Chapter 1

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THE SHORES OF THE ADRIATIC

THE AUSTRIAN SIDE

THE SHORES OF THE ADRIATIC

THE AUSTRIAN SIDE

THE KÜSTENLANDE, ISTRIA, AND DALMATIA

By F. HAMILTON JACKSON, R.B.A.

VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF DECORATIVE DESIGNERS CANTOR LECTURER, ETC.

FULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH PLANS. DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR, AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN SPECIALLY FOR THIS WORK

LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1908

PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY.

PREFACE

This volume is complementary to that dealing with the Italian side of the Adriatic, and follows much the same lines. It has not been thought necessary to repeat what appeared there about the sea itself, but some further details on the subject have been added in an introductory chapter. The concluding chapter treats of the influence which the two coasts exerted on each other, and contains some hints as to certain archæological problems of great interest, which deserve fuller and more individual treatment than they can receive in such a work as the present.

In a country which still contains so much that is unfamiliar, so many mediæval survivals in customs and costume, and so much that is fine in scenery, architecture, and the decorative arts, the picturesque aspect of the country has been dwelt upon more than was the case in dealing with the Italian side, and the meticulous description of buildings has to a great extent been abandoned, except in cases where it was necessary for the full understanding of the deductions drawn from existing details. At the same time, matters of archæology have not been neglected, and the rich remains of mediæval goldsmiths' work have received special attention. The costume, the customs, and the folk-lore of the Morlacchi are also treated of in considerable detail.

The determination of the Croat majority to stamp out the Italian language by insisting upon instruction in the schools being given solely in Croat will, in the course of a generation, make Italian a foreign language understood by few; and it seems wise for those who desire to visit Dalmatia to do so soon, while it is still understood and before Italian culture is forgotten.

The present work does not pretend to in any way rival Mr. T.G. Jackson's classic volumes on the architecture of the country, in completeness of historical treatment or architectural detail. Though Sir Gardner Wilkinson had published a book on the country, and the brothers Adam's full description of Diocletian's Palace was well known to connoisseurs, he may be said to have practically discovered Dalmatia for the Englishman; and it is a proof of the excellence of his work that, though twenty years have elapsed since it was published, it has never been surpassed, and its value remains undiminished. To these volumes the author desires to acknowledge his indebtedness, as well as to the "Mittheilungen" of the Austrian Central Commission for the Conservation of Historical Monuments; the "Bullettino di Storia Dalmata," conducted by Mgr. Bulic at Spalato; the "Atti" of the Istrian "Società di Archeologia e Storia Patria," published at Parenzo; and the "Archeografo Triestino," published at Trieste, all chronicling discoveries as they were made, and containing articles giving interesting and reliable information upon the history and antiquities of the coast. In addition, the following works have been consulted:

Freeman's "Subject Lands of Venice"; Munro's "Rambles and Studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina"; Neale's "Travels in Dalmatia"; Villari's "Ragusa"; Benussi's "L'Istria"; Bianchi's "Zara Cristiana" and "Antichità Romane e mediævale di Zara"; Mgr. Bulic's "Guide to Spalato and Salona"; Caprin's "Il Trecento a Trieste," "Alpi Gulie," and "L'Istria noblissima"; Carrara's "La Dalmazia descritta"; Chiudina's "Le Castella di Spalato"; Fabianich's "La Dalmazia nè primi cinque secoli del Cristianesimo"; Fosco's "La Cathedrale di Sebenico"; Franceschi's "L'Istria"; Gelcich's "Memorie storiche delle Bocche di Cattaro" and "Dello Sviluppo civile di Ragusa"; Lago's "Memorie sulla Dalmazia"; Lucio's "History of Dalmatia and Traù"; Ludwig and Molmenti's "Vittore Carpaccio"; Mantegazza's "L'Altra Sponda"; Modrich's "La Dalmazia"; Pasini's "Il Tesoro di S. Marco in Venezia"; Cav. G.B. di Rossi's "La Capsella Argentea africana," &c., and the two series of "Bullettino di Archeologia Cristiana"; Sabalich's "Guida Archeologica di Zaza"; Tamaro's "Le Citta dell' Istria"; and volumes of the Zara "Annuario Dalmatico"; Bamberger's "Blaues Meer und Schwarze Berge"; Danilo's "Dalmatien"; "Die Monarchic in Wort und Bild"; Eitelberger von Edelberg's "Gesammelte Kunsthistorischen Schriften"; Hauser's "Spalato und die monumente Dalmatiens"; Heider's "Mittelaltliche Kunst denkmale des OEsterreichischen Kaiserstaates"; Passarge's "Dalmatien und Montenegro"; Petermann's "Führer durch Dalmatien"; Tomasin's "Die Volkstamme im Gebiete von Triest und in Istrien"; Von Warsberg's "Dalmatien"; and Count Lanckoronski's magnificent monograph of the Cathedral of Aquileia.

