Asseria, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2004.
Original scientific paper
THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ASSERIA - EARLY CHRISTIAN MAUSOLEUM AND ST PAUL'S, AROMANESQUE CHURCH
Pavuša Vežić
; University of Zadar
Abstract
The article deals with a church of the Holy Spirit in Asseria. In 1992 during the Liberation war the church was demolished by the aggressors. It was blown up by the mortar shells (mines). Then in the period from 1996 to 2001 the church was researched and rebuilt. It was done and documented by Konzervatorski odjel (Department for protective works) in Zadar. While undertaking the
protective works two more Early-Christian layers of the church were found. For the former one the author opines to be the remnant of an Early-Christian mausoleum built within the Byzantine fortress, which was erected within the previous Roman forum in Asseria. This mausoleum may have been regarded as the similar ones from the Northern Italian area. As for the later layer the author considers it to be the remnant of a Romanesque church of St Paul, mentioned by the medieval historical sources. The church was being added to the previous mausoleum. Thereafter the graveyard appeared
around the church. Few medieval Bosnian (or Bogumil) tombstones and gravestones with Glagolitic inscriptions were found in this century. During the Turkish rule in the hinterland of Dalmatia
the church itself was demolished several times.
In the 18th c. the church was renewed and dedicated to Holy Spirit. From that time there was a bell-tower at the front wall. While undertaking considerable changes upon the church by the end
of the 19th c. a rectangular sacristy replaced the former semi-circular apse.
Keywords
CHURCH; HOLY SPIRIT; ASSERIA; EARLY CHRISTIAN; MAUSOLEUM; ST PAUL'S; AROMANESQUE
Hrčak ID:
24542
URI
Publication date:
26.2.2004.
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