Cathedral of St Anastasia

Cathedral of St. Anastasia

The Cathedral of St. Anastasia (Croatian: Katedrala sv. Stošije) stands as the Roman Catholic cathedral of Zadar, Croatia, and is the largest church in the entire Dalmatian region. It serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Zadar. The historical significance of the site is profound, with origins tracing back to a Christian basilica established in the 4th and 5th centuries. The majority of the currently existing three-nave structure was erected in the Romanesque style during the 12th and 13th centuries.

History and Construction

The earliest recorded bishop of Zadar, Felix, attended church councils in the late 4th century, indicating the presence of an early Christian community. Initially dedicated to St. Peter, the basilica's patronage shifted during the time of Bishop Donatus. He received the ashes of Saint Anastasia of Sirmium from Emperor Nikephoros I, leading to the cathedral taking her as its patron. Donatus commissioned a sarcophagus for these sacred remains, which are still preserved within the cathedral today.

The church underwent substantial reconstruction in the 11th and 12th centuries, culminating in its reconsecration by Pope Alexander III in 1177. However, the cathedral suffered significant damage during the siege of Zadar by Venetians and Crusaders in 1202. The entire 13th century was dedicated to extensive repairs and rebuilding. The new structure, designed in a style reminiscent of the Santa Maria della Piazza church in Ancona, was completed and reconsecrated on May 27, 1285, though final construction concluded in 1324.

The bell tower was constructed in two distinct phases. The ground and first floors were built in 1452. The completion of the upper floors occurred much later, between 1890 and 1894, under the design of English architect and art historian Thomas Graham Jackson. This tower features four sides decorated with double mullioned windows and is topped by an octagonal pyramid with a rotating angel statue.

Architectural and Artistic Features

The façade, finished in 1324, is characterized by two orders. The lower order is more massive, featuring three portals, with the central one adorned by a bas-relief of the Madonna and Child with Saints Crisogonus and Anastasia. The upper order culminates in a triangular pediment and displays four tiers of Lombard bands, incorporating a large Romanesque rose window and a smaller Gothic one. Symbolic statues of a lion and a bull, representing Saints Mark and Luke, flank the façade's edges.

The interior comprises a nave and two aisles, with the nave being significantly larger than the aisles. These are separated by alternating stone pillars and pylons. The presbytery is elevated, with a 12th-century crypt located beneath it. Within the presbytery are Gothic-style choir stalls crafted by 15th-century master Matej Morozan. The main altar is surmounted by an early Gothic ciborium from 1322.

The southern aisle contains a marble altar for relics and the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament, a 1718 work by sculptor A. Viviani. This altar is richly decorated with columns and statues, including a Pietà above the tabernacle. The apse at the end of the nave houses a marble sarcophagus containing the relics of St. Anastasia, inscribed by Bishop Donat.

Other Significant Elements

Adjacent to the cathedral is a hexagonal baptistery dating back to the 6th century. Although the original baptistery was destroyed in bombing raids in 1943, it was meticulously restored in 1989.

The sacristy, also known as the Chapel of St. Barbara, includes walls and an apse that are among the oldest parts of the cathedral. A floor mosaic depicting two deer, dating from the early 5th century, is also a significant ancient feature.

The church's museum of art holds the Zadar Polyptych, an early work by the Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio.

The Cathedral of St. Anastasia has been submitted to UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, highlighting its global cultural and historical importance.