St. Nicholas' Church

The St. Nicholas' Church, locally known as Crkva sveti Nikole, lies south of the town of Nin, in the county of Zadar in Croatia.

The small church was built in the late 11th or early 12th century in the early Romanesque style. It is situated on a mound that is an unexplored prehistoric tumulus, in the middle of the swampy Prahulje field.

Legend says that whenever a Croatian king was crowned at Nin, the new king would ride out to the mound with a large retinue during the coronation ritual. He would then climb the mound to be presented to his people and strike a sword to the four cardinal points as a sign of his royal power.

Sometime during the 16th or 17th century, St. Nicholas Church was topped with a crenelated tower to serve as a watchtower, due to the threat of Ottoman invasions.

The exterior of St. Nicholas Church can be visited freely, but the church itself is closed. It probably only opens on December 6 each year, when a mass is held to pray for sailors and travelers. A charming blend of a small church and a fortification.

Gallery