Industrial heritage
Four hydroelectric plants have been constructed along the course of the Krka River, and these represent exceptionally valuable industrial architecture monuments. Three are still in function today. The plants are: Jaruga at Skradinski buk, Miljacka at the Manojlovac waterfall, Roški slap at Roški slap waterfall and Krka at Skradinski buk waterfall whose remnants have only been preserved.
The water power of the Krka River attracted many industrialists here to build hydroelectric plants and other production plants. Along the River's course are three hydroelectric plants constructed at the turn of the 20th century: HEP Miljacka under the Miljacka waterfall, HEP Roški slap at Roški slap and HEP Jaruga at Skradinski buk, which is still in function and producing electricity today. The remnants of the fourth, and oldest hydroelectric plant, HEP Krka, is also at Skradinski buk. The plant has been systematically researched, and conservation works and its partial reconstruction are underway. Due to its historical significance, the plant is a monument of industrial architecture, and is protected as a cultural good of the Republic of Croatia.
The ruins of the former Krka hydroelectric plan are found at Skradinski buk, in the very centre of Krka National Park.
It was constructed and began operations in 1895, just two days after Tesla’s hydroelectric plant on Niagara Falls became operational. At the same time, 11 km of power lines to transmit electricity and a city lighting network were built, the first complete electricity system in Croatia. Thanks to Šibenik Mayor Ante Šupuk and engineer Vjekoslav Meischner, Šibenik had electrical lighting before many European cities, including Vienna, Budapest, Rome, London and others. Ten years later, Ante Šupuk built a second hydroelectric plant, Jaruga, just a hundred metres downstream from the first. Following the installation of additional turbines in 1936, the plant is still in function today.
Due to the historical significance, the Krka hydroelectric plant is protected as a monument of industrial architecture. Restoration works are currently in place, aimed at conservation and presentation of the plant.
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