ZADAR

History of Zadar
Zadar is an ancient city, built in the center of the Croatian Adriatic, full of historical and cultural
monuments. It is three thousand years old, a city of old, tumultuous and dynamic history, often
destructed, looted, devastated, every time emerging from the ruins stronger, richer and more
beautiful. Zadar appeared for the first time in history in the 4th century B.C. as a settlement of the
Illyrian tribe of Liburnians the name Jader was mentioned, and through history it changed into
Idassa (Greek source), Jadera (Roman source), Diadora, Zara (during Venetian rule and later
Italian) up to todays name of Zadar.
After the year 59 B.C. Zadar became a Roman municipium, and in 48 B.C. a colony of Roman
citizens. During Roman rule Zadar acquired the characteristics of a city with a regular road
network, a main square forum, and next to it an elevated capitolium with a temple. In the 7th
century Zadar became the center (capital) of the Byzantine theme (province) of Dalmatia. At the
beginning of the 9th century Zadar was mentioned as seat of bishop Donatus and the Byzantine
leader Paulus. At the time a church was erected on the Roman forum, the church of the Holy
Trinity, today St. Donat, for which it can be said to be the symbol of the city. Larger settling of
Croats in Zadar was marked in the 10th century. The foundations of the Romanesque church of St.
Mary, the church of St. Grisogone and the cathedral of St Anastasia have been preserved from that
period. In 1202 the city was conquered and burned by the Crusaders and Venetians. The first
Gothic churches in Dalmatia, St. Francis and St. Dominic, were built after that time, and the gold-
plated silver sarcophagus of St. Simeon must be distinguished among the treasures of the period.
The 15th and 16th centuries are characterized by significant activities of Croatian writers who
wrote in the national Croatian language (Petar Zorani, Brne Krnaruti, ime Budini, Jerolim
Viduli ...).
The Austrians (1797) took over the government of Zadar after the Venetians, to be followed by the
French (from 1806 to 1813). After a short time of French rule, Zadar remained under Austrian rule
until 1918. With the Treaty of Rapallo, Zadar fell under Italian rule, and after the II World War it
was annexed to Croatia (within the framework of the Federation of Yugoslavia). Following the
Republic of Croatias declaration of independence and subsequent Serbian aggression on Croatian
territory, Zadar and its surroundings were attacked in October 1991. The Serbian rebels aimed to
conquer and destroy the city and its region, attacking with a destructive force that had never been
seen so far. Zadar's hinterland was controlled by rebels and significantly devastated. The city itself
was repeatedly targeted and cultural heritage of Zadar was heavily damaged.
Today Zadar is a preserved monument of various historical times and cultures that have placed
their boundaries and visible outlines of their urban appearance. During its existence it was for
many centuries the home of the Ilyrian Liburni and for 1000 years the capital city of Dalmatia.
Rich in history, it is curently a focal point in civilisation, and most of all city with an
unquestionable future: its accepted concept of development into an international, Mediterranean
and Adriatic metropolis is being realised. It is a city with a rich Croatian national identity created
in the present, wich successfully adheres to the newest trends in globalisation and informatisation.
Zadar is a city rich in spirutual and material culture, as well as in a touristic identity created in the
present. It was created around the Roman forum, a city inside well-kept walls, a city of old
Croatian monuments. Full of archieves, museums and libraries, it is the keeper of literary and
musical treasure, it is the city inside with the oldest University among Croatians (1396). It was
long ago the place where the first Croatian novel and the first newspapers in the Croatian language
were created. It is protected by four guardian saints: Zoilo, Simon, Grisogone and Anastasia.

CURIOZITATI ISTORICE
SIEGE OF ZADAR (1202)
The Siege of Zadar (November 11-November 23, 1202) was the first major action of the
Fourth Crusade. It was the first attack against a Catholic city by Catholic crusaders.

Shortly after his election as pope in 1198, Pope Innocent III (1161-1216) published several papal
encyclicals calling for the invasion and recapture of the Holy Land from the Muslims. His plan to
accomplish this differed from the earlier ultimately unsuccessful Second and Third Crusades in
several ways. Instead of the secular nobles who led the earlier crusades, this one would be, in
theory, completely under Papal control. Innocent's plan also called for the invading armies to
travel to Egypt by sea and seize the Nile Delta, which would then be used as a base from which to
invade Palestine. His call was at first poorly received among the ruling families of Europe, but by
1200 an army of approximately 35,000 soldiers had been assembled under Boniface of Montferrat.

