This
post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's
notes from our cruise in 2019. When information from other sources is added—for
further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off
in a text box (as this one).
Most
of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption
indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT”
placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such
as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification,
indicate that source in the caption.
Overnight, the Viking Star had sailed from Kotor, Slovenia to Zadar, our first stop in Croatia.
Zadar, Croatia (pop.
75,082) is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It serves as the
seat of Zadar County (Croatian: Zadarska Županija)and of the wider northern
Dalmatian region. It is the second-largest city of Dalmatia and the
fifth-largest in Croatia.
The earliest human settlements in
the area of present-day Zadar were in the late Stone Age. Before the Illyrians,
an ancient Mediterranean people inhabited the area and called it Iader.
Zadar traces its origin to its 9th-century BC founding as a settlement of the
Illyrian tribe of Liburnians, who continued the name Iader for the
settlement. When it became a Roman municipium in 59 BC, it was renamed Iadera.
In 48 BC, it became a Roman colonia. After the fall of the Western Roman
Empire in 476, Zadar became the capital of the Byzantine theme (major
military/administrative division) of Dalmatia. In the early-medieval Dalmatian
language, Iader/Iadera became Jadra/Jadera, which was pronounced Zadra/Zadera. At
the beginning of the 9th century, it came briefly under Frankish rule, but
returned to the Byzantines in 812. The first Croatian rulers grained brief
control over the city, which they called Zadar, in the 10th century. In 998,
Zadar became a vassal of the Republic of Venice. In 1186, it placed itself
under the protection of the King of Hungary and Croatia.
In 1202, the Venetians, with the
help of Crusaders, reconquered and sacked Zadar, which they renamed Zara.
Hungary regained control over the city in 1358 but sold it to the Venetians in
1409. When the Turks conquered the Zadar hinterland in the early 16th century,
the city became an important Venetian stronghold, ensuring Venetian trade in
the Adriatic, It became the administrative and cultural center of the Venetian
territories in Dalmatia. After the fall of Venice in 1797, Zadar came under
Austrian rule until 1918, except for a short period of French rule (1805-13),
still remaining the capital of Dalmatia. In 1920, Zadar was given to the
Kingdom of Italy and still called Zara. In 1947, it officially became part of
the Socialist Republic of Croatia, a federal constituent of Yugoslavia, and the
official name was changed back to Zadar.
The promontory on which the city
stands was once an island separated from the mainland by a deep moat, which has
since been filled in. It boasts one of the region’s richest histories. For over
a millennium, it was the capital of independent Dalmatia and thus held great
sway with Rome, Venice, and other empires. Its impressive city walls attest to
its might, and the bold Romanesque architecture of its three churches embodies
its religious influence. A maze of cobblestone streets winds through its
magnificent Old Town, a remarkable repository of red-roofed, medieval stone
houses. At the Riva, the picturesque seafront promenade, acoustic tubes
embedded beneath large marble steps sing the song of the city with every
lashing wave and burst of wind.
It has four patron saints:
Anastasia, Chrysogonus, Simeon, and Zoilus.
Dalmatia (Croatian:
Dalmacija; Italian Dalmazia) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia.
The name of the region stems from an Illyrian tribe called the Dalmatae, who lived
in the area in classical antiquity. Later it became a Roman province. The
Croats arrived in the 8th century. During the Middle Ages, its cities were
often conquered by, or switched allegiance to, the kingdoms of the region. The
longest-lasting rule was that of the Republic of Venice, which controlled most
of Dalmatia from 1420 to 1797. Under Napoleon, it was under French domination
from 1797 to 1815. Then, from 1815 to 1918, it was a province of the Austrian
Empire known as the Kingdom of Dalmatia. After the Austro-Hungarian defeat in
WWI, it was split between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes which
controlled most of it, and the Kingdom of Italy which held smaller parts. After
WWII, it became part of Yugoslavia.
Croatia (Croatian:
Hrvatska) is now officially the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Republika
Hrvatska) is a country at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, on
the Adriatic Sea. Although the area was inhabited already since the Paleolithic
Age, the Croats arrived in the 6th century, and by the 9th century Croatia was
recognized as an independent state. After several changes of rulers, becoming
part of Yugoslavia after WWI, it finally becoming an independent republic in
1991. It now has a population of 4.28 million, most of whom are Roman
Catholics.
We had found out that a lady in the next stateroom had been ordering breakfast by room service (at no charge); so, the night before, we had ordered breakfast delivered to our room at 7:00-7:15 am. While we were eating it on our balcony, the ship docked in Zadar (scheduled for 8 am), right by the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun solar panel we had heard about in the Port Talk.
Thursday, August 1, 2019, 7:25 AM – Zadar: view from out stateroom balcony
of the Greeting to the Sun solar panel and the steps of the Sea Organ.
The Greeting to the Sun
(Croatian: Pozdrav suncu), also known as Monument to the Sun (Croatian:
Spomenik suncu) consists of three hundred multi-layered glass plates placed on
the same level as the stone-paved waterfront at the entrance of the port of
Zadar. It consists of a circle, 22 m in diameter, with photovoltaic solar
modules underneath. The solar modules absorb light energy and transform it into
electricity that provides half the energy needed for lighting of the Zadar
waterfront. Lighting elements installed in the circle turn on at night and
produce a light show. The monument, designed by Croatian architect Nikola
Bašić, symbolizes communication with nature and communicated with light, while
the nearby Sea Organ (also designed by Bašić) communicates with sound.
Zadar: Greeting to the Sun
light show at night (By Böhringer Friedrich - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12045981).
At 9 am, we went to start the Walking Tour of Zadar shore excursion (included). We met our guide Šime (short for Simeon) for tour group 16 near the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun.
9:10 AM – Zadar: marble steps of the Sea Organ.
The Sea Organ (Croatian:
Morske orgulje) is an experimental musical instrument that plays music by way
of sea waves and tubes located beneath a set of large marble steps. After devastation
Zadar suffered in WWII, chaotic reconstruction turned much of the sea front
into an unbroken, monotonous concrete wall. The Sea Organ was made by the Croatian
architect Nikola Bašić as part of the project to redesign the new city coast
(Nova riva), and the site was opened to the public in 2005. Concealed under
white marble steps leading down to the water is a system of polyethylene tubes
and a resonating cavity that turns the site into a large musical instrument
played by the chance-based results of the wind and the sea waves. The waves
interact with the organ in order to create somewhat random but harmonic sounds.
(Our guide said people told Bašić
his idea for a sea organ would never work, but now it is a huge tourist
attraction.)
MT 9:04 AM – Zadar: marble steps of the Sea
Organ.
9:13 AM – Zadar: metal plaque in pavement near steps
of the Sea Organ, inscribed “Grad Zadar 2005 Morske Orgulje” (City of Zadar
2005 Sea Organ) with Zadar coat of arms.
Zadar: coat of arms (By
Coat_of_Arms_of_Zadar.gif: DIREKTORderivative work: DIREKTOR (talk) -
Coat_of_Arms_of_Zadar.gif, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10374721).
The coat of arms of Zadar is a
semicircular shield with a red background showing a knight on a horse, armored
or without a helmet, young in the face with black hair and a golden halo. This
is said to be St. Grisogon (Croatian: Sv. Chrysogonus). In his left hand is a
triangular shield (silver [or white] with a red cross). In his raised right hand is a golden lance with a flag
flying in a semicircle above his head; the flag is silver (or white) with a red
cross, forming three tails on the fly, the middle one being a continuation of
the red cross. He is equipped with a golden, sheathed sword. Flying behind his
shoulders is a blue cloak (cape), twisted three times. His house is sable, with
its forelegs embowed, hind legs firmly trusted. Behind the rider is a silver
(or white) battlement wall, and at the base of the shield is wavy blue.
From there, we walked toward the old Roman Forum.
9:22 AM – Zadar: Roman Forum, with Church of St.
Mary in left background.
The Roman Forum is the
largest on the eastern side of the Adriatic. This gathering place was the
center of public life in ancient times and the main square of the ancient Roman
city of Iadera. It was founded by the first Roman Emperor Augustus (ruled 27
BC-14 AD), and construction began as early as the second decade of the 1st
century AD, as evidenced by an inscription with the name of Augustus’s proconsul
for Illyricum. It was completed in the 3rd century, as shown by two stone
inscriptions about its completion dating from that century. Although partially
overrun by buildings, Zadar’s forum is the most faithful image of an ancient
city, not because of preserved ancient buildings but because of its undisturbed
layout.
