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"The Land of Falling Lakes"
Plitvice Lakes National Park is composed of 16 interconnected lakes
winding through an ancient mountain forest that is sometimes
referred to as the "Devils Garden."
The lakes descend down
through the Plitvice Plateau from an altitude 636 meters and at the
lowest level, form the Korana River. Plitvice Lakes are known
worldwide for their incredible range of vivid azure and green
colors. The colors are the result of mineralization, organisms
and the effects of sunlight. |
Plitvice Lakes sits in a basin of
dolomite and limestone, which over the centuries is gradually
dissolved by the waters flowing down from the mountains, creating
this truly breathtaking natural wonder.
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The lakes themselves are formed behind natural dams which have
literally grown through a result of aquatic plant life and mosses
becoming encrusted with the flowing minerals, forming travertine
barriers (or dams).
The growth process is really quite similar
to the formation of stalactites and stalagmites in limestone and
dolomite caves.
Riddled with subterranean caverns and abundant flowing fresh water,
this incredible landscape has been inhabited by various peoples
going back to prehistoric times.
Today the park is home to bears, wolves, lynx, deer and numerous
rare bird species including owls and eagles.
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Due to its varied terrain, Plitvice
Lakes has a broad range of microclimates, supporting a broad range
of plant life from those typically found at Alpine levels, to those
more common in the
Mediterranean basin. |
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Fish and other aquatic life are abundant in the beautiful and
vivid pools of
Plitvice Lakes National Park. |
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Water flowing over one of the many natural dams.
Plitvice Lakes National Park encompasses an area of more than 300
square kilometers and is located near the border with Bosnia and
Herzegovina, it is approximately 140km from Zagreb, Croatia. In
addition to its amazing natural beauties, it also has a place in
history as the location where the Croatian War of Independence
and Freedom started on "The Bloody Easter" in 1991.
 Deep
caverns lie behind many of the waterfalls within Plitvice Lakes
National Park, although many are completely inaccessible. |
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by: Dr. Von Zuko 2009 |
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