Innocent III negotiated an agreement with the Republic of Venice, Europe's dominant sea power at
the time, involving the construction of a fleet of warships and transports, to be paid for at the time
of their use. The deal stipulated that about 35,000 crusaders would need transport and the
Venetians would be paid 85,000 silver marks. After the Venetians had suspended their commercial
operations for a year to build and crew the ships, only about 12,000 showed up at Venice to man
and pay for them. The crusaders thus found themselves only able to pay 51,000 marks to the
Venetians. In response, the Venetians indicated that they would accept the invasion of Zadar, a
Catholic city on the coast of the Adriatic, in lieu of payment for the time being; the crusaders were
then to pay the rest owed to the Venetians out of their initial gains in the crusade. Zadar had
rebelled against the Venetian Republic in 1183, and placed itself under the dual protection of the
Papacy and King Emeric of Hungary (who had also recently happened to agree to join the
crusade).

Though a large group of Crusaders found the scheme repulsive and refused to participate, the
majority agreed (despite the written protests of Innocent III), citing it as the only means necessary
to attain the larger goal of taking Jerusalem. In the winter of 1203, Innocent excommunicated the
entire crusading army, along with the Venetians, for taking part in the attack. "Behold," the pope
wrote, "your gold has turned into base metal and your silver has almost completely rusted since,
departing from the purity of your plan and turning aside from the path onto the impassable road,
you have, so to speak, withdrawn your hand from the plough [...] for when [...] you should have
hastened to the land flowing with milk and honey, you turned away, going astray in the direction
of the desert." Pope Innocent was to later grant an absolution to the entire army.

The attack on Zadar took the form of an amphibious landing followed by a brief siege. The
incident was to foreshadow the Siege of Constantinople later in the campaign. The crusaders used
the 50 amphibious transports, 100 horse carriers and 60 warships designed and built for them by
the Venetians. Their transports were approximately 30 m long, 9 m wide and 12 m high, with a
crew of 100. Each one could carry up to 600 footmen. The horse carriers featured specially
designed slings to carry their cargo of horses, and featured a fold-out ramp below the waterline
that could be opened to allow mounted knights to charge directly onto shore. The Venetian
warships were powered by 100 oarsmen each and featured a metal-tipped ram just above the
waterline as their primary weapon. Also, during the siege, 150 siege engines were used to
bombard the city's walls.

Chains and booms were laid across the mouth of Zadar's harbor as a defense, but the Crusaders
burst through them in their Venetian ships and landed their troops and equipment without
harassment. Zadar fell on November 23, 1202.
The builder of the bell tower of the Romanesque cathedral of St Anastasia
T.G. Jackson was hired to complete the construction of the bell tower of the Romanesque
cathedral of St Anastasia in Zadar. The bell tower was finished in December 1893, and it is his
only architectural work in Croatia.
Sir Thomas Graham Jackson (1835-1924) was a major figure in the late-Victorian architectural
scene, but also a prominent researcher of the architectural history. He was born in Hampstead in
north-west London, and educated at Brighton College and then Oxford. He is perhaps best known
for his Examination Schools in Oxford (1876-82), and other striking buildings there.
Sir Thomas Graham Jackson visited Croatian Adriatic coast on several ocassions and his
enthusiasm opened a new chapter in the Croatian history of art. After many previous researchers
of the Croatian Adriatic, he was first who drew attention to the richness of Medieval and
Renaissance architecture and the exceptional value of the arts and crafts from the church
treasuries.
While traveling along the Croatian coast in the period from 1882 to 1885, Jackson meticulously
recorded his impressions and with astonishing precision he made the beautiful collection of water-
colour paintings of fine architecture and outstanding achievements of Medieval goldsmith and
carving skills, which were later published in his book Dalmatia, the Quarnero and Istria
(Oxford, 1887).
Only two years later, as one of the best expert on Medieval architecture of Dalmatia, T.G. Jackson
was hired to complete the construction of the bell tower of the Romanesque cathedral of St
Anastasia in Zadar. The bell tower was finished in December 1893, and it is his only architectural
work in Croatia. Otherwise, ground floor and first floor of the bell tower were built in 1452
(during Archbishop Vallaresso), while the upper floors were built from 1890 to 1894 by English
architect and art historian Sir Thomas Graham Jackson, based on the model of the bell tower of
the cathedral in Rab.
The visit of Pope Alexander III (1177)
Pope Alexander III visited Zadar on 13th of March 1177
When Pope Alexander III visited Zadar on March 13th 1177, he entered the city on a white horse
and he was solemnly greeted by the Zadarians singing songs in their Croatian language (as noted
by Italian chronicler Baronius):
"...immensis laudibus et canticis altissime resonantibus in eorum Sclavica lingua."
Pope Alexander III bowed to the relics of St Anastasia, as it was written on a memorial board in St
Anastasia's cathedral. Pope left Zadar after four days and headed to Venice to meet the Emperor
Frederic I Barbarossa.
Over the turbulent history of the St Anastasia's cathedral, two popes have made personal visits.
More than eight centuries after arrival of Pope Alexander III, Pope John Paul II came to Zadar
on June 9, 2003 on one of his last international visits.
The visit of Emperor Franz Joseph (1875)
The Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I arrived to Zadar, the capital of the Kingdom of Dalmatia, on
10th April 1875.
The Austrian Emperor Franz J oseph I arrived to Zadar, the capital of the Kingdom of
Dalmatia, on 10th April 1875.
Saturday 10th April 1875 was certainly a great day for the former capital of the Kingdom of
Dalmatia. That morning the imperial yacht "Miramar", accompanied by several other ships,
arrived in Zadar together with the Austrian Emperor Franz J oseph I on his journey along the
Dalmatian coast.
The visit of the Emperor was the front page headline of the local newspaper "Narodni List" on the
same day, and the photographs of Nikola Androvic (1824-1895) and Josip Marko Goldstein
(1843-1930) still testify about the magnificent welcome the citizens of Zadar prepared to their
Emperor. For the representative photo album about the Emperor's journey to Dalmatia, which was
given to the Emperor Franz Joseph I and Prince Rudolf, the photographers were awarded with 20
gold ducats each.
All Viennese newspapers reported about the Emperor's journey to the youngest and poorest
province of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, particularly emphasizing the enthusiasm and warm
welcome of the Dalmatian people.

