Travel to the world: Plitvice Lakes National Park

By paffy on May 15, 2013 Category: Pics, Travel

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest park in Croatia. The park is filled with luscious green scenery, beautiful lagoons, and amazing waterfalls.

Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatian: Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera, colloquial Plitvice, pronounced [plîtʋitse]) is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia.^[2] 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 Adriatic coastal region. The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres (73,350 acres). About 90 percent of this area are part of Lika-Senj County, while the remaining 10 percent are part of Karlovac County.^[3] In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide.^[4] Each year, more than 1,200,000 visitors are recorded.^[5] Entrance is subject to variable charges, up to 110 kuna or around $18USD per adult in peak season.^[6] 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.^[3] 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 travertine, 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 (2,087 to 1,650 ft) 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 Otočac.^[7] 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.^[8]
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.

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.^[41]
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 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.