Unique example in the history of European architecture
Due to its geographical position, Trogir has always been a perfect place for living. With its naturally protected port, many springs of drinking water, fertile soil in the hinterland and stone from local quarries, Trogir has been inhabited for more than 3,600 years.
This inspiring Mediterranean city has attracted many great masters ever since the time of the ancient Greeks. These masters lived in Trogir and created some of their most famous masterpieces here. Various artists, writers, craftsmen and travelers found their inspiration here and have left behind numerous marks of their work. Over the centuries, Trogir has turned into a magnificent treasury with many historical and cultural monuments, so UNESCO placed it on the list of protected cultural sites in 1997.
In its cobbled streets, Trogir preserves numerous traces of local and foreign masters that are just waiting to be discovered. Skillfully carved into the stone facades of the city, seemingly insignificant notches, dents, dashes, crescents, flowers, leaves and twigs, axes, blueprints and merels are revealed only to the keen eye of a curious observer. In these marks one can see all the richness of art and the joy of everyday life in Trogir.
Trogir is a unique example in the history of European architecture and it is the city with the largest number of such stone signs or marks in Europe. Each mark carries its own meaning. Some of them mark the end of the construction, some represent the personal signature of the master and some are engraved votive prayers. The masters also craved games into the stone, like chess and merel, that used for entertainment during the construction break. Discrete, but yet so powerful, these marks in stone can be seen on the facades and interior walls of the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence and Church of Saint John the Baptist. The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is the most famous church in Trogir. Its construction lasted for five centuries and the mixture of styles can be seen on the bell tower. The first floor was built in Gothic style, the second in Venetial floral style, and the third in Renaissance style. Several great masters contributed to the construction of the Cathedral. The main entrance of Radovan’s portal has the most significant artistic value. The portal is a sculptural masterpiece.
The great tradition of mastery in Trogir is still preserved by contemporary masters of art, crafts and gastronomy. Their workshops reveal a completely different world, one that arouses curiosity and fills you with happiness and contentment. Contemporary painters, sculptors and stonemasons produce art that will be engraved in your heart forever. The masters who make “rafiol”, carob products or olive oil will offer you a unique tasting experience, while cobblers, tailors and masters who make coral jewelry convey the spirit of the city all over the world.
Written by: Tourist bord Trogir
Source: trogirbyhearth.com
