Krka river

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General

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Krka, a river in Dalmatia belongs to the County of Sibenic and Knin. It is limited by Knin-Zadar-Split triangle, whose main route goes through the towns of Knin-Drniš-Šibenik. River Krka springs at the foot of mountain Dinara, three and a half kilometres northeast of the town of Knin at the foot of 22 m high the Topoljski slap Falls, which is deafening in winter and dry in summer. It flows through very craggy part of Dalmatia and like a umbilical cord it closely connects Knin and Šibenik. That magnificent river abounds in beauty of nature, scientific mysteries, important cultural and historic sights and ways of using its inexhaustible water sources in a rocky and, in summer, dry country.

Thanks to travertine barriers and the constant process of calcification, river Krka today, with its 7 travertine falls, represents a natural Karst phenomenon and in 1985 it was proclaimed National Park. .

Krka National Park

The Krka National Park shows the Croatian karst region at its best. Krka, the clear karst river with seven wonderful waterfalls, is without a doubt the most magnificent river in the region. It is well known for numerous waterfalls that were formed, like the Plitivice Lakes, by the accumulation of limestone, a special type of carbon rocks.

The Krka National Parkfollows the line of the Krka river and its banks, from its source in the foothills of the Dinaric muntains near the historical town of Knin, through the dramatic karst landscape, to its finish in the long and deep Adriatic bay in the historical town of Skradin. Around two thirds of the 72-kilometer long river flow through deep gorges and mark a sharp and picturesque contrast to the dry karst plateau. In this way, the turquoise blue water flows like a phantom through the rocky desert area of the Croatian karst and forms various lakes and waterfalls, the Skradinski buk und the Roški slap waterfalls being the largest.

Near the picturesque town of Skradin, the river gradually flows in the Prukljansko jezero lake, and later in a deep bay near the town of Šibenik. The Krka National Park boasts not only natural but also numerous cultural as well as historical sights. What is especially worth mentioning, is the Franciscan monastery on the small island of Visovac, situated like a priceless jewel in the middle of the lake that was formed by the Krka river. The visitors will also be attracted by the old mills that have been grinding grains according to old methods up to now. A library, a gallery and a wonderful church from the 14th century are also located in the building of the Franciscan monastery.

Flora

The Krka National Park belongs to the Southern European (Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean) region. Due to its special position and the mosaic distribution of various types of habitats, it is characterized by exceptionally rich and varied flora and fauna.

Eight hundred and sixty species and subspecies of plants have been identified within the territory of the Krka National Park, including several endemic Illyrian-Adriatic species.

The wealth of plant species, where warm and dry habitats come into contact with moist and shady ones, are of particular interest at Roški Slap, with its canyon vegetation, and at Skradinski Buk, where you can see the plant species of the travertine barriers.

Fauna

Biological research increased after the national park was proclaimed, and although a lot more remains to be done, we can already say that the fauna here is exceptionally rich and interesting. This is especially true of fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Newer ichtiological research established 17 fish species from 6 families in the fresh-water river course. Seven of them are endemics of the Adriatic region, and one species of trout lives only in the Krka. Literature shows that there many be 8 more species of fresh-water fish, and several more endemics. This makes the Krka one of the most interesting European rivers in number of species and endemics.

Visovac

Visovac islet is a particular jewel of the national park. A green park in a blue lake, just over 1 hectare of area, with a church and a monastery whose beginnings go back to the fourteenth century. The monastery houses a rich museum and art collection (including 620 Turkish documents), and twice a year (on 2 and 15 August) it is a pilgrimage centre. Anyone who has walked through the burning Dalmatian rockland for even a short time in summer must find Visovac a miracle. Almost the same can be said of the Krka as a whole. A turquoise mirage in the surrounding semideserted landscape!

Contacts

Tel: ++385 22 217 720
Fax: ++385 22 336 836
E-mail: npk@npkrka.hr, izleti@npkrka.hr
Web: www.npkrka.hr
Address:
Trg Ivana Pavla II 5
22000 Sibenik

Related Links

http://www.npkrka.hr/html_en/uvod_en.htm

http://www.kroatien-online.com/en/tourism/excursions/krka.htm

http://www.lemaxc.hr/sibenik/krka.htm

http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/hrvati_u_svijetu/upoznajte_hrvatsku/07_nacionalni_parkovi/krka_eng.html