Lyytikkälä is a Southeast Finnish farming estate that has been in the same family for more than 250 years. Owing to this, the buildings, structures and the interior of the farmhouse have largely remained unaltered. Most of 20 buildings were built between the end of 18th century and the beginning of 20th century. Lyytikkälä is therefore a valuable historic example of the lifestyle and working environment of the common people.
Ethnological films were already shot at Lyytikkälä in the 1960s. Three films on life and traditional farm work at Suomenniemi were prepared in 1962 and 1963.
At present, the care and maintenance of the Lyytikkälä farmhouse are jointly managed by the National Board of Antiquities and the Lyytikkälä farm trust. Today the museum is open in summer season.
Reference: National Board of Antiques
The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.