Mare Tours
Did you know that only half an hour away from the island
of Krk, there is a real “Wild West,” the wild west town of Roswell, once the
setting of the movie Winnetou? Only ten kilometers away from Fužine, the heroes
of our childhood - Indians and cowboys - still enjoy the fruits of their
popularity. A place that takes you back to the time of saloons, sheriffs,
horses, shops and residential houses, cowboy roads, country music and other
exciting symbols of westerns.
This legendary cowboy town was created to film an even
more legendary character Winnetou, a fictional Indian chief of the Apache
tribe. German writer Karl May was responsible for creating this character, so
it is not surprising that both the films and the character are popular among
the German population from the 1960s until today.
From 1962 to 1968, as many as ten films about Winnetou
were filmed, which was made possible by the collaboration of West German
filmmakers in co-production with a Croatian film company, Jadran film. Filming
took place in beautiful locations of untouched nature in Croatia, such as the
National Parks Plitvice Lakes, Paklenica, Krka, Velebit, the canyons of Zrmanja
and Vrlika rivers and the surrounding areas.
These filming locations started the unbreakable link
between Germany and Croatia that continues to this day.
Winnetou and the cowboy town of Roswell in the green
heart of Croatia
Not so long ago, in 2015 and 2016, three films about
Winnetou (a new trilogy) were filmed, and the western town of Roswell was built
for this purpose. The filming of the famous trilogy mostly took place in the
areas Gorski Kotar, Platak, Rijeka and other locations of our beautiful
homeland and in certain film studios in Germany.
As agreed by the German filmmakers and locals, the
scenery of the set was not demolished but preserved primarily for tourist
purposes. So, on the meadow between Fužine and Lokve, on a small hill in
woodland, the German filmmakers created a wild west town of Roswell. Since its
beginnings in 2018, when it was first opened for visitors, this western village
counts more and more domestic and foreign guests every year, thanks to its
resemblance to a real small town in the Wild West.
The local community strengthened the scenery and the
buildings and added many new interesting contents. You will also have an
opportunity to see an exhibition about the films and filming locations. One of
the most interesting new details are life-size sculptures of the main actors.
Today’s edition of our western village offers its
visitors everything the conquerors of the Wild West once had. Not today nor
then could we have imagined a western without popular facilities such as
smithies, banks, a saloon, a brewery, a post office, a shop, a small sawmill, a
public bathroom, a watering place for horses, a barn and of course the
sheriff’s office.
Visitors can also sneak a peek into an attractive “fun”
house ruled by scantily dressed girls Fat Betty and Sweet Dolly. A small
chapel, a pair of wooden benches and a cemetery have all found their place on a
small hill next to the “western city “to make everything authentic.
Fun for the whole family in a cowboy spirit
It is surprising how popular this legendary cowboy story
and its main actors are even today, especially among the slightly older
generation of Germans and Austrians. They passed on their love for westerns to
their children, which was not difficult because we all grew up playing games of
cowboys and Indians, so we can agree that there is no age limit to the love for
the western.
The western village of Roswell is the perfect place for
an escape to nature with the whole family, which has been recognized by both
domestic and foreign guests, regardless of whether you are a connoisseur and
admirer of the work of Karl May.
From May to October, visitors have access to numerous
cowboy activities such as horseback riding, lasso throwing, horseshoe throwing,
and Winchester rifle shooting. In addition, you can try your hand at archery or
rent a barbecue and enjoy a cowboy-style picnic.
You will surely enjoy the witty photo points, cool off
with a drink in the Saloon, visit a small exhibition about the filming of
Winnetou and finally find a charming souvenir in the store building as a
reminder of an unforgettable cowboy day with your loved ones.
How to get to the western village of Roswell in Gorski
kotar?
You can experience all of this if you visit the beautiful
Gorski kotar, which you will surely enjoy during any season. You can reach the
town of Fužine from the island of Krk by a highway. After arriving in Fužine,
continue for five to ten minutes on the macadam road and visit Roswell’s cowboy
village.
The ticket price for adults is 20 kuna (approx. 2.5
Euros), for children aged 4-18 half the price, while a family ticket is 30 kuna
(approx. 4 Euros).
The area of the cowboy town is full of potential for
upgrading and completing the whole story, which is planned for the near future.
If you haven’t already, be sure to plan one fun family
day or a day out with friends in the cowboy town of Roswell. Discover why this
place is important to generations of fans and why it’s a popular place to visit
in Gorski kotar.
Apart from Roswell, don’t miss out on exploring the
beautiful Fužine and lake Bajer as well as other parts of Gorski kotar. In the
immediate vicinity is the Risnjak National Park, which we also recommend for a
tour. Nature and landscapes will undoubtedly have a “therapeutic” effect on
your mind and body.
