Original scientific paper
Alterations in the Church and Monastery of the Conventualists in Split During the 19th and the Beginning of the 20th Century
Stanko Piplović
Abstract
During the last century the Medieval monastery complex of St Francis in Split underwent fundamental alterations. Its humble church had become too small for the growing populace and, from the urban perspective, it was no longer in harmony with the changed environment. These are the reasons why it was wholly restructured between 1855– 64. In accordance with the renovation and construction of the waterfront in front of the church its layout was altered so that instead of facing the harbor with its apse it was now turned to it with its main façade. A new shrine was built, its nave extended eastward and broadened on the side. A new belfry was erected at the beginning of the 20th century. The constructor I. Celić participated in this major project. Afterwards its interior was wholly renovated and the painters D. Inchiostri and I. Ahmetov covered the walls and the ceiling with large decorative compositions. The early Gothic cloister dating from the 14th century at the center of the complex is the most valuable part of the monastery. Its western porch had to be taken down in 1861–62 because of its dilapidated state. The Franciscans later wanted to rebuilt it but conservators opposed this in accordance with the principles of the time which negated reconstruction as a method. Finally in 1926 on this part of the edifice the space of the church was extended from the main altar to the wings, the cloister was renovated but sadly, in consequence, it was made smaller. The monastery building on its south side turned to the sea was wholly dilapidated. In the beginning plans were made to renovate it but it became clear that this was impossible. This is why it was demolished and in 1908 a new one using neo-Romanesque forms was raised on the same place. The planner and builder was the architect Edo Žagar. Thusly almost nothing remained of the old picturesque agglomeration. The present monastery complex is a recent realization of historicist features. It contains an aesthetic, particularly a spatial and urban, charge of accommodating itself into the total neo-stylistic environment of representative buildings. However, from the viewpoint of those who seek to preserve the monuments of the architectural heritage, these radical alterations today would not be accepted. Namely, these alterations negated certain, primarily historicaldocumentary and environmental, values in order to achieve others more in tune with temporary needs.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
12110
URI
Publication date:
17.8.2004.
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