Interpretation Centre Bakar

Trade with Venice and other Mediterranean centres was particularly powerfully during the 16th and 17th centuries. The steep caravan routes which led from Gorski Kotar towards Bakar were the main trading roads down which goods travelled to the Frankopans’ territories. In the 16th century Bakar gained great privileges and was the administrative centre of the Frankopan towns of Hreljin, Drivenik, Bribir and Grobnik. Petar Zrinski gave trade and the harbour complete freedom with only minor burdens, which resulted in Bakar being the port with the most powerful turnover of the whole of the Croatian Littoral. The volume of trade is obvious in the data that Bakar’s warehouses were overfull and that some chapels had to be converted into storehouses.