KRK

Grad Krk izvor je oto~kog `ivljenja jo{ od davnina,
od prapovijesti. Krk je vjerojatno bio “dr`avica”,
sredi{te ilirskoga plemena Kurikte. U rimskom razdoblju
grad Krk postao je municipij, ve}e urbanizirano
naselje po nekim procjenama s ~ak 10000-20000
stanovnika. O uspje{nom i sjajnom razvoju grada svjedo~i
ve} po~etkom 4. stolje}a u jedan kameni blok uklesan
rimski natpis SPLENDIDISSIMA CIVITAS CURIC-
TARUM - “PRESJAJNI GRAD KR^ANA”. Naselje koje
se s bre`uljka spu{ta prema obali, ve} tada je imalo
prostranu, prirodnu luku, za{ti}enu rtom, preko kojeg
je danas podignut lukobran dug oko 180 metara - Purpurela.
Potvr|eno je da je naselje bilo obzidano
groma~ama (suhozidom), a potom klesanim blokovima.
Nakon {to su se jo{ u 6. stolje}u, no{eni vihorom
seobe naroda, Hrvati uspjeli ukrcati na ovaj usidreni
kameni brod udomili su se na podru~ju Omi{lja,
Dobrinja, Vrbnika, Ba{ke i Duba{nice. Staro ilirsko i
romanizirano oto~ko pu~anstvo bilo je prisiljeno
dignuti sidro uzmi~u}i pred do{ljacima te je uplovilo
me|u zidine grada Krka, u sigurno uto~i{te. Tijekom
stolje}a Hrvati se stapaju s domorocima i preuzimaju
njihovo ime za grad i otok: Kurikte, te ga sa`imaju u
Kerk i Krk. Jo{ od tih vremena grad Krk je administrativno,
politi~ko, privredno i vjersko sredi{te otoka.
Crkvena i civilna vlast tijekom povijesti nagla{avaju:
grad i otok Krk, Krk i kr~ki otok (Veglia et Insula). I
danas je takvo stanje potvr|eno nazivima jedinica
lokalne samouprave koju na otoku ~ine: Grad Krk i
op}ine Punat, Ba{ka, Vrbnik, Dobrinj, Malinska i
Omi{alj.
Rimski natpis “PRESJAJNI GRAD KR^ANA”
Roman inscription “THE SPLENDID TOWN OF THE CURICTAS”
84
Perhaps in no other place do the bells ring more
often than here, and nowhere does the lightening hit
the bell tower more often.” This ancient custom was
abolished by the bishop of Krk in the 19 th century.
With the invention of weight clocks, the bell towers
were decorated with clocks which at determined intervals
tirelessly struck the hours day and night, incessantly
reminding man of the unstoppable passage of
man’s time vis-à-vis longevity and divine timelessness.
Should you have a chance to climb any of the
Krk bell towers, do not hesitate. A small effort on your
part will be richly rewarded with unforgettable
images and magic views.
The town of Krk has been a source of island life
since time immemorial, since prehistory. Krk was
probably a “small state,” the center of the Illyrian
tribe of Curicta. In Roman times the town of Krk had
become a municipality, a larger urbanized settlement
with a population of 10,000-20,000, according to
some estimates. In witness of the successful and splendid
development of the town stands a stone block dating
from the early 4 th century in which the Roman
inscription was carved: “SPLENDIDISSIMA CIVITAS
CURICTARUM” – “SPLENDID TOWN OF THE CURIC-
TAS.” The settlement which from the hill descends
toward the shore even then boasted a spacious, natural
harbor, protected by a promontory over which
today the 180 m long Purpurela breakwater stands
erected. It has been confirmed that the settlement was
enclosed by stone dry walls, and later by carved
blocks.
After in the 6 th century the Croats succeeded to
board on this anchored stone ship, carried by the wind
of population migration, they made their home in the
area of Omi{alj, Dobrinj, Vrbnik, Ba{ka and
Duba{nica. The existing Illyrian and romanized population
of the island was forced to weigh anchor
retreating in front of the newcomers, reaching the
walls of the town of Krk, a safe haven. In the course of
the centuries, Croats have merged with the indigenous
population and taken over their name for the town
and the island, Curicta, abbreviating it to Kerk and
Krk. Ever since those times Krk has been the administrative,
political, economic and religious center of the
island. Religious and civil authorities have throughout
the history emphasized the town and the island of
Krk, Krk and the Krk island (Veglia et Insula). Even
today such status is confirmed by the names of the
local self-government units consisting of the Town of
Krk and the municipalities of Punat, Ba{ka, Vrbnik,
Dobrinj, Malinska and Omi{alj.
In its tireless historical journey and growth, since
time immemorial Krk has been standing and lasting
on the chosen spot experiencing constant demographic
growth. The town of Krk is the most populated settlement
on the island. Nurtured in the cradle of the civilization,
Krk is not a town inebriated by haughtiness
and showiness of the past, as is the case with Venice
which had ruled this town and island for centuries
after the end of the Frankopan rule. Rather, it is
inspired by the personal impetus of progress, faith and
culture.
Grad Krk
The town of Krk