Pilgrims' Route Plitvice - Krasno

Rediscover the old way of travelling to a holy place – on foot to the Shrine of Our Lady of Krasno!

Shrine Nested in the Mountain

Regardless of your religious affiliation, we invite you to experience Krasno the old way - on a pilgrimage if you are a believer or on a recreational walk if you believe in nature, to the village of Krasno and the Shrine located on the hill above it.

In addition to centuries-old religious tradition, Krasno also boasts the highest sanctuary location in the Republic of Croatia!

The Shrine of Our Lady of Krasno, once the most powerful Marian shrine in Croatia, is located on the mystical Velebit Mountain. The faithful pilgrims were coming to Krasno on different routes, one of which was from the direction of Plitvice Lakes and the Licka Pljesivica Mountain. The tradition of pilgrimage to Krasno has not ended, although its popularity has waned in the last few centuries.

The GreenWay Tour 2Parks initiative is to bring this old and almost forgotten centuries-old tradition back to life. The revitalization of the old pilgrimage route Plitvice - Krasno is in progress, but that should not stop you from making your journey to the Shrine, on foot towards Velebit and Krasno.

The pilgrimage is traditionally held on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the past, thousands of pilgrims made their way to the Shrine on foot, and votive pilgrimages were very often done barefoot. In addition to vows and penance, believers also went on pilgrimage to attain better health for themselves or for their loved ones, for peace or a fruitful harvest.

Velebit Mountain

Today, in addition to believers undertaking a religious pilgrimage we would also like to invite hikers who consider this kind of experience a spiritual journey away from the bustle of modern life.

Some Historical Curiosities

Written documents and records of early pilgrimages to Krasno are quite rare, mostly because the word of mouth was the most common way of transmitting information in the past. However, existing data confirm that Krasno was already a well-known pilgrimage site at the time the oldest written records were written and prove that this is an age-old tradition.

The first solid written record dates back to 1844 and is found in the letter written by the parish priest Kriskovic from Krasno, to Bishop Ozegovic „thanking him for a golden chain sent by the faithful believers from Karlobag to St. Mary of Krasno“. But a much older written record from the town of Senj indicates that pilgrimage existed much earlier, namely, in the Bishop's Office correspondence dating from 1795 is noted: »Indulgentia pro Krasno«, most likely related to absolution (forgiveness) from God given through the church of St. Mary of Krasno. Furthermore, if we take into consideration the data faund in the shrine church – an engraved year 1641, we can safely assume that the story of the pilgrimage to Krasno begins much earlier than 1844 (Bogović, 1991, pp. 197-203). 

Legend

Like many others, this story also begins with the legend of St. Mary of Krasno, a story about a group of shepherds who found an outline of St. Mary in a mountain flower on the site of the present church. With awe, they took the flower to the chapel in their village in Krasnarsko polje (Krasno valley). But the miraculous flower reappeared several times on the site in the forest. This miraculous event inspired faithful villagers to build a chapel in the forest and to continue to go on pilgrimage on the site of the apparition. The story of the miraculous event soon spread in all directions and the ever-growing mass of people started the pilgrimage to Krasno. As an expression of worship, the pilgrimage was made on foot, often barefoot, and it lasted for several days (Bogović, 1991, p. 200).

Over time, walking was replaced by cars and buses, but that is a completely different, simply incomparable pilgrimage experience from the one pilgrims had in the past.

Because from the moment you make your first step in silence, you begin the process of releasing and slowing down!

Only walking gives that feeling! We therefore invite you to encourage yourself to take that first step, because one thing is certain - this kind of experience is life changing. Here we share a few tips and some useful and interesting information that will help you to start your spiritual journey!

Krasno, Velebit

Useful Information

Shrine's Location

The Shrine and the church of Our Lady of Krasno are situated on a beautiful glade above the picturesque mountain Village of Krasno in the Lika-Senj County in the Republic of Croatia. At 700 elevation, Krasno is nested in the heart of the Northern Velebit National Park and is  without a doubt one of the most beautifully situated Marian shrines! 

