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sailors. Wondering how they could be still faster
at sea, they had a bright idea. They cut through
the island of Apsyrtides at its narrowest point, in
order to sail through the northern Adriatic the
faster.
The name, mark, does not derive from the
Liburnians. The names are like the footsteps of
the Greekmariners who, sailing the Adriatic, built
their cities on suitable sites. In the foundations
of part of the defensive walls, there are traces of the
Greek age. But there are much earlier things, say
the archaeologists, dating as far back as 1600 BC.
In the age of Greece it was called Apsoros, later
becoming Osor. By the side of the Osor Canal, a
major mercantile town started developing on
Cres. It reached its acme in Roman times. It is
hypothesised that the main port of Osor was in
Bijar Bay. Osor then had everything that made a
city: a forum, theatre, temples, and a large
population. In 530 a bishopric was founded in
Osor. Proof of this is in the ruins of the Early
Christian cathedral and baptistery of the 6
century, located in what is today a cemetery. In
the 7 century the Croats arrived. The remainder
of the Roman population took refuge in Osor. In
the 9 century it was overtaken by the fate of many
a coastal city and sacked by the Saracens. In
1498 the see got a new cathedral and bishop's
palace. Today you can find the evidence for this
when visiting the parish church with its diverse
and opulent set of church furnishings. At the end
of the 15 and in the 16 century the city was
ravaged by plague and malaria. For this reason
the bishop's residence was shifted to Cres. The
bishopric of Osor was abolished in 1822, and its
estates were annexed to the See of Krk. Today this
museum of a town has some hundred or so
inhabitants. One of themhas the duty of opening
the bridge at 9 and 17 hours.
The bridge opens swinging towards the east.
Right of way belongs to boats coming from the
south, because only one craft can be in the canal.
The current can reach up to six knots, and one has
to beware of it. If you are attracted by the
museum-town, you can tie up at the Cres end of
the canal, as close as possible to the red
lighthouse. The depth is about fourmetres.
After our passage through the Osor Canal, the
Kvarner is before us once again. But now we know
it a great deal better.
Break a leg!
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Osor