Original scientific paper
CHURCHES IN THE REGION OF ZAGORA DURING THE 19TH CENTURY
Stanko PIPLOVIĆ
Abstract
During the almost entire nineteenth century and until the end of the World War I Dalmatia was a part of the Austrian Monarchy. The long lasting wars impoverished the region of Zagora, which even before was not a rich region. Because of such dearth ecclesiastical buildings were not maintained properly, and the new ones were rarity. On the other hand, demographic situation in Zagora in this period was marked by a significant increase of population, so the existing churches could not satisfy religious needs of the local people. Therefore the state took care of parish churches and other parish buildings with the funds from the certain foundations and with the material help of few local people. Plans for renovations and new constructions were implemented through the Ministry for religion and education placed in Vienna and Protectorate that was settled in Zadar. One of the most deserving architects in these projects was Ćiril Iveković, who in 1896 came to Zadar from Sarajevo and
became referent for ecclesiastical constructions. Regional churches were mostly conducted by the members of the Franciscan order from the Province of the Holy Redeemer that had its centers in the monasteries in Split, Karin, Knin, Šibenik, Sinj, Imotski and Visovac.
In the surroundings of Šibenik monastery in Visovac played a significant role and the entire construction was renovated in this period. Moreover, a new house was built in Konjevrati, as well as two new churches in Slivno and Dubrava. Similarly, churches in the surroundings of Trogir were in a bad shape, and in some of
them there was no possible to preform service. However, government paid attention to this problem only in 90s of the nineteenth century, when renovation stared in villages Prgomet,
Labin, Trolokve, Prapatnica, Bristivica, Blizna and Ljubitovica.
By the same token, in the hinterland of Split there were communities of Lećevice and Muć with numerous population and churches in rather bad condition. Namely, community of Lećevica had almost 6000 inhabitants, and churches in Lećevica, Korušci, Vinovo Gornje
and Brštane could not be used. Also in community of Muć some reconstructions were conducted in Muć, Neorić, Sutina and Prugovo. Almost same situation was in the community of Dugopolje, placed between Split and Sinj, that belonged to the diocese of Split and
Makarska. In the village with the same name there was only one small grave chapel and there was a plan to build there a new bigger church. However, since World War I broke out the church, dedicated to the St. Michael, was erected much later. Situation in the community of Omiš was a bit better, since there government has built several new churches at the beginning of the twentieth century. Similarly, in the district of Sinj government has built new parish churches in Vrlika and Hrvace, and church of St. Luke in
Otok and St. Rocco in Udovičić. In other parts of Zagora (Drniš and Kning including their surroundings) situation was rather similar. Intensity of building was rather good in the surroundings of Imotski. Namely, in 1881 there was erected new convent church in neo-Romanesque style with three vessels, and in Ričice there was constructed new church of St. John the Baptist. Similarly,
churches of Holy Spirit in Lovreć, Lady of Carmel in Runovići, together with several churches in the parish of Zagvozd were erected in this period. One of the fi rst Iveković's projects in Dalmatia was the church in Vrgorac. There existed an old church, which had been transformed into mosque during the Ottoman rule. When Venetian Republic invaded this region at the end of the seventeenth century this edifice became Christian church again, but by the end of the nineteenth century it became a ruin without roof. Thus, Iveković designed several possible solutions for the reconstruction. Renovation started in 1913, and ended only in 1921.
Similarly slow were other re constructional projects, too, but by the beginning of the World War I sacral infrastructure in Zagora was mostly satisfying for the contemporary needs. The new parish churches and houses were spacious and well built. Most of them were built according to, for that time, usual neo-styles with some renaissance denotations.
Keywords
Dalmatia; region of Zagora; architecture; 19th century; history of art
Hrčak ID:
52981
URI
Publication date:
25.12.2009.
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