How long is the route?

The length of the Plitvice - Krasno Route is about 70 km.

What is the Route Like?

At the present time, the pilgrimage is possible along the state road from Korenica towards the llittle Town of Otocac, and further along the county road towards the Village of Krasno. There is generally a dense network of public footpaths in this area, but they are now little used and overgrown due to sustained rural depopulation, and the lack of agricultural activities and livestock farming. GWT2P initiative is to look to revitalize old routes avoiding main roads as much as possible.

When Shoul I Go?

We recommend a period from May to October, but given today’s strange weather patterns both March and April can be very good for walking. Be sure to always check the forecast and contact the hosts before you embark on your walking journey. Peak time for pilgrimage to Krasno is August.

Where to Start? 

In olden times, pilgrims used to start from their home. Today, those who are nearby 2Parks simply have to follow the state road from Korenica to the Town of Otočac. The road initially passes through the Plitvice Lakes National Park, and continues further from Otočac to the nearby Village of Krasno by the county road.

What is the offer like along the route?

Along the route you can find family-run cafes, bistros, and accommodation, not many though, but in recent years the offer has become richer. If we take into account that this is a very passive area with many burdens, this small, but positive shift in the offer means very, very much - thanks to you also, dear pilgrims and walkers!

Important Tips

  • Travel in a group of at least 3 people.
  • Bring extra clothing and layers, including waterproof gear. Please remember that the Shrine is in the mountainous region, it could be up to 7 or 8 degrees cooler on Velebit, coupled with the wind (if present) could make it quite cool, especially out of season.
  • Have appropriate footwear, ideally hiking boots with proper ankle support.
  • If you choose to walk barefoot we recommend Stations of the Cross that start at the bottom of the hill where the Shrine is located.
  • Everyone should have adequate food and water supply to be self-sufficient.
  • Chocolate, bananas, nuts and raisins are good energy providers.
  • Everyone should have a means of contacting help. A fully charged mobile phone, and possibly a second or third if in a group.

Accommodation

In the close vicinity to the Shrine, you can find a family run Pension Degenija with 27 rooms and 60 beds, and a restaurant that offers domestic food and drinks. Down in the Krasno Valley, as well as in the nearby Town of Otočac, you can find a nice selection of holiday homes and restaurants.

Arrange all details in advance!

Shrine and the church of Our Lady of Krasno, Krasno 58
Tel/fax: +385(0)53 799-102
Info: https://visitsenj.com/svetiste-majke-bozje-od-krasna/
Boarding house Degenija
Tel / fax: +385(0)53 851-205
Info: https://visitsenj.com/pansion-degenija/
TZ Senj - Krasno
www: https://visitsenj.com/rivijera-senj/krasno/

Other important phone numbers of emergency services can be found under Rules and Regs - Practical Information HR!

Nearby Attractions 

Kuća Velebita - visitor centre

Northern Velebit Nationa Park

Today, by the revitalization of this ancient pilgrimage route, we also wish to connect our GWT2P destination with the magnificent Velebit Mountain and the third National Park - Northern Velebit! The park is famous for numerous pits, a botanical garden and the renowned Premužić trail with the astonishing panoramic sea and inland views. Also, there is a newly opened visitor center "Kuca Velebita", and renovated shepherd's huts for tourists situated far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The seat of this stunning national park is located in Krasno village.
LinkNorthern Velebit National Park   

Krasno Village

The village Krasno is located below the Shrine, 714 meters above the sea level, and is pretty old - it was mentioned for the first time back in 1275Today, Krasno is a popular spot among the nature lovers and believers.

The locals offer excellent cheese and eco and organic produce, a visit to the Forestry Museum (the oldest forestry in Croatia - 250 years), a visit to the church and the chapel. The village also offers private accommodation and a few nice restaurants.

