About Rab

The town of Rab also boasts a long recorded history that dates back to the year 10 BC, when it is mentioned in an old Roman document by which the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus proclaims it a muncipium and grants it independence.

Before long it was given another rare honorary title, that of FELIX (happy); it bears witness to the fact that Rab was already a fully developed and civilised at the time, providing amenities such as running water, baths, temples, a theatre, and a network of streets, to mention just a few.

More than 17 centuries ago a boy by the name Marin was born at Rab.

He later learned the craft of stonemason and in search of a job left his home, crossed the Adriatic Sea and landed at a place near today’s Rimini on the Apennine peninsula. His diligence and virtue soon earned him the sympathy of the Christian community he was living in, so eventually bishop Gaudentium made him his deacon. Presecuted because of his propogation of Christianity, Marin fled to the hardly accessible hill Titan and built a small church there. It was to become the foundation of a new city and state – San Marino – in which the remains of the saint are still kept. The small case with the relies St. Christophorus, the patron saint of the island of Rab. (the legend of st. marin).

Church monuments

If we enter the town through one of the town gates, e. g. the "Zlatna vrata" (Golden Gate) we will be attracted by the uncommon peace of the "Gornja ulica" (Upper street). To the right, towards the way out to the park Komrčar there is a "belvedere" on the old tower and the Church of St. Christopher - the Saint patron of the town and the island- now a lapidary and, to the left, a street with its churches and four bell-towers. The only remains of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, a unique Romanesque basilica, are the Romanesque bell-tower, the foundations and parts of the columns of the three-naval church as well as the restored deambulatory. Close by the ruins of the old basilica of St John the Evangelist, stands the Church of the Holy Weeping Cross where, according to records a miracle happened, i.e. the cross started to weep..

On the "Trg Slobode" (Square of Liberty) stands a bell-tower and the St. Justine's Church, built in the 16th century for the Benedictine convent, which has been now transformed into a sacral art museum. Not far from St. Justine's Church stands the St. Andrija's church and bell-tower together with the Benedictine nuns' convent. The Church was built in Romanesque three-naval style and has a magnificent baroque altar. The bell-tower is from the year 1181 and it is the oldest bell-tower in Rab.

At the end of "Gornja ulica", close to the monastery erected on a cliff which precipitates towards the sea, stands the Church of the Assumption, the former cathedral. Its building began in 1118 and it was consecrated by Pope Alexander III in person. It is a sumptuous Romanesque basilica and what particularly attracts attention is the altar with ciborium from the 8th century, the Late Gothic chorus seats and St. Christopher's statue from the 12th century.The bell-tower of this basilica is detached from the church, it dominates the town and ranks among the most beautiful buildings in Late Romanesque style in our country. Let us also mention the St. Francis' Church situated near the local cemetery, near which the monastery of Franciscans of the Third order (Glagolitic priests) was also erected.

Kampor is famous for its Francisan monastery and St. Euphemia's Church. They were founded in 1446. The valuable museum and gallery of fra Amroz Testen are situated in the monastery. In Supetarska Draga stays the St. Peter's Church close to the abandoned Benedictine convent, built in Romanesque style by the middle of the 11th century, one of the most important buildings from that period on Croatian soil.

Other monuments

At the way out to the main street "Srednja ulica" (Central Street) from St. Christopher's square the patrician palace Dominis-Nimira stands out with its ornamented Renaissance windows and the Gothic portal with the coat of arms of the Dominis family, built in the 15th century. Not far from this Palace, at the beginning of "Donja ulica" (Lower Street) stays the wonderful portal of the former fashionable aristocratic Nimira palace. On the upper part of the portal stands the coat of arms of the Nimira family. Relikvija Sv. KristoforaOne of the most valuable monuments in Rab is the Prince's Palace, situated in the square of the Rab Municipium. The Palace's construction started as early as the 12th century but its most characteristic parts date form the 15th and the 16th centuries. The square Town loggia from 1509, constructed in Renaissance style, with beautiful stone columns, has been recently restored to guard it against destruction. In the Town of Rab there is also a whole series of valuable portals, balconies, windows and the like with picturesque details and decorations. Each stone, coat-of-arms and inscription reminds us about the famous Rab past history. Try to explore it, Rab will always reveal some new secret, but never all of them !

