. The foundation was made of travertine rock.
Ottoman Wars and the Habsburgs
In 1493, not far away from the Plitvice Lakes a decisive battle in Croatian history between the AustrianAustrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
and Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
took place. During the Battle of Krbava field
Battle of Krbava field
The Battle of Krbava field , was fought between the Ottoman Empire of Bayezid II and a Croatian army of the Kingdom of Croatia in personal union with the Kingdom of Hungary on September 9, 1493 in the Krbava field, a part of Lika region, southern Croatia...
almost the entire Croatian nobility was killed. The Ottomans advanced far into Western lands up to Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. In 1527, at the parliament on Cetin
Parliament on Cetin
The Parliament on Cetin was a gathering of the Croatian nobility in the town of Cetin caused by a monarchical crisis after the death of their king Louis II and a major defeat of the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohács...
the Croatian nobility elected the Habsburg monarch Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
as the new king of Croatia in the hope of resources to ward of the Ottoman advance. In 1528, the area fell to the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and was retaken by the Habsburg Empire
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
150 years later.
In 1538, king Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
ordered the establishment of the Croatian Military Frontier as a borderland of Habsburg Austria to the Ottoman Empire. The laws that prevailed in this area under special jurisdiction had formative impact on the local population for centuries. As a consequence of the establishment of this special regime, people abandoned these areas in great masses towards the West.
In addition to the native Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
already inhabiting the region and serving in the Austrian military, many central Europeans migrated to the region as did Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
refugees fleeing Ottoman repression, who were given refuge in the abandoned areas in exchange for military service. The entire population of the military frontier, particularly the so-called frontiersmen, had the duty to protect this area of permanent unrest and terrible destruction. The region once also used to be called the garden of the devil (hortus diabolus).
The Ottomans succeeded several times to gain control over the area of the Plitvice Lakes for shorter periods. In 1788, this area permanently fell back under Habsburg rule. When the Ottoman threat subsided, the Military Frontier was reverted back to the civilian control of the Croatian viceroy
Ban (title)
Ban was a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.-Etymology:The word ban has entered the English language probably as a borrowing from South Slavic ban, meaning "lord, master; ruler". The Slavic word is probably borrowed from...
(Ban). The area then formed part of Banovina of Croatia
Banovina of Croatia
The Banovina of Croatia or Banate of Croatia was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1939 and 1943 . Its capital was at Zagreb and it included most of present-day Croatia along with portions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia...
within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and then part of the Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
within the Socialist Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. Today, it is part of the Republic of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
In 1805, another major rule change happened, which created an economic upturn. Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
and Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
fell under the rule of Napoleon, who founded the Illyrian provinces
Illyrian provinces
The Illyrian Provinces was an autonomous province of the Napoleonic French Empire on the north and east coasts of the Adriatic Sea between 1809 and 1816. Its capital was established at Laybach...
. After 1814, the area of the Plitvice Lakes came back under Habsburg rule. Since 1850, only professional soldiers served in the Military Frontier. This was also a time of national awakening in Croatia. In 1871, the famous Croatian politician Eugen Kvaternik
Eugen Kvaternik
Eugen Kvaternik was a Croatian politician and revolutionary. Kvaternik and Ante Starčević formed the original Croatian Party of Rights together....
was killed north of the lakes at Rakovica
Rakovica
Rakovica can refer to:* Rakovica, Belgrade, an urban neighborhood and a municipality of Belgrade, Serbia* Selo Rakovica, an urban neighborhood of Belgrade in the municipality of Voždovac* Rakovica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village near Ilidža, Bosnia...
. The Croatian rebellion was put down by Austrian authorities. Kvaternik propagated the rule of law and argued for the liberation from Austrian-Hungarian predominance.
Farmlands becoming an area of recreation
In former times, the local population lacked the proper comprehension of the natural values of the Plitvice Lakes. Farmers had to focus on securing the daily bread for their families in these dour times, which was accompanied by grave changes to nature. For example, smaller lakes were filled up with earth or people adapted the flow of the rivers to their individual needs.Already in 1861, an accommodation for travelers was erected at Velika Poljana. The local population called this accommodation the Emperor's house, since imperial military officers used to reside in this location. For the visit of Crown Princess Stéphanie of Belgium
Princess Stéphanie of Belgium
Stéphanie was a Belgium princess by birth, and then made Crown Princess of Austria through her marriage to the heir of the Habsburg dynasty, Archduke Rudolf...