The whole region has a mixture of the highland climate, Mediterranean climate and moderate continental climate with a nearly perfect fusion of the clean mountain air and marine air masses enriched with aerosols. All you have to do for a full therapeutic effect is to breathe deeply!

Church of Our Lady of Krasno

Today's Church was built in the 18th century, and the first major restoration took place in 1716, a year which may still be seen inside the Church engraved on the wall plaque. However, there are direct physical evidence that the Church was built on the foundations of an older medieval church – a marble holy water font inside the Church with the engraved year 1641 (Bogović, 1991, p. 199). The highest artistic value in the church is given to the wooden coffered ceiling.

Wooden coffered ceiling

This old church is often associated with its "coffered ceiling" with painted scenes from the life of Christ, Mary, the saints, and Latin quotations. Coffer in architecture is related to decorative sunken panels, in this case wooden sunken panels in a ceiling. The coffer's surface was usualy decorated or painted in different ways.

In his paper, Bishop Bogović highlighted several important facts related to the coffered ceiling of the church, which he stated was originally painted in 1759. The ceiling was then decorated by the Lukanović brothers from the neighboring parish church of St. Juraj, and the author pointed out that their work was highly prized by experts at the time. The originally painted ceiling lasted until 1988, when conservation-restoration work took place, but as Bogović points out, the original work of the Lukanić brothers unfortunately "was not restored in its faithfulness to the original" (Bogović, 1991, p. 199). Regardless of the restoration, today's paintings are a beautiful sight worth seeing live.

"Kuca Velebita" Visitor Center

The House of Velebit is the visitor and educational center of the Northern Velebit National Park located in the village of Krasno. It offers a variety of interesting exhibits, a wealth of interactive content and information about the natural and cultural values of the Park and the surrounding area - definitely worth a vist.
Link: https://np-sjeverni-velebit.hr/velebit-house 

Diary Runolist, Krasno

Along the route you will also find a well-known dairy Runolist that is highly worth a visit. The Tomaic Family has many years of experience in producing a range of high quality domestic milk products. They collect fresh milk from local herders whose cows and sheep graze freely on the ecologically clean pastures of the Velebit mountain. They use traditional recipes and respect a high standard of hygiene to ensure both the quality and safety of their products. Runolist has handcrafted many varieties of cheese and received numerous national and international awards! 

You can buy the range of their top quality products in their store in the Village of Krasno, and on their website you can find everything about their history and check the availability of seasonal cheeses.

Krasno store, Krasno 105c
e-mail: siranarunolist@gmail.com
www: https://sirana-runolist.eu/   

Laudon's Grove Forest Park

On June 29, 1965, the Grove was declared a special reserve of forest vegetation. The then Institute for Nature Protection in Zagreb declared the Grove, management unit 16a, "a special reserve of forest vegetation, explaining that the Laudon's Grove forest area, with an area of 33.23 ha, represents the historic 220-year-old common oak forest with 584 oak trees that represent living historical monument planted by General E.G. Laudon in 1746" (Vukelić, 2001). The grove is located in the NW part of the Krbava Field in the Municipality of Udbina and can be accessed by turning off the state road Korenica - Otocac near the village of Bunic to the local road towards the Village of Salamunic in the Krbava Field. The Grove occupies slightly undulating terrain, at an altitude of 628 - 641 m ASL, and has an immensely important and interesting history.

Ernest Gideon Laudon

Back in 1746, Ernest Gideon Laudon, the then captain of the Bunic Captaincy within the Military Frontier, put into action a plan to afforest the live or active sand area of the Krbava Field. Namely, upon arriving at his new post in Bunic, Laudon became very interested in the problem of local active sand, which caused great damage to farmers and the economy of this region.

During windy weather, strong air currents, especially those from the north, rise and spread fine sand particles over fertile land of the Krbava field. Any further spreading of the sand posed a grave threat to local population, therefore the plan for afforestation was drawn up by the then Forestry Office of the 1st Lika Regiment of the Karlovac Generalate, and Laudon implemented the plan. Planting began in 1746 following a strict military structure, pictorially representing an army in motion.

