Plitvice Lakes / Plitvička Jezera

Info

Although it isn´t mountain range, it is definitely an area which deserve its own page. And, what is important, it is located in the mountains :)

Album by ZonZon

Overview

This national park is situated in the region of Ličko-senjska (90.7%) and Karlovačka županija (9.3%), between the mountain massif of Mala Kapela (Seliški Vrh – 1280 m), Medveđak (884 m), and a spur of Lička Plješivica (Gornja Plješevica - 1640 m).

Administratively, a minor part of the Park falls within the areas of Slunj, Otočac and Ogulin, but most of it is administered by Korenica (former Titova Korenica). The Park's headquarters is in village Plitvicka jezera. The first legal protection of the Plitvice Lakes was realized for a short time in year 1928/1929 under the then Financial Code.
Based on the action ruling the National Parks, passed in 1948, the Parlament of the National Republic of Croatia passed on its regular session in April 1949 a Code on declaring the Plitvice Lakes a Natural Park - as the area of a special natural beauty. This is the first national park in former Yugoslavia. UNESCO office noticed the exceptional natural uniqueness of this National park and enrolled the Plitvice Lakes in 1979 on the list of World's cultural and natural inheritance.

The area is populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species. The National Park covers a total area of 300 square kilometres, whilst the lakes join together over a distance of 8200 metres.

Area of the NP: 29 685 ha
Highest point: Seliški vrh (1279 m)
Lowest point: Koranski most (367 m)
Deepest lake: Kozjak (47 m)



This park is divided into two parts: Gornja (Upper) and Donja Jezera (Lower) Lakes. This whole system consists of 16 lakes.

Lower Lakes:

Milanovac – (532 m), 18 m deep, 3.2 ha, named after a shepherd Mile who drowned in it;
Gavanovac – (514 m), 10 m deep, 0.7 ha,
Kaludjerovac – (505 m), 13 m deep, 2.1 ha, kaluder = monk, hermit
Novakovića Brod – the lowest lake (503 m); 3 m deep, 0.4 ha; from the Kaludjerovac lake it is separated only by 2m high travertine barrier

Upper Lakes

Prošćansko jezero – the highest lake (639 m), second largest (68 ha), 37 m deep; due to its width and depth, the lake water is of dark green colour; this lake is fed by Matica
Ciganovac – (620 m), 7.5 ha, 11 m deep, named after the legend in which "Gypsy" has drowned in while fishing; this lake receives its water from Prošćansko
Okrugljak (Kruginovac) – (613 m), named due to its round shape, 15 m deep, 4.1 ha; connected with Ciganovac with 7 m high waterfall; other waterfall in the area of this lake: Labudovacki waterfall (20 m high)
Batinovac – (610 m), 1.5 ha, 5 m deep; part of its water flows down the waterfall into Grabovac lake; named after the village of Batinić
Vir – (598 m), 4 m deep, 0.6 ha, vir = water whirling,
Veliki Jovinovac (Veliko Jezero) – (607 m), continuation of small water areas separated by small waterfalls, 8 m deep, 2 ha
Mali Jovinovac (Malo Jezero) – (605 m), 10 m deep, 2 ha, located under Stubica;
Galovac – (582 m), 24 m deep, 12.5 ha; named after captain Gal; waterfalls, falling down in cascades into the lakes, are situated in the western side under travertine barriers of above described Mala jezera.
Milino jezero - (564 m), 1 m deep, 1 ha, named after Mile Marić from Stropina who drowned here
Gradinsko jezero – (553 m), 10 m deep, 8.1 ha; named after the old walls which had once been situated on the peak between Kozjak lake and this one
Veliki Burget (Bukovi) – (534 m), 2 m deep, 0.6 ha; chain of small lakes separated by travertine barriers
Kozjak (Kozje jezero) – (534 m) the largest and deepest lake (81.5 ha, 46 m deep), 2350 m long; named according to a legend saying that 30 young goats drowned in it while crossing it over not firm enough ice - running away from wolves

Those lakes are inter-connected by waterfalls (highest – Veliki Slap - is 76 meters high).

The lakes cover an area of 217 ha and they are located on 5 rivers:

• Korana


• Crna – springs at the foot of Bijeli vrhovi; it runs through a water channel (over 2 km long)


• Bijela – springs beneath Ljeskovac (4 km long)


• Plitvica – 4 km long, its waters are creating the biggest Plitvice waterfall, 76 meters high , which falls down, above Sastavci at the end of Novakovica brod. The Plitvica stream springs as a strong karst spring under the sheer slopes, close to a small village of Rodić Poljana at the foot of a big building called "Vila izvor”.


