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Near Plitvice Lake National Park, Croatia
The area surrounding the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park and its waterfalls is quietly scarred by the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995). While the tourist-friendly waterfalls remained largely untouched, the surrounding Lika region was an early and sustained frontline. Abandoned houses and farmsteads in nearby villages, often left by displaced populations, still stand with doors hanging open or missing, offering a stark contrast to the natural beauty just kilometers away. The conflict began right here with the Plitvice Lakes incident in March 1991, an early clash that marked the first casualty of the war. The entire region was subsequently held by Serb forces for years and experienced widespread, brutal destruction of small settlements before being retaken by Croatia, leaving a legacy of ruined property and a demographically altered landscape.
Near Plitvice Lake National Park, Croatia
The area surrounding the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park and its waterfalls is quietly scarred by the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995). While the tourist-friendly waterfalls remained largely untouched, the surrounding Lika region was an early and sustained frontline. Abandoned houses and farmsteads in nearby villages, often left by displaced populations, still stand with doors hanging open or missing, offering a stark contrast to the natural beauty just kilometers away. The conflict began right here with the Plitvice Lakes incident in March 1991, an early clash that marked the first casualty of the war. The entire region was subsequently held by Serb forces for years and experienced widespread, brutal destruction of small settlements before being retaken by Croatia, leaving a legacy of ruined property and a demographically altered landscape.