Broad horizons Back to nature

36 What to see
What to see
37
Asseria
At Asseria, near Podgrađe, 6km east of Benkovac are the
remains of an urban settlement almost a kilometre long.
Asseria was founded long before the Romans set foot
on these lands. It was a powerful centre of the Liburnian
tribe, whose territories stretched for miles along the
eastern Adriatic coast. When the Romans later occupied
these lands, Asseria grew to become a municipality with
a governing council. The golden era of Asseria came to an
end when Avar (and sometimes Slav) tribes swept across
the plains of Europe, and the Roman Empire crumbled.
The last mention of the settlement is from the 11th
century. You can also see remains from the days when
this whole area boasted influence and might at Nadin
(Nedinum) and Karin (Corinium). Karin lies on the mouth
of the river Karišnica, where it widens into the lagoon
named the “Karin Sea”, with clear water for swimming
and curative mud in some places. Here stands a fine
example of medieval religious architecture, a 15th century
Franciscan monastery, built on the site of a Benedictine
monastery. There is a medieval fort at Perušić and a
beautiful 15th century fort at Kličevica.
St Dominic’s Church (Crkva sv. Dominika) D-3,
Špire Brusine 13. This former church building has had
an interesting past. Consecrated in 1280, it belonged to
a Dominican monastery who founded the first university in
Croatia there (1396). When Napoleon took Zadar in 1805,
he abolished the Dominican order, turned the church into
a barracks, and shut down the university. The church has
recently been renovated, and part of the monastery complex
is now home to Zadar’s popular and internationally acclaimed
Puppet Theatre.
St Elias’s Church (Crkva sv. Ilije) B-3. The city’s
Orthodox church was originally used by Greek merchants and
sailors, later serving the city’s Serbian community. It stands
just behind the Forum, and since this area is undergoing
extensive renovation, you can’t access the church at the
moment. It was built in the late Baroque style at the end of
the 18th century, and contains a wonderful collection of icons
spanning the 16th to 18th centuries.
St Francis’s Church & Franciscan Monastery
(Franjevački samostan i Crkva sv. Franje Asiškog)
A/B-3, Trg sv.Frane 1, tel. (+385-23) 25 04 68.
Consecrated in 1280, Saint Francis’s is the oldest Gothic
church in Dalmatia, also displaying fine Renaissance and
Baroque work, and containing some very important artworks.
The church was the venue for the signing of the Zadar peace
treaty of 1358, when the Venetians ended centuries of
Igor Neuhausler
attacks on the city and handed it to the protection of the
Croatian-Hungarian King Ludwig I of Anjou. Particularly worth
seeing is the wonderful choir in a local style known as Floral
Gothic. The attached Franciscan monastery has a beautiful
Renaissance cloister. Zadar’s young people like to come here
for Midnight Mass at Christmas. In the early part of 2011,
during restoration works, a 400sqm floor space entirely
covered in headstones from between the 14th and the 19th
centuries was discovered. Mass Sunday 08:30, 10:00, 20:00.
Mass in foreign languages can be arranged by appointment.
QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.
St Laurence’s Church (Crkva sv. Lovre) C-3, Široka
ulica 2. The remains of this pre-Romanesque church (11th
century) are the oldest part of Narodni trg, and are reached
through the premises of Cafe Lovro on the square. It’s small
and simple, but architecturally rich.
St Mary’s Church (Crkva sv. Marije) C-3, Trg opatice
Čike 1. Founded in 1066 by a Zadar noblewoman, and
belonging to a closed order of Benedictine nuns, the church
was fundamentally rebuilt during the 16th century in the
Renaissance spirit, but retains its Dalmatian aspect with its
rounded gables. It has a fine Baroque interior with remnants of
early Romanesque frescoes. The adjoining convent buildings
contain the remarkable Permanent Exhibition of Religious
Art (see The Silver and Gold of the City of Zadar ), and a
beautiful cloistered garden only visible from the museum’s
interior. As well as being the guardians of the city’s treasures,
the nuns are extremely skilled at fine mending and do it for
free. Bless!
St Michael’s Church (Crkva sv. Mihovila) D-3,
Špire Brusine 4. On the corner of Ulica Špire Brusine and
Ulica Mihe Klaica is the simple and charming Gothic frontage
of St Michael’s, once part of a Franciscan monastery. A relief
on the portal shows St Michael flanked by St Anastasia and
St Chrysogonus. The present church was built in 1389 and
added to in the 19th century. Of interest inside are a 13th
century painted Romanesque crucifix and a statue of Saint
Michael on the high altar.
St Nediljice’s Church (Crkva sv. Nediljica) C-3.
An early Croatian church, a reconstruction of its remains is
displayed in the Permanent Exhibition of Religious Art (see
The Silver and Gold of the City of Zadar).
St Nicholas’s Church (Crkva sv. Nikole) A/B - 3.
The remains, built in a combination of Gothic and late Baroque
styles and dating back as far as the 13th century, are close
to St Francis’. Remnants of a Romanesque belltower lie in
the courtyard. There are current attempts to save it from
the ravages of history - Napoleon’s armies converted it
into a barracks, damaging the interior, while war damaged
the exterior.
St Simeon’s Church (Crkva sv. Šimuna) D-3, Trg
Petra Zoranića 7, tel. (+385-23) 21 17 05. East of Narodni
trg is the church named after the most popular patron saint
of Zadar. First built in the 5th century, it has undergone
alterations until as recently as 1980, and some find the
terracotta and white exterior disappointing in comparison
with the other churches. But it has a pleasant Mediterranean
aspect, with palms planted outside, and the gilded reliquary
of the saint inside is one of Zadar’s highlights (see The Silver
Casket of St Simeon ).