Position

The island of Rab was protected by the gods who placed it in the lee of the Velebit range and in the shelter of Mt Kamenjak. This mountain, which might well arouse misgivings with its bare face turned towards the main highway and the Velebit Channel is in fact a real blessing for the island, for it protects it from the icy blasts of the north-easterly or bura, and has a generally beneficial effect on the climatic conditions. Rab is an island of sunshine, and this is no more phrase, for according to statistics it has 2,417 hours of sunshine a year. The sun shines on the island in June, July and August ten hours a day.

Rab is the southernmost of the islands in the bay of Kvarner, with a mostly Mediterranean vegetation. When you have left the bare, somewhat savage looking ferry harbour of Mišnjak, the island begins to be seen in a completely different light. The vegetation is luxuriant, and, because of the Mediterranean climate, as well as with the indigenous holm or holly oak, Rab is covered with evergreen forests.

About 9,000 inhabitants live in this marvellous part of the Adriatic, and at the height of the summer this number triples, for of the 20,000 accommodation units available, there are 16,000 beds in private accommodation alone, in single, double and triple rooms of all categories, as well as in suites and well equipped flats. Everywhere on the island is open to visitors, so that Rab is as a whole devoted to holiday-making.

Climate

The island of Rab has a pleasant Mediterranean climate, warm summers and mild winters. The mountain chain Kamenjak (408 meters) protects the greatest part of the island from the cold northeastern wind bura (bora), the most frequent wind blowing in winter and early spring, so that the temperature almost never falls below 0°C. Besides the bura a warm and humid wind - the jugo (scirocco) blows from the southeast, mostly in autumn, regularly bringing rain with it.

In summer months, during the day, usually the maestral (mistral) blows, a pleasant breeze which starts to blow as early as 10.a.m. and calms down only with the sunset, making midday sultriness bearable and offering real pleasure to the sailors. Other winds and storms are rare phenomena here. The snow, which covers the brows of Velebit throughout the winter, is a real rarity on the island of Rab. Those people who regularly visit Rab in periods when some European towns are literally snow and ice-bound, know that even in January the sky above Rab is blue......

Islands

A whole series of smaller islands makes also part of the island of Rab, as well as the 27 cliffs and reefs surrounding it. To the extreme south of the "Podvelebitski kanal" (the Podvelebit channel) lies the small island Mišnjak, and somewhat to the north the island Lukovac. The uninhabited island Dolin which on the western side stands athwarth between the southern part of the island of Rab and Pag in the "Pa?ki kanal " (the Pag Channel) creates a lee in the "Barbatski kanal " (Barbat channel), appropriate for sailing and water sports.

The so called "Rapska vrata" (Rab narrows), leading form the Pag Channel to the "Uvala s. Eufemije" (St. Euphemia's bay) and the town port, extend from the north cape Dolina to the peninsula Frkanj on the western side of the island, vis-a-vis the town of Rab. Here, in front of the first of three marvellous coves which the islanders call Prva, Druga i Treća Padova (the First, Second and Third Padova) there is a green ornament in the azure blueness - the island of sv. Juraj. Further on, in the open sea, in the sea area called Kvarnerić, near the cape Lun on the island of Pag, there are some other nice small islands, rich in undersea flora and fauna: Veli and Mali Laganj, Trstenik, Mažunel and Veli and Mali Dolfin.

Navigation on the clear sea, along the indented southwestern coast of the island, along the parts called Suha Punta and Kalifront, continues up to the bays of Kampor and Gonar, on the opposite side of which lies the island Boljkovac, and then till the big bay Supetarska Draga, ornated by three green jewels: the small islands Maman, Sailovac i Sridnjak. To the extreme northeast, in the "Senjska vrata" (Senj narrows), close to the island Prvić, the big uninhabited island Grgur in the Podvelebit Channel, lies Goli otok. All these island complement the beauty and uniqueness of the main island, Rab.

Flora

Already at the first encounter Rab will welcome you with the fragrance of Mediterranean vegetation while woods of evergreen coniferous: oak, ilex (Quercus ilex), pines and cypresses (Cypressus sempervirens) prevent the island to be left deserted and bare in winter. Holly oak and pine forests on the Rab hills alternate with myrtle (Myrtus communis), Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) and other lower specifically Mediterranean macchia.

