Košljun island hosts Franciscan monastery and cultural treasures

Košljun is a small, protected island located approximately 750 meters off the southwest coast of Krk, Croatia. Known for its dense vegetation and status as a park-forest, the island hosts around 540 plant species and is home to four Franciscan monks.

The island serves as a significant cultural and religious site, centered around a Franciscan monastery that includes a museum, a library containing roughly 30,000 volumes, and various historical collections. The library holds rare manuscripts, Glagolitic books, incunabula, and ancient parchments. An ethnographic museum on the island displays traditional items from Krk, such as ship models, wooden tools, and weaving equipment.

Unlike typical Adriatic tourist destinations, Košljun lacks hotels, restaurants, or commercial facilities, and swimming is prohibited except for the monks in a small, enclosed coastal area. The island's history includes Benedictine occupation and support from the Frankopan noble family, whose influence remains visible through preserved coats of arms and the tomb of Katarina Frankopan.