The Cathedral of St. Anastasia of Zadar is the cathedral church of the city of Zadar and the largest of the Dalmatian region in Croatia. It was built between the XII and XIV centuries with late Romanesque and Gothic style. It stands on a site of much older basilica that stood here since the 4th century AD. Cathedral of Saint Anastasia is also a seat of Archdiocese of Zadar. The present building replaced in the 12th century an Early Christian basilica with three naves. The extraordinary facade is with total security the most outstanding element of the set. It was erected in the 13th century and is reminiscent of the church of San Crisogen in the same city and with the same Tuscan influence. Zadar Cathedral decorated with typically Romanesque motifs, while the tympanum is from 1324. Two rose windows decorate the portal of the facade. Inside, the width of the ship is impressive. The choir stalls are profusely decorated in flamboyant Gothic style typical of the early fifteenth century. It also highlights the cimborrio and the first Christian mosaic in the sacristy.
Early Christian Origins (4th–5th Centuries)
The cathedral’s
roots lie in an early Christian basilica constructed in the 4th or
5th centuries on the site of the Roman Forum of the ancient colony
of Iader (Zadar). This was the first major Christian building in the
city after the Edict of Milan (313 AD) legalized Christianity. The
basilica was originally dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle.
The
first bishop of Zadar known by name was Felix, who participated in
the Councils of Aquileia (381) and Milan (390). Parts of the early
episcopal complex survive in the sacristy (formerly the Chapel of
St. Barbara), including walls, an apse, and a remarkable 5th-century
floor mosaic depicting a “Fountain of Life” motif (kantharos with
deer and other animals, framed by acanthus leaves and crosses)
covering about 43 m². This mosaic shows strong influences from
Ravenna and Aquileia and was praised by the 10th-century Byzantine
emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, who described the basilica as
richly decorated with beautiful paintings and floor mosaics.
A
6th-century hexagonal baptistery (later destroyed and rebuilt) was
also part of the complex.
Acquisition of Relics and
Rededication (Early 9th Century)
Around 804–808 (or possibly
810), Bishop Donatus of Zadar received the ashes (relics) of Saint
Anastasia of Sirmium—a 4th-century martyr from the time of Emperor
Diocletian—from Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I. The relics had been
moved from Sirmium (modern Sremska Mitrovica) to Constantinople for
safekeeping during barbarian invasions. In gratitude for peace
between Charlemagne and the Byzantines, the emperor gifted them to
Zadar.
Bishop Donatus commissioned a white marble sarcophagus
(102 cm long, 57 cm wide, 77 cm high) inscribed with a dedication
invoking the Holy Trinity and crediting himself as “bishop and
builder.” The sarcophagus still stands today on the altar in the
northern apse (left nave). The church was rededicated to Saint
Anastasia (locally called Stošija), who became the patroness of both
the cathedral and the archdiocese. Her feast day is January 15.
Romanesque Reconstruction (11th–13th Centuries)
The basilica
was largely rebuilt and enlarged in the 11th–12th centuries. Much of
the present three-nave structure dates to the 12th and 13th
centuries and was constructed in the Romanesque style, modeled after
Santa Maria della Piazza in Ancona, Italy. The central nave is
significantly wider than the side aisles, separated by stone columns
and piers.
In November 1202, during the Fourth Crusade, Venetian
forces and Crusaders besieged and sacked Zadar, severely damaging
the cathedral. Reconstruction occupied the entire 13th century. The
building was reconsecrated on 27 May 1285 by Archbishop Lovro
Periandar. The impressive late-Romanesque façade—with three portals,
a large rose window, and a smaller Gothic one above—was completed in
1324. It features symbolic elements: a bas-relief of the Madonna and
Child flanked by Saints Anastasia and Chrysogonus, evangelist
symbols (lion for Mark, bull for Luke), and finely carved Romanesque
sculpture (including the famous “Lamb of God” lunette on the left
portal).
Interior highlights from this period include:
A
12th-century crypt beneath the elevated presbytery (a three-nave
underground space with cross vaults and relics of Thessalonian
saints Agape, Irene, and Chione).
An early Gothic ciborium (1322)
over the main altar.
15th-century Gothic floral-style choir
stalls by Venetian master Matej Morozan (or Mateo Moronzon), one of
the finest surviving sets in Dalmatia.
Later Additions and
the Bell Tower
The bell tower was built in stages. The ground
floor and first floor date to 1452–1480 (early Renaissance elements
under Archbishop Vallaresso). The upper levels were completed
between 1890 and 1894 in a neo-Romanesque style by English architect
and art historian Thomas Graham Jackson; they feature double
mullioned windows, an octagonal pyramid roof, and a rotating brass
angel weathervane. The tower is one of Zadar’s most recognizable
landmarks.
20th Century and Modern Era
The cathedral
suffered further damage during the Allied bombing of Zadar on 16
December 1943 (including the destruction of the ancient baptistery,
which was faithfully restored in 1989). Post-war restorations
preserved its Romanesque-Gothic character while repairing wartime
harm.
Notable modern visits include Pope Alexander III, who
reconsecrated the church in 1177 during his stay in Zadar, and Pope
John Paul II, who paid homage at the entrance on 9 June 2003 during
one of his final international trips.
Key Features and
Cultural Significance Today
Sarcophagus of St. Anastasia — The
9th-century relic container remains the spiritual heart of the
cathedral.
Façade and portals — Masterpieces of late-Romanesque
sculpture (completed 1324).