The central, open section had a
magnificent appearance. It was bordered on three sides by two-story porticos
with marble colonnades and opened to the upper part with the magnificent temple,
dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Today, only the original pavement and
stairs remain, as well as two monumental columns, one of which is still on its
original site. That one, on the northwest side of the forum, served in the
Middle Ages as a pillory (pillar of shame), evidenced by chains from that
period still hanging on it. After a violent earthquake in the 6th century, the
buildings surrounding the forum were destroyed. The stones and elements of
Roman buildings that remained were used to construct fortifications and various
buildings.
During Roman rule, Zadar acquired
the characteristics of a traditional Ancient Roman city with roads in a
rectangular grid pattern, a public square (forum), and an elevated capitolium
with a temple. During the time of Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus, the town
was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the
western side of the town were the forum, the basilica, and the temple. A Roman
tower stands on the east side of the town, and some remains of a Roman aqueduct
are preserved.
MT 9:17 AM – Zadar: Roman Forum - bases of
disappeared columns.
MT 9:16 AM – Zadar: Roman Forum – our guide Šime
with red paddle for “Viking Star 16” tour group (mild telephoto 44 mm).
MT 9:17 AM – Zadar: Roman Forum – our guide Šime
(mild telephoto 44 mm).
9:22 AM – Zadar: steps of Forum, Roman column
(later used as pillory), with tower of St. Elijah Church in background.
The Church of St. Elijah (or
St Elias) is Zadar’s Orthodox church, serving the city’s Serbian community. It
was built in late Baroque style at the end of the 18th century in place of a
medieval church of the same name that was given by the Duke of Zadar to Orthodox
Greek merchants and sailors in 1548. In 1754, a bell tower had been built
alongside the old church. During the second half of the 16th, through the 17th,
and especially in the 18th century, more and more Orthodox Serbs came to Zadar
and took over governance of the church. In 1773, the old and inadequate church
was torn down and a new one built in its place. It was consecrated as late as 1805.
The church and bell tower, built in the manner of the late Venetian Baroque and
adapted to Orthodox worship, are a significant example of the coexistence of
different cultures.
9:23 AM – Zadar: steps of Forum, Roman column
(later used as pillory), with tower of St. Elijah Church in background.
9:39 AM – Zadar: Roman column (later used as
pillory), from another angle (mild telephoto 44 mm).
9:41 AM – Zadar: Christian symbol at base of
Roman column (later used as pillory), (telephoto 93 mm).
Zadar: Roman Forum with Church of St. Elijah near column at left and Church of
St. Donatus next to tower of Cathedral of St. Anastasia at right (By Robin Hood
9, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12778759).
Next to the Forum was the apse of the Church of St. Donatus.
9:23 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – apse end,
with steps of Forum in foreground.
Zadar: Church of St. Donatus
– aerial view (By ucsendre, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37319805).
The Church of St. Donatus (or St. Donat;
Croatian: Crkva svetog Donata) is a monumental round building from the 9th
century in pre-Romanesque style*. It is traditionally said to have been erected
on the site of a temple of Juno, and materials from the ruined Forum were used
in its construction. Building of the church began in the second half of the 8th
century, and it is thought to have been completed in the 9th century. The
church was originally dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and only in the 15th
century did the Venetians change the name to that of the bishop who oversaw its
construction, Bishop Donatus (died 811), by then venerated at St. Donatus of
Zadar. In 805, Bishop Donatus travelled to Aachen where he saw the Palatine
church (now the Aachen Cathedral) that his own somewhat resembles. Other
influences were the Church of San Vitale in nearby Ravenna or even the palatine
chapels of Constantinople, where Donatus carried out a diplomatic mission for
the Dalmatian city state of Zadar in 808. Thus, the unusual cylindrical-shaped
church seems to combine eastern and western architecture.
Zadar: Church of St. Donatus
– floor plan and cutaway drawing; German caption for “Zara (Zadar) - St.
Donatus. View of the Cupola and Floor Plan” (By Georg Kowalczyk; Fotografie,
Scan and postprocessing by Hubertl - Denkmäler der Kunst in Dalmatien,
Herausgegeben von Georg Kowalczyk, mit einer Einleitung von Cornelius Gurlitt.,
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48257892).
As originally conceived, the church
was a stand-alone rotunda, with no first floor (US second floor). In its
present form, the church is a cylinder within a cylinder. The outer wall
connects with the inner wall at the first floor, which creates a gallery in the
inner cylinder. The conical roof that tops the interior is supported by six
pilasters and two columns that were part of the original Roman forum. The massive dome of the rotunda is
surrounded by a vaulted gallery in two stories which also extends around the
three radially situated apses to the east, which reflect the original theme of
the Holy Trinity.
This church has been deconsecrated
for centuries. It served as a military storehouse, a wine cellar, and an
archaeological museum until 1956. Due to its excellent acoustics, it now serv
es as Zadar’s premier venue for concerts and recitals.
* Pre-Romanesque style in
art and architecture is from the period in European art from either the
emergence of the Merovingian kingdom in about 500 AD or from the Carolingian
Renaissance in the late 8th century, to the beginning of the 11th century
Romanesque period. In most of Western Europe, the Roman architectural tradition
survived the collapse of the Roman Empire. During this period, different
Germanic tribes firmly established themselves in different parts of Europe and
created kingdoms of their own. The Merovingian dynasty (Franks) continued to
build large stone buildings like churches and palaces. The Merovingian dynasty
was replaced in 752 by the Carolingian dynasty (Franks), which led to
Carolingian architecture from 780 to 900 and (Saxon) Ottonian architecture in
the Holy Roman Empire from the mid-10th until the mid-11th century. The primary
theme of this period is the introduction and absorption of classical
Mediterranean and Early Christian forms with Germanic ones, which fostered
innovative new forms. One overarching feature of the styles of this period is
that they were influenced by Christianity, which was becoming the dominant
religion of Europe at the time. These successive Frankish dynasties were large
contributors to Romanesque architecture. This in turn led to the rise of
Romanesque art in the 11th century.
MT 9:16 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – apse
end, with steps of Forum in foreground.
9:37 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – apse
end, with pavement of Forum in foreground; around the base of this circular
side of the church can be seen parts of Roman columns.
Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – cross-sections of Roman columns used in building
the church (By Joadl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6609730).
We would later come back to this site after the end of our guided tour.
9:38 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – apse
end, with banner at left for “59th Musical Evenings in St. Donat 9.7-8.8.2019”
and still showing remains of Roman columns around base.
11:08 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – apse
end, with pavement of Forum in foreground; around the base of this circular
side and two of three apses of the church can be seen parts of Roman columns;
to its right is bell tower of St. Anastasia Cathedral; at far right is another
Viking tour group (no. 25) standing near the Roman column.
11:40 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – apse
end, with pavement of Forum in foreground; around the base of this circular
side and two of three apses of the church can be seen parts of Roman columns;
to its right is bell tower of St. Anastasia Cathedral; MT on forum in
foreground.
11:42 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – base of
one of the three apses showing pieces of Roman ruins used in the foundation of
the church.
11:45 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
bell tower at apse end of the church.
The bell tower of the
Cathedral of St. Anastasia was built in two stages. The ground floor and first
(US second) floor were built in 1452, while the upper floors were not finished
until 1890-94. The three upper floors, with four sides, are decorated with
double mullioned windows. A flat wall surface is stylized with a floral mosaic,
while the wreaths that separate floors are highlighted with fretwork. At the top
is an octagonal pyramid with a brass statue of an angel which rotates according
to the direction of the wind.
We would see more of the Cathedral a bit later.
Next, heading eastward, we passed the Church of St. Mary.
9:23 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Mary – façade and
bell tower (mild telephoto 44 mm).
Zadar: Church of St. Mary –
façade (By Maestralno - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=770063).
The Church of St. Mary
(Croatian: Crkva Sveta Marija), on the east side of the Forum, belongs to a
Benedictine Convent founded in 1066 by a noblewoman of Zadar by the name of Čika,
who after the death of her husband became a Benedictine nun and founded the
convent with the help of her family. The large three-nave church was completed
by 1091 in the early Romanesque style. The fine Romanesque campanile (bell
tower) was added in 1105. In 1507, a new Renaissance main portal and a southern
façade were added. It is known for its elaborate Renaissance design adorned
with Dalmatian features like rounded gables and circular windows. During
WWII, when the city was part of Italy,
the church and its surroundings were severely damaged by Allied bombing. The
church was rebuilt after the war.
