July 12, 2021 - At the Barać Caves in the municipality of Rakovica, the construction of the 20 million kuna Speleon Underground Heritage Center has begun, which should open its doors to tourists next year to enable sustainable development in the Plitvice area.
As the director of the Barać Caves Public Institution for Management of Protected Natural Values and project manager Tihana Oštrina said, earthworks have been carried out on the site of the old school in Nova Kršlja, basements have been excavated, and the construction of foundations will begin next week, reports HRT.
This is one of the major investments in tourism for Karlovac County, which will create a modern infrastructure for various educational and recreational activities, and is expected to contribute to tourism development in the entire Plitvice region, which is mostly in Lika-Senj County.
The project is 85 percent co-financed by the European Union from the European Cohesion Fund. With NP Plitvice Lakes, their common goal is to disperse visitors and extend their stay in the Plitvice area, but not so that the pressure is only on the lakes.
The architectural curiosity of Speleon is a circular shape representing four themes of natural heritage: speleology, geology, archeology, and paleontology. The entrance will be made of large glass rocks, as an opening to caves, and the whole building will improve infrastructure and provide a unique, innovative, and attractive display of cultural and natural site values for all visitors, including those with special needs.
The circular building will cover 1,200 square meters, of which 850 will be intended for a permanent exhibition, all with scale models, replicas, LCD screens, displays on the so-called smart glass, through animations, multitouch screens, as well as sensory chambers.
The Visitor Center will also have a multifunctional hall, a showroom, a children's playroom, a speleological documentation library, catering facilities and a souvenir shop, and a parking lot. The works are performed by the Construction Craft Špelić from Slunj.
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