With 6% of built-up space, Croatia is certainly one of the most sparsely populated countries in the European Union, but at the same time it is intertwined with mountains in almost every region. The 150-year history of mountaineering in Croatia has resulted in more than 6,000 km of built trails and 163 mountaineering facilities, which speaks of a highly engaged national mountaineering association. In the beginnings of the Association’s activities, Dr. Ivan Krajač, lawyer and politician in the Government of the Kingdoms of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, stimulated the development of mountaineering in Croatia, as well as the construction of mountaineering infrastructure. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant buildings is the Premužić trail, which he designed together with the forest engineer Ante Premužić – the trail in the Northern Velebit part is an almost straight line, with only a small number of ascents and descents, and follows the most beautiful landscapes. The Krajač’s house at the foot of Mt. Vučjak, known as the Zavižan Hut, was built in his honor. After several expansions and renovations, it is now undergoing a thorough reconstruction.
In recent times, a need to restore the built structures has emerged, in which, with several reconstructions and new constructions of mountain shelters, under the leadership of mountaineer and architect Ivan Juretić, a new chapter in the development of built infrastructure in the Croatian mountains is being traced.