(Other sources say the church is an
amalgam of styles as diverse as the Early Christian, Gothic, and Baroque. It is
located on the main city axis as delineated in the town’s Roman era, giving it
a special status. Built as an Early Christian three-nave basilica, it saw a
14th-century renovation that can be observed on its northern wall. On its
southern wall, typically Early-Christian double windows can be seen. The interior
has Late Baroque stucco, Baroque altar paintings, and Byzantine gilded marble
reliefs.)
For centuries, the Benedictine nuns
of the Convent have been the custodians of what is now known as the Permanent
Exhibition of Religious Art, which we would visit at the end of our walking
tour.
As we left the Forum area, we saw the Church of St. Elijah from another side.
9:41 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Elijah – bell
tower and part of apse from street around corner from St. Donatus.
9:43 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Elijah – bell
tower and part of side with entrance from street around corner from St.
Donatus.
9:44 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Elijah – bell
tower from street around corner from St. Donatus.
Then we came to the Cathedral of St. Anastasia.
9:44 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia -
facade.
The Cathedral of St. Anastasia (Croatian:
Katedrala Sveta Stošija) is a three-nave basilica in Romanesque style built in
the 12th to 13th century (high Romanesque style), although some parts of it are
Gothic. It is the largest cathedral in Dalmatia.
The church’s origins date back to a
Christian basilica built in the 4th and 5th centuries, using remnants of a
Roman wall on the northeast side of the Forum. The basilica’s original patron
saint was St. Peter. During the time of Bishop Donatus (died 811), the diocese
of Zadar received the ashes of St. Anastasia of Sirmium, and she became the
patron of the cathedral. Donatus commissioned a sarcophagus for the remains,
which are still held in the left nave of the cathedral.
During the siege of Zadar by the
Venetians and Crusaders in 1202, the cathedral was heavily damaged. For the
entire 13th century, the building was under repair. It was reconsecrated in
1285, although the new building was not completed until 1324, with completion
of the façade with late Romanesque portals and arcades with columns in the
upper part.
The façade, completed in
1424, has two orders: the lower and more massive one has three portals, the
central one crowned by a massive relief of the Madonna and Child with St.
Chrysogonus and St. Anastasia; the upper one culminated in a triangular
pediment and is decorated with four orders of Lombard bands. These include a
large Romanesque-style rose window and a smaller one in Gothic style. The left
edge of the façade is decorated with a statue of a lion, and the right edge
with a statue of a bull (these are symbols of the evangelists Mark and Luke,
respectively). The richly decorated main portal contains a bas relief of the
four evangelists. The lunette of the left portal is decorated with a statue of
the mystical lamb (Lamb of God), while the consoles near the vault contain
statues of the angel Gabriel and Virgin Mary, which are older than the portal.
MT 9:39 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
façade, with our guide in right foreground (vertical).
9:45 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
façade from another angle.
9:46 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
main portal in center of façade, with relief of Madonna and Child flanked by
St. Chrysogonus and St. Anastasia in tympanum over door; MT emerging from
church (mostly hidden at right, apparently removing a sweater she had borrowed
to enter the church) behind people from another Viking tour group (No. 17).
9:48 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
portal at right end of façade with Lamb of God in lunette above door; gargoyle
in what looked like the shape of a horse on top right corner of façade.
9:49 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
portal at right end of façade with Lamb of God in lunette above door and
statues of a male saint and an angel at top corners (mild telephoto 38 mm).
9:49 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
gargoyle in what looked like the shape of a horse on top right corner of façade
[this could be what Wikipedia says is a bull] (telephoto 156 mm).
9:51 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
interior, view from rear of central nave to apse with main altar.
The interior of the
Cathedral of St. Anastasia has a nave three times larger than the two aisles,
which are separated by alternately arranged stone pillars and pylons. The
presbytery (apse/choir) is elevated, with the 12th-century crypt located under
it. In the presbytery are 15th-century Gothic choir stalls. Above the main altar
is the Gothic ciborium from 1322, while beyond it is a stone seat for the
Archbishop. On the north wall of the marble altar are pictures of St. Dominic
and the Sacred Heart. The altar was transferred from the church of the same
name. The second altar is dedicated to the souls in Purgatory and was built by
a Venetian stonemason in 1805. At the end of the nave is a marble altar with
paneling depicting the Sacred Heart, while the apse houses a marble sarcophagus
with the relics of St. Anastasia with an inscription by Bishop Donatus (9th
century). There are also fragments of medieval frescoes in the Cathedral.
On the south side of the cathedral
is a hexagonal baptistery that dates back to the 6th century. The original was
damaged by bombing in 1943 but was restored in 1989.
The walls and the apse of the
sacristy, also known as the Chapel of St. Barbara, belong to the oldest parts
of the Cathedral, along with a floor mosaic depicting two deer (early 5th
century).
MT 9:47 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
red marble baptistery.
9:51 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
side altar in right aisle.
Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia – clearer photo of same altar in right
aisle with tabernacle (By János Korom Dr. -
https://www.flickr.com/photos/korom/2902963522/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47246562).
9:53 AM – Zadar: Cathedral of St. Anastasia –
sign at rear for “Katedrala svete Stošije - Cathedral of St. Anastasia” with
text in Croatian and English about times the church is open on weekdays and
mass times; across the bottom are graphics of all the things (including certain
clothing) not permitted in the church.
Leaving the Cathedral, we turned to the southeast down a street officially called Široka ulica or popularly known as Kalelarga, both meaning Broad Street (although it was quite narrow at this point).
Zadar: view from St.
Anastasia bell tower to southeast, straight down Široka ulica (Broad Street),
aka Kalelarga, toward Adriatic, with Church of St. Mary in right foreground (By
Rangan Datta Wiki - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37652111).
The Kalelarga, also known as
Broad Street or Wide Street, is the main and most famous street in the city of
Zadar. It stretches in a west-east direction from the south edge of People’s
Square to the Forum. Some say it is even older than the city itself, existing
even when this was a Liburnian settlement before Zadar acquired the status of a
Roman colony. Even in the distant past, old documents called the main street of
Zadar the Magna Via, Strada Grande, Ruga Magistra. The name of Broad Street
(Calle Larga/Kalelarga) occurs later, in Venetian times, and at one time the
central part was called St. Catherine Street after the monastery of the same
name. Today, the street is officially known by the Croatian name Široka ulica
(Broad Street), but the locals still call it Kalelarga. To this day, it follows
the footprint of the main longitudinal Roman street (Decumanus Maximus), which
flowed through the spine of the peninsula. The strict rules for street networks
in Roman of urban planning simply proved its natural placement, and future
urban times did not change anything in this respect. In WWII, almost all the
buildings in the street were destroyed or severely damaged in the bombing and
were rebuilt or renovated in modern style, retaining only the main direction of
the street. To locals, Kalelarga is more than just the name of the city’s main
street. It is a cult place and one of the symbols of the city, as a place of
socialization, entertainment and recreation, processions an folk ceremonies.
9:57 AM – Zadar: long, straight street Široka
Ulica, along left (northeast) side of Cathedral of
St. Anastasia toward bell tower.
9:58 AM – Zadar: left (northeast) side and bell
tower of Cathedral of St. Anastasia on long, straight street Široka Ulica.
The bell tower of the
Cathedral of St. Anastasia was built in two stages. The ground floor and first
(US second) floor were built in 1452, while the upper floors were not finished
until 1890-94. The three upper floors, with four sides, are decorated with
double mullioned windows. A flat wall surface is stylized with a floral mosaic,
while the wreaths that separate floors are highlighted with fretwork. At the
top is an octagonal pyramid with a brass statue of an angel which rotates
according to the direction of the wind.
MT 9:50 AM – Zadar: top part of bell tower just
past left (northeast) side of Cathedral of St. Anastasia on Široka Ulica.
9:58 AM – Zadar: bottom part of bell tower just
past left (northeast) side of Cathedral of St. Anastasia on Široka Ulica.
9:59 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus just past
bell tower of Cathedral of St. Anastasia.
9:59 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus and bell
tower of Cathedral of St. Anastasia.
9:59 AM – Zadar: view down side street toward Sea
Gate at far end.
10:01 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Chrysogonus -
façade, with main portal under repair.
Zadar: Church of St.
