Sande Church, Sande i Vestfold, Norway

Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

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.

Jan H. Martin (6 years ago)
Not so much one can do while sitting in church, I fix my gaze on the pulpit and try to understand the one who painted the wall against the pulpit

Simon “SF 69” Fordham (6 years ago)
A little sad sight as the church is run down and not renovated.

Jorunn Fuglesteg (6 years ago)
Good

Sande Church

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Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus