engleski

Castrum and st Mary Church on Brioni Islands

Justinianus fortress and fortified settlement on Brioni islands in Istria (Croatia9 so called Castrum was a secure hiding place (refugium) for the local population and wider territory, as well as the naval base for the military troups. The Castrum was one of the important station on the navigation route in the Adriatic Sea established by Justinianus in 6 century. Its role was to secure trade and sea routes between the eastern and western parts of the former Roman Empire. The Castrum was 95 x 120 m large, fortified by a defence wall 2, 6 m thick of an irregular rectangular ground plan. Its corners were strengthened to the thickness of up to 2, 9 m it has battlements and sentinels on top. There were 5 entrances ; the ones on the landward side has fortified entrance - gate houses (propugnacullum) for extra security. From Castrum lead the most important navigation route to Ravenna. Important industry was also situated within the strong walls of Castrum during the restless times of the late Antiques and early Middle Age (Baphium Cissense Venetiae et Histriae listed in Notitia Dignitatum). The nearby Early Christian church of St. Mary built in 5 century was originally a hall-church measuring 23, 8 x 10, 8 m with a double decked roof. In the interior two rows of monolithic columns with conical capitals decorated with crosses devided the space into tree nave. Cross-shaped pylons were built in the place of the sixth column and the interior space was visually shortened during the Byzantine rebuilding in 6 century. There is a nartex 5, 1 x 10, 8 m in front of the basilica. In nartex and around them was late Roman cementery with numerous monolithic stone sarchophagi.

Late antique; early middle age; fortified settlement; st Mary church; Brioni islands

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