The Emperor stayed five days in Zadar, from 10th to 15th April. First three days he spent in
visiting the cultural and historical monuments of the city, receiving guests and visiting military
troops located in the city. On Tuesday, 13th of April, the Emperor visited Rab and Pag, and on
Wednesday, 14th of April, he visited Benkovac and Obrovac and some other places along the way
such as Karin and Smili. The Emperor Franz Joseph I left Zadar on Thursday, 15th of April,
when he continued his journey towards ibenik.
The first newspaper in Croatian language
Il Regio Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin-first newspaper published in Croatian language (1806-1810)
At the beginning of the 19th century, one of the most important cultural events in Dalmatia was
the publication of a bilingual newspaper Il Regio Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin in Italian and
Croatian, issued by the French government in Zadar between 12 July 1806 and 22 January 1808.
Between 29 January 1808 and 1 April 1810 it changed name to Il Regio Dalmata.
The first issue of the newspaper "Il Regio Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin" was published on 12 July
1806. The French government launched an official bilingual newspaper and the decision was
taken by the Emperor Napoleon in person. It was a weekly newspaper with each page divided into
two columns. The text on the left was printed in Italian and text on the right in Croatian. Each
issue had eight pages and the newspaper was printed on Saturday by Anton Luigi Battara in Zadar.
Il Regio Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin had a circulation of 600 copies and subscription worth 12
Venetian lire. The subscription could also be for three, four and six months. The newspaper was
originally designed for the purpose of propaganda to win the public support for the French
government in Dalmatia. The newspaper published official statements, law orders and
instructions. The guidelines were intended mostly to develop the economy.
The first editor of Il Regio Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin was the Dominican Nikola Dominik
Budrovi.
Il Regio Dalmata - Kraglski Dalmatin was pretty well read among the Croatian population and
helped to overthrow the deeply rooted prejudice among certain social groups in which the
Croatian language was of lesser value. This fact greatly contributed to the awakening of the
national spirit in Dalmatia, and in the second half of the 19th century Zadar was a centre of the
movement for the cultural and national revival.
The rich publishing tradition in Zadar continues in 1832 with the launch of a newspaper in
German and Italian La Gazzetta di Zara, as well as the Croatian newspaper Zora dalmatinska in
1844. The newspaper Narodni list was started in 1862, making it the oldest living newspaper in
Croatia, and a part of Croatian cultural history.
The first operation under ether narcosis in Croatia
The history of Croatian anesthesiology begins in Zadar: the first operation under ether narcosis in
Croatia was performed here in 1847 only five months after the first public demonstration of
ether anaesthesia in the USA - Ivan Bettini followed with the first ether anaesthesia in Zadar, on
13 March 1847.
On 13th of March 1847 only five months after the first public demonstration of ether anaesthesia
in Boston on 16th of October 1846, and two or three months after London, Paris and Vienna
surgeons Cezar Pellegrini-Danieli, Jerolim Definis, and Toma Fumagallo, with assistance of
Ivan Bettini, performed a procedure on an eighty-year-old woman with incarcerated hernia, using
ether narcosis for the first time.
The report on the employment of ether anesthesia was published on the same day in the Zadar
newspaper Gazzeta di Zara.
The first Red Cross organization in Croatia
The Red Cross was founded in Zadar on the 22nd of October 1878, and it was the first
organization of its kind in Croatia ...
The Red Cross was founded in Zadar on the 22nd of October 1878, and it was the first
organization of its kind in Croatia. A month later the rules of Zadar's Red Cross association were
approved by the authorities. The association was founded by merging two earlier committees that
were led by the prominent women of Zadar. The newly established association was founded as the
result of rich medical tradition in Zadar and had the name ''Patriotic institution of the Dalmatian
ladies supporting wounded and sick soldiers''.
Throughout history the Zadarians took great care of their health, so that the first hospital in Zadar,
located near the present cathedral, was established at the end of 6th century. The first Croatian
School of Medicine was active in Zadar from 1809 to 1811. The first midwifery school was
established here in 1821, as well as the oldest Croatian Medical Society in 1868.
Another medical curiosity: the first operation under ether narcosis in Croatia was performed 1847
in Zadar only five months after the first public demonstration of ether anaesthesia in the USA!
The first city in Croatia to have electric public lighting
Zadar was the first city in Croatia to have electric public lighting on the 30 of December 1894
The first chamber of commerce in Croatia
The Central Commission for Trade was founded in Zadar on the 9th of July, 1806.
The Croatian Chamber of Economy - Zadar County Chamber is the inheritor of the trade chambers
which were founded in Zadar as the first chambers of commerce in Croatia. The Central
Commission for Trade (Commissione centrale di commercio) was founded on the 9th of July,
1806 in Zadar, and it was a forerunner of the French chamber system in Dalmatia. The
commission's task was the promotion of the economy and the establishment of chambers in
Dalmatia, starting from the year 1807 (ibenik, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Split). Today, as throughout
history, the chamber' s objective has been the representation of its members' interests.



