Frankopan Castle

Why it is worth your time

The Frankopan castle on Kamplin is the fortress of the family that set out from Krk into Croatian history: the Counts of Krk, later named Frankopan, spread from here from the 12th century a rule that would embrace half of Croatia. The castle is an almost regular quadrangle by the very sea: a round tower toward the waterfront, a square one toward the square, defensive walls with loopholes and a courtyard that for centuries held everything, court, storehouse, barracks. Oldest is the square tower of 1191, which served also as a courtroom; after the Frankopans' departure Venice extended the fort for cannon. Today the castle is toured from within: the walk on the ramparts offers the best view of the old core, the cathedral's belfry and the open sea toward Cres, and in summer the courtyard becomes a stage for concerts and plays.

Kamplin, the square by the castle on the site of the Roman camp it is named after, is the most attractive stage of Krk evenings. The visit takes half an hour, longer with a performance; combine it with the cathedral right beside, for the two buildings together tell the whole story: cross and sword, bishop and count, a thousand years within a hundred metres.