A Wealth of Antiquity

A Wealth of Antiquity - Zadar

September 20, 2017

Here's the thing: pay attention to the places that one walks past.

Zadar is not "in-your-face" startlingly cute and Historic like Dubrovnik or Korcula. At first glance/walk, it appears to be a nice seaside city on the Adriatic with a typical European shopping complex filled with coffee drinking residents and tourists along with a huge array of shops. Maybe it is from the 1800's with lots of updating to make it chic.

But don't pass by the 1400 year old 6th Century church on the corner which is now selling "Original Croatian Art"....or so it advertizes out front.

After walking by it for two days I looked inside. The art was good...maybe not bound for the Croatian Modern Art Museum but OK. I looked more carefully at the place itself. The clerk said that the front part was from 1500 and the back part from 600 AD.

"Do you mean 1600 AD?" I asked through our limited English/Croatian language barrier.

"No, no....600 AD!" She said.

And she was right.

Usually artists and clerks will absolutely NOT allow photos in an art store. I get it. They don't want folks taking photos and then copying their artwork.

But when I walked in the back part of the church/art gallery I was startled at the space.

I went back to the clerk and calmly asked if I could take a photo.

"Sure...go ahead." She said.

She didn't care and really didn't understand why I would want a photo of the old church. She sat there everyday looking at her Facebook page and texting friends at other shops in the area waiting for customers....what did she care if I photo'd the ceiling of this ancient church.

I suppose she "got it". I suppose she did certainly understand that a 1400 year old church on a street corner in Zadar is pretty remarkable, but still. It was just her neighborhood...and what is so remarkable about one's own neighborhood?

Ancient stonework and some recovered frescos in the ceiling. I am not sure if they were re-touched or remarkably preserved. Anyway....very impressive.

I came back later and bought some "Original Croatian Artwork"...out of gratitude.

It will be gathering dust on my office shelf come October.

Early mornings anywhere....are always the best. And when you are on the Adriatic Sea....it is all good. Yesterday was rains and today it is crisp and sorta sunny. I walked along the sea wall to the Sea Organ

I must give credit to the Zadar Chamber of Commerce. The Sea Organ is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Who would suspect that thousands would come each night...just to hear the ocean sing?

Time to do what I try to do in every city that has a tower or church bell tower....climb it.

The crowds were none existent at 10 am. I paid my 15 kinda and sarted up the 200+ stairs to the top.

I was surprised at the ancient portion of the first third of the tower. The stairs were cut limestone. (Frankly....EVERYTHING in this country is cut limestone. Something that this Lima-boy can relate to.)

In the upper two-thirds, the stairs took on a bit more modern style. Turns out the first third was built in the 1500's and someone thought that a few storied-tower was sufficient. But in the 19th Century an architect added on....and we get the tower as it is today.

Look to the sea.

Look to the main thoroughfare that passes through the old town.

Look over the top of St. Donatus' Church from the 8th century or so. I would put St. Donatus in my top tier of fascinating churches. (I actually bought some "Original Croatian Art Work" of a miniature of the church....which will sit on my office shelf soon.)

Look above you and realize that the tower is still a ways above your head.

I decided to descend to the square below but glanced at my watch and realized it was 9:58 and did not want to be on the staircase passing by the bells at 10 am sharp. I delayed for 5 minutes. A wise move.

The bells were contained in the upper third of the tower, which one walks past on the stairs.

The Dalmatian Coast, where I am, has been occupied since prehistory but as for history. There are indications of settlements around 800 BC. The Romans came through and settled and built much of the early town and those roads and foundations still exist.

Indications of the Christian influence came around the third century though it is recorded that St. Paul was in these parts and sent missionaries to the area. See Romans 15:19 and 2 Timothy 4:10. Titus came to Dalmatia.