Humans have inhabited the Plitvice Lakes area for thousands of years.
It has been settled in turn by Illyrians, Japods, Celts, Romans, Avars, Slavs, Croats and Turks.
Under Julius Caesar the region was incorporated as the province of Illyricum into the Roman Empire.
The areas of the neighborly tribes of the Pannonians, the Liburnians and Dalmatians were united into the province of Dalmatia.
Successively, the Ostrogoths took over the rule.
After the Battle of Nedao in 454, the Ostrogoths were rewarded with a federation agreement with the Roman Empire.

During the 6th century, Avars settled in this region, which were accompanied by the Croats.
The Croats eventually defied Avar control and settled permanently in this region.
In medieval times, frequent attacks by Mongols posed a permanent threat to the settled population.
 The lakes formed part of the medieval kingdom of Croatia which in 1102 elected to be in personal union with Hungary.

Croat rule and particularly the rule of the noble families Zrinski and Frankopan led to economic recovery in the wider area.
On the remnants of an ancient settlement of the Japods and Romans a monastery was built at the lakes.
Presumably, this monastery belonged to the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit (Croatian pavlinci) or the Knights Templars.
Today, only ancient wall remnants of this building (Croatian gradina) exist.
The foundation was made of travertine rock.
Humans have inhabited the Plitvice Lakes area for thousands of years. It has been settled in turn by Illyrians, Japods, Celts, Romans, Avars, Slavs, Croats and Turks. Under Julius Caesar the region was incorporated as the province of Illyricum into the Roman Empire. The areas of the neighborly tribes of the Pannonians, the Liburnians and Dalmatians were united into the province of Dalmatia. Successively, the Ostrogoths took over the rule. After the Battle of Nedao in 454, the Ostrogoths were rewarded with a federation agreement with the Roman Empire.
During the 6th century, Avars settled in this region, which were accompanied by the Croats. The Croats eventually defied Avar control and settled permanently in this region. In medieval times, frequent attacks by Mongols posed a permanent threat to the settled population.  The lakes formed part of the medieval kingdom of Croatia which in 1102 elected to be in personal union with Hungary.
Croat rule and particularly the rule of the noble families Zrinski and Frankopan led to economic recovery in the wider area. On the remnants of an ancient settlement of the Japods and Romans a monastery was built at the lakes. Presumably, this monastery belonged to the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit (Croatian pavlinci) or the Knights Templars. Today, only ancient wall remnants of this building (Croatian gradina) exist. The foundation was made of travertine rock.
Plitvice Lakes National Park