Hidden at the foot of an Orthodox church in a small town in the Croatian county of Sibenik-Knin is what may be one of the most fascinating places on the Adriatic. At least it's spectacular enough to earn the nickname eye of the earth and each year it attracts groups of tourists who come to the area to enjoy the scenery and take home good memories.
In this article, we'll tell you everything you need to know about the Eye of the Earth, its characteristics, and information.
What is the Eye of the Earth
The Eye of the Earth is an impressive spring that, thanks to its oval shape and even its color, takes on rich shades of blue depending on the cloudiness and depth, and looks like an eye, real Dragon eyeballs.
Its origins are located on Mount Dinara, a few kilometers away. Over time, the water flowed underfoot, through caves and underground rivers, and finally poured into various springs, such as the Eye of the Earth, one of the sources of the Cetina River.
Over the years, some divers have dived to 115 meters to understand its depth. In an article published last year by the Seti Institute, there was even talk of a draft of almost 150 meters. Regardless of the dimensions of its surface: from one end to the other, its length is just over 33 m.
However, those who are willing to forget the abyss under their feet and head into spring will find that the temperature is not suitable for all audiences, probably around 8 degrees. The Eye of the Earth is also one of the sources of the Chetina River, which rises in Miracebo and it travels 105 kilometers to empty into the Adriatic Sea in the old pirate port of Omis. Before, among other points, it passes through part of Singi and the artificial lake of Perucha. In addition to attracting tourists and providing water, the river is also used for hydroelectric power generation. The straight line is about fifty kilometers from the coast of Croatia.
Natural value of the Eye of the Earth
While making fortune all over the world is called “Eye of the Earth”, this grotto is also known as Veliko vrilo or Glavas. Along with Vukovića vrilo and Batića vrilo, it is one of the important sources of the Cetina river. Due to their great natural value, they have been protected as hydrological monuments since 1972. The total area of springs is almost 30 hectares.
The Eye of the Earth is not the only attraction in the area. A few meters from the spring is the Church of the Ascension, an Orthodox temple from the last century, and not far away you can see the remains of a church from the beginning of the 35th century. Closer are cities like Vrlika, or the already bigger cities like Sinj, Knin and Drnis, about XNUMX km away.
However, the Croatian spring is not the only one - a little imaginative, yes - it seems to blend in with an eye. On Hachimantai Mountain in Japan, the mirror swamp is particularly striking and is called "Lake Longan". This name is due to the fact that every year, for a short period of time in spring, the dazzling aspect appears. When the mountains melt, the snow in the center of the mirror swamp is surrounded by a circle of crystal clear water, reminiscent of huge pupils.
Another fascinating place is the Iceland's Kerid Lake, 55 meters deep and a deep turquoise blue, which is included in the "Golden Circle" tourist route. Its spectacular appearance doesn't mean that a fake, retouched image circulated a few years ago, demonstrating its resemblance to a human eye with dilated pupils.
Origin and formation
The origin of the "Eye of the Earth" is located inside Mount Dinara (1831 m), a few kilometers away, and its name comes from the Dinara Alps, one of the main limestone mountains in Europe, which already gives us an important clue. For centuries, hydraulically dug canyons have been used for create dizzying trails, railways and roads, and the area is quite compact and inaccessible.
Carbonate rocks (mainly calcareous and dolomites) dissolve. Karst patterns can easily form if rainwater adds carbonic acid to them before attacking them. This manifests itself in various ways, the most spectacular examples being caves, canyons, a waterfall, a well or a spring. Beneath Mount Dinara has a labyrinth of subterranean rivers that flow through countless caves through the subsoil before emerging to the surface to form three twin crystal lagoons: Vukovica Vrilo, Batica Vrilo, and Veliko Vrilo.
The final spring has a distinctive eyeball shape that is perfectly visible from the hills that surround the lagoon, giving it the nickname of Eye of the Earth. Although at first glance it does not seem to have much depth, it is an optical illusion.
To this day, the exact depth is still unknown. The bravest also bathe in its icy waters, although the most common is kayaking or rowing to enjoy the scenery.
This unique spring is one of the main sources of the Cetina River, the longest river in central Dalmatia, which flows during more than 100 km before passing through the Sinikarst region towards the Adriatic Sea, especially the Austrian The old pirate port of Mish. In addition to its tourist value, the river provides water for the neighbors, the cattle, the hydroelectric plants and the stone mills that still exist, without forgetting the important archaeological remains that are found next to its crystal clear waters.
As you can see, there are curious places on our planet that are worth going to see. I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Eye of the Earth and its characteristics.
