Krk Cathedral

Krk Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Krk Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, stands in the old town of Krk, the main town of the island of Krk in the Kvarner Gulf of Croatia, near the seafront and the Frankopan castle, and entry to the cathedral is free, while the treasury and bell tower may require a small ticket. Krk is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and it is about forty minutes by car from Rijeka, and the island's airport serves Rijeka. The cathedral is the heart of the small walled town, with its narrow stone streets, the Kamplin square, the Frankopan castle, remains of the Roman walls and the harbour promenade lined with cafés.

Visitors often combine it with the beaches around the island, the town of Vrbnik, known for its Žlahtina wine, the Glagolitic Path, and the Biserujka cave. The cathedral is active, and visiting pauses during masses. Visitors should dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, especially in summer, when many come straight from the beach. The adjoining Church of Saint Quirinus, with the cathedral treasury, is worth visiting too, and the bell tower offers views over the rooftops and the sea.

Visiting Krk Cathedral: what to see

The cathedral stands on a site with a long history: Roman baths once stood here, and an early Christian basilica was built in the fifth century, when Krk, the Roman Curicum, became the seat of a bishop. The present cathedral was built in the twelfth century in the Romanesque style, reusing ancient columns, and it was altered in later centuries. Inside, the cathedral has a nave and two aisles separated by columns with carved capitals, some of them reused from earlier buildings. One capital shows birds pecking at a fish, a symbol of early Christianity.

The Gothic chapel of the Frankopan family, the powerful noble family that ruled Krk, has a carved vault with their coat of arms. The high altar holds a painting and the chapels hold baroque altars. The cathedral is joined to the Romanesque Church of Saint Quirinus, the patron saint of Krk, a two-storey church from the eleventh or twelfth century, whose upper level holds the treasury, with a gilded silver altarpiece from the fifteenth century, reliquaries, paintings and liturgical objects. The bell tower, built later, is topped by the figure of an angel. Remains of mosaics and walls from the early basilica have been found beneath the cathedral.

Krk Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily in the tourist season, with shorter hours in winter, when it may be open mainly for masses. Summer is the busiest season on Krk, with beaches and festivals, and July and August bring crowds to the old town. Late spring and September are quieter and warm enough for swimming. The feast of the Assumption on 15 August is celebrated with a procession. The Krk Summer Festival brings concerts to the old town. Allow about half an hour for the cathedral, and more for the treasury and tower.