HIstory

The church of St. Martin was built in the 6th century. The fact that it has been preserved in its original shape makes it one of the most important examples of the early Christian architecture in Croatia. After 15 centuries of existence it sustained serious damage during the Croatian Independence War, but it was completely restored.

Trefoil

Bifora - mullioned window

Interior

Facade

Baptistery

Baptistery

The remains of an octagonal baptistery can be seen to the south of the church. It had a round niche on the east side and a hexagonal baptismal font.

Sculpture

Fragments of church furniture with 9th century pre-Romanesque sculptural decoration were found in the church. One of them has a figure of a horseman charging with a shield on one hand and spear in the other, and another, stored at the Museum of Early Croatian Archaeology in Split, has a carved figure of a lion. Figuration was not a common feature in the sculpture of the period.

Description

The church of St. Martin is situated at the local graveyard. It has one nave ending with a trefoil sanctuary. Remains of similar early Christian churches were found in Bilice near Šibenik and in Sutivan on the island of Brač. The exterior is articulated with pilasters which are connected with blind arches on the surface of the three apses. The north and south walls have mullioned windows. Remains of a Roman villa rustica were also identified in the vicinity, on the location where, in the pre-Romanesque period, the old Croatian church of St. Michael was built in the 9th or 10th century.

Plan

Horseman

Info

  • The Splendour of Zadar Tresauries