Chrysogonus – façade, with statue and sign at left
(By IMBiblio - https://www.flickr.com/photos/33750036@N05/14494188741/in/photolist-o5NvkT-nNCeHH-o5Zb8W-o5Zb4s-o44vd5-o5ZP7y-pxXmJY-nNCeaP-pgubEN-pvWKB9-pguBZy-o66X5t-o5Nxj2-pguUKM-nNCfNi-pxXmsf-pvWJPh-o5ZcoG-nNBez1-o5ZR4j-o66SQM-pgtSaF-nNBqf7-nNBsaj-nNBfGS-nNCgiB-pxGZZD-pguRWa-o5ZfQG-pguCYY-o5Zf89-nNBqKq-o7SXiB-pguSPH-pxXkaf-o5NxLe-nNBsRv-pgub7J-o5Zcm7-o5ZRDN-nNBu63-o44rVo-pguBJJ-nNBi3o-pgucT9-pxXkPw-nNBvXQ-nNBsX2-o5ZPeh-nNBdsm,
CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47236383).
The Church of St. Chrysogonus
(Croatian: Crkva sveti Krševana) is named after the main patron saint of Zadar.
It is a monumental Romanesque church of very fine proportions and refined
Romanesque ornamentation. The church and its bell tower are the only surviving
parts of the once vast Benedictine abbey, built in the early Middle Ages (prior
to 1000 AD) on the site of the Roman emporium (market) and replacing the
earlier Church of St. Anthony the Hermit. While the church, rebuilt and
consecrated in 1175, has survived with few alterations, the monastery was
destroyed in WWII, when the city experienced heavy bombing. The three-nave
basilica is divided by columns that were salvaged from a previous building and
has a simple Romanesque appearance. The church has many of the same artistic
forms as the Cathedral, which was built around the same time. Along with the
Cathedral, it is an example of Romanesque art in the architectural heritage of
Dalmatia.
The façade is simple. In the
lower part there are no decorations other than the main portal. The sides have
delightful barley-sugar twist columns, and of the three semicircular apses, the
central one is decorated with a gallery.
10:07 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Chrysogonus -
triple semicircular apses, with gallery atop central apse.
St. Chrysogonus on horseback (c.
1450) by Venetian painter Michele Giambono in San Trovaso Church, Venice(By
Michele Giambono, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6506144).
St. Chrysogonus (Croatian: sveti
Krševana; Italian: San Crisogono) was a martyr in ancient Rome, venerated by
the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. He is the main patron saint
of Zadar. He is traditionally depicted as a bearded young man dressed as a
Roman military officer. He was martyred, probably during the Persecution of Diocletian
(303-313), \at Aquileia and buried
there. In about the 6th Century, a legend of the martyr arose that made him a
Roman and brought him into relation with St. Anastasia, evidently to explain
the dedication of a church in Rome to San Crisogono in the 4th-century. It is
possible that the founder of the church in Rome was a certain Crisogono and
that, due to the similarity of name, the church was soon devoted to the
veneration of the martyr of Aquileia; however, it is also possible that from
the beginning, for some unknown reason, it was dedicated to St. Chrysogonus and
does take its name from him. According to the legend, Chrysogonus, at first a
functionary of the vicarius Urbis, was the Christian teacher of
Anastasia, the daughter of a Roman nobleman. After being imprisoned during the
Persecution of Diocletian, he comforted the severely afflicted Anastasia with
his letters. By order of Emperor Diocletian, he was beheaded. His corpse was
thrown into the sea, then was washed ashore and buried by the priest Zoilus,
who is also a patron saint of Zadar.
Icon of St. Chrysogonus and
St. Anastasia (By Unknown - http://www.hanscomfamily.com/page/415/, Public
Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15926768).
10:02 AM – Zadar: bronze statue of Petar Zoranič on same square as
Church of St. Chrysogonus façade, with historical marker sign in background
(mild telephoto 63 mm).
The angular, musclebound, modern
bronze statue is of Petar Zoranič (1508-c. 1560), a famous Zadar-born
Croatian Renaissance writer, often credited with being the author of the first novel
written in Croatian. Zadar also has a square named for him.
10:02 AM – Zadar: historical marker sign, on same
square as Church of St. Chrysogonus façade, for “Oko Crkva sv. Krševana –
Around Chrysogonus’ Church” with photos and text in Croatian and English (mild
telephoto 63 mm).
“The
Square has been situated in the northern part of the city since ancient times.
The major intersecting street (cardo maximus), along the western façade, used
to be accessed from the port area through a gate. Today’s gate has been
carrying its notable name Porta Marina, meaning Sea or Port Gate, since the
16th century, and was built in 1573 to commemorate the victory of the Christian
armada in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Stone fragments of a Roman triumphal
arch with inscriptions were built in the upper zone of the gate. They are vital
for the earliest history of this part of the city where the roman emporium and
port facilities used to be.
“The
central and most important building of this area is the church of St.
Chrysogonus. It is the only remnant of the powerful Benedictine monk monastery
dismissed at the beginning of the 19th century. Consecrated in 1175 it is a
true masterpiece of Romanesque style, whose characteristics are exquisitely
shown in the decorative design of the main apse. The interior is divided into
three parts, the nave and two aisles. The main altar was made in the Baroque
style and its tabernacle is adorned by four skilfully [sic!] carved sculptures
depicting patron saints of Zadar: St. Chrysogonus, St. Anastasia, St. Zoilus and
St. Simeon. Fragments of Late Romanesque frescoes have been preserved inside
the side apses. On the north-western corner of the church there is an
unfinished bell tower from the 15th century.
“New
buildings of the National Museum, which house valuable cultural and historical
collections, are built on the site of the monastery that was almost completely
destroyed in the Second World War.
“The
southern side of the square was flanked by the northern and western facades of
St. Thomas’ Basilica, an Early Christian three-nave basilica, which was reconstructed
in the Romanesque period and later in the 15th century re-dedicated to St.
Sylvester. Its remnants are presented in the ground floor of a newly renovated
bank.”
10:03 AM (Cropped) – Zadar: photo (with
reflection in glass) on historical marker sign with English part of caption
“Graphic reconstruction of the Monastery complex” before the monastery was
destroyed.
10:04 AM – Zadar: view down side street (probably
Ulica Dalmatinskog Sabora to the ENE) with marble pavement toward the Sea Gate.
10:04 AM – Zadar: Sea Gate (telephoto 119 mm).
The Sea Gate (Croatian:
Morska vrata; Italian: Porta Marina), also known Port Gate, Harbor Gate, or as
St. Chrysogonus’ Gate (Croatian: Vrata Sv Krševana), because of its proximity
to the church of that name. It is between that church and the ferry port. The
gate contains remnants of an earlier Roman triumphal arch erected by Melia Auniana
(or Auniana Melia) in memory of her husband, but it was redone by the Venetians
in 1573 to celebrate the victory of the Christian fleet over the Turks in the
Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Above the Roman cornice on the land-facing side of
the gate is a great Renaissance panel depicting the Battle of Lepanto, and
above that is a relief of St. Chrysogonus on horseback. The outside, facing the
sea, is topped with a relief of the Venetian winged lion of St. Mark.
10:07 AM – Zadar: looking back at Church of St.
Chrysogonus – side and triple semicircular apses, with gallery atop central
apse.
MT 9:59 AM – Zadar: our tour group heading down
narrow side street, past side of Church
of St. Chrysogonus; Don in wide-brimmed hat and blue-striped shirt at left.
10:08 AM – Zadar: our tour group and others
heading down narrow side street toward double church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder.
10:09 AM – Zadar: group approaching double
church.
The Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder (Croatian: Crkva Sv. Andrija i Petar Stari)is located at
Hrvoja Vukčića Hrvatinića 10, on the corner of that street and Ulica
Dalmatinskog Sabora (Street of the Dalmatian Parliament), near the market. The
simple frontage of the single-nave church has an unremarkable 17th-century
façade, but other parts date back to the 5th and 6th centuries. The church is a
complex building composed of two mutually related areas: the single-aisle Early
Christian church, which is usually called St. Andrew’s, and the two aisled
church called St. Peter the Elder. The earliest is the single-aisled church
with a hemispherical apse called St. Andrew, from the Early Christian period. The
south side wall and the apse were built in the 5th century. Through the apse,
you enter the very unusual little Church of St. Peter the Elder, also from the
early Middle Ages. The rectangular structure, which we call St. Peter the
Elder, was subsequently constructed to the east of the single-aisle church. In
a third phase this rectangular structure was vaulted, at this point being
outfitted with two arched aisles and two apses. Both churches contain fragments
of ancient Romanesque-Byzantine frescoes that date from the end of the 12th
century. The atmospheric interiors are now used for a ceramics gallery an shop.
