MONASTERY OF ST  MICHAEL
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 26/02/2021

The Monastery of St. Michael is situated next to the Lim Bay, on the Istrian peninsula, in the northernmost part of the Adriatic Sea. It was founded by the Benedictines of the Camaldolese order, probably in the middle of the 11th century. This assumption is indicated by some historical data, but also by the characteristics of the well-preserved large single-nave church of St. Michael with semi-circular apse and partially preserved frescoes. At the place where the monastery was built, there was already a smaller church which, based on the stylistic characteristics, can be dated to the 6th century and which was incorporated into a later monastery. The church of St. Michael is a typical monument of the early Romanesque era and fits perfectly within the architectural type that was promoted by the Benedictine reform activity during the 11th century. The Church is one of the examples illustrating the characteristic of the Istrian space that during medieval period was exposed to the north-eastern Italian and southern German cultural and political influences. Recent archaeological researches have revealed the earliest remains of monastery buildings that were incorporated in later structures, which contributes to a better understanding of the appearance and way of functioning of the 11th century monastery. The lecture will therefore present the earliest phase of the monastery complex of St. Michael which, despite numerous later changes, can still be recognized in preserved building structures, and the formation of the monastery will be placed in the wider context of the Istrian 11th century.


Author(s): Visnjic, Josip (Croatian Conservation Institute)