Cathedral of St. Duje in Split
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Saint Domnius , known locally as the Saint Duje (Sveti Duje), is the Catholic cathedral
of Split
, the largest Dalmatia
n city and the seat of Split-Dalmatia County
, in Croatia
. The cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, headed by Archbishop
Marin Barišić. The Cathedral of St. Duje is a complex of a church, formed from an Imperial Roman mausoleum
, with a bell tower
; strictly the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the bell tower to Saint Duje. Together they form the Cathedral of St. Duje.
of Split, who was a 3rd century Bishop of Salona. Salona
was a large Roman
city serving as capital of the Province of Dalmatia
. Today it is located near the city of Solin in Croatia
. Saint Duje was martyred with seven other Christians in the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian
. He was born in Antioch
, in modern-day Syria
, and beheaded in 304 at Salona.
Diocletian's Palace
is a building in the centre of Split, built for the Emperor Diocletian (a native of Dalmatia) at the turn of the 4th century. On the intersection of two main roads, cardo
and decumanus, there is a monumental court Peristyle
, from which the only access to Cathedral of St. Duje is to the east.
The Cathedral of St. Duje is composed of three different sections of different ages. The main part is Emperor Diocletian's mausoleum
, which dates from the end of the 3rd century. The mausoleum was built like the rest of the palace
with white local limestone and marble
of high quality, most of which was from marble quarries on the island of Brač
, with tuff
taken from the nearby river Jadro beds, and with brick made in Salonitan
and other factories.
Later, in the 17th century a chorus
was added to the eastern side of the mausoleum. For that purpose the eastern wall of the mausoleum was torn down in order to unify the two chambers.
The Bell Tower
was constructed in the year 1100 AD. It was one of the most beautiful Romanesque
towers. Extensive rebuilding in 1908 radically changed the Bell Tower, and many of the original Romanesque sculptures were removed.
One of the best examples of Romanesque sculpture in Croatia, are the wooden doors on Cathedral of St. Duje. They were made by the medieval Croatia
n sculptor and painter Andrija Buvina
around 1220. Two wings of the Buvina wooden door contains 14 scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, separated by rich ornaments in wood.
Other treasures include sacral
art works, like the Romanesque
The Madonna and Child panel painting
from the 13th century, objects like chalices and reliquaries by goldsmith
s from the 13th to the 19th century, and mass vestments from the 14th till 19th century. It also contains famous books like the Book of gospels (Splitski Evandelistar) from the 6th century, the Supetar cartulary (Kartularium from Sumpetar) from the 11th century, and the Historia Salonitana (The History of the people of Salona) by Toma the Archdeacon
from Split in the 13th century.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, the largest Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n city and the seat of Split-Dalmatia County
Split-Dalmatia County
Split-Dalmatia County is the central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. The administrative center is Split. The population of the county is 455,242...
, in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, headed by Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Marin Barišić. The Cathedral of St. Duje is a complex of a church, formed from an Imperial Roman mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
, with a bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
; strictly the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the bell tower to Saint Duje. Together they form the Cathedral of St. Duje.
Name
The cathedral was named after Saint Duje (Saint Dujam, or Saint Domnius) patron saintPatron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Split, who was a 3rd century Bishop of Salona. Salona
Salona
Salona was an ancient Illyrian Delmati city in the first millennium BC. The Greeks had set up an emporion there. After the conquest by the Romans, Salona became the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia...
was a large Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
city serving as capital of the Province of Dalmatia
Dalmatia (Roman province)
Dalmatia was an ancient Roman province. Its name is probably derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Dalmatae which lived in the area of the eastern Adriatic coast in Classical antiquity....
. Today it is located near the city of Solin in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. Saint Duje was martyred with seven other Christians in the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
. He was born in Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, in modern-day Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, and beheaded in 304 at Salona.