The eastern half of the Church of
St. Peter the elder has been included in the list of Croatian pre-Romanesque
churches. However, the two-aisled space cannot be considered independently of
the western part of the church of St. Peter for a number of reasons. First, the
two-aisled part was added to the eastern side of the early Christian church,
allowing its apse to infringe into the two-aisled area. If its eastern area
were considered a separate church, it is unlikely that even in the most cramped
spatial conditions such an infringement in the cubic shape of the two-aisled
structure would be permitted. At the same time, the liturgical focus of the
structure, its apse, was visually shut off, for which there had to be a very
good reason. On the other hand is the fact that the communication between the
two areas at least at some point took place through the apse of the early church,
which then definitely served as the sacristy of the frontal, western section.
In the construction of arched
vaulting, the use of Roman columns, bases, capitals, etc., became dominant in
designing the interior, with very clear signs of “Christianization” of these
elements (crosses carved on columns). Added to this are several fragments of
interlaced sculpture found in the church show indications of the 9th century.
10:09 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder - facade.
10:10 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – sign by entrance for “Galerija Sv. Petar Stari i Andrija” (Gallery of Sts. Peter the Elder and Andrew).
10:10 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – gallery in front, single-nave part (guide said 6th century),
with our group headed to doorway at right side of apse at far end leading into
the newer part.
MT 10:03 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – gallery in front, single-nave part (guide said 6th century),
with our group headed to doorway at right side of apse at far end leading into
the newer part.
10:12 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – arches and frescoes in the newer, two-nave part, with our
guide near column on left.
10:12 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – arches and frescoes in the newer part, with our guide.
10:12 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – close-up of arches and frescoes in the newer part.
MT 10:12 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – arches and frescoes in the newer part; view back toward door
into older part.
10:14 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – view from the newer part through semicircular apse of older part,
with tour group heading back through door into older part.
10:12 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Andrew and St.
Peter the Elder – view from the newer part through door in semicircular apse of
older part.
10:16 AM – Zadar: store with sheep cheese from Pag;
the chalkboard and the sign are for the Gligora brand of “Paški sir”(Pag
cheese), and bottom of sign says in English: “Top Quality Cheese Producer from
Island Pag” and lists town in Croatia, including Zadar, that sell it.
One of the optional shore excursions
offered by Viking was to “Pag: A Cheeselovers Paradise.” Pag island, about
60 km north of Zadar, is the fifth-largest island on the Croatian coast and the
second-longest island of the Adriatic Sea. The island is known for its
award-winning, piquant Paški sir (Pag cheese). It is made from
pasteurized or unpasteurized milk from a unique breed of small sheep, Paška
Ovca (Pag sheep), that feed on salty grasses on the rocky, windswept island and
are known for their intensely salty and limited milk output. The hard cheese
must be aged for at least 4 months, although manufacturers can offer it at
various maturation periods from the minimum up to 15 years. As the cheese
matures, the savory flavor an tanginess become stronger. Pag cheese is the most
famous ewes’ milk cheese in all of Croatia but is little known outside the
country (although a Google search found it offered at walmart.com and other web
sites).
Pag island is also known for its
Paška čipka (Pag lace).
The Sirana Gligora (Gligora Cheese)
store in Zadar is located at Ulica Hrvoja Vukčića Hrvatinića 5, just down that
street from the Church of St. Andrew and St. Peter the Elder at no. 10.
Next,
our guide took us to the City Market.
10:18 AM – Zadar: City Market with our guide Šime; MT in left foreground.
The City Market (generically
in Croatian: gradska tržnica) is also called “Tržnica Zadar” (Zadar Market) or “Stara
Pijaca” (Old Market). This market is one of the biggest and best in Dalmatia.
It has been here since the Middle Ages, but the large open space dates back to
WWII, when many buildings were flattened in this part of town. Market is near
the waterfront, fishermen supply fresh catches every day, and one also finds
herbs, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and cheese in outdoor stalls, along with
an indoor meat market and, off to one side, clothes and other cheap items.
10:18 AM – Zadar: City Market – woman selling
lace.
Pag lace (By SpeedyGonsales -
Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3711389).
Nearby Pag island is also known for
its Paška čipka (Pag lace). It requires a needle, thread, and a backing
which is a round or square hard stuffed pillow. Lace-makers do their work
without any drawings. Each woman uses the work of her mother and grandmothers
as examples, each adding a personal touch, something unique and special.
Then we went to the People’s Square.
Zadar: People’s Square -
City Sentinel at left, City Hall on far side, and City Loggia at right (By
Böhringer Friedrich - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11645874).
The People’s Square
(Croatian: Narodni trg) in the heart of Zadar’s old town is in better
condition than the Roman Forum. This Renaissance square has been a hub of
public life in Zadar for centuries. In the Middle Ages this square was known as
Platea magna (Large Square); during Italian rule, it was known as Piazza dei
Signori (Square of the Noblemen); and after WWII it was renamed Narodni trg
(People’s Square), by which it is still known today.
The City Hall, built in
1934, faces the Narodni trg, as does the Renaissance City Loggia
(Croatian: Gradska loža) built by Michele Sanmicheli in 1565 as the city
courts. Public announcements and court rulings were shouted from the Loggia,
which is now used for exhibitions of mainly contemporary art. Also nearby is
the 16th-century City Sentinel, which has a handsome clock tower
overlooking the square.
10:31 AM – Zadar: City Sentinel – façade and bell
tower, which is often covered with an banner advertising an event, in this case “Rita
Ora” at the Sports Center Višnjik in Zadar.
Zadar: City Sentinel –
façade and bell tower, a rare photo without a banner (By Palauenc05 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38577846).
The City Sentinel (Croatian:
Gradska straža, sometimes translated as City Guard or City Guard Loggia or City
Watch[tower]) dominates Zadar’s main square Narodni trg (People’s Square), the
central town square since medieval times. This city watch building was designed
in 1562 by a Venetian architect in the late Renaissance style. Later additions
were a large central clock tower (erected at the beginning of the 19th century)
and a surrounding stone barrier (built after the clock) and railing with two
round openings for cannons. The clock tower has been in operation since 1803.
Its larger bell, which strikes the hour, was transferred from the Captain’s
Tower near the harbor, and the smaller one,
which strikes the quarter hour, is from the nearby former Church of St.
Lawrence. The building once housed the Ethnographic Section of the National
Museum, one of the most important collections in the country; it now serves as
an exhibition and gallery space.
10:32 AM – Zadar: City Sentinel – façade and bell
tower, with better view of one of the openings for a cannon in the stone
barrier.
10:33 AM – Zadar: City Sentinel and Cafe Bar
Lovre to its right, with outdoor seating.
10:25 AM – Zadar: City Sentinel (left background)
and Cafe Bar Lovre to its right, with “Kavana Lovre” on its awning.
Cafe Bar Lovre (or Kavana Sv.
Lovre), next to the City Sentinel on Narodni trg, is a café-bar that contains
one of the oldest buildings in Zadar, the 11th-century former church of St.
Lawrence, tucked away in the back.
10:26 AM – Zadar: our tour group passing through
Cafe Bar Lovre into the former Church of St. Lawrence.
10:26 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Lawrence – view
from rear of nave to apse; MT near our guide in center.
Zadar: Church of St. Lawrence
– 1909 photo of view from rear of nave to apse before renovation (By Georg
Kowalczyk; Fotografie, Scan and postprocessing by Hubertl - Denkmäler der Kunst
in Dalmatien, Herausgegeben von Georg Kowalczyk, mit einer Einleitung von
Cornelius Gurlitt., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25230470).
The Church of St. Lawrence
(Croatian: Crkva Sveti Lovre; Italian: Chiesetta di San Lorenzo) is a small,
well-preserved pre-Romanesque church from the 11th century. It must have been
an important church, because even today we can appreciate the rich decorations
on the remaining columns and capitals. It is the oldest preserved building
dating from the 11th century. It can be entered through the Café Bar Lovre.
The church is an incredible display
of pre-Romanesque recycling. None of the column bases and tops match, because
they were pilfered from other structures in the area. In the back of the
church, on the right, is an ancient mile marker, brought in to become the
upside-down corner piece for the donor chapel.
MT 10:18 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Lawrence –
view from rear of nave to apse; our guide in left foreground.