They planted 10,000 saplings of common oak (Quercus robur) per hectare in 1m deep pits filled with humus from nearby forests. During the remaining period of the Habsburg Military Frontier system, the forest was well-protected and made good progress right up until administrative powers were handed over to the civilian authorities when a major devastation began. Unfortunately, extreme poverty (imposed by the previous rulers) led local people to make this desperate step. The extent of the destruction was so vast it prompted local government authorities to order the excavation of a deep ditch around the forest as a barrier to help preserve the rest of this important protective forest that kept large amount of sand from spreading over fertile parts of the Krbava field.

Laudon's Grove Today

Although still home to some impressive ancient common oak trees planted way back in 1746, the Park Forest was a forgotten place for a very long time. Forestry experts estimate that there are still about 500 old oak trees with the highest measured height of 26 m and the largest measured diameter at breast of 153 cm. The edge of the forest is dominated by the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and the Black pine (Pinus nigra) that can cope with dry, sandy soils, and also some beech and spruce trees. Sadly, natural regeneration of oak trees has failed (seedlings of about 40 cm die after 2-3 years), therefore expert opinion is that regeneration must be guided by strategic plans and with strong and healthy oak saplings that are up to 2 meters high. Today, this valuable protected forest reserve is guarded by a local branch of the state institution Croatian Forest, and since its establishment in 2020, it has also been under the protection of the Public Institution for the Protection and Conservation of Nature of the Lika-Senj County.

We sincerely wish that Laudon's Grove receives all the attention it needs from professionals, locals, and all lovers of nature and history. Visit the Grove during your pilgrimage!

It is with great pleasure to inform you that in 2021 / 2022 the Public Institution for the Protection and Conservation of Nature of Lika-Senj County began preparation of the revitalization plan for the reserve inviting all local stakeholders to actively participate in the process. Especially worthy of mention is the education, sensibilization and active participation of primary school children who will enjoy field classes in the reserve, but also the cleanup of illegally dumped waste, and in the foreseeable future the construction of multi-use educational trails and other public facilities to make the stay within the reserve as pleasant as possible (JU za zaštitu i očuvanje prirode LSŽ, 2022.). Bravo!!

We have no doubt that the revitalization plan will support collaborative scientific research and afforestation to make the reserve one day shine in all its splendor; one more time - Bravo!!

Kuterevo Bear Sanctuary

In the nearby Village of Kuterevo, you will find a world-renowned bear sanctuary dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of orphaned and injured baby bears. A great number of vulnerable baby bears have been given a new chance in life thanks to a team of top experts and volunteers from around the world, expert care, and a safe place to live and grow. Learn more about this commendable work, visit the Kuterevo Bear Sanctuary!

AddressPod crikvon 103, Kuterevo 
Phone: +385(0)53 799 222

Kuterevo bear sanctuary

We believe that you'll find plenty of reasons to go on this spiritual journey! Discover Krasno and Velebit! 

Explore Local represents a part of our natural and cultural heritage; for a fuller overview of the tangible and intangible heritage, see our Interactive Map under Experiences and Events and Activities Calendar with many suggestions for your itinerary.

References

1. JU za zaštitu i očuvanje prirode LSŽ. (2022, June 6). Posebni rezervat Laudonov gaj uređuje se za prijem posjetitelja. JU za zaštitu i očuvanje prirode LSŽ. ˂https://zop-lsz.hr/2022/09/19/posebni-rezervat-laudonov-gaj-ureduje-se-za-prijem-posjetitelja/>
2. Mile Bogović, M. (1991).  Krasnarska župa i svetište Gospe od Krasna. Senj zb 18 (1991), pp. 197-203
3. Vukelić, M. (2001). Laudonov gaj. Šumarski list br. 7-8/2001, pp. 425-436

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