Architecture
Diocletian's Palace
Diocletian's Palace is a building in Split, Croatia, that was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD.Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from...
is a building in the centre of Split, built for the Emperor Diocletian (a native of Dalmatia) at the turn of the 4th century. On the intersection of two main roads, cardo
Cardo
The cardo was a north-south oriented street in Roman cities, military camps, and coloniae. The cardo, an integral component of city planning, was lined with shops and vendors, and served as a hub of economic life. The main cardo was called cardo maximus.Most Roman cities also had a Decumanus...
and decumanus, there is a monumental court Peristyle
Peristyle
In Hellenistic Greek and Roman architecture a peristyle is a columned porch or open colonnade in a building surrounding a court that may contain an internal garden. Tetrastoon is another name for this feature...
, from which the only access to Cathedral of St. Duje is to the east.
The Cathedral of St. Duje is composed of three different sections of different ages. The main part is Emperor Diocletian's mausoleum
Diocletian's Palace
Diocletian's Palace is a building in Split, Croatia, that was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD.Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from...
, which dates from the end of the 3rd century. The mausoleum was built like the rest of the palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
with white local limestone and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
of high quality, most of which was from marble quarries on the island of Brač
Brac
Brač is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of 396 km², making it the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third largest in the Adriatic. Its tallest peak, Vidova Gora, or Mount St. Vid, stands at 778 m, making it the highest island point in the Adriatic...
, with tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
taken from the nearby river Jadro beds, and with brick made in Salonitan
Salona
Salona was an ancient Illyrian Delmati city in the first millennium BC. The Greeks had set up an emporion there. After the conquest by the Romans, Salona became the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia...
and other factories.
Later, in the 17th century a chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
was added to the eastern side of the mausoleum. For that purpose the eastern wall of the mausoleum was torn down in order to unify the two chambers.
The Bell Tower
Bell Tower
Bell Tower is an office tower in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, completed in 1982. The tower comprises 31 stories, and stands 130 meters tall. It was formerly known as the Canadian Commercial Bank Tower, was the headquarters of the Canadian Commercial Bank before that bank failed in 1985...
was constructed in the year 1100 AD. It was one of the most beautiful Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
towers. Extensive rebuilding in 1908 radically changed the Bell Tower, and many of the original Romanesque sculptures were removed.
One of the best examples of Romanesque sculpture in Croatia, are the wooden doors on Cathedral of St. Duje. They were made by the medieval Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n sculptor and painter Andrija Buvina
Andrija Buvina
Andrija Buvina was a 13th century medieval Croatian sculptor and painter. His work is often associated with the Romanesque period.Actually, the best example of Romanesque sculpture in Croatia are the wooden doors on Cathedral of St. Duje in Split, done by Andrija Buvina c. 1214...
around 1220. Two wings of the Buvina wooden door contains 14 scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, separated by rich ornaments in wood.
Treasury
On the first floor of the sacristy is the cathedral treasury which contains relics of Saint Duje, which were brought to cathedral after his death.Other treasures include sacral
Sacral
Sacral may refer to:*sacred*sacrum...
art works, like the Romanesque
Romanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
The Madonna and Child panel painting
Panel painting
A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel made of wood, either a single piece, or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, it was the normal form of support for a painting not on a wall or vellum, which was used for...
from the 13th century, objects like chalices and reliquaries by goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
s from the 13th to the 19th century, and mass vestments from the 14th till 19th century. It also contains famous books like the Book of gospels (Splitski Evandelistar) from the 6th century, the Supetar cartulary (Kartularium from Sumpetar) from the 11th century, and the Historia Salonitana (The History of the people of Salona) by Toma the Archdeacon
Thomas the Archdeacon
Thomas the Archdeacon was a medieval Dalmatian historian and Archdeacon of Split most remembered for Historia Salonitana, a chronicle of the Bishops and Archbishops of Split until 1266....
from Split in the 13th century.
External links
- Grad Split Official Split web page
- Splitsko-makarska nabbiskupija Official Archdiocese web page