10:27 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Lawrence – arches
and Corinthian columns on left side of nave.
Don wondered if the figures of a
bird and animal above these columns might have been the symbols of two of the Four
Evangelists; an eagle for St. John and an ox for St. Luke. Perhaps the figures
over the two columns on the right could be a man for St. Matthew and a lion for
St. Mark (although both seem to show the front legs of four-legged creatures).
10:27 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Lawrence –
sculpture of bird above Corinthian column on left side of nave (mild telephoto
56 mm).
10:27 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Lawrence –
sculpture of headless animal above Corinthian column on left side of nave (mild
telephoto 56 mm).
10:29 AM – Zadar: sign in Café Bar Lovre about
“NARO[DNI TRG],” in English and French (partially covered by Coca Cola frame);
English part [sometimes edited per French or copies of same text on Internet]:
“Narodni trg (People’s Square
– historically Noblemen’s Square) is the center of public life in Zadar from
the Renaissance until today. On the site of the Large Square, platea magna,
the foundations of municipal institutions were laid in the early Middle Ages. [French:
The Narodni Square is the heart of Zadar since the Middle Ages. The monuments
that it contains are the most interesting {rest of sentence illegible, and not
in other sources}. In the Middle Ages, it was the Large Square (Platea magna),
the heart of public life of the city].
[Photo
of square at right, with caption “Sv. Lovre.”]
“Afterwards,
the Municipal Loggia and the Church of St. Peter the New were erected here.
They were destroyed by the authorities during the Venetian reign in the 15th
century. The 16th century saw the building of Gradska straža with the city
clock tower, while a new Loggia was erected on the site of the old one.
[Photo
at far right of “Municipal Loggia.”]
“On
the northern side of the Square is the Town Guard Loggia (Gradska straža)
from 1562, designed by a Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in the late Renaissance
style. [French, which began this paragraph with ‘La caserne de la Garde
municipal,’ adds a sentence here: ‘In 1798, the caserne was destroyed by the
Austrian administration.’ but omits the following sentence.] The large central
clock tower was erected at the beginning of the 19th century with a surrounding
stone barrier and railing with holes for cannons.
[Photo
at left with caption “Town Guard Loggia” (better known as City Sentinel).]
Next
to it is the small, well preserved pre-Romanesque church of St. Lawrence
(Sveti Lovre)
with an atrium. It is the oldest preserved building dating from the 11th century.
It can be visited from behind the cafe bar ‘Sveti Lovre’.
On
the southern side of the People’s Square [French: On the west side of the
square] is the Municipal
Loggia
(Gradska loža), first mentioned [French: built] in the 13th century; it was
rebuilt in 1565, similar in aspect to some other works of Michele Sanmicheli. [French
inserts here: ‘Its current aspect {= appearance} dates from the 16th century.’
but does not mention of Sanmicheli] This building once was the city’s
courthouse, council chambers and library. [In place of this last sentence,
French has: ‘It was the place from which all the laws and decrees concerning
the life of the city were proclaimed.’ and then mentions it was the
courthouse.]
“[French
begins this paragraph: ‘The announcements were made public from the balcony
that dominates the square.’] It was restored after being heabily [sic!] damaged
in the World War II. With its [huge] windows and high ceilings, it [nowadays]
serves as a stunning exhibi[tion space] hosting events such as the [international
photogra]phy triennial [‘Man and the Sea’] and the triennial of [contemporary
Croatian] art ‘The Blue [Salon.’].”
[Photo
at right (botom center) of City Hall.]
10:29 AM – Zadar: close-up of lower part of
English text of that sign (because it explained about the church behind the
bar).
Continuing around the People’s Square, we came to the City Hall.
10:31 AM – Zadar: City Hall.
Zadar: City Hall (By
Maestralno - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1250249).
The City Hall (Croatian: Gradska uprava [literally City Government or Administration] or Gradska vijećnia [which also translates to City Hall but refers more specifically to the City Council]) is located at Narodni Trg 1. The old and unsightly Baroque Pedrini Palace was on the northern corner of Narodni trg until it was removed in 1934. The present city administration building (Gradska uprava) was erected in 1935-36, during the Fascist rule* of Zadar. It has ornate balconies over the main entrance and on the corner to the right. There is a relief sculpture of St. Chrysogonus on horseback higher up on that corner and a series of reliefs around the outside of the ground floor.
* At the end of WWI, Italian
military forces invaded Dalmatia and seized control of Zara (Zadar). With the
arrival of an Italian army of occupation in Zadar in 1918, the Italian faction
in the city gradually assumed control and took over the governorship. With the
Treaty of Versailles in 1920, Italy was permitted to annex only Zadar (as the
Province of Zara) from Dalmatia, with the rest of Dalmatia becoming part of
Yugoslavia. The town of Zadar (Zara), which had included most of the Italian
population in Dalmatia and was largely Italian-speaking, was designated as the
capital of the province. When Fascists gained power in Italy, the government in
Zadar was responsible directly to Mussolini.
10:24 AM – Zadar: City Hall – our guide pointing
to the Croatian flag (red, white, and blue); at left was the flag of the County
of Zadar (white and blue); outside this photo to the right (but visible in
other photos here) was the blue flag of the EU, and to the far right was
another flag with a solid blue background (probably of the city of Zadar).
Croatian flag with the
Croatian coat of arms, a red-and-white-checkered shield topped with a
five-pointed crown, each point with a small coat of arms of one of the five
historical regions within Croatia (By Nightstallion, Elephantus, Neoneo13,
Denelson83, Rainman, R-41, Minestrone, Lupo, Zscout370,MaGa (based on Decision
of the Parliament) - http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?sec=4317, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=433228).
Flag of County of Zadar –
white over blue with coat of arms in center with an olive branch on a
white/silver background above the blue lower field containing the white/silver
image of the 9th-century Romanesque Church of the True Cross in the small town
of Nin north of Zadar (By SiBr4Coat of arms by Timbouctou - Own work, based on
official website; arms from File:Zadar County coat of arms.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40889356).
10:23 AM – Zadar: City Hall - reliefs to left side
of entrance (one on left is of the Praetorian Palace in Koper).
10:23 AM (Cropped) – Zadar: City Hall - reliefs to
left side of side (one on left is of the Praetorian Palace in Koper).
Farther around the People’s Square, opposite the City Sentinel, was the City Loggia.
10:31 AM – Zadar: City Loggia, with musicians on
steps.
Zadar: City Loggia – façade,
with reflection of City Sentinel is glass over entrance. (By AnatolyPm - Own
work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34672016).
Next, our guide took us to the courtyard of an old “palace” that is now a private home.
10:36 AM – Zadar: courtyard of old “palace,” with
old arcades and modern railing on old staircase.
MT 10:29 AM – Zadar: courtyard of old “palace” –
scallop shell motifs on side of staircase.
MT 10:29 AM – Zadar: courtyard of old
“palace” - balcony over arcade.
10:36 AM – Zadar: courtyard of old “palace” view
from other end with old well under staircase.
10:36 AM – Zadar: courtyard of old “palace” –
close-up of old well under staircase, with coca Cola sign showing Church of St.
Donatus and tower of Cathedral.
Continuing to the southeast on [Ulica] Elizabete Kotromanič, a street named for Elizabeth of Bosnia, we came to the Church of St. Simeon. Our guide Šime said he was named after the saint, although he kept referring to the saint and the church as St. Simon.
10:39 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Simeon – main
(west) façade with main portal and two other doors, south side with another
door, and bell tower in rear.
10:42 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Simeon – sign
showing all the things not permitted in the church, including photography.
We were able to go inside the church and saw the silver casket on the main altar but could not take photos.
Zadar: church of St. Simeon
– view from rear of central nave to main altar in apse (By Maestralno - Own
work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=769600).
The Church of St. Simeon (Croatian:
Crkva sveti Šime, sometimes mistranslated as St. Simon) is located east of
People’s Square. It was first mentioned in 1190, but most of it originated from
the 16th and 17th centuries. This church may have first been built in the 5th
century, as an Early Christian three-nave basilica. Other sources say it was
first constructed in Romanesque style, then a Gothic adaptation, and finally,
in the 17th century, an important monument of the Dalmatian Baroque. For
certain, the church originally dedicated to St. Stephen, the Martyr, was
rebuilt after 1632 to house the remains of St. Simeon, which are kept in a
silver ark or reliquary, and the church became known as St. Simeon. The façade,
as it is now, was finished in 1632, and the bell tower was built in 1707. The
church has undergone renovations as recently as 1980.
