Wonder
Modro Jezero – Blue Lake
In short
One of the most beautiful and interesting karst formations in Dinaric Alps is Modro Jezero – approximately 220 – 290 m deep sinkhole with beautiful lake on its bottom and vertical cliffs around it.
45.3%
GPS coordinates
Location, address
Alternate names
Depth
Map of the site
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In detail
General description
/ Wikimedia Commons, user Dreizung, CC BY-SA 3.0
Most likely this sinkhole formed after the collapse of an enormous cave hall. Not far from this sinkhole are other large sinkholes including one of the largest in the world – Crveno Jezero.
Upper opening of the sinkhole is approximately 520 m long and 280 m wide, 290 m deep. Volume – 22 million m³. The sinkhole has very steep sides – the southern rim is vertical. For the most part at the bottom of the sinkhole is a lake. Lake level is up to 342 m above the sea level (at high water).
The lake is the most interesting feature of the sinkhole. This beautiful blue-green lake, in general, is 800 x 500 m large. The level of this lake varies with the season and rainfall. In spring it can be up to 100 m deep but in summer – even totally dry with mud-filled holes in locations where the water disappeared.
In 1914 the lake rose up to 114 m depth and started to flow over the southern rim of the sinkhole.
Earlier the lake was deeper – but an earthquake in 1942 caused large landfall and thus reduced the depth of the lake.
Upper rim of surrounding cliffs rises some 220 m above the bottom of the sinkhole.
The intermittent level of the lake has formed several caves around it – Boškova, Golubova, Top, Vilinska. Boškova cave is hard to reach – it was used as a shelter during World War II.
Exotic swimming place
The lake of this sinkhole is easy to access and thus it is a popular swimming place.
A road with breathtaking sights was built to the lake for the visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1907. Since then the road has been repaired many times and is very busy in the summertime. At a high water level, the lower end of this road is under the water.
In the lake there are seen several notable boulders, which in a way serve for easy determination of the lake level: Katavić, Jakićin, Pavić. When the 6 m tall Katavić appears, the swimming season may start. The name of Jakićin is given to commemorate a man who drowned here in 1834 – this boulder marks the middle of the swimming season. Pavić appears at the end of the swimming season.
Towering above the lake there is a vertical cliff, where swimmers are jumping in the lake – some even from 40 m height.
When the lake dries out, the flat bottom is used even for playing football – between the local teams Vilenjaci and Vukodlaci.
Above the lake towers an ancient fortress – Imotski Fortress (Topana) – mentioned in written sources already in the 10th century, built around 845 – 864 AD. Imotski town developed around this fortification.
References
- Modro Jezero. Accessed on August 13, 2010
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