Plitvice Lakes National Park

Lore & Background

The lakes are arranged in cascades, with water changing limestone over centuries to create travertine barriers that continuously grow. The lakes are renowned for colors ranging from azure to green, grey, or blue, changing with mineral content and sunlight. The park's underground consists of two zones: the Upper Lakes on dolomite rock and the Lower Lakes on limestone. The lakes originate from the confluence of Bijela Rijeka and Crna Rijeka. The two largest lakes, Prošćansko jezero and Kozjak, cover about 80% of the water body area and are the deepest at 37 m and 47 m respectively.

Reader's Guide

Plitvice Lakes National Park is significant as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a major natural landmark in Croatia. The park also serves as a corridor connecting the Croatian inland with the Adriatic coast via a north–south road. Its legacy includes scientific study of tufa formation, with barriers growing up to 13 mm per year, and the preservation of a unique karst ecosystem. The park's authority operates under national jurisdiction due to its location across two counties.

Did You Know?

• The two largest lakes, Prošćansko jezero and Kozjak, cover about 80% of the total water body area.
• Tufa barriers grow up to 13 millimeters in height per year.