The Construction of the New Adriatic: The Years of Hotels and the Coastal Road
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The sixties brought a true renaissance and an era of radical modernization to Karlobag. After years of reconstruction, the town was ready to embrace the wave of tourism. The focus shifted from the port and local trade to visitors arriving from the sea and the mainland, and the entire town underwent reorganization.
The construction of modern tourist complexes symbolized this change. Along the coast, the elegant Motel Karlobag emerged, as well as monumental structures like Hotel Jadran and its Annex (Depandansa), featuring terraces and all the luxuries of the time. Karlobag acquired a new identity—that of a Mediterranean seaside resort.
However, modernization demanded sacrifices. During this period, major infrastructural works were carried out, including the construction of a new road through Karlobag, which permanently altered the urban structure. For the purpose of expansion and modernization, the decision was made to demolish the remains of the old church, removing an important historical element in favour of the new, tourist-oriented Karlobag.
The summer months were no longer quiet; the waterfront (riva) resonated with the laughter of tourists from all over Europe, colourful swimwear was in vogue, and people danced on hotel terraces. Traffic on the Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala) boomed, bringing an increasing number of cars and campers.
Photographs and postcards from this era no longer just show the permanence of stone, but also dynamism and carefree days, along with visible cuts in the historical fabric of the town. They testify to a significant investment in the future, a time when Karlobag, supported by Velebit, firmly secured its place on the tourist map of the Adriatic as a glamorous summer stage.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: D. Randulić.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: D. Randulić.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: D. Randulić.
Postcard traveled in 1960.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: D. Randulić.
Postcard traveled in 1966.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Generalturist, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1970.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Publisher: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.
Period around the 1960s.
Edition: "Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Photo by: Đ. Griesbach.
Postcard traveled in 1963.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Jugoturist, Belgrade.
Period around the 1960s.
Postcard traveled in 1966.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: J. Kopač.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Generalturist, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Postcard traveled in 1968.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Technical National University, Belgrade.
Photo by: M. Milivojević.
Period around the 1960s.
Technical National University, Belgrade.
Photo by: M. Milivojević.
Period around the 1960s.
Publisher: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1968.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Publisher: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1963.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Agefoto, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1963.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
"Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Postcard traveled in the 1960s.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo by: Photo studio, Belgrade.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: J. Kopač.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: M. Pintar.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: M. Pintar.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: M. Pintar.
Period around the 1960s.
Postcard traveled in 1968.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Postcard traveled in 1965.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: J. Kopač.
Period around the 1960s.
Fotolik, Celje.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo by: A. Milivojević.
Period around the 1960s.
Fotolik, Celje.
Period around the 1960s.
Edition: "Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Photo by: Đ. Griesbach.
Postcard traveled in 1961.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Edition: "Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Photo by: Đ. Griesbach.
Period around the 1960s.
Fotolik, Celje.
Photo: F. Mauer.
Postcard traveled in 1962.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Edition: "Foto Tehnika", Zagreb, Ilica 35.
Photo by: D. Frković.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Period around the 1960s.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: M. Pintar.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo by: Photo studio "Belgrade", Belgrade, M. Tita 7.
Postcard traveled in 1963.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Agefoto, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Postcard traveled in 1961.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
"Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Postcard traveled in 1963.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
"Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Photo by: M. Pintar.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Generalturist, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1962.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Produced by: "Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Photo by: Đ. Griesbach.
Postcard traveled in 1962.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Jugoturist, Belgrade.
Postcard traveled in 1963.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Agefoto, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1974.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Publisher: Orbis - Prague.
Photo: F. Zahradniček.
Period 1960s.
Publisher: Orbis - Prague.
Photo: F. Zahradniček.
Period 1960s.
Period 1960s.
Agefoto, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1962.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Produced by: "Putnik Zagreb" - Photo service.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Jugoturist, Belgrade.
Postcard traveled in 1960.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Edition: "Foto Tehnika", Zagreb, Ilica 35.
Photo by: D. Frković.
Postcard traveled in 1960.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Edition: "Foto Tehnika", Zagreb, Ilica 35.
Photo by: D. Frković.
Postcard traveled in 1966.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Technical National University, Belgrade.
Photo by: M. Milivojević.
Postcard traveled in the 1960s.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Technical National University, Belgrade.
Photo by: M. Milivojević.
Postcard traveled in the 1960s.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Studio, Belgrade.
Postcard traveled in the 1960s.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Tourist Press, Belgrade.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Period around the 1960s.
Agefoto, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1967.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Generalturist, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Generalturist, Zagreb.
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Postcard traveled in 1966.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Fotolik, Celje.
Period around the 1960s.
Agefoto, Zagreb.
The picture on this postcard was drawn by Habsburg officer and cartographer Martin Stier in 1660. The image shows Karlobag after the attack of Venetian general Tiepolo. The town remained in ruins for a long time and was rebuilt in 1672, but at that time it served only as a military post.
Coming soon
Postcard traveled in 1964.
Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.
Period around the 1960s.
Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.