LEGENDE
THE LEGEND OF ST. ANASTASIA
The legend speaks of a Roman woman, the wife of a patrician, who was held under house arrest
because of her wish to remain a virgin.

The legend speaks of a Roman woman, the wife of a patrician, who was held under house arrest
because of her wish to remain a virgin. After her husband's death she moved to Aquila in the
company of St. Grisogno, where she witnessed his martyrdom. According to legend she was
tortured in the time of Diocletian's exile. She was burnt at the stake. The relics transferred to
Constantinople in the fifth century, were obtained by Donatus, the Bishop of Zadar in 804 A.D.
from the Emperor Niceforos as a token of reconciliation between Byzantine and Zadar. They were
transferred to Zadar in a stone sarcophagus to St. Peter's Church, which, since that time, carries the
name of St. Anastasia's Church.
HONOR DE BALZAC AND MARASCHINO
"It was in that city where Maraschino is produced. Zara (Zadar). I was there. It is on the coast ... ".
Maraschino is an original Zadar's liqueur recognized all over the world. It is famous for its
distinctive sweet taste and aroma. Maraschino is prepared according to the traditional recipe of a
pharmacist of Dominican monastery from the beginning of the 16th century. This liqueur is
produced from the distillate of Dalmatian cherry marasca and rightfully carries the name king of
all liqueurs.
Famous French writer Honor de Balzac described in his novel "Un dbut dans la vie" (A Start
in Life), a conversation between Schinner and Georges, which was about the town Zadar and
Dalmatia.
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos constantin porfirogenetul
The Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus - "the Purple-
born" (September 2, 905 November 9, 959) had in the year 950 given an interesting answer
concerning the time of creation of Zadar. In his book "Governing an Empire" ("De
administrando imperio) he explained that the word "Zadar", Greek "Diadora", means "it already
was", which leads to the conclusion that it existed before Rome. Even if this naive etimology is
not considered, the fact that Zadar has always been a city remains. It has been a city even before it
became a colony of Roman veterans. Some believe that it was a decision of the emperor Octavian
in 27 B.C.; other believe that it was decided by the divine Julius Caesar 20 years earlier.



