Dramalj

History

Dramalj was first mentioned in the 18th century, when it was named Zagorje - Dramalj. It began as a fishing port with olive groves, most of which were owned by the inhabitants of Tribalj Valley. There are ruins of an ancient Liburnian hill fort enclosed with a dry-stone dyke above Dramalj. Amphorae found around the Kačjak Peninsula are evidence of an ancient Roman port located there at the time. In the Austro-Hungarian times, Dramalj was part of Sveta Jelena County (St. Helen), which was founded in 1809. were built after 1812. The church was built on the foundations of an old chapel, when Dramalj belonged to Belgrad parish. G. Capovilla, a stone carver from Rijeka, made the altar in 1796. The construction of the church was financed by the parish and initiated by Mate Balas, then parish priest. The interior of the church was refurbished in the 19th century, the pulpit in 1837 and the main altar in 1845. The name of the village was soon after changed to Sveta Jelena. After the World War II, the former name Dramalj was restored. Between 1871 and 1875, Selce obćina, Grižane obćina, Belgrad obćina, Drvenik obćina, Sveta Jelena (Dramalj) obćina and Sveti Jakov obćina were all merged as Grižane-Crkvenica obćina. The Culture Hall is located in the vicinity of the church. In 1939, the building was home to the first public library in Dramalj.