Sv. Nikole

The small St. Michael church was built in the 20th century on the site of a 16th century church. At the church stands the renewed chaplaincy, the so-called ‘Betanija’, lead by Right Reverend Zlatko Sudac, who was nominated by Monsignor Valter Župan, bishop of Krk bishopric in November, 1999. In May of that year a cross-shaped mark appeared on the forehead of the chaplain, the authenticity of which was affirmed by Gemelli Hospital in Rome. He cured many people with different types of illnesses. Right Reverend Sudac says, ‘It’s not me who cures, it’s God’.

Sv. Marija

It is worth going into the Birth of Virgin Mary Church in the town-centre before or after the Sunday mass. The church was built between 1696 and 1757, and its baroque front looks at the square that once served as the main meeting point of the town. In the church there are some illustrious works of art, among others a picture of the birth of Virgin Mary painted by an 18th century painter, a marble crucifix by Bartolomeo Ferrari, and an altar-piece picturing the church’s surroundings in the 18th century.

Porodenja Marijina

Inside the church

Sv. Magdalena

U blizini crkvice Sv.Duha nalazi se gotička crkvica sa šiljastim svodovima u lađi, četvorinastog oblika, zvonikom na preslicu. Natpis na pročelju 1402. godine priča o njezinoj starosti. To je tip arhitekture crkvica jako čest na otoku.

(See map)

Sv. Sidar

Stara romanička crkva iz 12.stoljeća, pri vrhu apside isklesani su motivi s likovima te stup s kapitelom iz 7-8.st., najstariji srednjevjekovni umjetnički spomenik u gradu. Smješten je na vanjskom stubištu nasuprot crkve. Svetac, u Cresu nazvan sveti Sidar, zaštitnik je grada te ga slave 2.1. U crkvici na oltaru sjedi njegov veliki lik, kasnogotička drvena skulptura iz 15.stoljeća. Pored ove ima još nekoliko drvenih skulptura ( Bogorodica sa djetetom, Sv.Sebastijana i Sv.Fabijana). Gotski portal te elegantan zvonik ,koji spada među najstarije u gradu, daju crkvici dražesan izgled. Po narodnoj predaji tu je bila prva župna crkva.

Text: Matteo Fillini, Luigi Tomaz: Le chiese minori di Cherso. Quaderni della Comunitá chersina N°7.Tipografia Regionale Veneta Editrice Coselve.1988.

Crkvica Majka božja od Paprota

The capella is – about 5 minutes from Cres to Mali Losinj – along the road No. 100. There is a very nice view to Cres.

Cres

The town of Cres (see map) is so similar to Italian fishing ports that one may become uncertain whether he is still on the Croatian side of the border. Picturesque terraced houses, in beautiful pastel shades, swim in the afternoon sunlight around the port. Cres seems to be a sleepy little town languished by the sun, even in the peak season, though at this time of the year the port is abound with different kinds of boats. The Italian influence dates back to the 15th century, when Venetians living on the island moved their seat to Cres after Osor had fallen prey to the Black Death. Along the port public buildings and patrician halls were built, and in the 16th century a city wall was erected by the Venetian authorities.As we walk along the streets, we can find many traits of the one-time Italian rule, for example the blazons of prestigious Venetian families.

Beli

A settlement from ancient times, Beli is situated at the north-eastern coast of Cres Island on the top of a 126-metre-high steep wall over the bays of Stivanjska and Vartac. The place has been populated for 4000 years. (see map)

Next to the main church stands the small Church of St. Mary built in Roman style. In the museum of the church a 13th -14th century cross exhibition is on view. The church was renovated in the 19th century, but they kept the Roman style apse of the old building. The oldest part of the church is a 9th -10th century stone table in one of the ambries. A narrow stone street leads to the entry of the town, on the right side of which we can see the remains of a Roman road. This ancient road reached the town across a bridge over the canyon. The bridge is still unharmed. In one of the tiny streets that lead south of the square, we can found the carved bust of the Hungarian king, Béla IV above the door-jamb of a house. They say that the king took refuge here for a while when he fleeing from the Tatar. Presumably, Beli was named after the king.

Osor

When we cross the channel between Mali Losinj and Osor (Ossero in Italian), we probably have to wait at the drawbridge, as it is drawn up twice a day to let the ships running between Losinj Channel and Kvarner Bay pass through. It is a spectacular view when sailboats, yachts, motorboats and other ships are passing through in a long line. The bridge is usually drawn up at 9 in the morning and once in the evening.

Being located at the crossing of land and sea ways, Osor used to be the centre town of Cres Island. They say that thanks to the channel dug by the Romans, Osor was able to keep this key shipping line under control in the middle ages. Until the 15th century Osor counted as a strong commercial, religious and political centre, but then the plague, the malaria and the new sea routes spoiled its economy, it began to decline. It started to develop only in our days as a museum village with churches and old 15th century streets in the centre.

Osor from Osorscica

Osor is easy to walk through in a day if we start from Mali Losinj or Cres, and it is definitely worth it. We had better take our swimming dress with ourselves, because near the village, behind the Franciscan monastery there are bays appropriate for swimming.

From ancient time Osor Bronze Age graves were preserved, from the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. we can still see large megalith walls that were used to back the town walls. Some Illyrian buildings remained, too. It is said that Osor was founded by Liburnian tribes settling here in the 1st century B.C. Osor preserved its ancient street network.

The Main Square

Lions reliefs / Relief lava

There are two lions reliefs in Osor. The coordinates (44.69405,14.3946) regards to the relief close to the cemetery. Another one can be found at citadel ruins.

Relief close to the cemetery

Relief close to the Kavada

Kavada

According to historians, the Kavuada (Cavanella in Italian), the channel that separates Cres form Losinj, was dug during Roman times. Kavuada Channel is about 100 metres long, 12 metres wide, and it can be used by ships of maximum 2.6 metres draft. At the southern part of the channel, on the road connecting Cres and Losinj, stands a windmill iron bridge (1.5 metres above sea level).

Crkva Uznesenja

The Church of the Assumption of Mary was built in the 15th century. Its main ornaments are the richly decorated Renaissance gate vault, the 17th century Baroque altar, and paintings of 16th -18th century Venetian masters. In the western wing of the church do not miss taking a look at the altar-piece picturing St. Gaudentius with snakes at his feet. According to a local legend, Gaudentius was born in nearby Trzic in the 11th century, he became a bishop, and he thought that his duty was to chastise local people for their sins and depravations, so later he was ousted. The desperate bishop went to a cave, became a hermit, and he cursed all the snakes on the islands.

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