Located in central Croatia at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you’ll find Plitvice Lakes National Park. Plitvice Lakes is Croatia’s largest national park, and with its founding dating all the way back to 1949, it’s also Croatia’s oldest national park. While Croatia is a relatively small country, it boasts 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of 2023), and Plitvice Lakes is one of them. If you’ve ever been, I’m sure you’re not surprised. Plitvice Lakes is a postcard-ready series of tufa lakes and caves, all connected through waterfalls and small rivers.
But enough about why Plitvice Lakes is a must visit locale. Here are my Top 5 Fascinating Facts About Plitvice Lakes.
16 Named Lakes
One of the most notable features of Plitvice Lakes is, you guessed it, the lakes. The lake system covers under 1% of the total park area, which is approximately 300km². It consists of 16 named lakes and numerous other smaller and unnamed lakes cascading one into the next, and they are divided into Upper and Lower sections. One of the most remarkable features of these lakes is the crystal clear water that changes color by the hour, cycling through azure to green to grey to blue. A stunning turquoise seems to be the most common color of the lakes. Wooden bridges criss-cross the lakes, as well, which is a very picturesque feature that adds to the drama of your surroundings.
All the Animal Life
Plitvice Lakes is home to so much amazing fauna, including over 50 different species of mammals, at least 320 different butterflies, at least 12 different amphibians, 14 different reptiles, and around 160 different types of bird. Recent studies show that there are at least 20 unique bat species making use of the amazing caves in Plitvice Lakes. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the lakes are home to very few fish species. The lynx is on the endangered species list which makes it a rare treat to see in this stunning place.
Natural Caves and Pits
It’s said that there are at least 114 natural caves, pits, and caverns at Plitvice Lakes. In part because these caves and underground systems were formed from mainly limestone and dolomite, you’ll see something called “karst relief”. Karst terrain is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, like limestone and dolomite. Thanks to that and tectonic activity, you’ll find many features, such as ridges, sinkholes, towers, and the caves, pits and caverns I mentioned.
The Great Waterfall
If you’ve looked at photos of Plitvice Lakes, you’ve seen the Great Waterfall, or Veliki Slap. While other waterfalls in this park were formed by water flowing from upper to lower lakes, the Great Waterfall was formed by the Plitvica Potok, the river west of the falls that does not belong to any of the 16 lakes. This waterfall changes its appearance depending on the season, with winter bringing you a frozen wonderland when the water freezes and creates ice sculptures along the rock walls. This waterfall has a drop of 87m, making it the tallest waterfall not only in Plitvice Lakes, but also in all of Croatia. While this is the biggest waterfall, Plitvice Lakes is home to over 90 other waterfalls which add to the awe-inspiring visuals.
The Black Queen
Legend has it that a long time ago, this region was struck with a heat wave that ravaged the surrounding ecosystem. Lasting for months, with no rain in sight, the plantlife, animals, and people were dying from dehydration. The only source of water for this area, the Black River, was completely dry. The people cried for help and one day, that cry was answered. The Black Queen was a magical fairy who traveled from her kingdom to Plitvice. When she saw all of the suffering, she decided to help by creating a curtain of rain that covered Plitvice. It rained so hard and for so long, that the Black River filled and started flowing toward the 16 lakes in Plitvice Lakes National Park. Not only did the Black Queen save all of the people, animals and plantlife, but she created the beauty known today as Plitvice Lakes. The people never forgot her kindness and built her a castle above the largest lake, Kozjak.