SAINT CHRYSOGONUS
Saint Chrysogonus Martyr (Croatian: Sveti Krevan) is a Roman Catholic saint and martyr of
ancient Rome, a patron saint of Zadar.
Chrysogonus was a Roman knight of the 4th c. A.D. at the time of Emperor Diocletian. Because of
a liberal standpoint in his sermon, he was thrown into prison. Even in the dungeons he did not
remain idle. Through his letters he comforted St. Anastasia, the daughter of the noble Roman
Praetextatus, who was held under house arrest by her heathen husband. Diocletian offered him a
high-ranking position, should he renounce his Catholic faith, but when he refused, the Emperor
ordered his head severed and the body thrown into the sea. In a dream, the priest St. Zoilo (Zoilus)
saw St. Chrysogonus, who told him of the whereabouts of his body. Having retrieved the body
from the sea, by some miracle, the head was rejoined to the body and the corpse was then
transferred from Aquila to Zadar. In Zadar, thanks to his pleadings, many a miracle has occurred
and it is for this reason that he is esteemed as a patron saint of the city. In the legend the death of
the saint is placed on 23rd November and the Roman Catholic Church celebrates her on 24th
November.
CHURCH OF SAINT DONAT
The symbol of the city of Zadar and the most famous monumental edifice in Croatia from the
early Middle Ages (9th c.). Round pre-Romanesque church which was called the Church of the
Holy Trinity until ...
The symbol of the city of Zadar and the most famous monumental edifice in Croatia from the
early Middle Ages (9th c.). Round pre-Romanesque church which was called the Church of the
Holy Trinity until the 15th c., and from that time on carries the name of Saint Donat, by the bishop
who had it built.

The church was mentioned for the first time in mid 10th c. in the documents of the Byzantine
emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos. Today its space is used, due to its extraordinary
acoustic features, for musical performances ("Musical Evenings in Saint Donat").
SAINT ANASTASIA'S CATHEDRAL
The biggest cathedral in Dalmatia. Its oldest parts are an early Christian basilica, but its present
Romanesque appearance was shaped in the 12th century. During the crusaders' siege and conquest
...
The biggest cathedral in Dalmatia. Its oldest parts are an early Christian basilica, but its present
Romanesque appearance was shaped in the 12th century. During the crusaders' siege and conquest
of the city in 1202, the Cathedral was damaged, but later it was reconstructed and made longer.

The portals are lavishly adorned by relief and an inscription of Archbishop John from the year
1324. Its bell-tower was built in the 15th and 19th c. mostly in a neo-Romanesque style.

CHURCH OF SAINT SIMEON
At first, it was an old Christian three-nave basilica, then a Gothic construction and later an
interesting monument of provincial baroque. On the main altar there is a silver chest of Saint
Simeon ...
At first, it was an old Christian three-nave basilica, then a Gothic construction and later an
interesting monument of provincial baroque. On the main altar there is a silver chest of Saint
Simeon from the year 1380.

The chest is a goldsmith's work of great value. Queen Elizabeth had it made for the relics of Saint
Simeon. It was made by a goldsmith Franjo from Milan, who lived in Zadar. South from the
church there is a Roman pillar constructed in 1729, and made from two pillars of the city temple
which were preserved on the captolium on Forum.
CHURCH AND MONASTERY OF SAINT MARY
It is believed that the monastery of St. Mary was founded by a noble woman ika from Zadar. The
big three-nave church of St. Mary was constructed in 1091 in the early Romanesque style. It's
most ...
It is believed that the monastery of St. Mary was founded by a noble woman ika from Zadar.
The big three-nave church of St. Mary was constructed in 1091 in the early Romanesque style. It's
most beautiful part in the bell-tower, in it's original version of a Romanesque style of, so called,
Lombardian type.

The permanent exhibition of the church's art which contains objecst that date from the 8th century,
is one of the most valuable ones in Croatia.
SAINT FRANCIS CHURCH AND FRANCISCAN MONASTERY
The oldest Dalmatian church built in the Gothic style (1283). It represents a type of, so called,
Gothic monastic church characterized by a single nave with a raised shrine. In the 18th century the
appearance ...
The oldest Dalmatian church built in the Gothic style (1283). It represents a type of, so called,
Gothic monastic church characterized by a single nave with a raised shrine. In the 18th century the
appearance of the church was changed. Behind the main altar from 1672 there is a former shrine
and in it choir stalls richly adorned by carvings in the floral Gothic style from the year 1394, made
by Giacomo da Borga Sansepolrco. The sacristy, which follows the choir stalls, is very important
for the Croatian history because it was there that the peace was made between the Venetian
Republic and Hungarian-Croatian king Ludovik Anuvinac, and by that act the Venetians gave up
their pretensions to Dalmatia.

