Inscription surrounding sculpted cross above an entrance to the medieval castle in Krk Town, on Krk Island, Croatia. The inscription confirms the 1191 foundation date of the castle, built by the Croatian Frankopan or Francopan family.
Krk Town, Krk island, Croatia: the foundation date of Krk's medieval castle is confirmed by this inscription, surrounding a sculpted cross, in the lunette above the gateway to the oldest part of the fortress, a square tower once used as a tribunal and prison. The inscription (loosely) translates: "This is the work of entire community in the year of the Lord 1191. At the time of Ivan, Krk's bishop, and Bartol and Vid, dukes of Krk, this creation was initiated". Counts Bartol I (Bartholomaeus or Bartolommeo) and Vid I (Guidonis or Guido) were the sons of Duyam, Dujam or Doimo, the first member of the Frankopan or Francopan family dynasty to come to historical notice. He defeated a force of pirates off Krk in 1133 and achieved local autonomy for the island under the overall control of Venice. The Frankopans, who claimed Italian aristocratic heritage, became a powerful force in the regional power struggle between the Venetian Republic and the kingdom of Hungary-Croatia. At Krk, they expanded the castle to defend the town against naval attacks and maintained their position as Croatia's leading feudal family until 1671, when the last of the line was executed in Vienna by the Austrians. The square tower was probably built as the original bell-tower of the nearby Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Wall paintings uncovered inside the tower suggest it may have been used for religious services or other celebrations before it became a courthouse and prison.
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Location: Krk Town, Krk island, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1100s, 1191, 12th, architecture, aristocratic, bartholomaeus, bell-tower, built, campanile, castle, centre, century, city, counts, county, courthouse, croatia, croatian, cross, , dujam, dynasty, europe, european, family, feudal, fortifications, fortified, fortress, foundation, founded, francopan, frangipani, frankopan, guidonis, historic, inscription, island, italian, kastel, kerr, kotar, krk, lunette, mediaeval, medieval, noble, primorje-gorski, prison, record, republic, ruined, rulers, sculpted, shadows, square, stronghold, sunshine, terence, tower, town, tribunal, vassals, venetian, venice, western
