User:Maestral/Rastoke

Contributor note: Please do not edit! Translating and adapting from German Wikipedia article.

Rastoke [ˈrastɔkɛ] is the historic center of the Croatian municipality of Slunj. This old part of Slunj is very famous for its well-preserved old mills (dating back to the 17. century), out of which some are still in use, and the picturesque little waterfalls along the Slunjčica and Korana rivers that unite at this place. The Korana river flows through the Plitvice Lakes National Park before it reaches Slunj.

Just as at the Plitvice Lakes, similar natural phenomena are occurring at Rastoke. Therefore Croats often refer to this place as the "the Small Plitvice Lakes". Via the Korana river, Slunj and the Plitvice Lakes are directly connected.

The town of Slunj developed right at the branching of the Slunjčica and Korana rivers. The watermills largely contributed to the development of Slunj as the center of the region of Kordun.

Definition

Rastoke has different meanings. On the one hand, Rastoke refers to the branching of rivers. In this case, the Slunjčica river - also called Slušnica by local people - splits into several river branches and flows across cascades and small waterfalls into the Korana river. On the other hand, Rastoke refers to a certain kind of limestone, which when soluted into calcium carbonate by the natural effect of dissolution through carbon dioxide is called rastopina or rastok in the Croatian language. By this effect of dissolution and permanent sedimentation of calcium carbonate, new rock is being created along the river's cascades.

First Mention

The first time Rastoke has been mentioned in a written document was in 1860 in a travel report by Adolfo Veber Tkalčević, a priest, philologist and writer. He mentions the amazingly beautiful, greenish Slunjčica river that has created many beauties along its quite short flow. Tkalčević also mentions the "cold-bloodedness" of many local citizens that do not seem to share the same enthusiasm about natural beauties those days and rarely visit them.

Belsazar Hacquet, another author of travel literature and author of Oryctographia Carniolica (1789) describes the waterfalls of the Slunjčica river even as the most beautiful he had ever seen.

About the Town of Slunj

In the medieval age the region around Slunj was known as no mans land, an uncertain border region between Europe and the Ottoman Empire. The fortification of Slovin built by the Frankopans was then known as secure refuge. Later the town of Slunj developed around this fortification. The fortress has been destroyed in 1578 but was rebuilt after that. Only after the Treaty of Sistova in 1791 a period of increased resettlement commenced.

Slunj flourished during the short period of French reign from 1809 until 1813 as municipal streets, warehouses and mills have been constructed and as vineyards and mulberry trees have been planted. During this time, Croatian became the official language of the country. The house in which the former governor general of the French Illyrian Provinces marshal Auguste Marmont stayed still exists.

The first written document, in which the town is mentioned, was written by the famous chronicler baron Janez Vajkard Valvasor who describes the fortified town of Slunj, a bridge and a mill in 1689. The first depiction of the mills of Rastoke dates back to 1789 when a copper engraving of the mills has been added to the travel report by Hacquet. S. Širola described Rastoke as follows: "The surroundings of Slunj are simply romantic [...]. They are crowned by the great waterfalls of the Slunjčica river by which even not outspoken nature lovers will be captivated or astonished. Indeed, Slunj with its romantic surroundings and the silver waterfalls of the Slunjčica represent a true gem of nature envied even by foreigners."

In 1963, the Austrian writer Heimito von Doderer completed his novel "The Waterfalls of Slunj" (German "Die Wasserfälle von Slunj") which is set in the 19. century. During the 20. century scientific research has been conducted in the area of Slunj and Rastoke. During the 19. century and at the beginning of the 20. century Rastoke has been knwon as the center of social life in this region. With the invention of electric mills and massive emigration after the Second World War the economic significance of the mills of Rastoke declined dramatically.

The Slunjčica river and its natural phenomena

In the region of Lika, within the massif of the Mala Kapela mountain and just beneath the Veliki Javornik top, lies the source of the Jesenica river. After only six kilometers this river disappears under the earth at Lička Jasenica and continues on a subterranean track for about 20 kilometers, as many other rivers in this karst region of Croatia. The river reemerges 6,5 kilometers south of Slunj as river Slunjčica.

At the passing of the Slunjčica into the Korana river, nature has created a 500 meters wide and 200 meters long travertine barreer. This impressive layer of lime is a deposit of huge concentrations of calcium in the water, which accumulates when passing through subterranean channels and which sediments at Rastoke. Rastoke and the travertine bareer itself use to be separated into the Upper and the Lower Rastoke (Croatian "Gornje i donje Rastoke"). The lower part of Rastoke consists of 23 waterfalls, which fall about 10 to 20 meters deep into the Korana. The bareer as a whole consists of various small waterfalls and basins.

Apart from mushrooms and moss that flourish well in this climate of high air moisture the following larger plants can be found: Burr, poplars, aspen, willow trees, lime trees and alders.

Already in 1865, the Croatian writer Đuro Deželić observed high quality crabs and trouts in the water. Once even badgers and otters could be found here.

Due to its relatively short surface flow the water temperature of the Slunjčica is always lower than the water temperature of the nearby Korana river. The temperature varies from 6,5 to 7 °C during winter and the maximum of 16 °C during summer. In summer, the maximum temperature of the Korana river is about 28 °C. In case of high air temperature variations with regard to the water temperature of the Slunjčica parts of Rastoke are covered by fog, which happens quite frequently; the trees in the vicinity of the water are therefore frequently covered by dew.

Development

This historic part of the town of Slunj has recently been renovated, since it has been hit very severely during the Croatian war of Independence (1991-1995). Tourism is slowly beginning to develop in this poor Croatian region, also renowned for fishing and hunting.

Gallery

Waterfall in Rastoke
View on a waterfall from the north
Waterfalls on the Slunjčica river
Water falling into the Korana river
The Canyon of the Korana
Large waterfall, partly destroyed by Serb paramilitaries during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-95)
Old corn mill in Rastoke
Wheel that is being driven by the flow of water