The most beautiful religious buildings Croatia

This church, which looks more like a chapel, is considered the smallest cathedral in the world (7.80 m long by 7.60 m wide). Built in the 11th century, it was the place where the first Croatian kings were baptized. Nearby stands the statue of Gregory of Nin (Grgur Ninski), the bishop who opposed the pope in the 10th century, introducing the Slavic language into churches. As in Split and Varaždin, the monumental sculpture in bronze is the work of Ivan Meštrović.

This place of worship, dating from the th century, has a baroque façade. Dedicated to Saint Etienne, the church preserves the relics of Simeon, a saint very revered by the inhabitants of Zadar. The golden silver sarcophagus, 1,90 m long, where its fragrant body rests, is embedded in the altar, carved by Francesco da Sesto at the end of the th century. Beautifully decorated with the scenes of the life of the saint, this masterpiece masterpiece is one of the treasures of the city. If the trunk is visible all the time, during the church's openings, the body of the saint, on the other hand, is presented only on the day of the Saint Simeon (8 October), for the Assumption and for some other annual religious festivals.

The sacral treasure of the cathedral is next to the church of Saint-Domnius (Sveti Duje). You can admire a collection of shrines in gold.

Built in the 18th century, on the site of an older place of worship, this church dominates the entrance to the port and looks out to sea. It is not often opened. This is a pity, because the baroque architecture and its marine-inspired decoration are remarkable. So you can see it mainly from the outside, which is already appreciable. Inside, there is a fine collection of Italian paintings, donated by local ship captains.

Heavily damaged in 1481 during the Ottoman invasions, the monastery was rebuilt and the church redecorated with superb trompe-l'oeil paintings by Ivan Ranger. This 18th century painter influenced the local artists known as Paulin Aleksej Koniger's school. In this artistic and cultural center, scientists, linguists... Later, it was transformed into a prison. The cardinal of Croatia, who had refused to separate the Church and the State, was incarcerated under Tito.

Near the door Ploče, the monastery church was built between 1301 and 1315 in Gothic style with a pentagonal apse. The building, which suffered enormous damage during the earthquake (1667), was rebuilt. Romanesque parts have been preserved, such as the main nave and two chapels on the sides, but it is the mixture of Gothic and southern Renaissance styles that dominates. Thus, the magnificent 15th century cloister, inspired by the Florentine master Maso di Bartolomeo. The capitals are decorated with plant motifs, notably the orange tree, the city's emblematic tree. The cloister, from where you can see the 10 m high bell tower, is decorated with a garden of citrus fruits, palm trees and a well. The library (closed to the public), which was founded in the 12th century, shone throughout Europe from the 15th to the 17th centuries. In 1859, it was transferred to a room on the first floor of the convent's south wing. Many works are preserved there, for example, the booklet of Saint Thomas Aquinas, written and decorated in the 14th century, about a hundred manuscripts and 240 incunabula from all over Europe.

In the east wing of the monastery, a museum of sacred art exhibits a beautiful collection of ancient works, paintings, sculptures, silverware and many manuscripts. Included are the polyptych of Lovro's Baptism of Christ Dobričević and Nikola's triptych Božidarević depicting Saint Blaise with a model of the city before the 1667 earthquake.

The complex was founded in the 17th century on the former site of the Chapel of St Catherine. The buildings of monastic life still seem to be influenced by Gothic and Renaissance styles, while the adjoining church has more assertive Baroque elements. You will see that its interior radiates thanks to its golden high altar, a beautiful work of art! A quick tour of this period architectural ensemble is to be made during your visit to Krapina.

This important pilgrimage site in Croatia can be reached by one of the roads or bicycle paths that start from Zagreb, Varaždin or Krapina. In 1684, a blind woman discovered a dark wooden sculpture embedded in a wall of the church: a black Madonna and Child, both with very expressive human features. Legend has it that the statue appeared in the middle of mass, with the believer pointing to the exact spot to find it. Since then, the church has attracted Christians from all over Europe.

In the upper town, this neo-Gothic cathedral stands majestically. Built at the end of the 19th century by two German architects under the orders of Bishop Strossmayer. With its red brick walls, it echoes that of Ðakovo. Its bell tower, 90 m high, is visible from all around, to such an extent that it could serve as a landmark. Its name in Croatian: Osjecka Konkatedrala Sveti Petra i Pavla Apostola.

This religious complex, of which certain elements are in ruins, is composed of a medieval basilica (12th-12th centuries), the monastery and its cloister (15th-16th centuries). The Benedictine monks, who had been living on the island since the 11th century, left it for good in 1787. The Romanesque-Gothic style convent was partially destroyed in the earthquake of 1667. Today, only the east and north wings and the cloister remain. Inside, a large permanent exhibition on Game of Thrones will allow fans of the American series (but also the curious) to learn more about the behind-the-scenes filming in Croatia, with testimonies and interviews with actors in free listening.

In the courtyard of the convent, Maximilian of Habsburg had his residence built in 1860, complete with gardens and a park. The monarch had already started a small botanical collection, but it was in 1959 that the garden was institutionalized to study the adaptation of tropical and subtropical plants to the Mediterranean climate. The years of war 1991-1992 inflicted much damage to the garden. Since 1993, the garden has been rebuilt and planted again. More than 800 species are now listed, including many cactus, eucalyptus, palm trees. Some trees are more than three centuries old! You can enjoy a beautiful walk to the large reservoir that passes through the olive grove of the Benedictines. The city of Monaco has financed part of the work!

Nestled in a green setting, this large mausoleum belonged to an Austro-Hungarian aristocratic family who lived and worked on the island. The monumental tomb, with its neoclassical colonnade, pays homage to Veli Brijuni's benefactor, the Austrian industrialist Paul Kupelwieser. At the end of the 19th century, this patron financed major works to clean the air, supporting the research of the German doctor Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch, who freed Brijuni from malaria.