Municipality of Saborsko: Protected Areas, Springs and Cultural Heritage

• A quarter of the municipality’s area lies within the boundaries of Plitvice Lakes National Park.
• The Čorkova Uvala Special Reserve is located in the Municipality of Saborsko and is protected.
• Natural features include the protected landscape of Lička Jesenica and the periodically appearing Lake Blata.
• Churches, a stone bridge and traditional wooden shingles reveal different aspects of the cultural heritage.

The national park’s share covers a quarter of the municipality’s area; this does not mean that the entire Municipality of Saborsko lies within the park boundaries. Another protected area is the Čorkova Uvala Special Reserve. The protected landscape of Lička Jesenica encompasses Veliko Vrelo and Malo Vrelo, as well as the entire watercourse with its sinkholes. There is also a cave at the source of Malo Vrelo. Above it is a rock bearing a face of Christ, reminiscent of the face of Jesus Christ on the Shroud of Turin.

Lake Blata also changes in appearance: this estavelle appears and disappears periodically. Whether water is present depends on the dry or wet season. The place can therefore look different depending on the time of year; the name “lake” does not imply a permanent body of water.

In Saborsko, several churches shape the cultural landscape. The present-day Church of St John of Nepomuk was built between 2001 and 2003, after the former church was destroyed. Its design is reminiscent of old churches in the Krbava region and mountain houses. St Elias is the patron saint of Saborsko; his feast is traditionally celebrated there every year on 2 August.

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is described as a protected monument of category zero. It was built in 1726 on the ruins of a larger church from the pre-Ottoman period. A chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also recorded; it was restored and blessed in 2014. In Lička Jesenica stands the Orthodox Church of the Holy Prophet Elias, built in 1751. The stone bridge in Lička Jesenica dates from 1876 and has been preserved in its original form.

Lugarnica also tells the story of how the area was used: the forestry lodge in Čorkova Uvala was built in 1955 for the forestry service of Plitvice Lakes National Park. Since 2010, it has been under provisional protection as Croatian cultural heritage. Funtana, in turn, was Saborsko’s first water supply system and was built in 1883. Saborsko’s intangible cultural heritage includes the Etno šindra workshop, which makes traditional wooden shingles.

There is an important restriction when visiting the reserve: along its edge, you may walk from Kuselj to the forestry lodge and onward towards Plitvice. Entry into the primeval forest itself is strictly prohibited. The exception is for scientists studying its phenomena. If you would like to explore the area on foot, the Izvor-Voda hiking trail offers another option: it is well marked and has a GPS track; there is also a playful, self-guided companion booklet called “Saborka”.

Cyclists can find a specific route detail for cycling tourism route 34: it ends in Biljevina, in the Municipality of Saborsko, after 15.6 kilometres and 410 metres of elevation gain. This describes the end of the route; you should not infer its starting point or course from this information. The Jesenica River is rich in brown trout, and anglers can try their luck there.

A Way of the Cross leads from the mass grave site to the summit of Alan. It was built in honour of the residents of Saborsko who fell in the wars, making it a memorial site with its own historical significance.

In the surrounding area, cheese, honey, honey cakes, rakija, herbal drinks and other local products are available along the “Green Road”, which leads from Josipdol and Plaški to Saborsko. This adds a culinary perspective to the area’s natural and cultural attractions. If you would like to compare other municipalities at the same administrative level, see the pages for Municipality of Krnjak, Municipality of Slunj, Municipality of Duga Resa, Municipality of Draganić, Municipality of Ozalj, Municipality of Josipdol and Municipality of Cetingrad.

How much of the Municipality of Saborsko lies within Plitvice Lakes National Park?

A quarter of the municipality’s area lies within the national park boundaries.

Are you allowed to enter the Čorkova Uvala primeval forest?

No. Entry into the primeval forest is strictly prohibited, except for scientists studying its phenomena. Along the edge of the special reserve, the route from Kuselj to the forestry lodge and onward towards Plitvice is permitted.

Where does cycling tourism route 34 end?

It ends in Biljevina, in the Municipality of Saborsko, after 15.6 kilometres and 410 metres of elevation gain.

For the broader travel overview: Karlovac County.