Zadar: church of St. Simeon
– main altar with reliquary (By Maestralno - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=769604).
Locals say that, in 1203, a
merchant who was shipping the body of St. Simeon from the Holy Land to Venice
was caught in a storm and sought shelter here. He fell ill, and before he died
had the body buried. The nurses who had attended him asked three local priests
to dig up the grave. Not yet knowing the true identity of the occupant, visions
appeared to them, and St. Simeon has been revered in Zadar ever since. This
story illustrates the political aspect orchestrated by the House of Anjou amid
the people’s belief in the authenticity of the body in Zadar over the one kept
in Venice.
The reliquary, nearly 2 m (6 ft)
long with a life-size relief of the saint on its lid, was made between 1377 and
1380, commissioned by Elizabeth of Hungary in 1371, in atonement for stealing a
finger of St. Simeon when she visited Zadar in that year. During a mass in the
female monastery of St. Mary Major, where the body was then being kept, Elizabeth,
the Bosnian wife of Croat Hungarian King Ludwig (Louis) I of Anjou, is said to
have furtively broken off a piece of the saint’s finger but soon was morally
forced to return it. Thereupon, she promised to honor the saint by presenting
the church with the gift of this silver casket. Her patronage of the cult of
St. Simeon also increased the local popularity of her husband.
Elizabeth of Bosnia (c. 1339-1387)
was the daughter of Stephen II, Ban (ruler) of Bosnia, head of the House of Kotromanič,
and is also known as Elizabete Kotromanič.
Zadar: Church of St. Simeon –
Silver Casket of St. Simeon on main altar (By Silverije - Own work, CC BY-SA
3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17170587).
The Silver Casket of St. Simeon
(Srebma raka sv. Šime), or Chest of St. Simeon (Škrinja sveti Šimuna) is a
gilded silver casket over the main altar, raised on the outstretched arms of
four Baroque angels. It is a rectangular cedarwood sarcophagus in the shape of
a casket, overlaid with silver and silver-gilt plaques. Considered a
masterpiece of medieval art, it was made by local goldsmiths to an Italian
design between 1377 and 1380. It is one of the finest examples of the work of
Zadar’s silversmiths and shows in intricate detail scenes from the saint’s life
and the city’s history. The middle relief shows the presentation of the baby
Jesus to Simeon in the temple. It contains the mummified body of the
silver-crowned, bearded saint enclosed behind a sheet of transparent glass. The
chest can be viewed every day, and the body of the saint on October 8, the
feast day of St. Simeon.
Zadar: Church of St. Simeon –
Silver Casket of St. Simeon (opened, but still with curtains closed to preserve
the mummified body) on main altar (Autor Silverije - Vlastito djelo
postavljača, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17170590).
10:46 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Simeon – our tour
group on Šime Budinić Plaza near door on south side of church, with bell tower
in rear.
Šime Budinić Plaza (Croatian:
Poljana Šime Budinić) is a small square located between the Church of St.
Simeon and Petar Zoranič Square. This square is named for the Zadar-born Petar
Šimun “Šime” Budinić Zadranin (1535-1600), a Catholic priest and poet who was
one of the first Croatian writers who wrote in the Croatian language in the
15th and 16th centuries.
10:46 AM – Zadar: Petar Zoranič Square - Roman
column between Church of St. Simeon and Five Wells Square (visible in
distance); MT in right foreground.
The front of the temple dedicated
to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva in the Roman Forum at the other end of the Old
Town had six richly decorated columns with Corinthian capitals. The only
preserved column was moved at the beginning of the 18th century to its current
location in Petar Zoranič Square.
Petar Zoranič Square, (Croatian: Petar
Zoranič Trg), named after a famous Zadar-born Croatian Renaissance writer
(1508-c. 1560), is located between the Church of St. Simeon and Five Wells
Square. It is at the southeast end of the Kalelarga street, which traces route
of one of the two main longitudinal axes of the ancient Roman town: the
Decumanus maximus. This is where the town gate was situated for centuries and
into medieval times. This square is actually part of a continuing of the flow
of the Decumanus, starting with the Five Wells Square, continuing through this
square and Šime Budinić Plaza (next to the south side of the Church of St.
Simeon) and then connecting with the Roman Forum at the other end of the Old Town
in a straight line to the northwest.
Petar Zoranič Square was in a
dilapidated state after the 1990s, when it was damaged by some of the bombing
attacks in the Yugoslav Wars. Early in the 21st century, when excavation work
was being done to improve underground infrastructure, some highly significant
Roman and medieval ruins were found. The most remarkable, in the very center of
the square and only 1.5 m beneath today’s paving, it the octagonal base of one
of the towers that once flanked the gateway of the Roman wall. Just 5 m north
of this is the foot of a Roman arch, while 5 m to the east are the remains of
the gateway in the medieval wall.
10:47 AM – Zadar: Petar Zoranič Square - remains
of Roman wall beneath square.
10:48 AM – Zadar: looking back across Petar
Zoranič Square, past remains of Roman wall in hole under paved square and the
Roman column.
10:48 AM – Zadar: view, from Petar Zoranič Square, of part of old city wall near Five
Wells Square.
10:48 AM – Zadar: Captain’s Tower on Five Wells
Square.
The Captain’s Tower (Croatian:
Kapetanova kula) overlooking the Five Wells Square was built by the Venetians
to strengthen the city against Turkish attacks and was part of the city’s old
fortification system. Of ten similar towers once located on the margins of the
medieval city, this is the only one left. It was named after the nearby
residence of the city’s Venetian captain. The pentagonal tower is built into
the remains of the crenellated 13th-century ramparts. It is now used as an
exhibition space.
10:50 AM – Zadar: Captain’s Tower and part of crenellated
ramparts of city wall.
10:49 AM – Zadar: four of the five wells on Five
Wells Square.
The Five Wells Square
(Croatian: Trg 5 bunara or Trg pet bunara), laid out in 1574, features a
perfectly aligned row of five hexagonal wellheads topped by cast-iron pulleys.
The wellheads cover a vast underground cistern, built at a time when the city
was in danger of Ottoman siege. After the Turks retreated, the city built a
park on top of the nearby bastion that was part of the city’s the
fortifications, and it includes a concrete-paved square built around the wells.
The wells supplied Zadar with water until 1838. Repaved and atmospherically lit
at night, the square is now one of Zadar’s most attractive public spaces and is
a popular place for concerts and events. The stone-flagged square also serves
as the perfect gathering place for skateboarders.
10:50 AM – Zadar: Five Wells Square – fifth well
(in shade), with MT and other in our group taking a break while our guide
explained that the wells are now covered for the safety of partying young
people at rock concerts here.
MT 10:58 AM – Zadar: near Five Wells Square –
building with Croatian coat of arms over window and flag of Croatia (mild
telephoto 54 mm).
10:53 AM – Zadar: Foša small-boat harbor, viewed
from Muraj promenade atop bastion over Bridge Gate; at far right is Land Gate
and beyond it is a long bastion (sometimes identified as the southeast curtain
wall, Croatian: jugoistočna kurtina), to the left of the Land Gate, and then the
Citadel Bastion on the far side of the harbor.
Previously this area had been
further defended by a surrounding moat. Access was via a drawbridge over the
moat. The former moat (fossa) is now a small-boat harbor known as Foša.
Some sections of the city walls
(Croatian: Gradski bedemi) were built during the Middle Ages, and some were
built much later (16th century) by the Venetians as fortification against the
Ottoman Turks, who mounted relentless attacks against the city. The city walls
of Zadar, once the largest city-fortress in the entire Republic of Venice,
allowed it to retain more independence than most of its neighboring cities and
meant that it was never captured by the Turks. Today, only portions of the
walls and six gates remain. Inside the doors such as the one on Five Wells
Square, you can see huge empty spaces once used as military storage facilities.
On top of the bastion above the Bridge Gate is a promenade called Muraj—a
peaceful vantage point over the mainland opposite and the people crossing the
bridge. The one large yellow building up on the promenade belongs to one of
Zadar’s oldest newspaper presses.
During more secure times in Zadar’s
history, several entrances were knocked through the city walls. Some of
them were later walled up, but six remain as vital links between the town
within the walls and the sea outside them.
Southwest of the Land Gate, at the
southwest end of the Foša, is the Citadelle (Citadel) bastion.
Built in 1409, it has remained the
same to this day.