A small portion of the matter of this volume has appeared in _The Builder_ and _The Guardian_, but has been revised and, to a great extent, rewritten. The author's thanks are due to the proprietors for permission to republish these articles. He desires to express his thanks also to the Austrian Government especially, and to the ecclesiastical authorities, for special facilities very kindly afforded him for prosecuting his studies; to the Central Commission, for the loan of clichés of most of the plans; to the directorate of the Archeografo Triestino, for permission to reproduce the plan of the cathedral, Trieste; to the Istrian Archæological Society, for the plan of the three cathedrals of Parenzo, and for permission, very courteously given by the president, Dr. Amoroso, to use anything published by them on the subject; to Mgr. Bulic, Sig. Maionica, Curator of the Museum, Aquileia, and to Sig. Puschi, of the Museum, Trieste, for much information kindly given by word of mouth; and to Mr. Palmer, Librarian of the Art Library, South Kensington, for calling his attention to several books which were exceedingly useful.

The photographs (as in the Italian volume) are from the excellent negatives of Mr. Cooper Ashton, the travelling companion of many foreign archæological expeditions.

CONTENTS

PAGE

PREFACE v

LISTS OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLANS xi-xv

I. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER 1

II. THE RACES AND THEIR CUSTOMS 6

III. AQUILEIA 23

IV. GRADO 41

V. GRADO TO TRIESTE 54

VI. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ISTRIA 69

VII. MUGGIA TO PIRANO 79

VIII. UMACO TO PARENZO 104

IX. PARENZO 107

X. TO POLA BY SEA 127

XI. TO POLA BY LAND 133

XII. POLA 143

XIII. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ISTRIAN COAST 160

XIV. FIUME AND VEGLIA 163

XV. OSSERO AND CHERSO 180

XVI. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DALMATIA 187

XVII. ARBE 192

XVIII. ZARA 205

XIX. SEBENICO 245

XX. TRAÙ AND THE RIVIERA DEI SETTE CASTELLI 262

XXI. SPALATO 292

XXII. THE SOUTHERN GROUP OF ISLANDS 316

XXIII. RAGUSA 333

XXIV. THE BOCCHE DI CATTARO 369

XXV. THE RECIPROCAL INFLUENCES OF THE TWO SHORES 397

INDEX 409

ILLUSTRATIONS

I. FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

Herzegovinian Women at a Baker's Shop in Ragusa _Frontispiece_ Statue of Venus, Museum, Aquileia _Facing page_ 36 Pulpit in the Cathedral, Grado " 45 Shipping at Trieste: the Canal, with the Greek Church and Sant' Antonio " 57 Pirano, from near the Cathedral " 97 Marble Capital of the Sixth Century, Parenzo " 113 High-altar, Parenzo, from the South Aisle " 116 Wine-boats in the Fiumara Canal, Fiume " 163 South Portion of Choir-screen, Cathedral, Veglia " 173 The Harbour of Besca Nova " 176 Chimneys at Besca Nova " 178 Monstrance in Colleggiata, Ossero " 184 Smergo Fishermen " 186 Ascent to the Ramparts, Zara " 205 Carving on Right Jamb of West Door, Cathedral, Traù " 272 Interior of the Cathedral, Traù " 276 Door of the "Atrio Rotondo," Palace of Diocletian, Spalato " 294 Interior of the Cathedral, Spalato " 296 Panel from Guvina's Doors of the Cathedral, Spalato " 299 Stall-backs in Choir, Cathedral, Spalato " 300 A Morlacco Family, between Salona and Clissa " 314 Travelling at ease: among the Islands " 329 Herzegovinian Charcoal Porter, Gravosa " 334 Reliquary of the Head of S. Blaise, Cathedral Treasury, Ragusa " 343 Cloister of the Dominican Convent, Ragusa " 349 Lavabo in Sacristy of Franciscan Convent, Ragusa " 353 Loggia of Rector's Palace, Ragusa " 354 Capital from the Loggia, Rector's Palace, Ragusa " 355 Æsculapius Capital, Rector's Palace, Ragusa " 356 Fountain of Onofrio di La Cava, Ragusa " 357 Reliquary of the Head of S. Trifone, Cattaro " 384 Albanian Horse-dealers, Cattaro " 388

