28.06.2023.
St. Lawrence Cathedral throughout history
Trogir is known for its old centre, which is adorned with the city’s famous St. Lawrence Cathedral.
The Cathedral of St. Lawrence occupies the main spot among the churches of Trogir. It is located on the main town square, and it stands out due to its height and construction style. It is assumed that it was built where an old Greek temple once stood. The Cathedral is also dedicated to St. John of Trogir, who is the patron saint of the city, and his tomb as well as the chapel is located inside the cathedral. Construction began around the year 1200 and ended at the beginning of the 17th century. Due to its long period of construction, we can see numerous styles and motifs that are shown on the bell tower. The Cathedral was mostly built in the Romanesque style until 1251, while the Gothic vault was built in the 15th century.
The construction of the belfry began as early as the end of the 14th century.
The first floor stands out with its Gothic openings and capitals, the masters Matej and Stjepan signed their signatures on that same floor. The first floor as well as the entire church was damaged by the Venetian bombardment in 1420, and it was master Matej Gojković who carried out repairs. The construction of the second floor began in the middle of the 15th century. The floor is decorated with Venetian floral Gothic, and is considered the most consistent Gothic-archaeological achievement in Dalmatia. The third floor of the cathedral was completed in 1605, and on it we can see Renaissance motifs. At the very top of the bell tower are the sculptures of Alessandro Vittoria (a famous Venetian sculptor), while the top of the roof is decorated with a metal ball containing the relics of the saints who guard the cathedral and the city.
The most famous part of the Cathedral is the entrance door itself, which is located on the western vestibule.
It is Master Radovan’s masterpiece through which we see many religious events. At the ends of the portal are Adam (on the right) and Eve (on the left) who are standing on lions, representing the first sin. Apostles and numerous saints are depicted on the outer doorposts, while mythical creatures and exotic animals are depicted on the sides. In the lunette above the door, we can see a depiction of Christ’s birth. At the very top of the portal is Saint Lovre with symbolic grill. The portal itself was created individually and was later combined into a single entry.
Chapel of St. John of Trogir is the most beautiful site inside the church. It was built in the 15th century according to the design of Nikola Florentinac, with contributions from Andrija Alešij and Ivan Duknović. The chapel is located in the northern part of the cathedral, where a house used to be. In the chapel, we can see torchbearers coming out of the open gates of Hades and carrying torches that symbolize the extinguishing of earthly life (the motif is taken from Roman sarcophagi). The center is decorated with an altar as well as the ceremonial tomb of St. John of Trogir. The chapel itself is considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance monuments in Europe.
The Cathedral is truly an unavoidable historical masterpiece that you must visit when you come to Trogir!
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