Rab is an island and a town of the same name located just off the northern Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea. The island is 22 km (14 mi) long, has an area of 93.6 km2 (36 sq mi) and 9,328 inhabitants. The highest peak is Kamenjak at 408 m. The northeastern side of the island is mostly barren, while the southwestern side is covered by one of the last oak forests of the Mediterranean. Ferries connect the island of Rab with the mainland port of Stinica and with the neighbouring islands of Krk and Pag. European Coastal Airlines offers multiple daily connections by seaplane from Rab to Zagreb and to Rijeka via Rijeka Airport in Omišalj on the neighboring island of Krk.
The island is first heard of under the Illyrians in 360 BC. It was part of Liburnia and then part of the Roman Empire. The Emperor Octavian Augustus built town walls and gave Rab the title of Municipium. It was the first town of Roman Dalmatia to be given the honorary title “felix” (blessed/fortunate). Saint Marinus, the founder of the mini-state of San Marino, originated on Rab, whence he fled during the religious persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian (this ancient tie is commemorated in the present twin-city agreement between Rab and San Marino). The island of Rab is rich in cultural heritage and cultural-historical monuments that make it a popular vacation destination. Rab is also known as a pioneer of naturism after the visit of King Edward VIII and Mrs Wallis Simpson. The island is nowadays very popular with tourists and families for its beautiful nature, beaches, heritage and many events, particularly the Rab arbalest tournament and the Rab Medieval festival – Rapska Fjera.
Rab is a town (grad) on the island. According to the 2011 census the total population of the town was 8,000, whereas only 440 lived in the titular settlement (naselje). Rab, the settlement, is located on a small peninsula on the southwestern side of the island. The worst disaster in the town’s history was an outbreak of the plague in 1456 that decimated the city’s population.
There are many churches in the town. The largest is St. Mary the Blessed, which was built in the 13th century. The church of St. Justine is now a museum of sacred arts, while the chapel of Saint Christopher (dedicated to the patron saint of the island) is nowadays called the Lapidarium. The four church bell towers became the symbol of the town and island. The oldest dates back to the eleventh century.
