The Abbey of St. Chrysogonus in Zadar between Early Christian sculpture and the Romanesque architecture

The monastery of St. Chrysogonus in Zadar was one of the most notable Benedictine abbeys on the eastern Adriatic coast. The monastery was first mentioned in the first half of the tenth century, but we have very little knowledge about the earliest (Benedictine) building. The present-day church of St. Chrysogonus, consecrated in the year of 1175, is a monumental three-nave basilica and one of the most significant Romanesque religious monument in the east Adriatic region. Monastery was repealed by the French administration in 1806 and after that used for various functions. Conservation and restoration work headed by Ciril Metod Ivekovic (1911-1914) which was carried out on the church led to the discovery of Romanesque parts of the church and former monastery. Besides that, several interesting fragments of Early Medieval sculpture were found. During the Second World War the ex-monastery complex was completely destroyed, but fortunately there was no major structural damage to the church building. One of the aims of the paper is to discuss the problem of the first church and monastery of St. Chrysogonus - therefore special attention will be given to the interpretation of Early Medieval and Early Christian fragments of liturgical furnishings and architectural decoration found in the well- preserved Romanesque monument. Attention will also be focused on the Romanesque church, especially on the interpretation of its architecture and surviving remains of architectural sculpture, and architectural influences that has always been in the center of scientific interest. The purpose of this paper is to improve the past knowledge of the Benedictine monastery in Zadar, which will contribute to a better understanding of Benedictine (medieval) monuments of the eastern Adriatic coast and the adjacent area.