The Belfry as a Witness: A Symbol of Renewal and Cultural Heritage
The Church of St. Charles Borromeo was built in 1710 on the foundations of the older Church of St. John. The church was severely damaged during the Allied bombing in 1944. When the construction of a new main road began in 1958, the external walls of the church were torn down and its remains were removed. Only the belfry (bell tower) and a section of the wall were preserved. The belfry and the remaining wall were restored, and their solemn inauguration was held on the Feast of St. Charles in the year 2000. Today, they form a memorial site and are protected as cultural heritage.
A view of the church and the parish house (rectory). The postcard dates from 1900.
The Church of St. Charles was first mentioned in 1680. Previously, there was a wooden church of the Holy Spirit on this site, which collapsed due to its dilapidated state. It was actually the Church of the Holy Trinity, which the people called the Holy Spirit. Parish registers began in 1691, meaning that a regular church administration had already been established by then. A new church was built in 1703. Priest Marko Mesić was very active in the construction at the time. The Church of St. Charles has been repaired and remodeled several times.
This church was consecrated in 1723 during the visitation of the Bishop of Senj-Modruš, Nikola Pohmajević, who recorded several details about it.
At that time, it had three altars. On the main altar is St. Charles kneeling by a cross, with the heads of four angels above his head. The altar has two rows of saints. In the first row on the right are statues of St. Peter and St. Bartholomew, and on the left St. Paul and St. Simon; in the second row in the middle is a painting of the Holy Trinity, on the right side are statues of St. Sebastian and St. George, and on the left St. Roch and St. James. This altar has a beautiful tabernacle where the Blessed Sacrament is always kept for the sick, and a lamp burns constantly before it. On the altar are 4 brass candlesticks and a beautiful golden antependium featuring an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus.
The right side altar has a painting of the Blessed Virgin with Jesus in her arms, below which is a painting of St. John the Baptist and St. James, and on the right side are statues of St. Augustinee and St. Nicholas; in the second row (continuatione) is the Holy Family. This altar has two brass candlesticks, a beautiful antependium with a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and below it are paintings of St. James and St. John the Baptist. The altar was consecrated by the late Bishop Ratkaj. The altar was erected by Dujam Kovačević, Ivan Krušić, Lesse (?) Lukotelić, and Mate Matausić.
On the left side is the altar of the Holy Cross, below which the following persons are painted: the Blessed Virgin Mary, two angels of the departed souls in purgatory, and in the first row on the right, a statue of St. Peter, and on the left, a statue of St. Michael the Archangel; in the second row in the middle is a statue of St. George, on the right St. Simon, and on the left St. Nicholas. This altar also has a similar antependium to the previous one. In front of the altar is a lamp that is lit for major holidays. The founder of this altar is Nikola Kerpan.
In the church, there are eight new pews, two on each side of the altar, a pulpit, and a choir. The church has two doors: the main one on the facade and a slightly smaller one on the right side; it has two canopies (baldachins): the larger one belongs to the Brotherhood of the Blessed Body of Christ, and the other is municipal. The sacristy is without a vault. In it is a cupboard containing three chalices, two monstrances, one unusable and one new, a beautiful gilded ciborium, seven chasubles of various colors and a white cope, two Croatian and one Latin missal, and two Latin missals for the deceased.
There are 5 bells on the tower.
The church is well-roofed and whitewashed, and the cemetery in which it was built is enclosed. There is no rectory; instead, the parish priest lives in a rented house for which he pays 12 ducats annually. There are books in which marriages, baptisms, deaths, and confirmations are recorded, a Croatian ritual book, and a Croatian breviary. In the parish, there are no prostitutes, usurers, thieves, concubinaries, or persons prone to magic. It was ordered that the parish priest should not perform marriages in houses and should not celebrate mass in unconsecrated churches. There are 112 houses in the parish, and 400 souls for communion. The bishop stayed there for three days and was housed with the Capuchins.
Bishop Benzoni said in 1733 that the church, as a building and in structure, was in good condition, but lacked all necessary liturgical vestments. In 1752, Bishop Čolić ordered that those who wish to bury their deceased in the church must build a proper tomb with a stone cover, and not simply cover them with earth, as had been the custom until then. Otherwise, let them be buried outside the church. The following year, he ordered the renovation of the entire church. He stated that the church has three crypts (tombs) where foreigners who die in Karlobag are buried, while locals are buried next to the church.
