|
The Plitvice National Park, the most widely renowned of Croatia ’s national parks, is entered in the UNESCO Register of World Natural Heritage. Sixteen lakes interconnected by waterfalls created through the deposition of travertine, a light-coloured calcareous rock, constitute the chief attraction of this unique park. The wellspring of the River Korana issues from an area within the park, surrounded by dense forests of beech, fir and spruce, partly in the form of primeval virgin forest. Apart from the lakes and forests the park also contains several caves, springs and flowering meadows, and is inhabited by many rare but (here)still preserved species, one of these being the brown bear. It is a moot point as to when the park is at its most beautiful. Is it in spring, when the meadows are covered with flowers, in the autumn, with its numerous seasonal hues mirrored in the lakes, or perhaps in winter, when the waterfalls and surrounding trees are hushed and shrouded in ice in the snowbound landscape? The popularity of this park is augmented by the forms of transport used for conveying visitors around its various parts (panoramic trains and electric-powered boats), as well as the convenient geografical position.
|