In a decorated treasury next to the sacristy, there are collected works of art of the church with a
great number of exhibits of which the most valuable is a crucifixion painted from the 12th c. South
from the church there is also a Renaissance cloister built in 1556, with a rich library.
The City Walls and Gates of Zadar
Once the largest city-fortress in the entire Republic of Venice, Zadars walls allowed it to retain
more of its independence than most of its neighbouring cities, and meant that it was never
captured by the Turks.
Once the largest city-fortress in the entire Republic of Venice, Zadars walls allowed it to retain
more of its independence than most of its neighbouring cities, and meant that it was never
captured by the Turks. Previously, there were even more fortifications than there are now, but the
ones that are left are put to good use, with delightful parks and promenades on top of them. Take a
look inside doors such as the one on Five Wells Square - you can see huge empty spaces inside
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 of the large yellow building up on the promenade belongs to one of
Zadars old newspaper presses.
The city walls have had several entrances knocked through them at more secure points in Zadars
history. Some of them were walled up for good, but six remain as vital links between the town
within the walls and the sea outside them. Some sections of the walls were built during the Middle
Ages, and some were built by the Venetians much later as fortification against the Turks, who
mounted relentless attacks on the city. Today only portions of the walls and eight gates remain.
The most impressive of these is the Land Gate - then the main entrance into the city - in the little
Foa harbour, built by a Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in 1543. 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. It is decorated
with motifs such as St. Chrysogonus (Zadars main patron saint) on his horse, and the Shield of St.
Mark (the coat of arms of the Republic of Venice). Previously, the area had been highly defensive,
with a surrounding moat.
Near the bridge on the north side is the neo-Renaissance Bridge Gate, the newest opening in the
wall, built through to Narodni trg and Kalelarga by the Italians in the 1930s.
The St. Rocco Gate, named after the St. Rocco Chapel and built in 1570, is situated by the City
Market. Between the ferry port and the Church of St. Chrysogonus is the Sea Gate - also known
as St. Chrysogonus Gate, because of its proximity to the church of the same name. It contains
parts of a Roman triumphal arch, erected by Auniana Melia in memory of her husband, but it was
redone by the Venetians in 1573 to celebrate the Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto.
Above the Roman cornice on the gate's land-facing side there is a great renaissance panel that
talks about the naval battle at Lepanto and a fine relief of St. Chrysogonus above it. The gate is
adorned with a relief of St. Mark's lion on the side facing the sea.
An earlier medieval gate existed on the site of the St. Demetrius Gate, which had been walled up
for a long time and reopened again in 1873. Further west, by the old Arsenal, is the sixth and
smallest gate, named the Chain Gate, opened during the Austrian rule in 1877, also on the site of
an earlier medieval gate. It connects Three Wells Square with the harbour area.
CHURCH OF SAINT CHRYSOGONUS (DIN PIATA POPORULUI IMEDIAT IN
STANGA)
A three-nave basilica with a lavishly decorated semicircular apse, in the Romanesque style, was
named after Saint Chrysogonus the martyr, a patron saint of Zadar.
A three-nave basilica with a lavishly decorated semicircular apse, in the Romanesque style, was
named after Saint Chrysogonus the martyr, a patron saint of Zadar.

The interior of the church is adorned by frescos in the Romanesque-Byzantine style. Saint
Chrysogonus is protector of the city and therefore placed in the City Coat of Arms.

The church and the bell tower are the only preserved parts of the formerly large Benedictine abbey
whose foundations were laid in the early Middle Ages. The basilica itself is a Romanesque
building erected in the same period and with the same artistic forms as the cathedral. It was
consecrated by the first archbishop of Zadar, Lampridije, in 1175. The basilica and the cathedral,
taken as a whole, represent a crown example of Romanesque art in the architectural heritage of
Dalmatia. Many important documents and written works of art were recorded in the course
materials bookshop of this abbey, including, among others, the works of art containing notated
music writings, a gradual from the 1st century, an antiphonal from the 14th century, a book of rites
from the 15th century, the missal of the abbot Venier, etc...
Grisogono-Vovo's Palace
The Grisogono family is one of the oldest in the history of Zadar. Federico Grisogono, the
Renaissance scholar who was also involved in music, descended from one branch of the family.
The house ...
The Grisogono family is one of the oldest in the history of Zadar. Federico Grisogono, the
Renaissance scholar who was also involved in music, descended from one branch of the family.
The house as a whole reveals the Renaissance life culture, where special emphasis was placed on
music playing. Archival information on the instruments owned by medieval families from Zadar
are a testimony to this.

This Romanesque-style palace, adapted in the late Gothic style, is situated next to the St.Simeon's
Church. Originally it consisted of two Romanesque houses connected by a one-story wing, where
as the second storey, added in the second half of the 15
th
century, was constructed in the gothic
style with renaissance scenes. The courtyard, with its arcade, was completed in the 16
th
century,
but with added gothic elements
Rector's Palace
The Rector's Palace was recorded in historic sources as early as the 13th century. The wall
structure reveals Romanesque and Gothic layers from the Middle Ages. It was completely restored
in the 16th ...
The Rector's Palace was recorded in historic sources as early as the 13th century. The wall
structure reveals Romanesque and Gothic layers from the Middle Ages. It was completely restored
in the 16th century and later in the 19th century, according to the designs of the classicist architect,
Frano Zavore. The courtyard is the oldest example of Classicism in Zadar.