Protecting the Land Gate is the
imposing Ponton Bastion (Croatian: Bastion Ponton), also known as the
Bastion of Five Wells Square (Croatian: Bastion na Trgu pet bunara). The first
“alla moderna” bastion on the Adriatic, it is still the largest bastion in
Dalmatia stretching 240 m long and 40 m high. Built by Giangirolamo Sanmichele
(nephew of Michele), it was the largest bastion in the entire Republic of
Venice. It is also constructed entirely of brick, a curious choice since brick
was not found in Dalmatia at the time.
10:53 AM – Zadar: Land Gate, viewed from Muraj
promenade atop bastion over Bridge Gate.
The most impressive of the city
gates is Land Gate (Croatian: Kopnena vrata; Italian: Porta terrafirma),
also known as City Gate, which was built in 1543 to a High Renaissance design
by the Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli. It was then the main entrance
into the city from the little Foša harbor on the south side of the old town. It
is considered one of the finest monuments of the Renaissance in Dalmatia and
has the form of a triumphal arch with a central passage for wheeled traffic and
two smaller side arches for pedestrians. Immediately above the central arch is
a small image of St. Chrysogonus (Zadar’s main patron saint) on horseback, and above
that is a large winged lion of St. Mark (the symbol of the Republic of Venice),
as a reminder of Venice’s long rule over Zadar. (The lion is holding an open
book, meaning that Venice was in peacetime; when the book is closed, Venice
would be in wartime.) On either side of the winged lion are dedicatory inscriptions
and the coats of arms of the town rector and captain at the time of
construction. Six columns support a pediment.
10:54 AM – Zadar: bottom part of Land Gate,
viewed from Muraj promenade (mild telephoto 63 mm).
At
the end of our guided tour, our guide took us all the way back across town to
the northwest to the Museum of Silver and Gold, next to the Church of
St. Mary, where no photos were allowed.
The Museum of Silver and Gold
is also known as the Gold and Silver of Zadar (Croatian: Zlato i Srebro Zadra),
Treasury, or Museum of Church Art, although its official name is Permanent
Exhibition of Church Art (Croatian: Stalna izložba crkvene umjetnosti [SICU]). Closely
guarded by the Benedictine nuns of the neighboring Convent of St. Mary, it has
a remarkable collection that spans a millennium and contains paintings,
tapestries, sculptures, reliefs, icons, crucifixes, manuscripts, clothing, and
other religious artifacts. The informal names of the exhibition stem from the fact
that most of the items displayed have gold and silver incorporated into their
production. The collection features many gold and silver reliquaries, specially
shaped to hold holy relics that were supposedly body parts of various saints,
such as arms and legs, which were encased in gold or silver and often
elaborately decorated with jewels and filigree. All of the religious art
originated in the Zadar area and testifies to the importance of the city from
the 8th to the 18th century, especially in the Middle Ages. These priceless
treasures have been preserved by the Benedictine sisters throughout the
centuries, especially during the destruction of WWII and the Yugoslav War in
the 1990s. During Allied bombing in 1943, the Benedictines secretly hid this
treasure in a deep hole under the church bell tower. In 1951, the Croatian
writer Miroslav Krleža initiated the exhibition “Gold and Silver of Zadar” in
the interior of the old 11th-century Church of St. Nediljice, which had been
reconstructed after WWII. It grew into the Permanent Exhibition of Church Art
in 1976.
Zadar: Permanent Exhibition
of Church Art – bust (or head) reliquary of pope St. Sixtus from 1596 (Autor
Silverije - Vlastito djelo postavljača, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17853734).
On our own, we went back to the nearby area around the Church of St. Donatus and the Cathedral. (Most of the photos we took there are integrated with others above.)
MT 11:35 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – MT
and Don by apse.
MT 11:35 AM – Zadar: Church of St. Donatus – MT
and Don by apse.
Then MT wanted to go back to the City Market.
12:04 PM – Zadar: City Market – covered area with
wooden sign for “Stara Pijaca” (Old Market) “Traditional Market” with “Tržnica
Zadar” (Zadar Market) below scales at top.
MT 11:56 AM – Zadar: City Market – Don with old wagon.
12:05 PM – Zadar: City Market – wine press.
MT 11:57AM – Zadar: City Market – MT with wine
press.
12:05 PM – Zadar: City Market – MT in produce
section with strings of garlic.
MT 11:51 AM – Zadar: City Market – MT in produce
section with strings of garlic.
MT 11:51 AM – Zadar: City Market – MT in produce
section with strings of garlic.
MT 11:59 AM – Zadar: City Market – produce
section.
12:19 PM – Zadar: looking north on Obala Kralia
Petra Kresomira IV seaside promenade toward Viking Star (visible beyond trees
in distance).
MT 12:12 PM – Zadar: MT and Don on Obala Kralia
Petra Kresomira IV seaside promenade, with Viking Star visible beyond trees in
distance.
MT 12:12 PM – Zadar: close-up of MT and Don on
Obala Kralia Petra Kresomira IV seaside promenade, with Viking Star visible
beyond trees in distance.
12:27 PM – Zadar: back at the plaque in the
pavement for “Grad Zadar 2005 Morske Orgulje” (City of Zadar 2005 Sea Organ)
with St. Chrysogonus from Zadar’s coat of arms.
12:27 PM – Zadar: MT and others on steps of Sea
Organ, with Viking Star in background.
Then MT wanted to go back out to swim in the Adriatic near the Sea Organ. After sticking her foot in the water and finding it quite cold, she was reluctant to get in. Finally, other ladies swimming there convinced her to just take the plunge, assuring her that the water was not very deep there. Once she got into the water, Don did some note-taking and reading on shore.
MT 1:34 PM – Zadar: MT preparing to swim in the
Adriatic.
MT 1:36 PM – Zadar: MT going down ladder to
Adriatic.
MT 1:36 PM – Zadar: “Zadar by Boat” cruise boat
sailing toward right in Adriatic, with two ladies swimming on foreground. Adriatic.
MT 1:38 PM – Zadar: MT still on ladder
to Adriatic.
1:56 PM – Zadar: MT in the Adriatic (telephoto 93
mm).
MT 1:41 PM – Zadar: MT and two other ladies in
the Adriatic.
MT 1:42 PM – Zadar: MT in the Adriatic after
other two ladies left.
MT 1:50 PM – Zadar: VIDEO of Sea Organ playing, view
of Adriatic, Viking Star, and people on organ steps (with surprise at end).
2:02 PM – Zadar: “Zadar by Boat” cruise boat made
to look like old ship sailing back toward left near Viking Star.
2:02 PM – Zadar: “Zadar by Boat” cruise boat made
to look like old ship (telephoto 119 mm).
Passengers had to be back on board the Viking Star by 3:30 pm, as the ship prepared to set sail around 4 pm for our next port stop, Dubrovnik, Croatia (222 nautical miles).
4:14 PM – Zadar: view from departing ship of city
with Greeting to the Sun and Sea Organ on near corner of port.
4:14 PM – Zadar: view from departing ship of city
with several church towers beyond the seaside promenade (telephoto 81 mm).
We missed the 4 pm Port Talk for Dubrovnik but would watch it at 8:45 pm on the TV in our room.
At 5:15, we went to the Guest Lecture “The Many Faces of Dubrovnik,” by Dr. Mary Jane Cryan in Star Theater, which was scheduled to last 40 minutes. However, we explained to Dr. Cryan before the lecture that we would have to leave at 5:43 in order to get to the Explorers’ Society gathering that was scheduled for 5:45.
The Explorers’ Society consists of guests who have sailed on Viking Cruises before. We were invited to the ship’s Atrium to mark the occasion with a loyalty host and music provided by the resident guitarist.
Then, shortly after 6 pm, we went to dinner in the ship’s Restaurant. When we asked about foods that might contain ginger, because of Don’s allergy, we were introduced to the supervisor Ahmad, who advised Don on dinner menu choices for that meal and also gave him printouts of menus for the Restaurant on Aug 2 and Manfredi’s on Aug 3, so we could pre-order. We turned in those two menus before leaving the Restaurant and needed to turn in the one for Aug 3 by the morning of Aug 3.
At 8 pm, we decided to try the Team Trivia competition in the Explorers’ Lounge, at the forward end of Deck 7. We teamed up with a couple we met on the elevator and another couple we met in the Explorers’ Lounge. We finished in a 3-way tie for first place but lost in the tiebreaker, when Don’s guess would have won but we decided against it.
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