(Relation of the pre-Romanesque Church at Devín to Dalmatian Architecture)

Abstract: The subject of the study is the structural and iconographic-iconological analysis of the ground-plan of the pre-Romanesque Great-Moravian church in Devín Castle from the 9th century. The study also attempts to define the building stages that can be identified in the building development of the ground-plan. After a critical analysis, the building can be interpreted as an early-medieval adaptation of a defined model of the Dalmatian late antique church through Dalmatian pre-Romanesque architecture. As the source, the three late-antique churches in Dalmatia used also in the early-middle ages may be identified (Bilice, Pridraga, Sutivan). The ground-plan of the Devín church may be analysed by several construction plans based on different planimetric methods of construction, from which one can be analogically applied in the plans of the three Dalmatian triconchs. The Devín church was probably constructed using a Carolingian foot. The ground-plan of the Devín church was a result of one building project, but two ground-plan elements are obviously the separate building interventions. One intervention is presented by a middle transverse foundation stripe serving as the base of the chancel screen which was a part of the original building plan. The second intervention is presented by the additional intervention in the masonry of the northern apse which can be interpreted as a rebuilding of the northern apse caused by the static disorder in the second building stage.

Authors: Illáš, Martin

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2018.11.2.14-34

Publication order reference: Mgr. Martin Illáš; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, Dobrovičova 12, 811 09 Bratislava, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2018, vol.: 11, issue: 2, pages: 14-34 (PDF file)

Keywords: CHURCH, TRICONCH, DEVÍN, GREAT MORAVIA, PRE-ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE, DALMATIAN ARCHITECTURE

Language: SLOVAK