Page 76 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

74  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

g Cres VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

The narrow island of Cres is 65 km (40 miles) long. In the Practical Information
north, a colony of native griffon vultures, protected by law Map B3. * 3,200. 4 (051) 211
since 1986, nests on a plateau swept by the dry, cold bora 444. n Cres: Cons 10, (051) 571
535; Osor: (051) 231 547.
wind. The south is milder and olives and vines are grown. ∑ tzg-cres.hr
A single road travels from the north of Cres to the south of
Lošinj, linking the islands by a bridge. Tourism focuses on
just a few villages such as Cres and Osor. remains and some splendid
monuments, making it a centre
of great artistic interest.
The beautiful 15th-century
Cathedral of the Assumption
was completed in 1497 and is
built of honey-coloured stone.
The façade has an arched
tympanum above a doorway
with a relief of the Virgin Mary.
Inside the church there is a
painting of SS Nicholas and
Gaudentius on the altar.
The Cres Museum (Creski
muzej) occupies the Arsan Palace
Dry stone walls and olive groves overlooking the town of Cres and has stone inscriptions and
interesting finds from the Illyrian
Cres Town The walls and the three gates and Roman periods, and the
Cres nestles in a bay with stone arches give the early Middle Ages. The façade of
Porozina sheltered by the hill town a Venetian feel, and the the Bishop’s Palace (second half
Beli behind. The town Church of Our Lady of the of the 15th century) bears coats
became important Snow has paintings by artists of arms of the bishops and
when the bishopric from the Venetian school. nobles of the island and the
J and governor’s The 16th-cen tury Town Hall, interior is richly decorated.
seat were or Loggia, is now a fruit and Some walls, foundations and
transferred here vegetable market. mosaics are all that remain of
from Osor. The old port is a lively place, the Church of St Peter.
bustling with fishermen and
visitors. The Town Gate, a clock E Cres Museum
tower and several Renaissance Creski muzej
buildings face the port. Petris-Arsan Palace, Ribarska 7.
Cres Tel (051) 344 963. Open Apr–mid-Jun
Plavnik The Church of St Isidore & mid-Sep–mid-Oct: 9am–noon Tue–
(the patron saint), dates Sat; mid-Jun–mid-Sep: 10am–1pm &
from the 12th century. 7–11pm Tue–Sun; mid-Oct–Mar: by
appt. Temporary exhibitions: hours
Osor vary, phone ahead. Closed Mon.
Lubenice Until the mid-15th century
CRES this was the main town on
the island, with a port and a
Vidovići bishopric. It later declined and
the capital was moved to Cres.
Today the entire town is a
museum, with Bronze Age
Štivan Belej
Key
Minor road
Scenic road
Nerezine
Osor
0 kilometres 8
0 miles 8
Door of the Gothic Church of Our Lady of
Pogana the Snow, Cres

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