The old parish church was demolished in 1767. The works were led by Giovanni Battista Baccini from Cividale (Italy) and a local son, Ivan Lenac, who died during the demolition. In the same year, 1767, on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Archdeacon of Lika-Krbava, Ivan Krstitelj Kabalin, blessed the foundation stone, accompanied by numerous priests and dignitaries. Parish priest Josip Suvić was there, but Antun Ivanković had already taken over the administration of the parish. During the laying of the stone, mortars were fired, bells rang, and the ships in the harbor sounded their horns. When the northern wall of the church was already raised, a terrible storm on September 25 and lightning struck down the pillars of the sanctuary so that everything became a ruin. Since the architect Baccini was not skilled enough for the job, the investitor Roku Stuparić from Veli Lošinj was approached to build the church. However, once again, a stormy gale caused great damage. Fortunately, the Viennese Court always came to the rescue with a new donation. The then-bishop Pijo Manzador also stepped in to help. The church was finally completed, and mass began to be served in it on April 11, 1773, on Easter. It was consecrated in the same year on June 11 by Bishop Kabalin.
The church was 26 m long and 16 m wide. The sanctuary is 7 m deep, and its width is equal to the width of the main nave. The sacristy (now a mortuary) is 6.5x4.5 m. The church was planned and built to resemble the basilica in Milan as much as possible. The altar was also made in that spirit. It had the special support of Empress Maria Theresa, especially since St. Charles was the heavenly patron of her father. According to a charter by the same Empress in 1760, the figure of St. Charles was on the seal of Karlobag. Work on the church continued even after the consecration, as it was noted during the visit of Joseph II in May 1775 that it was not yet finished. In 1774, an organ was purchased in Venice, and in 1777, a clock was placed on the church tower, which was heightened in 1786. A Slovenian, Ivan Conti, built the pulpit in 1781.
In 1789, we see a completely different arrangement in the church from the time of Pohmajević. Along with the main altar of St. Charles (painted by Ivan Stimer), we have 4 more side altars: St. John of Nepomuk (erected in 1783), St. Margaret of Cortona (consecrated in 1781), St. Joseph (painted by Ivan Stimer in 1783), and St. Nicholas (erected by Nikola Grkinić from Karlobag). The large altar, organ, and baptismal font were gilded in 1792 by the Slovenian gilder Ivan Banko. The statue of St. Charles was made by Marko Layer, a Slovenian. Bishop Ježić visited the parish in 1795 and recorded that besides the main altar, there were side altars of St. Joseph, St. Nicholas, and St. Margaret of Cortona. The altars were consecrated on June 3. The church is in excellent condition, everything is beautiful and orderly.
In the 18th century, the parish acquired valuable liturgical vessels for the parish church and for the local chapels. Naturally, the church needed repairs.
One bell was purchased in Ljubljana in 1881, and in 1917 it was recorded that there was a bell from 1722 on the church.
During the anti-Turkish war in 1788, the church served for 4 months for the storage of food and other supplies for the army. The Archdeacon of Lika, Grgur Pančić, said in 1862 that he saw the church with his own eyes in such a state that it would become a ruin if the roof was not repaired as soon as possible. In 1876, it was completely renovated.
View of the church floor plan, cemetery, gardens, and rectory. The plan dates from 1833.
Taken from the book "The Church in the Velebit Podgorje in the Past and Present" by Mile Bogović. Taken for educational and informative purposes.
In January 1873, a letter set off from the coastal town of Karlobag toward Zagreb, which today offers us a precious insight into the preservation of the cultural heritage of Lika and the Velebit littoral. Parish priest Josip noble Demelli, responding to an inquiry from the giant of Croatian historiography, Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski, meticulously recorded in this document the traces of the past he encountered in his parish.
This letter is not merely an administrative response; it is a testament to a time when the foundations of modern Croatian archaeology and art history were being laid.
Letter taken from the State Archives in Varaždin for educational/informative purposes.
Illustrious Sir!
Following your esteemed letter sent from Zagreb in December 1872, I have the honor to respond as follows:
In the parish church, there are several inscriptions on gravestones dating from 1775. Among the most significant is that of Countess Franjica Petazzi, born Baroness St. Genois, with the corresponding coat of arms, as well as the inscription of the Baron of Oberburg. The other stones belong to the families Rukavina, Brajković, and Dolac (or Doljac), but they are without family crests. At the very entrance to the sanctuary, on the stone floor, there is one embedded stone without an inscription.
The construction of the current Church of St. Charles is recorded from 1787. In the diary of the late parish priest Ivanković, there are records regarding both the consecration of the church itself and its altars.
In the vicinity of the parish, there are sites of Roman antiquities in Dervešica. Major Rukavina, who resides here in retirement, sent letters about them to Mr. Sabljar. Thanks to the kindness of the Major, this correspondence is available to me.
If this response of mine is of use to your Lordship, I remain at your further service.
Your Illustriousness's humble servant,
Josip noble Demelli, Parish Priest
In Karlobag, January 7, 1873.