, the wife of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in 1888, the Plitvice Lakes and their surroundings were arranged for tourist purposes for the first time in history. Two paths still bear the names of the daughters of the Emperor Franz Joseph
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
: "Stephanie's
Archduchess Gisela of Austria
Gisela Louise Marie, Princess Imperial and Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, Princess of Bavaria was the second daughter and eldest surviving child of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and Empress Elisabeth...
Path" (Croatian Štefanijin put) and "Dorothea's
Archduchess Sophie of Austria
Archduchess Sophie of Austria was born to Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Emperor Franz Josef of Austria...
Path" (Croatian Dorotejin put).
In 1890, the tradesman Ante Devčić from Senj
Senj
Senj , German Zengg, Hungarian Zeng and Italian Segna) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3000 years ago on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala...
built the first hotel with a restaurant at Prošćansko jezero. However, he exaggerated in his efforts and also caused partly irreparable damage on the nature. For example, he constructed canals across the travertine barriers for his saw mill that are visible even today.
At the same place, today called Labudovac, Gustav Janeček, a Czech from Zagreb, built a restaurant and accommodation. In 1893, Janeček founded the Society for the preservation of the Plitvice Lakes (Croatian Društvo za uređenje i poljepšanje Plitvičkih jezera), with the aim of preserving the lakes after all negative influence they have been exposed to. The society also built a hotel at the lakes. In 1898, one of the waterfalls was named after Croatian opera singer Milka Ternina
Milka Ternina
Milka Ternina was a Croatian dramatic soprano who enjoyed a high reputation in major American and European opera houses...
. She gave money from concerts to preserve the park, upgrade tracks and build pathways.
During the First World War, the Croatian parliament in Zagreb passed the Law on the Protection of the Plitvice Lakes in 1916. However, this law did not contain adequate measures of protection and is thus not regarded as official founding declaration of the national park.
During the following decades, preservation efforts reached a deadlock. However, some very significant meetings took place at the Plitvice Lakes during the Second World War, as for example the first secret regional conference of the League of Communists of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia
League of Communists of Croatia was the Croatian branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia . Until 1952, it was known as Communist Party of Croatia .- History :...
(Croatian: Savez komunista Hrvatske, SKH) in 1940. On June 14, 1943 one of the founding sessions of the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia (ZAVNOH) took place at Plitvice Lakes. This was the highest governing organ of the anti-fascist movement in Croatia during World War II. The former Secretary General of the Communist Party of Croatia, Rade Končar
Rade Koncar
Rade Končar was a Yugoslav Communist leader and legendary World War II resistance fighter.-Biography:...
, was born in Končarev Kraj at the Plitvice Lakes in 1911.
The Lakes as National Park
After the end of the Second World War, the unique natural phenomena of this area have been acknowledged permanently. On April 8, 1949, the Plitvice Lakes have been declared as national park area and rigorous nature protection measures have been established.During the 1960s, a modern road connection to the Plitvice Lakes has been constructed, which led to increasing traffic volumes. During these years, several hotels and other objects were erected according to innovative plans of Croatian architects. However, some buildings that would fit current standards have already been demolished during the 1980s by the Communist authorities.
Between 1962 and 1968, many Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film productions
Karl May movies
Karl May films are films based on stories and characters by German author Karl May . The characters Old Shatterhand, Winnetou, and Kara Ben Nemsi are very famous in Central Europe....
of Karl May
Karl May
Karl Friedrich May was a popular German writer, noted mainly for adventure novels set in the American Old West, and similar books set in the Orient and Middle East . In addition, he wrote stories set in his native Germany, in China and in South America...
novels have been shot at the Plitvice Lakes (mainly German-French-Yugoslav cooperations). The most successful film of this series, The Treasure of Silver Lake has also been produced at some locations within the national park. (Lake Kaluđerovac served as scenery for the Silver Lake.
During the 1970s, detailed land registers of the national park were recorded. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List in 1979 in recognition of its "outstanding natural beauty, and the undisturbed production of travertine (tufa) through chemical and biological action".
During the 1980s, tourism was booming in Yugoslavia. Plitvice Lakes National Park soon became one of Yugoslavia's most popular tourist attractions. The beginning of the 1990s, however, marked another great turning point in the history of this national park. In March 1991 it became the scene of the Plitvice Lakes incident
Plitvice Lakes incident
The Plitvice Lakes incident of late March/early April 1991 was an incident at the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence...
(also called the "Plitvice Bloody Easter"), the first armed confrontation of the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
that resulted in fatalities. The park was held by local Serb rebels backed by Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
and the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
(JNA) as part of the self-proclaimed "Republic of Serbian Krajina
Republic of Serbian Krajina
The Republic of Serbian Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier"...
