A Glimpse of The Church of Saint Donatus

What church wowed you for its unusual shape?

The Church of St. Donatus is central to old Zadar and is near the waterfront and the Roman Forum. The materials from the Roman Forum were used to build the church in the 9th century and two intact columns are inside the building. The church was originally called the Church of Holy Trinity until the 15th century when it was dedicated to St. Donatus. The building has a unique circular shape, and the nearby tower lights up at night.

The streets nearby were nearly empty when we arrived at the Church. Visiting in November allowed us to enjoy this place without massive amounts of tourists. We loved the charm of the Church, and nearby streets. The shape of the church and the nearby tower wowed us.

Pieces of the Roman columns are used as part of the church’s foundation. The church has a pilar of shame behind it that is from the Middle Ages. The entrance to the church is massive, and the inside is a hodgepodge of materials from the former Roman Forum.

There are steps inside leading to a balcony which was once the Women’s Gallery. The church itself rests on the original paving of the Roman Forum from 59AD. St. Donatus has not been used as a church for over 200 years but instead hosts music performances and has excellent acoustics.

The nearby bell tower has 200 steps to climb to the top and is 56 meters high. It is an excellent spot to get a 360° view of the city but unfortunately was not open when we arrived in November.

We loved walking around this church and tower each day in Zadar. It is a lively part of town and is the most charming part of this city of romance.

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