Page 144 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

142  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

c Mljet National Park
Nacionalni park Mljet

The island of Mljet, called Melita by the Romans and
Meleda by the Venetians, covers an area of 98 sq km
(37 sq miles). It is mountainous, with two limestone
depressions in which there are two salt water lakes linked
by a channel. In Roman times Mljet was the holiday resort
of the wealthy of Salona, who built villas here. Some ruins
can still be seen. In 1151, Duke Desa gave the island to the
Benedictines of Pulsano in Gargano (Italy), who founded
a monastery here. Two centuries later Stjepan, the Ban
(governor) of Bosnia, gave it to Dubrovnik, to which it
belonged until 1815. In 1960 the western part was Roman Palatium
In Polače lie the ruins of a Roman
declared a national park to save the forest of Aleppo settlement named Palatium, including
pine and holm oak. the remains of a large villa and an
early Christian basilica and thermae.

Pomena
•
Goveđari Polače Kozarica
Mijet
National
Soline Park
Blato

Monastery of St Mary
In the centre of Big Lake (Veliko Jezero) is a
small island with a 12th-century Benedictine
monastery, remodelled in the 1500s. Although
currently being restored, it can still be visited.

Big Lake (Veliko jezero)
The lake covers an area of 1.45 sq km (320 acres) and
reaches a depth of 46 m (150 ft). A channel links the lake
to the sea, and another channel links it to a smaller lake,
Malo jezero.

National Park
The area of 31 sq km (12 sq miles)
is almost entirely forested.
The park is home to wild boar, 0 kilometres 3
deer, hares, lizards and many
bird species. 0 miles 3
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp228–30 and pp240–45

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.9)
Date 28th May 2014
Size 125mm x 217mm