Kornati National Park

Kornati National Park, despite its seemingly desolate environment, contains rich flora and fauna, especially in the seabed, where about 850 species of animals have been recorded, including the bottlenose dolphin. Today’s appearance of the island was contributed by the burning of the area so that local cattle breeders get most of the arable land and pastures.

A total of eighty-nine islands, islets and reefs on a 216-square-kilometre park area form a magnificent picture of cultural and historical heritage. The Kornati islands are the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean, there is no place where so many islands are squeezed into such a small area.

Like many Adriatic, Mediterranean and world islands, they were formed at the end of the ice age when the sea surface rose to such a level that the fields became the sea and the mountain ranges islands.

In case you get tired, near the national park is the Queen Beach Resort, a newly built resort overlooking the beautiful sandy beaches. This top accommodation will complete your vacation.

What to see in Kornati National Park?

Dry stone walls are an exceptional attraction. They stretch up to 330 kilometres in length, built by local people to fence pastures. They are high enough that the sheep could not jump over them and wide enough that the wind could not destroy them.

Thanks to its rich history, the Kornati National Park has been a perfect place to observe human development since the Neolithic era. The discovery of the stone axe from the Neolithic era, a large number of ancient traces and remains of buildings throughout history offer interesting and educational content.

Another interesting attraction in the park is “Krune”. These are the vertical, steep cliffs of the Kornati islands facing the open sea. Due to their inaccessibility to humans, they are a suitable habitat for many species of birds and endemic plants.

It is not allowed to climb the “Crown” but that is why there is another option – diving around the Kornati islands. In groups with expert guides, it is possible to visit certain parts of the seabed that are full of flora and fauna.

Then Magazin’s Slate or Velika Ploča on the island of the Kornati, which is a special type of landslide on which the upper layer of limestone slid on its identical surface. There are several legends about it, one of which says that it was created during the construction of the arena in Pula. The builders decided to cover the arena and found a suitable slab, but it slipped into the sea when they were taken out.

There are several lookouts through the Kornati National Park. Some of them are Metlina, Otočevac, Opat, Vrujsko, Litnji vrh and Ravni Žakan. Metlina is the highest peak in the national park and it is the most difficult to reach. The top of Opat, as well as Litnja, offers a view of the Murter Sea and part of the national park on the other side. Otočevac on the island of Piskera, on the other hand, provides a view of almost the entire area of ​​the park.

Buildings and Kornati National Park

Of the buildings, it is important to mention Ilirske Gradine. Ilirske Gradine is small square dwellings that confirm that the first settlement of the archipelago was in the time of the Illyrians. Turet Fortress is another unavoidable building.

It was built during the Byzantine period and is believed to have had a military purpose. In addition to Turet, during the Byzantine period, the Early Christian three-nave Basilica was built, and later from its remains, the church of Our Lady of Tarc. Masses are still held in this church even today, the meaning of which is no longer exclusively religious, but has grown into a tourist attraction.