Krupa Monastery

Krupa was founded in 1317 by monks from Bosnia on the river of the same name below the southern slope of Velebit, and it is among the oldest Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Croatia. The church holds an iconostasis of the eighteenth century and the complex has a cloister and arcaded ranges around a courtyard. The monastery was damaged in the Second World War and again in the 1990s, when the surrounding villages were largely emptied, and it has been repaired since with a small community in residence. The setting - a wooded gorge, clear water and travertine steps - accounts for a good share of the visits.

What you actually see

• A monastery founded in 1317 - among the oldest Orthodox houses in Croatia.
• An eighteenth century iconostasis - in the church.
• Arcaded ranges round a courtyard - the monastic complex.
• A travertine river below - clear water in a wooded gorge.

When to go

April to October. Two hours.

Honest expectations

This is a working monastery with a small community; visiting hours and dress rules apply. The area was depopulated in the 1990s and services are almost non-existent. The road in is narrow and partly unsurfaced.

Nearby

Kudin Bridge is downstream; the Zrmanja canyon is north.