Church of Holy Salvation, Cetina, Croatia

The Church of the Holy Salvation is a Pre-Romanesque church and quite important in Croatia, as it is the only pre-schism church constructed with a bell tower which is still standing.

It was a large stone church for that period. The church is a one-longitudinal-nave structure with a sanctuary consisting of three apses, in the form of a trefoil. Later, the middle apse was pulled down and substituted by a bigger, rectangular one. The church has strong semi-circular buttresses that give a feeling of fortification, emphasized with mighty bell-tower positioned in front of entrance, creating a westwork.

The church was built near Vrlika, called Vrh Rike in the 9th-10th century. It was dated to the time of Duke Branimir of Dalmatian Croatia through comparative analysis of an altar beam with other artefacts carrying Branimir's name by Ivo Petricioli in 1980 and 1984. It is one of the oldest and best preserved larger monuments of the early pre-Romanesque sacral architecture.

The church was built by the local župan (district-prefect) Gastika of Cetina, at the recommendation of Pope Stephen VI, but as a private church, built in memory of his family. The most important is the fragment of a beam with semi-uncial inscriptions from it is known that the church had been dedicated to Christ and built on the order of the prefect Gastika, the son of Nemira.

The graves found near the Church, dated to the 9th through 14th century, had a specific kind of textile that was found to be comparable in quality with 18th and 19th century clothing. There are over 1,026 old Croatian graves around the church of great archaeological interest. Several tombs have been found in the church itself, most of which (more than 800) originally had stećci. The culture of that time was influenced by the Frankish Empire, which was noticed in the archaeological findings from the period and the structure of the church.

In the early 15th century, Hrvoje Vukčić strengthened the Prozor Fortress, and most of the inhabitants moved out of Vrh Rika into Vrlika. The fortress subsequently belonged to Ivaniš Nelipac, Ivan Frankopan and Mihača Nikolin Vitturi. After a 1492 invasion by the Ottoman Empire, the church and the settlement sustained heavy damage and a substantial part of the inhabitants fled to Turopolje.

The Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Dalmatia published a conflicting assessment of the origin of the Holy Salvation, originally published by Mirko Ležaić in 1939 in Belgrade, saying Tvrtko I built it, and that it was destroyed by the Turks in 1512. In 1940, the new church of the Ascension of the Lord was built by Marko Četnik and his wife Jelena.

References:

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Religious sites in Croatia

User Reviews

Peter Sprot (2 years ago)
I don't know how old this church is. What history must be trapped within it's walls. If you could look from above the cemetery is in the shape of a heart There is something mystical about it.

Kristina Tina K (2 years ago)
The church dates back to the 9th century. The only church from that time whose bell tower is still standing. Graves with valuable material and archaeological finds were found around the church and in the church. The most valuable find is the gilded Carolingian censer of the Frankish missionaries who Christianized the Croats at the end of the 8th and 9th centuries. This region has a rich history, numerous wars and changes of government, which also affected the church. Over time, the church fell into disrepair and was rebuilt depending on the style of the era and the nation that ruled the area. There are several theories about the history of this church, mostly they contradict each other. In any case, it is a great pity that something so old and a valuable indicator of history stands in this condition. Sad.

Nikola Kudrna (2 years ago)
One of the oldest mostly preserved churches in this part of Croatia, dating 9th century. Very picturesque surroundings, Dinara massif in the background. Near the church are springs of Cetina river.

Martin Witchard (2 years ago)
Beautiful, though ruined, pre-Romanesque church surrounded by headstones from old to new. A very restful place, birds twittering and very little around to disturb the peace.

Tomáš Konečný (4 years ago)
Very interesting historical place. I was very surprised that there are sny information about it in the surrounding. You just simply see it there, next to the road to Cetina spring. It has magical athmosphete.

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Church of Holy Salvation

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