Church of St. Andrew the Apostle
If you want to spice up your tour with a touch of spirituality and mysticism, you should visit the Church of St. Andrew the Apostle. Built on the site where a church had existed since the 12th century, this monumental building received its present form at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries. At that time, it was the third largest church in Croatia! During the Ottoman invasions, it was the seat of the exiled bishops of Modruš, which is why the church has retained the status of a co-cathedral. Because of its acoustics, today this three-nave basilica with as many as nine altars is the favorite place of classical music performers.
Crypt of the Church of St. Andrew
The Church of St. Andrew hides one more curiosity. There’s an underground crypt beneath it! Also known as the “catacombs,” it has two corridors and eighty five graves in which priest and notable Bakar townspeople are buried. The crypt arouses curiosity not only in tourists, but also in archaeologists, historians, and other experts. The crypt hasn’t been thoroughly researched, and it is possible it conceals unknown secrets from Bakar’s past. You can visit the crypt as part of a guided tour of the town. For all information please contact info@tz-bakar.hr.
Church of Our Lady of Port
Outside of the medieval town center, near the sea, you’ll find the church of Our Lady of Port, the former votive shrine of the sailors of this region. The history of the building goes far back into history, certainly beyond the oldest record of the church from 1445. Although we don’t know exactly when it was built, it is known that it has been rebuilt and expanded several times. The walls inside are covered with many tombstones, a reminder that this was once the main cemetery of Bakar.
Church of St. Margaret
On the other side of the Church of Our Lady of Port is the Church of St. Margaret, the patron saint of Bakar. Originally built in the 15th century as a chapel in honor of St. Margaret, it was expanded into a church in 1658 with the support of Ban Petar Zrinski. The interior of this valuable monument hides another pearl ‒ the painting of St. Margaret, considered the most successful work of the Slovenian painter Valentin Metzinger.
Church of the Holy Cross
Hidden away from the usual paths toward the top of the Upper Town is the Church of the Holy Cross. In front of it is a small plateau ‒ a hidden little square from which you can have a good look at the church. When you look closely, you will notice that it has an unusual layout compared to other Bakar churches. While in Catholic churches the entrance faces the west and the altar faces the east, here it’s the other way around. Additionally, this small church conducts the Eucharist according to traditional liturgical practices, with the priest facing away from the congregation. Built in 1764, the church blends in with the surrounding houses and seems to be an inextricable part of an ancient past, immersed in the mysticism and atmosphere of the afterlife.