" during the conflict and suffered some damage in the process, with hotels and other facilities being used as barracks. During the period under the control of Serb forces loyal to Belgrade, Croats were ethnically cleansed from the region systemically. The region was retaken by the Croatian Army in August 1995 during Operation Storm
Operation Storm
Operation Storm is the code name given to a large-scale military operation carried out by Croatian Armed Forces, in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to gain back control of parts of Croatia which had been claimed by separatist ethnic Serbs, since early...
, which ended the Croatian war.
During the war from 1991 until 1995, many buildings in the national park were destroyed or burnt down. Due to the apparent risk of mines, the park was even put on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger during the war years. After the war, the Plitvice Lakes were among the first areas to be cleared of mines and renovated. In 1998, the national park was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger. In 2000, the national park was expanded by a further 102 km² in order to protect the underground tributary streams.
| Year | Number of visitors |
|---|---|
| 1894 | 1,000 |
| 1989 | 500,000 |
| 2006 | 866,000 |
| 2008 | 947,000 |
| 2010 | 981,000 |
Within the national park continuous scientific research projects are being carried out. The national park administration currently endeavors to introduce new, progressive protection measures. The idea exists to replace the wooden bridges and paths by swimming ponton
Ponton
Ponton may refer to:*Ponton , a genre of automobile styling, 1930s-1960sPlaces*Great Ponton, a village in Lincolnshire, England*Little Ponton, a village in Lincolnshire, England*Ponton, Aruba, a town in Aruba*Ponton, ManitobaPeople...
bridges. The existing wooden paths are anchored within the travertine sediments, creating the danger of seepage and cracks of the weak travertine.
The Plitvice Lakes are today one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in Croatia. Due to their high natural, cultural and tourist significance they have become a motor for the local economy. About 900,000 visitors per year greatly contribute to the economic development of the wider region.
Local Customs and Traditions
The preservation of old customs and traditions is of high significance for the local population. The local culture has also been detected as an important factor for tourism. As regards architecture, the region of LikaLika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
is well known for its low wooden houses with roofs made of rye straw or shingles. Many features of the ancient living style are mirrored in local costumes. They tell a lot about regional affiliations or social standings of those who have worn those costumes. Under French rule, men were allowed to wear their costumes during military service.
Up until the 20. century, social gatherings during the winter months, when no agricultural activities could be performed, called "prelo" represented a typical tradition of this region. These gatherings served for the joint production of textiles or butter or for the further processing of harvest products (production of flour, etc.). These activities used to be accompanied by drinks and dances, particularly during the evenings. An well-known dance of this region is the round dance
Round dance
There are two distinct dance categories called round dance. The specific dances belonging to the first of these categories are often considered to be ethnic, folk or country dances...
(Croatian kolo).
Local cuisine consists of drinks, such as Slivovitz
Slivovitz
Slivovitz or Slivovitsais a distilled beverage made from Damson plums. It is frequently called plum brandy, and in the Balkans is part of the category of drinks called rakia...
(Croatian šljivovica), wine and coffee or dishes, such as soft cheese (Croatian vrhnje), polenta
Polenta
Polenta is a dish made from boiled cornmeal. The word "polenta" is borrowed from Italian.-Description:Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal , which can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the region and the texture desired.As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier...
, pršut, sausages, (as for example the paprika sausage), roasted suckling pig
Suckling pig
A suckling pig is a piglet fed on its mother's milk . In culinary, a suckling pig is slaughtered between the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked whole, often roasted, in various cuisines...
(Croatian: odojak) or lamb (Croatian: janjetina).