Ivan Antun Ivanković was born in Karlobag in 1733 and was ordained a priest in 1761. From late 1773 until September 1813, he served as the parish priest in Karlobag. During his service, he began writing the parish Chronicle, an invaluable source of data for local history. In 1803, he became an apostolic protonotary, and he passed away in his birthplace on September 23, 1813.
Franjica Baroness of St. Genois, full name Maria Francisca (Franziska) de Paula de Saint-Genois, hails from an old Belgian (Flemish) noble lineage. Members of this family were known as loyal subjects of the Habsburg Monarchy, serving as high-ranking officers and diplomats. By marrying Count Adalbert (Vojteh) Petazzi (1734–1818), a high military commander in the Military Frontier system, Franjica became a member of one of the most influential families in the history of Lika and Gorski Kotar. Her husband was the son of the famous Count Benvenuto Petazzi, a key figure in the development of Karlobag and the surrounding roads. The year 1775 mentioned on the tombstone inscription marks the time of her death (October 18, 1775).
The Baron of Oberburg belonged to the Apfaltrern family, one of the oldest noble lineages in this part of Europe, whose roots date back to the 12th century. Members of this family were extremely active in the Military Frontier, serving as high-ranking officers (captains, majors, and colonels) in the Lika and Otočac regiments. Since Karlobag in the 18th century was a strategically important port and the seat of military commanders, the baron mentioned in the letter was likely one of the high imperial officials who died during his service in the town.
Report by Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski from 1891
We present to you one of the most important works of Croatian epigraphy and art history – the collection
"Medieval and Modern Inscriptions on Churches, Public and Private Buildings, etc. in Croatia and Slavonia".
This precious book, printed in Zagreb in 1891 and published by the Bookstore of the Yugoslav Academy, is the result of years of work and research by Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski, the founder of modern Croatian historical science and archaeology.
Given that many buildings and monuments have been damaged or destroyed over the past century (including numerous sites in the Velebit Podgorje region), this work often serves as the only remaining written record of the existence of certain inscriptions and historical figures.
For local history researchers, genealogists, and heritage enthusiasts, "Inscriptions" is an indispensable source of information that connects architecture with the written word, preserving the identity and memory of Croatian regions.
Book sourced from the MDZ Munich Digitization Center, Germany. Retrieved for educational/informational purposes.
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© Karlobag kroz razglednice© Karlobag kroz razglednice
Report by Većeslav Henneberg, 1925
In the periods from September 30 to December 16, 1914, and from July 19 to 28, 1925, Većeslav Henneberg conducted field surveys and made architectural records throughout Karlobag. During his fieldwork, he dedicated a portion of his research to the Church of St. Charles Borromeo, documenting its interior in rich detail.
Drawings and manuscripts obtained from the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia. Retrieved for educational/informational purposes.
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ש Karlobag kroz razglednice© Karlobag kroz razglednice
Due to the dilapidated state of the roof, the church was closed to service in 1922, but was successfully restored by April 9, 1923. However, the church roof was damaged again in a storm in 1927, and by the following year, the building was noted to be "generally in a ruinous state," requiring a more thorough reconstruction. In 1939, fundraising began for the restoration of the church. The Banovina of Croatia approved 25,000 dinars for this purpose, but wartime events quickly disrupted the initiative. A special reconstruction committee was appointed, and donations continued to be gathered until the end of 1943.
Its final fate was sealed by the bombardment on August 31, 1944. On that day, 16 Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF), operating as part of the Allied forces (RAF), bombed the church following reports and request from Partisans that the German army was using it as an ammunition dump.
At exactly 11:45 AM, flying in sequence, four aircraft (marked A, E, R, and F) carried out a rocket attack on the church. Each aircraft fired eight air torpedoes (rockets). Out of a total of 32 projectiles fired, 18 hit the target, while the rest struck the nearby cemetery, the Fortica fortress in the background, and various houses across Karlobag. Since there was ultimately no ammunition stored in the church, a major secondary explosion did not occur; however, the church was completely destroyed, with the exception of the bell tower.
The German army had actually used the church to store food rations and cigarettes, and that only for a brief period of two days. Eyewitnesses recall that the church had also been bombed by Italian forces a year prior. Following the 1944 rocket strike, smoldering embers flared up into a major fire, burning everything combustible. Only the outer stone walls remained standing. The only items rescued were a few liturgical vestments from the sacristy.
The Bombing of the Church — August 31, 1944
During World War II, Allied forces carried out extensive reconnaissance missions and gathered intelligence on Italian, German, and Ustaše positions along the Dalmatian coast. Following Italy's capitulation in 1943, German forces seized control of key strategic locations and transport routes. Intelligence gathered on the ground, combined with information provided by local partisan units, suggested that the church in Karlobag was being utilized for storing ammunition and military supplies, a claim documented in Allied air operations logbooks.
Bombing photographs sourced from https://saafww2pilots3.yolasite.com. Retrieved for educational/informational purposes.