The cathedral houses additional
treasures: a 14th-century fresco of the Tree of Jesse in the
sacristy, various Baroque and later altars, and the Zadar Polyptych
by Vittore Carpaccio (now in the adjacent museum). It continues to
serve as an active place of worship and a major tourist attraction,
symbolizing Zadar’s layered history from Roman times through
Byzantine, Venetian, and Croatian periods.
The site’s Christian roots date to a 4th–5th-century early
Christian basilica (originally dedicated to St. Peter). Fragments of
this structure survive, including parts of the sacristy walls and a
floor mosaic. In the early 9th century, Bishop Donatus received the
relics of St. Anastasia of Sirmium from Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros
I; he commissioned a 9th-century marble sarcophagus for them (still
in the northern apse), and the church was rededicated to her.
Major reconstruction occurred in the 11th–12th centuries,
transforming it into a three-nave Romanesque basilica. It was
damaged during the 1202 Venetian–Crusader sack of Zadar, leading to
extensive 13th-century repairs. The building was reconsecrated in
1285, with the current façade completed in 1324. The design echoes
the Church of Santa Maria della Piazza in Ancona, Italy, reflecting
Adriatic Romanesque ties. Later additions include a 15th-century
bell-tower base, Baroque altars, and 19th-century tower completion.
A 6th-century hexagonal baptistery (south side) was destroyed in
1943 and restored in 1989.
Overall Plan and Dimensions
The
cathedral follows a classic three-nave basilican plan with a
slightly elevated presbytery (choir) and three semicircular apses at
the east end. The central nave is approximately three times wider
than the side aisles, creating a monumental, light-filled interior.
Overall dimensions are roughly 50 m long and 18 m wide. A matroneum
(women’s gallery) runs above the side aisles. Beneath the presbytery
lies a 12th-century crypt. The structure uses local stone (primarily
limestone) with marble elements, some reused from Roman and early
Christian sources.
Exterior Architecture: The Striking Façade
The west façade, finished in 1324, is the cathedral’s architectural
highlight and one of the finest examples of late Romanesque design
in the Adriatic. It is divided into two horizontal orders (tiers):
Lower order — More massive and robust, featuring three deeply
recessed portals. The central portal is the most elaborate: its
tympanum (lunette) holds a Gothic-style bas-relief of the Madonna
and Child flanked by St. Chrysogonus (left) and St. Anastasia
(right). Below are four shallow-relief figures of the apostles. The
side portals have lunettes with the mystical Lamb of God (Agnus
Dei). The left portal’s corbels (consoles) include older statues of
the Annunciation—Angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary.
Upper order —
Lighter and more decorative, crowned by a large triangular pediment
and four bands of Lombard blind arcades (a hallmark of Romanesque
architecture). It features two prominent rose windows: a large,
lower Romanesque wheel window (richly traceried) and a smaller,
upper Gothic one. The façade edges are adorned with statues of a
lion (symbol of Evangelist Mark, left) and a bull (symbol of
Evangelist Luke, right).
The overall effect shows perfect
harmony of horizontal and vertical lines, with blind arcades,
sculpted columns, and Venetian-influenced detailing. The richly
carved portals and rose windows create a rhythmic, sculptural
quality typical of Dalmatian Romanesque.
Interior
Architecture
The interior feels monumental yet harmonious. The
central nave is separated from the narrower side aisles by six pairs
of alternating stone columns and sturdy pilasters (pylons) that
support high, round arches and a wooden ceiling in the nave (with
exposed beams). The side aisles have groin vaults. Light enters
through clerestory windows and the rose windows above.
Key
interior features include:
Presbytery — Elevated, with an
early Gothic ciborium (canopy) from 1322 over the main altar. Behind
it stands a stone archbishop’s throne (cathedra). The choir stalls
are fine Venetian Gothic floral work by local master Matej Morozon
(c. 1418–1450).
Apses — The northern apse houses the 9th-century
marble sarcophagus of St. Anastasia, inscribed by Bishop Donatus.
Fragments of medieval frescoes survive in the apses.
Side altars
— Mostly Baroque; the southern aisle features a richly decorated
1718 altar of the Holy Sacrament by sculptor A. Viviani, with
columns, evangelist statues, virtues, and a Lamb of God.
Sacristy
(Chapel of St. Barbara) — One of the oldest sections, preserving
5th-century walls/apse and a floor mosaic of two deer drinking from
a fountain—an early Christian symbol.
The overall atmosphere
is serene and grand, with the alternating columns creating a
rhythmic progression toward the altar.
The Bell Tower
The
freestanding bell tower (zvonik), attached to the north side, rises
about 56 m and is Zadar’s tallest structure. Construction began in
1452 (ground and first floors); the upper three storeys with double
bifora (mullioned) windows on all four sides were added 1890–1894 by
English architect Thomas Graham Jackson in a sympathetic
neo-Romanesque style, modeled on the bell tower of Rab. It ends in
an octagonal pyramid spire topped by a rotating brass angel
weathervane. Decorative elements include stylized floral mosaics and
fretwork cornices.
Architectural Style and Significance
The cathedral is predominantly Romanesque—characterized by round
arches, robust masonry, Lombard bands, and sculptural portals—yet
incorporates early Gothic details (pointed elements in some portals,
the ciborium, and the upper rose window). Later Baroque altars and
19th-century neo-Romanesque tower elements add layers without
overpowering the medieval core. It represents the pinnacle of
medieval Dalmatian architecture, blending local traditions with
Byzantine, Venetian, and Italian influences. The preserved early
Christian mosaic and sarcophagus make it a living palimpsest of over
1,500 years of Adriatic religious architecture.