About the museum:
After the restoration of Sokolac Castle, a permanent exhibition was opened in the substructure of the chapel in 2007. The exhibition presents concise information on Sokolac and the role of the princes of Krk in Croatia's history. Stone fragments from Sokolac, reliefs (the works of Czech artisans), casts of the coats of arms of the Frankopans, and Gothic sculptures of the Pietà and Madonna with Child are also on display.
SokolacCastle, a protected cultural heritage site and one of the finest medieval monuments in Croatia, was first mentioned in the 14th century. Brinje was the seat of the princes of Krk (the Frankopans); it also hosted many important figures such as King Sigismund (1412), King Eric VII of Denmark (1424), and other famous personalities of that time.
Next to the castle, the Frankopans built a town with narrow streets, surrounded by ramparts in the form of an irregular hexagon, fortified by four semi-circular towers and a rounded pentagonal bastion. The town gate was in a square, three-floor tower. Opposite the tower, the eastern side of the rectangular courtyard was enclosed by the imposing presence of the castle’s Gothic Holy Trinity Chapel (late 14th century), one of the most beautiful late Gothic religious buildings in Croatia.
In the 16th century, the former castle was adapted into a fortress that was used in the struggle against the Turks. In the 17th century, a new floor was laid in the chapel and tall, narrow mannerist altars were installed instead of Gothic wing altars. Gothic statues were incorporated into the new altars.
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