II. FULL-PAGE LINE DRAWINGS

Narthex of the Cathedral, Aquileia " 35 A Corner in Grado " 42 The Patriarch's Throne, Cathedral, Grado " 46 Choir-screen and Ambo, Muggia Vecchia " 81 The "Fontico" and S. Giacorno, Capodistria " 90 The Piazza da Ponte, Capodistria " 92 The Inner Harbour, Pirano " 94 Opus Sectile in the Apse, Cathedral, Parenzo " 114 The Atrium and Western Façade, Cathedral, Parenzo " 119 View across the Nave, Cathedral, Parenzo " 131 An Istrian Farm-house " 133 Interior of the Basilica, San Lorenzo in Pasenatico " 134 Entrance to the Castle, Pisino " 137 An Angle of the Castle, San Vincenti " 139 Arch of the Sergii, Pola " 145 The Amphitheatre, Pola " 146 West Doorway, S. Francesco, Pola " 154 Interior of the Cathedral, Veglia " 171 In the Harbour, Besca Nova " 175 The Main Street, Besca Nova " 177 Lussin Grande " 181 West Door of the Colleggiata, Ossero " 183 The Landing-place, Arbe " 193 The Porta Marina, Zara " 207 North Door of Western Façade, Cathedral, Zara " 220 Apse of S. Crisogono, Zara " 230 Entrance to the Town of Nona " 239 Eastern End of Cathedral, Sebenico " 248 Late Venetian-Gothic Doorway, Sebenico " 253 South-east Portion of Choir, Cathedral, Sebenico " 254 Belfry of Greek Church, Sebenico " 257 The Porta Marina and Custom House, Traù " 265 The Porta S. Giovanni, Traù " 266 A Decayed Palace, Traù " 282 The Quay, Castel Vecchio " 287 The Porta Aurea, Spalato " 293 Italian Fruit and Vegetable Boats, Spalato " 303 Cloister of S. Francesco, Spalato " 305 Osteria at Salona " 310 Basilica of the Christian Cemetery, Salona " 312 Porta Pile, Ragusa " 336 Torre Menze and Fort S. Lorenzo, Ragusa " 337 La Sponza and Onofrio's Fountain, Ragusa " 359 The Ruined Bastion, Castelnuovo, Bocche di Cattaro " 373 Dobrota, Bocche di Cattaro " 378 Ciborium of S. Trifone, Cattaro " 383 S. Luka, Cattaro " 385 The Scuola Nautica, Cattaro " 386

III. LINE DRAWINGS IN TEXT

Knocker of the Rector's Palace, Ragusa _On Title_ Antique Statue in the Museum, Aquileia _page_ 37 Figure of S. Giusto, Campanile of the Cathedral, Trieste " 63 Arco di Riccardo, Trieste " 65 West End of the Church, Muggia Vecchia " 80 Knocker on Palazzo Tacco, Capodistria " 91 Greek Benedictional Cross, Parenzo " 117 Sarcophagus of S. Eufemia, Rovigno " 130 Wayside Chapel outside San Vincenti " 140 Stall on the Wine-quay, Fiume " 164 Veglia, showing the Castle Towers 172 Reliquary of the Head of Sant Christopher 196 Arbe, from the Shore 203 Morlacco Girl, Zara 212 Going to Market, Zara 213 Altar of Sant' Anastasia, Zara 225 Reliquary of Sant' Orontius, Zara 226 Reliquary of the Clothes of Our Lord, S. Maria Nuova, Zara 234 Costume of Sebenico 257 Late Gothic Lintel at Traù 283 A Quaint Costume, Traù 286 Reliquaries and Chalice, Treasury, Spalato Cathedral 297 Morse in the Treasury, Spalato Cathedral 298 Porta Maggiore, Lesina 319 West Door of the Cathedral, Curzola 326 Head Reliquary in Cathedral, Ragusa 345 Reliquary of the Jaw of S. Stephen of Hungary 346 A Corner of the Walls, Cattaro 388 Montenegrins in the Market, Cattaro 392 Early Greek Ship, from Millingen's Vases _Tailpiece_

IV. PLANS AND SECTIONS

Plan of the Cathedral, Aquileia 28 Plan of the Cathedral, Trieste 60 Plan of Pulpit, Muggia Vecchia 82 Plan of the Three Basilicas, Parenzo 109 Plan of S. Maria Formosa, Pola 148 Plans of S. Donate, Zara 214 Plans and Section of S. Lorenzo, Zara _Between pages_ 216 _and_ 217 Plan of Foundations discovered on the Riva Nuova, Zara 218 Plan of the Cathedral, Zara 223 Plan of Cathedral Crypt, Zara 224 Plan of S. Nicolò, Nona 242 Plan and Sections, S. Barbara, Traù 268 Plan of the Cathedral, Traù 271 Plan of Cathedral and Campanile, Spalato 295 Plan of the Dominican Convent, Ragusa 348 Plan and Elevation of one Bay of Cloister, Dominican Convent, Ragusa 352 Plan of La Sponza, Ragusa 358 Plan of the Cathedral, Cattaro 381

Map of Istria and Dalmatia _At end of book_

I

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER

The two shores of the Adriatic are totally different in their natural characteristics; the western being almost islandless and destitute of harbours, while the eastern is fringed by an almost continuous chain of islands and possesses several magnificent harbours which communicate with the open sea by narrow channels easily fortified, the rocks rising precipitously from the water along the greater part of the coast, whereas on the Italian side there is an equally continuous strip of alluvial plain between the foothills and the sea.