A particular island preciousness is the wooded region Kalifront and the protected wood Dundo in it, with the greatest holly oak plantation on the Adriatic. Here also grow hollies or mock privets (Phillyrea latifoia), Scots and Austrian pines (Pinus nigra) and approximately a hundred cork oak trees, while of deciduous trees here grows the flowering ash tree (Fraxunus ornus). The thick macchia at the foot of the secular trees is interwoven with wild grape, ivy (Hedera helix) and other climbing plants, while ferns and various mushrooms grow close to the surface. The wood Dundo is famous also outside our country as the destination of many excursions, particularly of foresters and botanists.

In 1912 professor Günter from Graz wrote "Rab is visited by numerous foreign tourists owing to the richness of its woods, the Komrčar park in particular, which was arranged by the head forester Belia...". And really the luxuriant vegetation of Komrčar is the pride of the islanders. In addition to already known plant species, Belia tried to cultivate some completely continental deciduous species but also some expressely Mediterranean ones in the park.Thus poplar trees, maple-trees and elms grow here, together with umbrella pines (Pinus pinea), a pine species growing only in the hot Mediterranean environment. Here one can find laurel and cypress- a characteristic of the Kvarner area as well as Dalmatian peculiarities: oleanders, rosemary, secular agaves, the pittosporum torbira, Indian figs and cacti of particularly beautiful blossom. Promenades along the sea coast and other smaller parks are also adorned by well-grown palms.

The inhabitants of Rab have repaid Belia for his good deeds, by erecting his bronze bust at the entrance to the park. But, in addition to the Komrčar park, in the southwestern part there is an abundance of varied vegetation: pine woods, grassy valleys overgrown mostly with blackberry and whortleberry bushes. The most beautiful field flowers grow here: poppies, sweet violets, daisies, corn-flowers.

Natural heritage around the town of Rab

The town of Rab abounds in natural features, where ancient and authentic surroundings and the beauty of nature have been preserved. The Kvarner jelenak fern, Centaurea dalmatica, Istrian bluebell, Venus-hair fern, European shag, thrushes, griffon vulture, dolphins, sea grasses – these are just some of the special plants and animals that live in this region. The natural living world and the fragrant island flowers are intertwined with harmoniously combined cultivated plants such as palms, chinaberry, agave, pittosporum, cypress and other attractive Mediterranean and subtropical trees and shrubs. A real gem of cultivated nature is hidden within the town itself – the protected woodland park Komrčar.

The most interesting valuable natural feature in the town of Rab is certainly the Dundo woodland conservation area (known as Dundovo by the natives of Rab), where visitors can see one of the most beautiful woodlands of indigenous Mediterranean holm oak (Quercus ilex) in the Adriatic, and probably one of the best-preserved natural woodlands in the whole of the Mediterranean.

Fauna

In winter, owing to its mild climate, Rab is the dwelling place of many bird species (about 40 of them) and since everything is subject to tourism, the rich undersea world has been preserved, too. It is the habitat of starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sponges, corals, eatable crabs, various types of fish, pen-shells, mussel shrimps, scallops and other shellfish.

Weasels and martens are the greatest predators in this area, they hunt field mice, rats, hares or rabbits and are the biggest autochthon mammals on the island, besides domestic animals.

Does and deer stick to the wooded Kalifront, while in the valleys close to brooks and swamps frog concerts of tree-toads can be heard.

Among reptiles the most numerous are lizards, while the green lizard is a rarity here. Curiously enough there are no venomous snakes on the island!

Many insect species live on Rab but the most numerous are the varied multicoloured butterflies, while in summer cicada songs can be heard everywhere.

 Culture

From its first inhabitants, the Liburni, the Roman Empire, Byzantine Dalmatia, the time of the Croatian rulers, almost 400 years of Venetian rule (1115-1358), the Croatian Kingdom of Hungary, the Venetian Republic, the Habsburg Monarchy, French rule, the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, right up to the awakening of national consciousness and the creation of the young Croatian State – history has certainly not passed the island of Rab by. Rab's turbulent history, its chroniclers and the safeguarding of its culture have led to the creation of Rab's trademark cultural and historical festivals.

The Rabska Fjera, the Rab Crossbowmen's mediaeval tournament, the folklore heritage – these are some of the events that visitors must see while staying on our island.

Come and watch these performances – they will take you back to some ancient time, to stories that paved the way for our present, stories which touch all of us and which contain truths that are historical and human and which are at the same time stories of the future.

There are also many galleries and street exhibitions to see.