Velebit (pronounced[v̞ɛlɛ̌bit]; Italian: Alpi Bebie) is the largest, though not the highest, mountain range in Croatia. The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior. Velebit begins in the northwest near Senj with the Vratnik mountain pass and ends 145km to the southeast near the source of the Zrmanja river northwest of Knin.
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Its highest peak is the Vaganski vrh at 1,757 m.[1] Major mountain passes on Velebit include the aforementioned Vratnik or Senjsko bilo at 694 m.a.s.l.,[1] where the Josephina connects Senj with Josipdol; Oštarijska vrata at 928 m.a.s.l. that connects Karlobag and Gospić;[1] and Prezid at 766 m.a.s.l. that connects Obrovac and Gračac.[1]
A further category of even more careful nature preservation exists within Sjeverni Velebit, the special reservation Hajdučki i Rožanski Kukovi, under the highest nature protection available in Croatia. Officially no human activity is allowed there (except research). These are the mostly still unexplored and wild places and probably will stay that way in the future.
A pathway called Premužićeva staza (Premužić's pathway) leads through the northern and middle parts of Velebit. This pathway was built between 1930 and 1933 and it connects northern and southern Velebit. Its length is 57 kilometres (35mi).[3] Many parts of Velebit would not be reachable without it. The Velebit mountains are transversed by the A1 through the Sveti Rok Tunnel.
Peaks and areas of Velebit
Zavižan area – North Velebit (Mali Rajinac) (1699 m)
Rožanski Kukovi group – North Velebit (Gromovaca (1676 m) and Vratarski Kuk (1676 m)
Alančić, Rožanski Vrh, Seravski Vrh, North Velebit (Goli Vrh (1670 m)
Veliki Kozjak (1629 m), North Velebit
Šatorina (1624 m) – Mid Velebit
Stap area – South Velebit, (Debeli Kuk) (1269 m)
Visočica (1619 m) – South Velebit
Bojin Kuk (1110 m) – South Velebit
Viserujna (1632 m) and Rujno – South Velebit
Paklenica area – South Velebit
Vaganski vrh (1757 m) – South Velebit (highest peak of Velebit)
There are hundreds of "holes" on Velebit. It has the largest and deepest caves in Croatia. The three-part "Lukina jama" cave is 1392 m deep, making it one of the deepest caves in the world, and the deepest in southeast Europe,[2] while the "Slovačka jama" is 1320 m. What makes it unique is that it is completely vertical, steepest in the world. At the bottom of the pothole is a water course or siphon with branches that are still unexplored. A kind of leech was discovered in the pothole, which has been ascertained to represent a new species, genus and family; it has been named Erpobdellamestrovi.
List of potholes on Velebit deeper than 500 m:
Lukina Jama, 1392 m, Hajdučki Kukovi – North Velebit
Slovačka Jama, 1320 m, Rožanski Kukovi – North Velebit
Velebita, 941 m, Rožanski Kukovi – North Velebit
Meduza, 679 m, Rožanski Kukovi – North Velebit
Patkov Gušt, 553 m, Hajdučki Kukovi – North Velebit
Ledena Jama, 536 m, Lomska Duliba – North Velebit
Ponor na Bunovcu, 534 m, Bunovac – South Velebit
Jama Olimp, 531 m, Hajdučki Kukovi – North Velebit
Lubuška Jama, 521 m, Hajdučki Kukovi – North Velebit
The imposing nature of the Velebit mountain has made it something of a national symbol in Croatian folklore. There is a patriotic folk song "Vila Velebita" that personifies a fairy in Velebit.
Climate
More information Climate data for Zavižan (1971-2000 normals, extremes 1951-2021), Month ...
Climate data for Zavižan (1971-2000 normals, extremes 1951-2021)
In the Republic of Venice, Velebit was known as Montagna della Morlacca ("Mountain of the Morlach"), named after the Morlachs, an originally Romance ethnic group that eventually got assimilated into the local Croatian population.
Planine, the first Croatian novel by Petar Zoranić, was inspired by the Velebit mountain.
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