• Rječica – permanent stream which flows into Kozjak Lake (6.5 km)

The colour of the lakes is emerald green or turquoise. In the Lower Lakes area, there are 20 carst caves.

Geologic origin

Geological base of the area is a part of a large carbonic environment with layers of Mesozoic era on the immediate surface. The basic kinds of stone are a limestone and dolomite.
Formation of the relief is the result of numerous occurrences in geological past which took place in a large area of Dinaric ranges during the formation of mountain ranges such as todays Velebit, Velika and Mala Kapela and Lička Plješevica. This area was created by movement and erection of large blocks of stone, broken by regional and local faults. Due to the Pleistocene era water was penetrating into the rocky base and by incising formed gradually what is todays relief.
Dolomite base of Triassic age has made possible accumulation of lake water in the area from todays Prošćensko, through Ciganovac, Galovac and Gradinsko jezero (lake) to the end of the lake Kozjak. Accumulation is now still being fed continuously and abundantly by waterfluws from the Bijela and Crna rijeka and from Rječica from existing subterranean accumulation as well as from superficial water of melted snow and from numerous small but permanent springs.

Caves

Špiljski park - series of accessible and passable semi - caves and cave canals. The hole of Janekovačka cave was located there, but now, the water of the falls is preventing people from entering the cave.

Milanova pećina – travertine creation about 10m long under the north side of Kozjak waterfalls

Pećina Milke Trnine - close to the waterfall of the same name

Modra pećina – 9 m long

Pećina Šupljara- its entrance is over 20m high, turned towards Big cascades and Kaluderovo lake; 68 m long

Kaluderova donja pećina - semi – cave cut on the left side of the path along Kaluderovo lake

Gornja kaluderova pećina - large cave space at the upper edge of a vertical cliff

Kostrelceva pećina - travertine cave located under the road which goes along the Plitvica stream waterfall

Camping & Accommodation

Hotels (Bellevue, Grabovac, Jezero, Plitvice), campsite Korana, which contains bungalows or space for 500 camping units and is located about 7km outside of the northern entrance of the Park, and private accommodation.

	tel.	fax
AUTOKAMP KORANA	+385 (0)53 751 888	+385 (0)53 751 882
HOTEL BELLEVUE	+385 (0)53 751 700	+385 (0)53 751 013
HOTEL GRABOVAC	+385 (0)53 751 999	+385 (0)53 751 892
HOTEL JEZERO	+385 (0)53 751 400	+385 (0)53 751 600
HOTEL PLITVICE	+385 (0)53 751 100	+385 (0)53 751 165

History

The first cartographic notation of the area we can found on the maps from 17th century. The first usage of the name Plitvice Lakes was recorded in 1777 by the priest Dominik Vukasović. First efforts for proclamation the lakes as protected area appeared at the end of 19th century.
As a beginning of tourist industry we can consider the end of 19th century with the activities of Društva za zaštitu i poljepšavanje Plitvičkih jezera u Hrvatskoj, which was founded in 1893 in Zagreb (dr. Gustav Janeček). This association has built first hotel in the years 1894 – 1896; above Kozjak Lake. In the 1960s there were built a lot of wooden bridges and paths, and in 1970s the park gained two trains and electro boats.
Humans have inhabited the Plitvice Lakes area for thousands of years. Archeological finds show that this area (the place called Gradina) was inhabidet by Illyrian tribe of Japodi. In the place called Rimljani, there was built a fortified monastery (for Templars probably).
This area was inhabited by Croats since 7th century. In 1528 the area fell to the Ottomans before being retaken by the Austrian Empire 150 years later. The Austrians subsequently incorporated it into their Military Frontier and, in addition to the native Croats who already inhabited the region, Serbs who had fled Ottoman repression settled there. Uprava graničarskih šuma was founded in 1861. They have built a hut Putnička kuća on Velika Poljana, renamed later to Carska kuća. The first hotel was built in 1869 on Velika Poljana.
The Plitvice Lakes had became a major tourist attraction in the late 19th century. The first hotel was built there in 1896, and as early as 1893 it already had a conservation committee - the predecessor of today's national park authority. In 1949 the communist government of Yugoslavia nationalised the lakes and made them a national park. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 in recognition of its "outstanding natural beauty, and the undisturbed production of travertine (tuff) through chemical and biological action".
Till 1958 it was unaccessible for tourists.
In March 1991 the Park became the scene of the Plitvice Lakes incident (Krvavi Uskrs, Bloody Eastern) - the first armed confrontation of the Croatian War of Independence that resulted in fatalities. The park was held by forces of the Republic of Serbian Krajina during the conflict and suffered some damage in the process, with hotels and other facilities being used as barracks. It was retaken by the Croatian Army in August 1995 during Operation Storm, which ended the Croatian war.
The war led UNESCO to add the park to its List of World Heritage in Danger. Due to the economic importance of the park, the Croatian government made it a priority for its de-mining efforts, and in December 1998 UNESCO recognised the park's newly mine-free status by removing it from the list of endangered sites. However, the surrounding Plitvice municipality outside the park boundary still has some problems with mine contamination.
The Plitvice Lakes are today one of Croatia's biggest tourist attractions. In 2000, the national park was expanded by a further 102 km².