In the 19th century, the Rector's Palace was joined to the Providur's Palace (17th century), the two
together forming a joint Viceregency, the government headquarters for Dalmatia within the
Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy.
ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST. ELIAS
An Orthodox church situated on a Roman capitol. It was built in late baroque style at the end of
the 18th century in place of a medieval church of the same name, which at the time served the
purposes of the Greek Orthodox congregation.
The citys Orthodox church is situated just behind the Forum, on a Roman capitol. It was built in
late baroque style at the end of the 18th century in place of a medieval church of the same name,
which at the time served the purposes of the Greek Orthodox congregation - mainly merchants,
soldiers and sailors. The church contains icons dating from the 16th to 18th cent.
Sea Organ
Sea Organ is situated near the new cruiser port, as a part of Zadar's Riva, and can be observed as a
differently shaped part of the coast which consists of several stairs that descend into the sea.
Sea Organ is situated near the new cruiser port, as a part of Zadar's Riva, and can be observed as a
differently shaped part of the coast which consists of several stairs that descend into the sea. The
stairs extend for about 70 meters along the coast, under them, at the lowest sea-tide level, 35 pipes
of different lenght, diameter and tilts were built in vertically to the coast and they raise aslant until
the paved part of the shore and end in a canal (a service corridor). On the pipes there are
LABIUMS (whistles), which play 7 chords of 5 tones. Above the canal there are perforated stone
stairs through which the sound comes out, the air pushed by the sea.

This site is a blend of human ideas and skills and the energy of the sea, waves, tide and flood, a
place for relaxation, contemplation and conversation while listening to an endless concert of
mystic harmonies of the "Orchestra of Nature".

Sea Organ is constructed according to the project made by architect Nikola Bai with the help of
several experts: Professor Vladimir Androec was the sea hydraulics consultant from the Zagreb
Civil Engineering University, the pipes were made by Goran Jeina from Murter, a well-known
organ art workshop - Heferer from Zagreb made 35 labiums for every pipe, and it was tuned by
professor Ivica Stama from Zagreb.

In 2006 Croatian architect Nikola Bai received the European Prize for Urban Public Space in
Barcelona for his Zadar Sea Organ project, as the best among 207 candidate projects from across
Europe.

The Greeting to the Sun
After the world-known Sea Organs, Zadar has become wealthier with one more urban installation.
On Istarska obala, at the very end of the Zadar peninsula, next to the famous Sea Organs, shines
the Greeting ...
After the world-known Sea Organs, Zadar has become wealthier with one more urban
installation. On Istarska obala, at the very end of the Zadar peninsula, next to the famous Sea
Organs, shines the Greeting to the Sun made by the same architect Nikola Bai.
The Greeting to the Sun consists of three hundred multi-layered glass plates placed on the same
level with the stone-paved waterfront in the shape of a 22-meter diameter circle. Under the glass
conduction plates there are photo-voltage solar modules through which symbolic communication
with nature is made, with the aim to communicate with light, just like the Sea Organs do with
sound.
Simultaneously with the most beautiful sunset in the world" the lighting elements installed in a
circle turn on, and, following a particularly programmed scenario, they produce a marvelous,
exceptionally impressive show of light in the rhythm of the waves and the sounds of the Sea
organs.
The photo-voltage solar modules absorb the sun energy and then transform it into electrical energy
by releasing it into the distributive voltage power network. It is expected for the entire system to
produce around 46.500 kWh yearly, being, actually, a small power plant from which energy will
be used not only for the Greeting to the Sun installation, but also for the lighting of the entire
waterfront. This energy will be three times cheaper than the actual one, and the project itself is a
unique example of connecting the use of renewed energy sources, energy efficiency and city space
arrangement.
In cooperation with prof. Maksim Klarin from Zadar Maritime School, the names of the saints
after which present and previous churches on the peninsula have been named are carved in the
ring surrounding the Greeting to the Sun. They are sanctae Anastasiae, sancti Donati, Simeonis
Ivsti, Chrysogoni and Zoili, and also Hieronymi, Lucae, Platonis, Eliae... Next to their names and
the date of their feast day are the declination and the altitude of the sun, the length of the sunlight
on that day and in that place on the waterfront. Thus the connection is emphasized between Zadar
and the Saint Grisogonus Calender, who contributed greatly in marking time and astronomic
navigation at its very beginnings.
The Greeting to the Sun installation, as a model of the solar system with its appertaining planets,
is connected to the Sea Organs whose sound is transposed into a show of light that starts
performing on the Zadar waterfront after sunset. In creating the lighting effects, the installation
will be able to receive other outer, spontaneous impulses through modem connection, while the
lighting pictures will adapt to different occasions.
The attractiveness of the Sea Organs, for which the esteemed Zadar architect Nikola Bai has
received numerous international and national awards, has charmed not only Zadar and Croatia, but
also the entire world, and there is no doubt that Zadar has acquired a new and excellent attraction
with its Greeting to the Sun.

