The land was declared a national park in 1985, but has history that long predates modern Croatia (or Yugoslavia for that matter). The area is rich in ecological and cultural history, all the way back to prehistoric times when humans lived in the caves. During the Bronze and Iron ages, a number of hillforts were built along the canyon of the river. The Roman Empire brought more urban infrastructure, from military constructions to roads and acqueducts. The Venetians built a fortress on the river in the 13th century, and it was later used by the Ottomans. Mills of the past evolved to hydroelectric power plants, still harnessing the power of the water to this day.

The land is geologically complex, in a way that I won’t bother attempting to explain. But visually, the most prominent part is probably tufa, or travertine, the calcium carbonate formed in the river that form the ridges, sills and islets that define the beautiful waterfalls.

Krka is also rich in wildlife, from various fish, reptiles and birds to European otters and many kinds of bats in addition to hundreds of kinds of native plants.