Zadar Cathedral, Zadar (must see)

The Cathedral of Saint Anastasia is the largest church in Dalmatia. It was constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of a 5th-century Christian basilica dedicated to Saint Peter.

While Donatus was bishop of Zadar, he received the ashes of Saint Anastasia of Sirmium from Emperor Nikephoros I, patron of the cathedral. The remains of Saint Anastasia were placed in a sarcophagus commissioned by Donatus. They are still in place today.

The facade has three portals. The center one has a relief of the Madonna and Child accompanied by Saints Chrysogonus and Anastasia. There is a triangular pediment, a large Romanesque rose window, and a smaller, Gothic-style window. A lion and a bull, symbols of Mark and Luke, are on the left and right of the facade, respectively.

A relief of the four evangelists is on the central portal. The left portal lunette holds a statue of the Lamb. The consoles of the vault have the Angel Gabriel and the Virgin. There is one nave and two aisles, separated by stone pillars. The 12th-century crypt is under the presbytery.

The main altar is under a Gothic ciborium, dating from 1322. A second altar is dedicated to souls in Purgatory. It was built by Venetian stonemason Peter Onega in 1805. In the nave is another altar of marble with a depiction of the Sacred Heart.

The south aisle has an altar for storing relics. The Chapel of Saint Barbara is the oldest part of the cathedral. The floor mosaic shows a scene of two deer.