The Adriatic was once bounded by a kind of ridge stretching from Monte Gargano to Albania. North of this line the depth is much less than in the Ionian Sea. When the surface of the earth sank, the Dalmatian islands were formed by the letting in of the sea. The depth near Parenzo is about 120 ft.; in the Quarnero, near Fiume, 195 ft.; between Cherso and Arbe, 335 ft.; and south-west of the island Zuri (some 24 miles from the mainland), about 700 ft. Depths as great as 335 ft. to 490 ft. are, however, not very common within nine miles of the mainland. In the Bocche di Cattaro the depth near the mouth is 165 ft., but half a mile west of the Punta d'Ostro, 335 ft. North of the line from Monte Gargano to Pelagosa, Cazza, and Curzola it is never as much as 780 ft.; south-east of this line the bottom sinks so much that between Cattaro and Brindisi it reaches a depth of over 5,000 ft. The tide is scarcely perceptible, and the currents are very slight. The land is still sinking, as is proved by the Roman sarcophagi found beneath the water at Vranjic and the submerged roads between Aquileia and Grado; while there are records of the destruction of ancient towns from sudden subsidences, as that of Cissa, near Rovigno. The subsidence has been calculated as about a yard in 1,000 years. Cluverius proves from Ptolemy that in antiquity the name Adriatic only applied to that part of the gulf which lay to the north of a line between Monte Gargano and Durazzo. A passage of Strabo, describing the people of Epirus, runs: "The Adriatic being ended, the Ionian commences, the first shore of which is in the neighbourhood of Epidamnus and Apollonia." When Venice conquered Durazzo the limits of the Adriatic were extended, and it was thenceforth called the Gulf of Venice. In 1859 the almost incredible fact is recorded that it was frozen for several days!

The Austrian provinces which lie along the coast are, commencing at the north, the Küstenlande, Istria, and Dalmatia. In the first the Julian Alps form a great boundary wall to the plain of the Isonzo, from which the ground rises between Monfalcone and Nabresina to the stony district of the Karst. The Istrian ranges are spurs from this lofty plateau, the chain culminating in Monte Maggiore, north-west of Fiume. All these heights belong to the Julian Alps. Beyond Fiume, southwards, there are three principal mountain chains, all of which have much the same formation of limestone, pale brownish or grey in colour, with fossils and streaks of other colours. The first is the Dinaric Alps or Velebits, a continuation of the Julian Alps. These separate Dalmatia from Bosnia as far as Imoschi, where they enter Herzegovina, finally joining the Montenegrin chain. The chain of the shore commences on the left bank of the Kerka and extends to the Narenta, which cuts it. It runs as far as Trebinje, beyond the river. The Montenegrin mountains, which are so impressive above the Bocche di Cattaro, joining with those of the Herzegovina, make the third chain. The islands and rocks in the sea appear to be submarine branches of the littoral chain; the strata lie in the same direction--in the North Dalmatian islands to the north-west, in the Southern to the west. On the peninsula of Sabbioncello they lie partly in one and partly in the other direction. The former connection between the islands and the mainland is proved by the remains of rhinoceros, horse, and stag in the diluvial bone breccias of Lesina, and the survival of the jackal in Giuppana, Curzola, and Sabbioncello. Geologists hold that the deeply cut bays of Sabbioncello and Gravosa, as well as of the Bocche di Cattaro, and the step-shaped sinkings of the northern and eastern limestone mountains towards the Adriatic basin are signs of the tearing away of the islands from the mainland, perhaps through the destruction of the permeable strata.

These generally show in their forms the craggy and stony character of the Dinaric Alps, rising perpendicularly from the water on the side of the prevailing wind, and without vegetation. On the other side are softer hills and plains with southern vegetation, the aromatic scents from which are carried by the breeze. There are about twenty large islands, some of which are over 30 miles long; but the number may be raised to a hundred by counting in the small ones. They are generally in groups or chains, though some are isolated. The water is generally deep up to the shore, so there are very few sandbanks.