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ש Karlobag kroz razglednice© Karlobag kroz razglednice
After the end of the Second World War, the church in Karlobag remained heavily damaged. A large part of the roof had collapsed, the interior was devastated by explosions and fire, and the walls were cracked and scorched. Despite this, the basic structure of the building managed to withstand the destruction.
After the war, mass was celebrated in the church several times, but there was no possibility to repair it, and the Capuchins could no longer use it for parish needs, so it was definitively abandoned.
While waiting for restoration, the decision came to demolish it. When the route for the Adriatic Highway was being made in 1957, at the edge of Karlobag, it seemed that the curve was too sharp and that it could be softened if the road passed through the area where the damaged church stood. A plan was made in that sense, compensation was determined, and the responsible parties were called for an inspection before the demolition of the church. The Conservation Institute in Zagreb agreed to the demolition but requested that an architectural record be made before the demolition, that all gravestones be preserved, and that the bell tower be preserved and restored. The Diocese opposed the demolition of the church to the end, since it was not only a religious but also a cultural monument. On October 7, 1957, the Diocese sent a letter to the Conservation Institute in Zagreb stating that "a baptismal artistic entity, the most valuable in Karlobag" should be preserved. It highlighted its right and duty to protect and defend it. As early as the 16th of the same month, a short reply arrived, which we present in its entirety: Through your mediation, we return the document of the Bishop's Ordinariate of Senj and Modruš in Senj no. 943/1957, which we could not take note of due to untruths, insinuations, and style. Death to fascism – Freedom to the people!
Reading the text signed by Bishop Burić, it is difficult to understand that the letter could not even be "taken note of." The local committee requested that its member be present during the demolition in case gold was discovered, as it was national property. It showed no other concerns. Since the church authorities did not come to terms with the demolition, it was decided that the plots on which the church stood would be expropriated (taken with compensation). The locals, nor other workers, wanted to demolish the church, so convicts were brought in. Most of the bones from the tombs in the church were placed in a crate and buried next to the Capuchin tomb not far from the church itself. A small portion might have ended up in the embankment along the shore or in the sea. Also, a few gravestones, with which both side naves were full, were saved in the monastery, while most were broken and ended up as waste. The Diocese was represented by the then parish priest Fr. Ambrozije Habek, with whom we consulted for the above information. The chances of saving the church were slim because at that time one could not expect a church cultural monument to be saved when it bothered someone in power. It especially bothered the authorities in Gospić.
To be fair, neither the parish nor the diocese were in a position to restore the church and thus preserve that cultural and religious monument, and it was difficult at that time to expect that any church cultural monument could be preserved when it bothered someone in authority. In Senj as well, for the needs of the same Adriatic Highway, the 18th-century Church of St. Ambrose was blown up. And so, the following year, 1958, the baroque Church of St. Charles in Karlobag was demolished to allow for greater driving speed on the highway at that spot. Another logic was used to solve — as pointed out by the Diocese — a curve that was 150 meters lower. It remained at a right angle to preserve some hovels. In this way, three church naves, five chapels, and 38 tombs were erased, part of a once very large baroque church in which, among others, Priest Marko Mesić (1713), Juraj Kružić (1773), and Dominić (1745) were buried. Mladen Fučić had the bell tower reinforced. In the spring of 1960, the doors leading from the sacristy to the sanctuary were walled up, and the doors where the altar used to be were opened. In the church, according to the legacy of Marko Mesić, the Archdeacon of Lika, a Holy Mass was served for him every week. Since Mesić left such a legacy only to this church, it may be a sign that he is buried in it.
After the establishment of the independent Croatian state, more could be done for the restoration of church buildings. Parish administrator Fr. Ante Logara saw to it that the remaining walls of the parish church were arranged.
In 1999, the remains (tower and northern wall) of the church were restored with the help of the Ministry, benefactors, and mostly through the merits of the Capuchins and their superior Fr. Ante Logara. The church bell tower is used as the mortuary for the city cemetery, so that today, from the restored bell tower, long-silent but now electrified bells are heard again. The tombs were carefully inspected before the floor of the rest of the church was concreted. Nothing worthy of attention was found in them. St. Charles Borromeo is the patron of Karlobag and is celebrated on November 4 in the Capuchin Church of St. Joseph.
On Saturday, the feast of St. Charles in 2000, there was a solemn opening of the restored church walls and bell tower. At 4:30 PM, a procession moved from the bell tower to the Church of St. Joseph, where the Eucharistic celebration was led by the Vicar General of the Diocese of Gospić-Senj, Mr. Tomislav Rogić, with many priests, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, and other guests.
Text taken from the book "The Church in the Velebit Podgorje in the Past and Present" by Mile Bogović. Taken for educational and informative purposes.
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