St. Grisogonus Calendar
The names and numbers carved on the ring surrounding the installation on the waterfront -
Momentum to the Sun - are part of the St.Grisogonus Calendar, developed in Zadar and found in
1964 in the Bodleian Library in Oxford. It dates from 1292 or 1293, and is among the oldest of
such documents in the world, and possibly the first to have astronomy data written in Arabic
numbers. Besides the calendar with the feast days and names of saints, it also has the astronomy
part which shows the sun efemeride, the coordinates of the heavenly bodies, their angle distances
from determined immovable flat surfaces, straight lines or points
The Forum
Located in front of the church of Saint Donat and the Archbishop's Palace. It is a municipal square
from the Roman era, built from the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD, 45 by 90 metres in size.
It represents a very developed example of the forum complex, and is one of the most important
among the Adriatic ancient cities. The inscription with the name of Augustus' proconsul for
Illyricum, Tamfil Vaale, carved on the well of the Forum, testifies that the complex construction
was started as early as the second decade of the 1st century BC.

The forum is the name given to all main squares in the cities of the ancient Roman Empire, where
the public life of the city unfolded. There was initially an about 2 metre high capitol on its south-
western section, in the midst of which a temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva rises, while
a monumental pillar is preserved to its north-western side, used in the Middle Ages as a "Pillar of
Shame".

In the period of late antiquity, the foundations of Christian buildings were laid. They later
developed into an episcopal complex with the basilica and annexes, and were joined by the
rotunda in the Early Middle Ages, eventually destroying the complex of earlier erected buildings.
In the course of history, the whole complex was reduced to rubble and the Kampa was built in its
place, a medieval square with a Renaissance cistern.




Narodni trg (People's Square)
Narodni Trg is the centre 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.
Afterwards, the City Lodge 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 City Sentinel (Gradska straa) with the city clock tower, while a new City Lodge
was erected on the site of the old one.

On the northern side of the Square is the City Sentinel (Gradska straa) from 1562, designed by
a Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in the late Renaissance style. 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. The building once housed the Ethnographic Section of the National
Museum, one of the most important collections in the country, and worth seeing for the rich
colours of local national costumes, textiles (weaving and lace), jewellery, agricultural, fishing and
household objects.

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; small and simple,
but architecturally rich. It can be visited from behind the Cafe bar Sveti Lovre.
On the southern side of the Peoples Square is the City Lodge (Gradska loa), first mentioned in
the 13th century; it was rebuilt in 1565, similar in aspect to some other works of Michele
Sanmicheli. This building once was the citys courthouse, council chambers and library. It was
restored after being heavily damaged in the World War II. With its huge windows and high
ceilings, it nowadays serves as a stunning exhibition space, hosting events such as the
international photography triennial Man and the Sea and the triennial of contemporary Croatian
art The Blue Salon.
The Pedrini Baroque Palace was destroyed by the fascist authorities during the Italian rule, and
todays City hall building was erected in 1935. The Ghirardini Palace in Romanesque style with
a balcony from the 15th century in gothic style stands to the east, just outside the square.
Five Wells Square
The Square is located on a site between the medieval City Walls with a cornice and the
Renaissance bastion Grimani where the city park is situated. In the Middle Ages there was a
defence ditch. During the 16th century, the Venetians helped the city withstand Turkish sieges by
building a large drinking water cistern with five ornamental wellheads, after which the square was
named.

The pentagonal Captain's tower leaning against the wall with the cornice is the only one left from
ten similar towers located on the margins of the medieval city. The Captain's Tower is named after
the nearby residence of the city captain and it was built by the Venetians to strengthen the city
against Turkish attacks. Today, the Tower houses the exhibition premises and a belvedere
providing a beautiful view over the city.

The park named after Queen Jelena Madijevka, built on top of the Grimaldi bastion is not the
city's oldest. Founded by Austrian commander Baron Franz Ludwig von Welden in 1829, a
passionate botanist and admirer of Dalmatian flora, it was the first public park in Croatia. To
create a garden on top of a military object was an unusual move, but one Zadar is eternally
grateful for.