Senior Sailor Says:
Viking Saturn is a lovely ship offering amenities to make your sailing perfect, but shore excursions rank as an easy second reason to sail with Viking. Every port features an included excursion.
I am taking the “Empires of the Mediterranean” itinerary, a cruise that visits five countries and offers eight guided tours.
This day, I am in Zadar, Croatia. Nearly every day, I learn about another time when the cities were capitals of current and past countries and regions.
It has been raining, adding to the port’s mysterious mood.
Zadar was once an island separated from the mainland by a deep moat. For more than a thousand years, it was the capital of independent Dalmatia, giving it importance with Rome, Venice, and other empires.
I am anxious to explore the three Romanesque churches and the maze of cobblestone streets winding through the Old Town.
From a short distance, I can see the Church of St. Donatus, a round Catholic church with an impressive bell tower. Our guide tells us construction began in the 9th century, and this eventually met the Roman Forum, now a collection of remains.
The Forum was the largest on the eastern side of the Adriatic, founded by the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, dating back to the 3rd century.
St. Anastasia’s Cathedral Basilica, built in the 12th to 13th centuries, is the largest cathedral in Dalmatia.
We were able to enter to admire its beauty. Featuring the famous rose window, the church dates back to a Christian Basilica built in the 4th and 5th centuries, while much of the currently standing three-nave building was constructed in the Romanesque style during the 12th and 13th centuries.
The site has been submitted to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.
The 16th-century St. Mary’s Church, with its Romanesque freestanding bell tower from 1105, is another beautiful example.
The last church we visit is the Church of Saint Chrysogonus. It is a Roman Catholic church, named after the patron saint of the city. It was consecrated in 1175. Built at the site of a Roman emporium, it replaced the Church of Saint Anthony the Hermit and is the only remaining part of a large medieval Benedictine abbey.
Five Wells Square
Medieval cities with impressive cathedrals and winding alleyways offer abundant historical sites.
Enter Five Wells Square, one of Zadar’s most iconic landmarks.
True to its name, the square features five beautifully aligned wells, each crowned with an ornamental wellhead. Below is a large water cistern, built by the Venetians in the 16th century to help the city withstand prolonged Turkish sieges.
While the wells are no longer in use, Five Wells Square has transformed into a vibrant gathering spot for concerts, events, and celebrations.
I hope my narrative entices you to explore the past especially if religious history or architectural features are of interest. Every country has its own story to tell, and on this cruise, I am learning about it while spending time on the wonderful Viking Saturn.
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