Brinje

Brinje is a village in the northwestern part of Lika and a municipality in the Lika-Senj County, located in the Brinjska karst field in the northwestern part of the Gack polje in the Brinjska bay, on the route of the Jozefine's road and next to today's highway Zagreb - Split and at the intersection of the state road Duga Resa - Josipdol - Žuta Lokva - Senj (the old Jozefine's road).

Brinje is the seat of the municipality that stretches between the slopes of Velika Kapela and Velebit.

The area of the Brinjska region geographically adjoins the Primorje, but regardless of that, the climate is extremely continental and due to temperature inversions, this is one of the coldest regions in Croatia, where summers are short and dry, and winters are long and snowy. The local population has preserved its original Chakavian pronunciation, and the majority of the inhabitants are Croats.

The old town of Sokolac

Sokolac, a monument of zero category and one of the most beautiful monuments of the Middle Ages, was first mentioned in historical sources in the 14th century. Brinje, in the area of Lika, next to Modruš, was the most important seat of the Krk princes, where they hosted numerous important European figures such as King Sigismund in 1412, Danish King Erich VII in 1424 and others. Due to the impending Turkish threat, in the 16th century, the Frankopans ceded Brinje to the king, who stationed a permanent military garrison there. Although Brinje was threatened several times by the Turkish army, it was never conquered.

The old town is located on a small hill in the very center of Brinje, and with its elevated position and the interesting volumes of the palace chapel and the entrance tower, it has always attracted tourists and passers-by. In the Frankopan era, Sokolac was an extremely representative building. The city was entered through a square, three-story tower. Opposite the tower, the eastern side of the rectangular courtyard, was closed by the powerful volume of the unique two-story palace chapel in Croatia.

Source: www.brinje.hr