St Thomas’s Church (Crkva sv.Tome) C-2/3. The
remains of this Early Christian church (late 5th century) on the
corner of St Chrysongonus’ Square and Ulica Šimuna Kožičića
Benje, were knocked down in 1822 to make way for a school,
rediscovered in 1969, and the frontage was restored, now
forming the facade of a shop. Some of the stone furniture of
the interior is now in the Archeological Museum.
Landmarks
City Market (Pijaca) C-2, Pod Bedemom bb. In most
Dalmatian towns the market is a sight for sore eyes, and
Zadar’s is one of the biggest and best. It’s 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. Some around the edge of the square are only just
being reconstructed. The outside stalls are where you’ll find
mouthwatering displays of fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs and
more... all locally grown and bursting with flavour. Little old
ladies (bakice) also sell home made olive oil, rakija and cheese
- usually far better than the shop-bought equivalent. The
indoor meat market is to one side of the square, and the fish
market is opposite, coolly located inside the city walls. Proud
locals claim it’s the best fish market on the coast. To one side
is a section of the market for cheap clothes and bric-a-brac,
great if you need an emergency pair of flip-flops or a cheap
snorkel. Hours of fun browsing, bargaining and banter.
Five Wells Square (Trg 5 bunara) D-3, Trg 5 bunara.
During the 16th century, the Venetians helped the city
withstand Turkish sieges by building a large drinking water
cistern with five ornamental wellheads. When the Turkish
threat ended, a park was built on top of the nearby bastion,
and nowadays the attractive stone-flagged park serves as
the perfect gathering point for skateboarders.
Five Wells Square, Stjepan Felber
Greeting to the Sun A-3. Witness this unique chance to
see the latest project in Zadar called ‘A salute to the sun’ by
the architect Nikola Bašić, who represented Croatia at the
11th Venice Biennial 2008. This project is in alliance with the
Sea Organ project. In making these two projects possible,
musician Ivan Stamać and as well as engineer and expert
on water hydraulics Vladimir Andročec have both made
significant contributions.
The First Croatian University
Zadar - the First Croatian University By St
Dominic’s church stands an attractive old white stone
building, part of the Dominican monastery complex, with
a plaque proclaiming its pride in being the first site of a
University on Croatian soil. Established in 1396 by the
Dominican monks, this puts Zadar up there with famous
seats of learning such as Cambridge and Barcelona
(1303), Heidelberg (1385), Charles University Prague
(1348), (but not quite so old as Padova (1222) and Paris
(1229). Zadar’s University focuses on humanities, and
one can’t help envying those students: one look at the
yellow Faculty on the Riva shows you that there are worse
places to be than by the sea…
Statue of Špiro Brusina D-4. The handsome fellow
staring at a shell in front of the University in Zadar is none
other than Špiro Brusina. Born in 1845, he was an expert in
natural sciences and founder of ornithology in Croatia. He
was also a zoologist, explorer, and cultural and public official.
Another curious fact is that he was a leading member in the
Croatian chapter of the freemasons. What secrets does
that shell contain?
Sea organ, Stjepan Felber
The Captain’s Tower (Kapetanova kula) D-3, Trg pet
bunara. A pentagonal tower on the Five Wells Square, built by
the Venetians to strengthen the city against Turkish attacks.
It gets its name from the nearby residence of the Venetian city
captain, and is now used as an exhibition space.
The City Cemetery, Heritage Monument (Gradsko
groblje) R-3. Cemeteries, most vacationers aren’t exactly
thrilled at the thought of them. However it does have to
be mentioned some of the highest quality stonework is on
display at these sites. The city cemetery in Zadar is proof
of that, and to be honest, when you visit on a sunny day it’s
really not all that morbid.
The Sea Organ (Morske orgulje) A-4, Obala kralja
Petra Krešimira IV. Spring 2005 saw Zadar gain something
absolutely unique: the world’s first pipe organ that’s played by
the sea. It’s an art installation designed to let people enjoy
the point where urban space meets the sea on Zadar’s new
pier for cruisers on the end of the Old Town peninsula. Simple,
elegant stone steps have been built on the quayside, perfect
for sitting on. Underneath, 35 pipes end in whistles with
openings on the quayside above. The movement of the sea
pushes air through, and - depending on the size and velocity
of the wave - chords are played. As you sit and listen to the
ever-changing sounds created by the sea’s energy, you can
bask in the sun, watch one of Zadar’s famous sunsets or
enjoy the balmy night air. This is proving to be an extremely
popular spot for culture and leisure, bringing new life to a new
part of the city. The project’s architect was Mr Nikola Bašić,
and a team of experts from Zagreb and the island of Murter
engineered the organ itself.
Museums
Archeological Museum (Arheološki muzej) C-3,
Trg opatice Čike 1, tel. (+385-23) 25 05 42, arheoloskimuzej-zadar@zd.htnet.hr,
www.amzd.hr. On the Forum
square is the low, modern building of the Archeological
Museum, featuring artefacts from Zadar’s development from
Prehistoric times through to the first Croatian settlements.
For a chronological tour, it makes sense to go directly to
the prehistoric exhibition on the second floor, which covers
decorative ceramics, weaponry and items the seafaring
Zadar In Your Pocket
zadar.inyourpocket.com
zadar.inyourpocket.com
Summer 2011