Church of St Mary the Great

Why it is worth your time

The Church of St Mary the Great was for centuries Rab's cathedral and has remained the island's spiritual centre of gravity: a three-nave Romanesque basilica consecrated in the 12th century, with a facade of alternating bands of pink and white stone that shimmers in evening light like few on the Adriatic. The interior carries the layers of all of Rab's centuries: an early Christian ciborium over the high altar, choir stalls carved with Gothic patience, Renaissance chapels and marble altars of Venetian baroque. The cathedral title the church lost long ago, the dignity never; Rab's people are baptised, married and seen off here to this day, so adjust your visit to the rites.

Before the church opens a small square with a railing above the sea, one of the town's calmest spots: a bench, pines, the view of the channel toward Barbat. Coming along the Upper Street the church is the walk's logical goal, and the combination with a climb of the neighbouring Great Bell Tower makes the most solemn hour Rab offers. Entry is free or with a symbolic offering, shoulders covered, voices low.