JOINT CROATIA – SWITZERLAND EDITION, Lake Visovac

Our Lady's Island in the middle of the lake – a place of centuries-old peace, beauty and heritage An island in the middle of a river. Only 200 m long and 150 m wide, it was first inhabited back in the 14th century. The smallest book in the world is kept there, which contains the prayer of Our Father in seven languages, and a valuable copy of the famous Aesop's Fables. They are part of the rich monastery treasury, which the Franciscans have been carefully building for almost six centuries. It is surrounded by poplar trees, a recognizable motif on the famous postcard from Krka. It is almost inconceivable that once there was only "a white rock" there – Lapis albus, which became Visovac. Visovac is located in the middle of a gentle wider section of the river Krka between Skradinski buk and Roški slap. The Franciscan monastery and the church on the island form a unique ambient complex in the beautiful landscape of Visovačko Lake. Both places of worship are dedicated to Our Lady of Visovac, and the monastery itself to the Mother of Mercy, which is why Visovac has been a destination for pilgrims from all over the world for centuries. The island was first mentioned in historical sources in 1345 under the name Lapis albus (White Rock), due to its solid stone base, whereas the name Visovac appears in documents a whole hundred years later. With an initial area of 13,000 m², the island has expanded over the years, so it is now about two hundred meters long and one hundred and fifty meters wide. Despite the exposure to bad weather, Visovac has been cultivated as a monastery garden with many decorative species. Today it is inhabited by birds and domestic animals, and it is recognizable by the tall poplar trees that surround the island. Due to its specific position and meditative ambience, Visovac was first inhabited in the middle of the 14th century by hermits of the Order of St. Augustine, to whom the White Rock was gifted by King Louis of Anjou. The Augustinians built a small monastery and a church dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, of which today only columns with arches in the cloister and the crown of the well remain, whereas the former church serves as the sacristy of today's church, built by the Franciscans in the Gothic style. The church was extended and rebuilt in the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. Another apse was built then, which makes it a rare example of a church with two main altars in Croatian sacral architecture. In the right apse there is a copy of the painting of Our Lady of Visovac, and in the left apse a baroque wooden crucifix from the beginning of the 18th century. In addition to the two main ones, the church has four more altars, as well as a valuable organ from 1771 on the choir above the apse. Before the Turkish invasion, the hermits left Visovac, and in 1445 they were replaced by Franciscans from Bosnia, who, according to legend, brought to the island a painting of Our Lady, the original of which has not been preserved. However, the devotion of the Franciscans and the local people to Our Lady of Visovac has been maintained to this day. Except for the War of Candia (1648–1672), when they temporarily took refuge in the monastery of St. Lawrence in Šibenik, the Franciscans have not left the island to this day and have supported themselves by cultivating their lands in its surroundings. The monastery was expanded and extended several times. The final shape of the monastery was created in 1906. Visovac is located in the heart of the Krka National Park. During their stay on the island, visitors can tour the archeological collection, the collection of historical church vestments and utensils, and the rich library, with many old books and incunabula. Whoever steps foot on the island during the celebration of Our Lady of Angels will be granted the Portiuncula Indulgence. Today's appearance of the Krka canyon is the result of tectonic movements and surface erosion processes in carbonate deposits. After the Würm glaciation in the Pleistocene due to the general melting of the ice cover on the planet Earth, the sea level rose and the present-day Adriatic coast sank. During that time, the estuary of the river Krka was formed from Šibenik to Prokljansko Lake. With the formation of tufa barriers in the post-Würm period, the rise of Skradinski buk, Roški slap and other waterfalls along the watercourse as well as the creation of Visovačko Lake and other water accumulations in the canyon parts of today's Krka began. Visovačko Lake is the largest extension and accumulation of fresh water from Skradinski Buk to the strait Među gredama, approximately 9 km long. This natural region is characterized by a distinct openness of space with an islet as the central element of the composition. Lakes such as Visovačko Lake, which occur in karst areas, are characterized by the deposition of carbonate sediment. Carbonate dissolved in water precipitates as calcite, which forms the future tufa. Visovačko Lake is characterized by a high intake of fresh water. Thanks to the endemic and rare freshwater fish, Krka is, in ichthyological terms, a natural monument of the greatest national and international value. The Visovac trout and Visovac goby are stenoendemic species of Visovačko Lake and a priority when it comes to the protection of the rich fish stock of the Krka River. Stenoendemic species are endemics restricted to a limited area, narrowly localized to a small area, certain mountains, canyons, archipelagoes, etc., which is why it is extremely important to ensure their protection. Both stenoendemic species live in quiet, deeper parts of Visovačko Lake. Public Institution "Krka National Park"