Who doesn’t remember the breathtakingly beautiful natural landscapes from the German Karl May films about Apache chief Winnetou and his blood brother Old Shatterhand? The most exciting scenes usually take place against an incredible backdrop of blue-green water, jagged rocks and impressive waterfalls.
If you want to experience these landscapes for yourself, you don’t have to travel to the USA. Just take a closer look at Croatia’s national parks, because the famous films were shot in several of them – and it was above all the landscapes that made the Winnetou films such blockbusters.
More than six decades – the oldest national parks in Croatia
In 1949, the first two – and probably most famous – national parks in Croatia were founded: Plitvice Lakes National Park and Paklenica National Park. Plitvice Lakes were one of the first UNESCO World Natural Monuments. Numerous small and large waterfalls that cascade down from jagged limestone cliffs into many turquoise lakes make this national park incomparable. It is not surprising that this landscape was the film set for the Karl May films of the 1960s. Every year, numerous visitors are amazed by the incomparable beauty of nature. The same is true of the “little hell”, which is what Paklenica is called. This national park is particularly impressive due to its rough karst rocks that tower up into steep gorges. This is a paradise for hikers, mountaineers and rock climbers.
Risnjak and Mljet – two national parks on the north-south axis
At the beginning of the 1960s, two more national parks were added in Croatia. In 1959, the Risnjak National Park was founded on the northwestern tip of Croatia. This is a national park up in the mountains where the Alps merge into the Dinaric Mountains. Since lynxes live in this mountainous landscape, the national park got its name from the Croatian word “ris”, which means lynx. At a height of over 1500 meters on the summit of Veliki Risnjak, hikers have a wonderful view of the Kvarner Bay in optimal weather conditions. Just one year later, in 1960, the Mljet National Park in southern Dalmatia was added. The island of Mljet lies off the Dubrovnik region and is characterized above all by its opulent vegetation. Deep, lush forests and smaller Mediterranean plants offer the viewer a real nature experience.
Brijuni, Krka and Kornati – natural beauty and cultural wealth
During the 1980s, three more Croatian national parks were added. The first was the Kornati National Park, which was founded in 1980, followed by the Brijuni National Park in 1983 and Krka, which was declared a national park in 1985. The Kornati Islands are an uninhabited archipelago near Sibenik in Dalmatia. Here you can still find untouched nature because humans have not yet left their mark. The Kornati Islands are popular with water sports enthusiasts, who can find peace and quiet in authentic nature for a moment. The Krka National Park also belongs to the region around Sibenik. This national park is very popular with visitors, especially because of its eight waterfalls. These waterfalls also served as a film backdrop for the Winnetou films. The Brijuni National Park includes the Brijuni Islands off the coast of Istria, which is characterized by its proximity to Italy. Here at the northern point of the Croatian Adriatic, before it crosses the bend into the Italian Adriatic, visitors can expect stunning landscapes, a rich culture and many excavations.
Northern Velebit – the youngest of the Croatian national parks
The Northern Velebit National Park was only founded in 1999. It is part of the Velebit Mountains, which – like almost all Croatian mountains – are made of jagged karst rock. On around 109 square kilometers around the summit, hikers will find a botanical garden with an incredible variety of fauna and flora. The Northern Velebit National Park is one of the most beautiful hiking routes in Croatia and is therefore very popular with hikers. Anyone who has ever hiked through the Northern Velebit National Park will inevitably become a real fan of this enchanting landscape.
In addition to the 8 Croatian national parks, there are 11 other protected landscapes. The Croatian nature parks are described in a separate section.