Red Tape

OPENING HOURS

The Park is open daily all year round, with longer opening hours during summer:

• Winter: 9 – 16


• Spring and Autumn: 8 – 18


• Summer: 7 - 20

Entrance fee:
• adults 55 Kunas in November - April; 85 Kunas in May & June and September & October; 100 Kunas in July & August
• children aged 7 to 18 have cheaper tickets, whilst children under the age of seven have free entrance.
• groups of 15 or more people can get discounted tickets.


NATIONAL PARK REGULATION ON INTERNAL ORDER
(thanks to Peterbud for the idea of placing it in a separate Fact sheet).

Vinnetou Movies :)

This topic is rather for those who lived in the Eastern block, because this famous German movie serie was the only one “true” western movie, that we could see in those times. Although this movie was shooting in the former Yugoslavia (mostly in Croatia), it wasn´t popular here, because former Yugoslavia had an access to the “real” westerns from USA.
So, here is a list of movies and places where they were filmed:
Vinnetou
• Grobnicko polje near Rijeka, Mali Alan and Tulove Grede in Velebit, Zečevo near Šibenik, Zrmanja River in the vicinity of Obrovac, waterfalls of Krka River near Skradin

Vinnetou II – The Red Gentleman
• Postojna in Slovenia, Grobnicko Polje near Rijeka, Platak near Rijeka, Stobreće quarry near Split, cement mill near Solin, Radmanove Mlinice on the Cetina River near Omiš, Karlobag

Vinetou III – The Last Shot
• Quarry in Solin, Trogir, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Zrmanja River near Obrovac, Mali Alan in Velebit, coast in Starigrad-Paklenica, Vrlika near Knin

Treasure of Silver Lake
• Starigrad-Paklenica, Grobnicko polje near Rijeka, Plitvice Lakes (Kaludjerovac, Galovac, Kozjak), Velika Paklenica Canyon

Among Vultures
• Grobnicko polje near Rijeka, Platak in Gorski Kotar, Vrlika near Knin, Velika Paklenica Canynon, Starigrad-Paklenica, Mali Alan in Velebit

Old Surehand
• Grobnicko polje near Rijeka, Starigrad-Paklenica, Zrmanja River, Mali Alan in Velebit, Benkovac near Biograd na Moru, Solin, Split, Radmanove Mlinice on the Cetina River, Ljubljana, Taborska Jama near Ljubljana in Slovenia

Old Shatterhand
• Krka Waterffals near Skradin, Manojlovac Waterfall on the Krka River, Popovo polje near Trebinje in Bosnia and Hercegovina, vicinity of Skadar Lake in Montenegro, Ulcinj in Motnenegro

Rampage at Apache Wells
• Krka Waterfalls near Skradin, Peruča Lake near Sinj, Trilj near Sinj, Radmanove Mlinice on the Cetina River

Vinnetou and Half-Breed Apanatschi
• Prezid Pass near Gračac, Benkovac near Biograd na Moru, Radmanove Mlinice on the Cetina River

Vinnetou and Old Shatterhand in the Valley of Death
• Zrmanja River Canyon, Krka Watterfalls, vicinity of Šibenik, Popovo Polje near Trebinje in Bosnia and Hercegovina, Ivanica near Dubrovnik

The Shoot
• Peć in the southern Serbia, Dečani monastery in Serbia, vicinity of Podgorica in Montenegro, Petrovac in Montenegro

Pyramid of the Sun God
• Vicinity of Vrbanj, Župci and Kravica near Trebinje in Bosnia and Hercegovina, vicinity of Dubrovnik, vicinity of Podgorica in Montenegro


More info:

Sources

Most of the information came from the informational sheets and web pages of National Park Plitvice Lakes.

Images

View Plitvice Lakes / Plitvička Jezera Image Gallery - 51 Images