Two distinctive themes guide trip planning in the Municipality of Udbina: historic churches and remains on the one hand, and Krbavsko polje and Laudonov Gaj park forest on the other. This makes it possible to explore the municipality by focusing on specific places, rather than treating all the sights as a single destination.

Field, ponors and an old oak forest

Krbavsko polje lies below the settlement of Udbina. The field contains the ponors of the Krbavica River and Murtino Lake. The names refer to different landscape features: here, a river’s ponors; there, a lake. They complement the historic sites with a distinctive landscape perspective.

Laudonov Gaj park forest covers 33 hectares. It lies in the northwest of Krbavsko polje, near the village of Šalamunić. About 600 oaks stand there, approximately 250 years old. Laudonov Gaj was declared a park forest in 1960 and is considered both a site of historical value and an example of successful afforestation. It was intended to stop the drifting sand. The French military commander Laudon is credited with establishing the forest, which is named after him.

Bijeli Potoci–Kamensko also brings together landscape and memorial history: the area is protected as a significant landscape and is also a Second World War memorial area. The part in the Municipality of Udbina covers 513 hectares, while the part in the Municipality of Donji Lapac covers 700 hectares. At Sokolovača, gorges and breeding sites of golden eagles and peregrine falcons are noted; the area has been proposed as an ornithological reserve. Gola Plješevica has also been proposed as an ornithological reserve, due to its capercaillie breeding sites.

Churches and historical traces

The remains of the Cathedral of St James are on the eastern edge of the settlement of Udbina. The cathedral is dated to the 13th century. Another central church in the settlement is the Church of the Croatian Martyrs: it is the largest church in Udbina and a Croatian national shrine. The remains of the Church of St Nicholas the Bishop are incorporated into this building. Above the church is Gradina, a tower and defensive complex believed to date back to the 15th century.

Other historic sites are scattered throughout the municipality. These include the ruins of Kaštel Krbava Castle, the remains of the Old Croatian Romanesque church in Podudbina, and the remains of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Mutilić. The Catholic Church of St Mark is below Udbina.

Events and orientation

Croatian Martyrs’ Day is held annually on the second Saturday in September below Udbina. It commemorates martyrs, defenders, those who suffered and victims. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the programme for the relevant year. A gathering of the Serbian community traditionally takes place in Mutilić on 19 August, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord; confirm the current programme before your trip.

Udbina lies on the Zagreb–Split trunk road. The road provides a clear point of reference when planning accommodation, but the sights mentioned are in different locations within the municipality. So first decide whether you would most like to visit the cathedral and the Church of the Croatian Martyrs, the oak forest near Šalamunić, or the historic sites in Podudbina and Mutilić. You can then compare the specific locations with your preferred focus.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Frkašić, Udbina, Bunić, Municipality of Perušić, Municipality of Lovinac, Municipality of Otočac, Municipality of Karlobag, Municipality of Plitvička Jezera.

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