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Čitaj na hrvatskomThis page is also written in hrvatski.

Novi Vinodolski

Where the Vinodol Code was written in 1288, one of the oldest law texts in a Slavic language.

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WhereKvarner
Nearest cityCrikvenica about 12 km; Rijeka about 50 km
Best seasonMay to September
Time to allowHalf a day
Getting thereCoastal road 8 south of Crikvenica; parking near the seafront
EntryFree; museum charged

In January 1288 representatives of nine communities of the Vinodol valley met in the castle here and set down the Vinodol Code, a written statement of the customary law they already lived by, recorded in Croatian in the Glagolitic script. It is among the oldest surviving legal texts in any Slavic language and among the earliest in Croatian, and it matters because it fixed existing local custom against the feudal claims being pressed from outside. The Frankopan castle where it was agreed stands above the town and holds a museum; the town below is a modest resort on the Kvarner coast.

What you actually see

  • Where the Vinodol Code was agreed - January 1288, in the castle.
  • Among the oldest Slavic law texts - written in Glagolitic script.
  • The Frankopan castle - above the town, with a museum.
  • A working coastal town - resort development along the shore.

When to go

May to September. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The original manuscript is not here - what the museum holds is context and copies. The town is an ordinary coastal resort with pebble and concrete beaches. The castle keeps limited hours off season.

Nearby

Crikvenica is north; the Vinodol valley runs inland behind.

What to pack for Novi Vinodolski

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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