Church of St. Donatus

The Church of St Donatus is one of Zadar’s most distinctive monuments: a massive circular building raised in the early Middle Ages immediately beside the Roman forum. Ancient stone elements were reused in its construction, so the Roman and medieval layers of the city quite literally meet here. The interior is austere and strongly shaped by the circular plan and upper gallery, while its acoustics have also made the church a venue for music performances. It is best understood together with the forum remains and nearby Cathedral of St Anastasia, where several centuries of Zadar’s urban and religious development can be read within a very small area.