Lake names and anecdotes
Each of the Plitvice Lakes has a story or legend to tell. Most lake names stem from true events.| Lake | Other names | Approximate translation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prošćansko jezero | Prošće | Scrub Lake or Crave Lake |
The name is due to the fences that have been built by farmers as delimitation between the farmlands and the lakes. The farmers used stakes (Croatian prošće), poles, scrub and earth to build these fences. The Legend of the Black Queen, the legend on "prošnja" (praying the black Queen for water) says that the inhabitants of this region were craving for water and thus called upon the magic queen to help them, which she did. According to the legend, this is the reason why Prošćansko jezero and the other lakes have emerged. |
| Ciginovac | Cigino jezero Ciganovac jezero |
Gypsy's Lake | According to a legend, a roma (gypsy) drowned in this lake while fishing. |
| Okrugljak | Okruglić Okrugljaj Kruginovac |
Round Lake | The name stems from its round shape. |
| Batinovac | Batin Bakinovac |
Lake Batin/Batić's Lake | People reported that a villager named Batinić used to dwell at this lake. Others say that a grandmother (Croatian baka) might have drowned in this lake. |
| Veliko jezero | Jovinovac veliki | Large Lake | |
| Malo jezero | Jovinovac mali Veliko jezerce |
Small Lake | |
| Vir | Whirlpool | The name originates from water whirling downward in the middle of the lake. | |
| Galovac | Galov's/Galović's Lake | Allegedly, a bandit chief named captain Gal, who defeated the Turks, was shot down at this lake. It could also have been named after a brig and Galović. | |
| Milinovo jezero | Milino Jezerce | Mile's Lake | According to a legend, a man named Mile Marić from Stropina drowned in this lake. |
| Gradinsko jezero | Jezerce Jezerac |
Lake Gradina | The lake is named after a building (Croatian gradina) or monastery which had once been situated on the peak between Kozjak lake and this one. |
| Bukovi | Burgeti Bugeti |
Gush Lakes | A chain of small shallow lakes separated by travertine barriers, and covered by low vegetation. The name comes from agitated waterflow in small scars which make noise or "boil". |
| Kozjak | Kozje Jezero | Goat Lake | On the island in the middle of the lake (today Štefanijin otok, Stephanie's Lake) farmers used to protect their goats from wolves. The name originates from a legend, according to which 30 young goats were running away from wolves during winter. They drowned in the lake as the thin ice layer cracked. |
| Milanovac | Milanovo Jezero | Milan's Lake | According to a legend, the lake was named after a shepherd called Mile who drowned in it, or after the miller Mile Perišić who owned a mill at the lake. |
| Gavanovac | Gavanovo Jezero Osredak Jezero Okrugljak Donji |
Gavan's Lake | Allegedly, the treasure of a man named Gavan (the Gavanovo treasure) lies hidden in this lake. |
| Kaluđerovac | Kaluđerovo Jezero | Monk Lake or Hermit Lake | According to reports, a monk or hermit (Croatian kaluđer) used to live either in Šupljara Cave just next to the water or in Golubnjača Cave at the canyon edge. People used to seek advice from this monk. |
| Novakovića brod | Novaković's crossing | According to a tale, a hajduk Hajduk Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe.... named Novaković was thrown off his horse into this lake. Other reports say that a man named Novaković used to offer boat rides across this lake. |
Comparable phenomena worldwide
Comparable phenomena to those prevailing at the Plitvice Lakes exist at RastokeRastoke
Rastoke is the historic center of the Croatian municipality of Slunj. This old part of Slunj is known for its well-preserved mills and the picturesque little waterfalls along the Slunjčica river, which flows into the river Korana at this place. The Korana river originates at Plitvice Lakes...
(Slunj), at the Krka National Park
Krka National Park
Krka National Park is one of the Croatian national parks, named after the river Krka that it encloses. It is located along the middle-lower course of the Krka River in central Dalmatia, in Šibenik-Knin county, downstream Miljevci area, and just a few kilometers northeast of the city of Šibenik...
or at the river Pliva in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Band-e Amir
Band-e Amir
Band-e Amir is a series of six deep blue lakes separated by natural dams made of travertine, a mineral deposit. The lakes are situated in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Central Afghanistan at approximately 3000 meters of elevation, west of the famous Buddhas of Bamiyan.They were created by the carbon...
lakes within the Hindu Kush
Hindu Kush
The Hindu Kush is an mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.It is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram Range, and is a...
mountain range form a similar system of lakes and dams, though diverging tufa formation processes prevail. Calc-sinter formation processes that have not emerged along a river flow can be observed at the Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs on a hill of travertine in Yellowstone National Park adjacent to Fort Yellowstone and the Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District. It was created over thousands of years as hot water from the spring cooled and deposited calcium carbonate...
within Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
(USA) or at Pamukkale
Pamukkale
Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water...
in Turkey.
See also
- National parks of Croatia
- Plitvice Lakes municipality
Official links
- Official Website of Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatian, English, German, French)
- Official Website of the Tourism Association of the Plitvice Lakes municipality with a register of accommodations (Croatian, English, German, Italian, French)
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Facts about Plitvice Lakes National Park, UNEP, WCMC
- Plitvice Lakes Management Plan (2007)
Additional links
- Detailed map with individual lakes marked
- Documentary. Nature: Land of the Falling Lakes
- A website with information about Plitvice Lakes
